"What are we to do, Lunelis?" She inquired as she scoured her family's massive library with desperation, shuffling through book after leather-bound book. As it had been added to over thousands of years, the tomes were not small in number.

He walked up behind her to massage the worry out of her slender but stiff shoulders. Leaning down to kiss her neck he said, "I do not know, my love. Afterall, you are the smarter of the two of us," he teased. He turned her around in his arms and saw the tears threatening to breach her lavender eyes - those eyes, ah, they were eyes he could look at and get lost in forever.

"I do not trust that woman, Luna. No good will come of her. Look at what she has already done! People fear leaving their homes lest they encourage her wrath. And us. We will have a baby - a sweet little one. I do not want our child to grow up in fear. I will not have it! Children are meant to frolic and play, not cower and hide," she was working herself up; she knew it, but could not stop. "She is rounding up anyone 'different' by the carriage-load - elves, gnomes, everyone. It is only a matter of time before she rounds us up as well."

"Shhh. Do not think of such things. You do not want to upset the baby," he reached down to caress her belly. It was just barely starting to round.

All she could do was stand there, wearily fingering the heavy dragon necklace that rested above her chest, and say, "How can I calm down when I am constantly worried - for us, for our people? I have not even told the servants our good news for fear that it will spread to that woman's perfectly normal ears."

He chuckled then and gave his head a little shake, "And how long do you expect them not to notice, love? It is only a matter of time."

She turned away and strode with purpose to the large bound tome that held the records of her family. It was stationed on a pedestal in front of a large, heavily draped window, "I have been thinking…"

"Never a good thing," Lunelis teased again.

She glanced at him and shook her head with a tsk. "There is someone who can help us - someone who will help us." This gave Lunelis pause. She could not be thinking of what he thought - could she? "After all, he did promise."

Lunelis shook his head, eyes widening in trepidation and said, "No...no, no. Something else. Anything else. Anyone else…"

"He's not that bad. He is quite charming in a very uncouth way… He is just misunderstood."

Raising an eyebrow, Lunelis crossed his arms high on his chest and replied, "So, that is what you are into, aye? A temperamental old man who thinks everyone else is not worth the ground he walks on?" He gasped "...No! Do not tell me you are just using me for my looks but have another man - an old grouch - on the side," by this point he had walked up to her with a frantic look in his eyes, grasped her shoulders, and began slowly rocking her back and forth repetitively. "Tell me that it is not true, Neri! That grandpa with the thing on his nose is not for you! Nor is that other one with the belly that reaches his knees! Or that one that thinks his long, nappy hair dragging on the floor is attractive! ...Neri! Say 'tis not so," he begged.

She giggled and tried to smack at his hands to release her, "Oh, would you stop, Luna! He looks nothing of the sort." He looked at her with crystal blue puppy dog eyes. "You cannot distract me from this. He is our best hope. Send for him."

Lunelis released her and grumbled, "Fine...but don't blame me if a few curses are involved."

She raised her eyebrow at him, "Send for him - now - and do be nice about it."

Sighing, he gave her a lingering kiss and savored her presence, caressing her long pointed ear. "Fine. I could never deny you anyway." He kept her gaze as he backed away, "I do expect payment for this, you know…" He wagged his eyebrows. Just as she was about to throw a book his way he ducked out the door.

"Incorrigible. He is your father, you know," she said looking down imagining the babe growing there. A sob escaped her lips, and the tears broke free at last, "It will all work out. Even if it takes my last breath, I will not let her touch you. Even if this kingdom comes crumbling down around me - even if it crushes me - you will be free."