The Lion Guard: King of Outremer

Chapter 9: A Joyful Christmas

Kion savored the feeling of Rani's now swollen stomach, which he wrapped his arms tightly around and fondled.

Rani's expression mirrored Kion's as he held her from behind and kissed her cheek. The Queen exhaled deeply with a great sense of relaxation while stroking her stomach with him. Moments later, they both felt a kick.

"Ahhh, kicking already! They're a Lion just like their father!" Rani almost giggled.

"And their mother." Kion added before kissing her cheek again. Rani gave a mischievous smirk back at her husband.

"Kion, I've been wondering, what happens if it's a girl?" Kion returned her grin.

"Then God will have blessed us with a daughter."

"Really, you wouldn't be disappointed with a girl?"

"Mary was a woman and is greater than any saint." Rani turned herself around to face Kion and wrapped her arms around his shoulder.

"Good answer. But what about the Kingdom's succession?"

"Well, I hoped he'd have more than one child."

"Yes, but what if we only have girls?" Kion narrowed his eyes but remained playful.

"Well, your father only had a daughter. So we'll do what he did, find a suitable husband for our oldest."

Rani laughed.

"We could, I'm thinking we'd go local. Maybe one of Prince Rune's or Count Vegter's sons."

"You don't want another Frenchman?"

Rani shrugged.

"I don't know. Sometimes they're more trouble than their worth." Kion was about to speak when Rani caught him off-guard and pinned him down. 

"But you're right about one thing. We are having more than one child!" Kion now looked slightly nervous as Rani's grin widened.

"We're going to have as many kids as my heart desires, so brace yourself, Lion of France. Your lioness won't settle for anything less than an enormous pride!" Kion's speech became muffled by Rani's passionate kiss.

Later that day, Kion walked through the halls of the royal palace in Deiurbem while carrying Rani in his arms, bridal style. The Lion Guard, Cadoc, and a few ladies in waiting walked beside them and chuckled while looking at the mixture of irritation and excitement in Rani's face as he did so.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking, Kion." The Queen muttered, not sounding entirely sure of herself as she did so. Kion merely kissed her cheek with an almost smug grin.

"You were one complaining about your feet earlier. I'm just doing what I can to make life easier for my Queen and the mother of my child." Despite her newfound weight from the pregnancy, Kion easily carried her, and she felt his ever-present muscles. If anything, they felt even more prominent than usual, and Rani became less and less upset about being carried.

"Hmm, will you carry me when we have our first child?" Fuli asked Azaad while leaning her head against his shoulder. The Turcopole knight smirked back.

"Of course, anything for my beautiful French wife." He said before kissing her cheek.

"Ha! As if I'm going to be carried around!" Fuli laughed.

"I don't know. I think I'd like it." Binga said while wrapping her arms around Bunga.

"Anything for my wife." Bunga said before sweeping her up and into his arms as she giggled.

"Oh boy, can you believe them?" Fuli said to Anga and Bellezza, shaking her head. Fuli wasn't the only one to get married since the battle at Sepphoris. Bellezza was a Norman noblewoman from Principatum and one of Princess Mary's ladies in waiting.