She Who Owns The Dragon's Heart

Chapter Eleven

-Sapphire-

I wasn't hungry like I usually was.

Irsia and Saffron were making breakfast for Acheron and I, but I just settled for some green tea to soothe my twisted stomach.

"Sapphire? Would you care for anything other than tea?" Saffron asked, her voice light and musical.

"No, thank you, Saffron." I shook my head.

"You're usually ravenous in the mornings. What's wrong?" She sat beside me.

"I'm just not hungry, Saffron. I'll be fine." She didn't push, but Acheron would. He had been upstairs, on a call with Asløv. It ended shortly after and he came downstairs.

"Breakfast is ready." Saffron and Irsia poofed from the kitchen, a soft cloud that smelled of Jasmine wafted throughout the room. Acheron went to the table while I stayed at the breakfast bar. Even a week after our initial miniature blowout, I was still feeling unsure and sick.

"Saph? Are you going to come eat?" I shook my head. I heard him sigh, bringing a plate over. A piece of toast with strawberry jam. "You need to eat something. You haven't eaten much and it's not healthy for you." He left out the part about the probably child. I closed my eyes, holding back a comment, and a bit of whatever was wanting to come up... and failed.

Rushing to the sink, My quarter cup of tea came up and my stomach felt as if it was on fire. "Ugh..." I moaned, clutching my stomach. This wasn't how pregnancy was supposed to feel. Not like a burning hot chainsaw going through my stomach. Acheron came beside me with a handful of pills in his hand and a cup of milk.

"Acid reducers, anti-nausea, and the milk helps with heartburn." There were like sixteen pills in his hand. "Double dose for double metabolisms." I took four at a time, trying not to gag as they went down my throat. Immediately, they began to take affect, but I still didn't feel hungry. "Do you want me to call Erzsi?" I nodded, rubbing my face. "Go lie down on the couch." I just obeyed, not wanting to get into another feud. Laying down on the couch, I pulled a blanket over my legs, shutting my eyes. I heard Acheron speaking in an ancient language to Erszi, then a click. He came over, lifting my head, then sat down, and let me use his lap as a pillow. Things between us haven't been the best because of what could be, but I do love him. I couldn't not love him.

"She'll be here in a couple of hours." He told me calmly, brushing my hair with his fingers. I just hummed in response as he clicked on the television. The soothing from his touch was easily enough to lull me into a peaceful sleep...

But with the dull fire in my belly, it wasn't enough this time.

*

Erszi came around noon, which was exactly two hours after said call.

"Alright, Sapphire. Shirt up, please." I complied, lifting it up to the top of my ribs. Her soft, warm hands were placed upon my barely swollen stomach, and a soft image like an ultrasound appeared. "Well, you are definitely pregnant... I would say since after your first shift." I blinked, still trying to comprehend. "In your case, because you're a hybrid-halfling-whatever you want to call yourself, you will not be able to shift, realm hopping might be more difficult, and-" My stomach churning cut her off momentarily,"-morning sickness and stomach issues... Gone with this." She gave me a box of herbs. "One leaf is potent enough for a day, maybe two. They're special leaves, they dissolve under the tongue. This should get you by for a couple months or so. Since your pregnancy isn't very common... it's actually very, very rare... I'll be by often to monitor you." She told me, tucking down my shirt. "Try and rest as much as you can. Because you are half and half exactly, the child will be more Dragon than demon, thanks to Acheron's genetics. Dragon babies... they can be difficult. Because mortal form, they can take up to a year and a half in gestation, while in their real form, they take two years for an egg, and six months to eight months to hatch." All this information... Where is Dragon Sex 101 class when you need it?

"Thank you, Erszi. You know where you can claim your payment." She bowed her head before vanishing, a cloud of smoke coming up from where she had been standing. Acheron took a leaf out of the box, holding it in front of my mouth for me to take. It dissolved instantly, taking away all the nausea, and settled my stomach. "Willing to eat now?" My stomach rumbled in response. "I take that as a yes." He chuckled, then got up. He came back with a plate of bacon, sausage, and toast, and they didn't last long. I inhaled the food like I would never see it again.

We fell into a comfortable silence after that, until the phone rang.

"Hello?" He answered. I heard Enyo speaking on the other end. "We'll be on our way." He clicked end, then stood up. "Well, how about going to see Greece?" I cocked my head. "My mother needs some people to cheer her up. She might like to hear the good news." Greece?

"Should we be telling anyone?" I asked curiously.

"They're going to pick up on it sometime, might as well get it out of the way. It's my mother, Sapphire. It's good news in light of all that happened." He pulled me off the couch, dragging me to the room with him. He had me pack a duffle bag full of clothes to share with him, then set it down on the floor next to the bed. "Do you have a passport?"

"It's at the apartment I no longer have. I don't even know where my stuff is." I told him.

"That's not an issue. Saffron?" He called her name. She appeared in a puff of smoke. "Would you mind locating Sapphire's belongings? More preferably, her passport." She curtsied and vanished, coming back a minute later. She held a box in her hands that was rather large.

"Clothes, make up, keepsakes, and your passport." She handed me my box.

"Thank you, Saffron."

"Will you be needing us to accompany you, Acheron?"

"No, Saffron. You and Irsia go have yourself some fun while we're away." I packed some of my favorite lipsticks and my only mascara. "We'll be gone only a handful of days." She curtsied once more before standing aside. He pulled out my passport, stuffing it in my pocket on the left side of my backpack. "Ready to go?" I nodded, grabbing my hoodie that was laying on the bed. "We're ready, Saffron."

And in a blink of smoke, we appeared behind a pillar at the airport, unnoticed.

"Gene Express?" I asked, jokingly.

"One of the best ways to travel, other than natural form." He pulled me along as we went to go get tickets. I looked at our departure time, which was in two hours. We had to get first class due to Acherons large state. Since it was a one stop in New York from Portland, he didn't want to be cramped up for almost six hours.

He brought a laptop and a tablet, as well as his phone. He gave me the tablet to play around on or watch something during our layover. I curled up under his arm as he was clicking in something on his laptop.

It was going to be a long trip.

Yes, I KNOW, took me long enough. I've been super busy. My poor puppy Ellana, well one of them, got a hole in her side that we noticed a little late because she's not a cuddle dog, and she had to undergo surgery to remove some necrotic tissue. She's okay, 9 stitches in her side and under some serious pain medication and antibiotics, but she's healing just fine.

I'm also learning German and oh dear god am I struggling. Help. Please. Send help.

Hugs,

-Shay