From maid to love

Chapter 16

Four and a half months later

"Oh, my preciouses, yes you are." I murmur to the tiny boy and girl in my arms.

"Mirie!" Diren exclaims, running in. I have sweat dripping down my brow, and oh, I hurt, but I have my Derek and Rose. He embraces me on the bed, looking at our children, one the heir to the Jhefel dukedom, the other to fall in love with whoever she wishes. We decided not to betrothe Derek to another baby, to let him have his own true love.

"Rose is older by exactly five minutes" I whisper as Diren kisses me, slow and sweet, brushing back my hair from my forehead and pressing his lips there. Georgie, Helena and Katarina all burst in and start cooing over my little girl and boy.

"Georgie, you are hereby uncle to Derek and Rose. Say hello, you two." I coo to my children. Diren reaches for them, and I let him hold his heir. I hold Rose, and think, Rose Lilianna Kitri Jhefel and Derek Frederic Diren Jhefel. "Yes." I say, drifting off into my head. Just then, I hear footsteps pounding down the hallway. Nicca opens the door and squeals,

"Summer's in labor! You must get down there! Oh, and the foal will need a name, so I came to you, Mirie, since Summer's his mother."

"A name for her foal...Hmmm. Well, first send her the message that I'm coming, but I just got done birthing my own foals." I haul myself out of bed, against the midwife's protests, and waddle down the hallway as fast as I can with my huge belly and two babes. "Kelana, will you please carry these two?" I ask as I run into her in the hallway. When I reach the stable, I can hear Summer moaning as she tries. I kneel by her and whisper, "Come on girl, you can do it." I did it, and I had to get two out. You have one." She groans and flops her head down on the ground. Brádon looks over the side of his stall door nervously, letting out an nervous nicker. Summer groans again and pushes. "Good girl. Good girl, I can see the head. Shhhhh. It's all right, just keep pushing." The foal slips out of Summer, and she lets out a relieved whinny as she relaxes, rolls over, and stands up. I look at the foal and announce, "It's a girl!" Brádon whinnies at that. "What, you were expecting an heir?" He glares. Summer whickers gently and I help the little filly to stand. "What do you want to name her, Summer girl?" I ask her, stroking her nose. She whinnies something that sounds like Sunshine in Winter. "Oh, that's beautiful. Would we call her Sunshine or Winter?" Summer's whicker sounds like Winter. "Good girl." Diren comes up at that instant and puts his arm around my waist. I jump, yanking on Winter's belly. "Diren, not a good idea right now."

"Oh. Sorry." I guide Winter to her mother's belly, and she starts suckling immediatly. That reminds me, and I take Derek and Rose from Kelana, turning to go hide in another stall. My babes have their fill, and I walk out again after placing them in the cradle that Freddie and Alæna gave to us as a wedding present. My belly's so large now that I can't bend over fully. And I can't dance. Diren wraps his arm around me again, and holds me as close as he can before bringing my lips to his.

                                                                                The end