Conspiracy

Return of the Queen

"Where is she? The sun has long since set, and I see still no sign of them."
"Relax, Christopher. I'm sure she's alright."
"Look! Here they come!" Lucas' voice sang out over the library where everyone had gathered in anticipation of Cora and Regina's return. Christopher and Andre were the first at the window to see two figures bounding through the treetops, then zipping across the lawn to the entrance of the house. The two men, tripping over each other in their excitement, raced down the hall to meet them.
"Regina!" Christopher cried, reaching her first.
"Christopher?" Regina replied confusion etched into her features as her fiancé wrapped his arms around her in the grip of a vice. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, right. I probably should have mentioned that on the way over." Cora chuckled.
"What? That my fiancé was here?"
"No, that your fiancé is my brother and a Child of the Sun, which loosely translates to Sun Vampire."
"Wait. What?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I probably should have mentioned that too." Christopher smiled sheepishly.
"Hmm, maybe. You know, that's the kind of thing you mention on a first date, Chris. You know, like, 'Oh, I like horses, I'm a painter, my sister is a vampire, and so am I!' Come on, Chris."
"Wow." He breathed, seeming to completely ignore the rage she was emitting.
"What?"
"You are one hell of a vampire." He remarked, sliding his arm around her waist, and pressing his lips against hers.
"I'm still mad at you." she chuckled through the kiss.
"Oh well."
"Ugh. Alright, lovebirds. Break it up, would you? I'd rather not be cleaning up Andre's breakfast."
"Alright, alright. Besides, I think your brother might burst if I didn't hand you over to him."
"Probably." She chuckled as Andre flew into her open arms. As the little reunion unfolded in the foyer, Merlin suddenly appeared at the top of the stairwell.
"Cora? Can I speak to you for a moment?" he called. In reply, Cora leapt up the banisters to his side.
"Yes?"
"We need to talk. In private." His voice was drenched in distress, meaning something was horribly wrong.
"The vault. Now."

∞

"What do you mean she's pregnant?" Cora exclaimed.
"I saw it. The birth of a child. It came right after you returned."
"But that's impossible. No vampire has ever been born by nature's route before. It's unheard of."
"So was mixing the blood of two supernaturals. But we still succeeded. What's to say this won't either."
"What are we going to tell them?"
"The truth."
"Merlin, she was just reborn. She doesn't need this right now."
"But it's what she's going to get. It's not like she can abandon it."
"I mean, she could."
"Cora!"
"What? I just want her to know that all options are on the table."
"No. Not that one. Any but that."
"Fine. Then let's get her in here so we can figure out what to do next."
"Very well." Merlin bowed before waving open the vault's door. Outside, the rest of the Bloodthornes lingered around the firepit, eager to know that Merlin and Cora had deemed so important they needed the safety of the vault to discuss.
"About time." Drax huffed as they emerged into the space. "So? What's so important that you two had to scamper off into the hole of darkness to talk about?"
"Well, Merlin has seen something that is rather... unheard of."
"Really? What?" Azula perked up, her eyes like dinner plates.
"Well, it has to do with Regina." Merlin continued.
"Me? What have I done know?" she asked, her tone hinted with an attitude that hadn't existed before. Andre and Christopher stood on either side, grinning madly at each other over how wonderful a vampire she'd turned out to be.
"Well, I just don't know. It's so totally out of the bounds of comprehension, I'm going to have to conduct several tests."
"Okay, no. I have no interest in becoming your guinea pig for some cock-a-doodled experiment of yours."
"I'm not sure you're going to have much of a choice after a while. Because trust me, you'll want to know that answers as much as we will."
"Answers about what?" Regina sighed with annoyance; Cora's antics were starting to get on her last nerve. And the silent words spoken with Merlin were only adding to it. "Well?"
"Well..."
"Yes?"
"You're pregnant." Cora said with a smile.