Drake and Llil (wt/collabo)

The Jewels had come to Lliliean in a dream, their eyes dancing with a joy that she had only seen once before. Dainya perched herself atop the dresser with Clashna to her left and Milliona to her right. The other ten Jewels sat on cushions in front, all with their eyes facing her.

Spreading her arms as if to hug everybody in the room at once, Dainya spoke simply but joyously, "A great day shall see your home this year." The other Jewels smiled and nodded their heads in ascent.

Lliliean sat up on the bed and moved closer to them, "What do you speak of?"

Clashana smiled at her, "You are with child once more and," she looked to Mellianor.

Mellianor smiled, "Better days lie in this one's future. Many, many great days."

Lliliean's hands flew to her stomach. She was surprised, she had felt nothing, knew nothing of their news. She suddenly remembered something and immediately became frightened.

"Fear not," Lilianka spoke from her deep green cushion, "This is the child of the lord of the house. He is yours and not Schi's."

Lliliean's eyes teared. "Has- do you know if Drake knows?"

Loraya winked, "He only knows of your glow, he sees only your beauty."

Lliliean's smile grew and she poised herself to ask just one more question, but Dal-llay intoned, "No more questions. Not one, we have already allowed joy to loosen our tongues." Before her eyes, the Jewels, all smiling, dissolved away into the night air leaving Lliliean to listen to the song of Drake's snoring. Briefly, she thought to rouse Drake as he had often done to her, but her doubts got the better of her. She laid her head on his chest and, closing her eyes, drifted back to sleep.





Lliliean awoke in the morning to a light kiss and the aromas of cooked Lorrid egg and roasted ham. Drake placed the platter on the bed and gathered her into his arms, kissing her once more. "Morning my diamond." He smiled and looked ino her eyes, "They've, they've changed color?"

"They what Drake?" She asked as she took a bite of the ham.

"Your eyes, they aren't as blue as before, they're less like the sky and more like a storm." He seemed troubled by it, but joked, "What a record, I've angered you before you even woke."

Lliliean smacked his shoulder lightly, "Don't make me use Mellanor."

Drake raised his hands in surrender and laughed, "No need, no need, I shall let you eat in peace." He stood from the bed and walked to the door. He smiled before he disappeared out of the room.

Lliliean finished her food slowly and then drew herself a bath. As the water heated, she undressed. Looking at herself in the looking glass Drake had managed to find somehow, she saw what she had never thought to look for. Her stomach was taut and somewhat round as if she had eaten entirely too much. In truth, it wsa only a small change, but her once flat stomach was clearly taut with child. She rubbed her hand over it and realized she would have to tell Drake soon.

She bathed and dressed in a simple, floor length tunic before grabbing a blanket and searching for Drake.

"Drake!" She called into the house as she neared the hearth.

A head popped into the window on the opposite wall, "Yup, my jewel?" The sunlight haloed his tousled hair. He raised a hand to the frame, "Are you cold?" He looked ready to spring though the window and warm her himself, the blanket be an Orc's lover.

"Worry not Drake, I am fine, but I've something to tell you when you're done whatever it is you are doing."

He looked at her skeptically, but nodded slowly, "I'm just tending to Mist and Boot." Mist snorted in the background, peeved that Drake dared to withold an apple from her. He turned to her and lifted his other hand, the apple shiny and as true a red as blood, and gestured as if to throw it. "Now look Mist, I get enough horse mouth from ole Boot, I will not take it from you as well." Mist snorted once more as if to remind him who was really the boss here. Drake rolled his eyes and looked back to Lliliean, "The horses definitly likes you more than me." He threw the over his shoulder and smirked as Mist went trotting after it.

"Oh, you shall do fine, just come in when you're done." She kissed her hand and blew on it. Drake caught something in his hand and kissed his palm before waving and disappearing away from the window.

Lliliean soon dozed off in the firelight.





This time, Drake woke Lliliean with milk warmed with herbs and sugar. He had found her asleep on the cushioned bench and pulled her onto his lap where he still held her. "Are you feeling okay? You are usually able to out awake me." His brown eyes were concerned as he ran his fingers through her hair.

She took the milk and inhaled deeply, happy that she had taught him her mother's recipe. She smiled at the scent of Drake too.