Days passed in a blur of happiness and activity. Theo's return to the imperial palace was met with excitement and intrigue, as whispers of his success in the Forest Kingdom spread like wildfire.
The empress, ever the shrewd strategist, began to organize a marriage council that would take place the following month.
This event would not only cement Theo's position as Duke but also serve to solidify the alliances formed by his union with the elven princess.
The harem's life at the palace was as lovely as ever, each member bringing their own unique warmth and passion to their nightly escapades.
The bond between them had only grown stronger, their shared experiences creating a web of desire and loyalty that was unbreakable.
One morning, the sun streamed through the windows of the imperial suite, painting a warm glow on the rumpled sheets of the large bed. Theo stirred, his eyes slowly opening to find himself alone. He reached out, his hand searching for the familiar warmth of Lily's body, but she was nowhere to be found.
Concerned, he threw off the covers and called for Ely, who entered the room with a tray of breakfast. "Where is Lily?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
"I believe she is not feeling well, Your Grace," Ely replied, her eyes filled with a knowing look. "She is resting in her chambers."
Theo's heart skipped a beat. "Is she okay?"
"Rest assured," Ely said gently, setting the tray down, "I have seen to her needs. She just requires a bit of rest."
Theo nodded, his thoughts racing. He knew that the path they were on was not without its challenges, and he could not ignore the toll that the prophecy had been taking on all of them, especially Lily, whose power had been so intrinsically linked to his own.
He pushed aside the platter of food, his appetite lost. "I will go to her," he decided, his voice firm. "I need to make sure she is well."
Ely nodded, understanding in her gaze. "I will inform her of your visit, Your Grace."
Her eyes fluttered open, and she offered him a weak smile. "Master," she said, her voice a mere whisper, "I am... fine. Just tired."
Theo felt a twinge of concern as he approached the bed, his hand reaching out to touch her forehead. "You don't look well, Lily," he said gently.
Her hand rose to meet his, and she kissed his palm, her eyes full of love and reassurance. "I am okay," she murmured. "Just a bit under the weather."
Theo's eyes searched hers, looking for any sign of distress. Despite her words, he knew that she was not her usual self. With a nod, he called out to Ely, who had been hovering nearby. "Please, call the doctor," he instructed, his voice filled with urgency.
Lily's eyes widened in protest. "Master, I am fine," she said, trying to sit up.
But Theo was insistent. "You are not," he said firmly. "I will not take any chances with your health."
Ely nodded, her smile filled with warmth and understanding as she slipped out of the room to fulfill his request.
Theo leaned in, stroking her hair gently. "Rest, My knight," he murmured. "I am here for You."
Her cheeks flushed with happiness at his affection, and she nodded, closing her eyes once more.
As they waited for the doctor's arrival, Theo remained by her side, his touch reassuring and his words filled with gentle encouragement. The room was filled with the sweet scent of herbs and the soft sound of Lily's breathing, a testament to the depth of their bond.
The doctor, a distinguished elderly woman with a kind smile, entered the room with a brisk step. "Your grace," she greeted, her eyes immediately going to the pale form in the bed. "I have been told that Lady Lily is not feeling well?"
Theo nodded solemnly. "Yes, she seems to be in some distress."
The doctor approached the bed, her eyes assessing Lily's condition with a practiced gaze. "Allow me," she said, gently pushing his hand aside to place her own on Lily's stomach. After a moment, she looked up with a smile that could only be described as a beam of pure joy.
"Congratulations, Duke Theodore," she announced, "Lady Lily is with child."
Theo felt his heart leap into his throat. "What?" he croaked, unable to believe the words he was hearing.
Lily's eyes grew wide with shock and happiness, tears welling up in her eyes. "Is it true?" she whispered.
"Indeed," the doctor confirmed, her smile growing broader. "The signs are clear. You are expecting."
Theo's eyes met Lily's, and he felt his own emotions mirrored in hers. "Thank you," he managed to say, taking the doctor's hands in his own, "Thank you so much."
He turned to Lily, his gaze filled with love and awe. "Lily," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "We're going to be parents, I am going to be Father."
Her smile grew, a glow of happiness lighting up her entire face. "Yes, Master," she said, her voice filled with love and wonder. "Thank You."
The doctor patted Lily's hand before leaving the room, a knowing look in her eye. "Rest well, Lady Lily. Your body needs it now more than ever."
As the doctor's footsteps faded away, Theo pulled Lily into a fierce embrace, his kiss a promise of all the love and support she would need in the days to come.
After hearing that Lily is going to have a baby, the Empress runs over and gives her a hug, saying, "You're going to have a baby! But how?"
Lily looks confused because she doesn't know the answer.
Theo sees that the Empress is confused about why she's asking Lily when she already knows they had sex, so he speaks up, "Well, we had sex a few times, so it's not surprising, right?"
The Empress looks at Theo and realizes she forgot to tell him that Astra people can't get pregnant from a guy's sperm. They need an artifact to have a child.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that. Astra women can't get pregnant from a man's sperm, they have to use an artifact to have a child." The Empress explains to Theo.
The doctor who's there says, "Even the hero can't make them pregnant just by having sex."
"But how did Lily get pregnant then?" Theo wonders.
The Empress looks at Lily, "You didn't use the artifact, did you?"
Lily shakes her head, "No, I'm a bodyguard. Getting pregnant would make my job harder, so I didn't use it."
The Empress looks at the doctor, "Could you check again?"
The doctor thinks for a moment, "Maybe this hero is different from the others we read about."
"What do you mean?" Theo asks, really surprised.
The Empress says, "In the books, heroes would have anal sex and make their partners drink their pee. They say it's fun for the hero."
Theo's shocked, "Wait, so heroes don't just have sex in the vagina?"
"Yes, that's what the books say. They don't just put their dick in the pussy, they also use the ass and make them drink their pee." The Empress tells him.
"I didn't do any of that," Theo says, feeling a bit sick.
"But you did have sex with my daughter Arabella's pussy, right?" The Empress asks, hoping.
Theo nods, "Yeah."
"Then she could get pregnant too?" The Empress asks, smiling.
"I suppose so," Theo says.
The Empress is so happy she grabs Theo's hand and says, "Thank you, thank you!"
Empress Lilian's eyes lit up with joy when she heard the latest news. She had always thought that Theo was different from other guys, and it appeared that he had just proven it again. "Oh, Theo," she said sweetly, "you're really something else. Your dick is totally powerful!"
Theo looked at her, feeling a bit confused. "But I didn't know..."
"The prophecy is a funny thing," the Empress told him, patting his hand. "It doesn't always go the way we think."
Theo nodded, still trying to get his head around it all. "Does that mean..."
"It's true," she said, smiling wider. "You could totally get Arabella pregnant too. How cool is that?"
Theo felt a weird mix of surprise and pride. "I'll take good care of her," he promised, "and the baby if she has one."
Empress Lilian leaned closer, her voice low. "And maybe now, you should think about marrying another of my daughters, to make our friendship even stronger."
Theo felt a lump in his throat, looking at Lily who seemed to love him but also a bit worried. "Your offer is amazing, Empress," he said carefully, "but right now, I only have eyes for Lily."
The Empress gave him a knowing smile. "Take your time, darling."
Then, she left the room, giving Theo, Lily, and Ely some space to think about everything that had just happened.