The Mate of the Naga Prince

Chapter 12: Surprise

I stare out the burrow entrance, trying to wrap my brain about what the hell just happened. About an hour or so ago, give or take a couple minutes, Arthur... killed... Lucas... After comforting me and calming me down a bit from my shock, he went to go talk to Magi and the council. Apparently, the naga and lamias had a council that helped decide the fates of those who disobayed their laws. With Arthur being the prince of the nagas, he was thankfully not punished for... murder. The only reason he needed to go was to transfer Lucas' territory to Magi. I whine slightly as pain goes through my body starting from my stomach. Ever since I woke up, there was a pain that would shoot through my body ever so often, starting from my lower abdomen. At first I thought it was because of my... experience... with Lucas, but this pain was... different. "Hello love." A voice whispers into my ear, a tail wrapping around my waist gently. "Hi Arthur." I smile at him, but stop when I see his face. "Hey... What's wrong? Did things not go well with the council?" I ask worriedly, wrapping my arms around his neck. "No, no, everything went fine but..." He pulls me closer, gently moving my hair from my neck and leaning down. I tense up when I feel his forked tongue glide across my neck. "Don't take this wrong way love, but... Your scent is... off..." He whispers. I start to laugh. "Cause I haven't showered for like, three days!" I smile at him. He shakes his head. "No, that's not it... Darling, do humans have a way of knowing if they're... pregnant?" He says softly. My eyes widen slightly. "W-Wha..." I almost fall over from a temporary black out, but Arthur catches me. "Darling! Hey, hey! Are you alright?" He asks, using the tip of his tail to support my head as his hands gently cup my cheeks. "P-Pregnant..." I stutter out. "D-Do you think it's... Lucas'..." I ask worriedly. He falls silent, and I could see his face pale slightly. "It... could very well be..." He says in a soft voice. "I... have a friend... A Lamia... She'll be able to tell..." He gently unwraps his tail from my body. "Just... I'll take you..." He takes my hand, grabbing his head with his other hand. It was obvious me being pregnant with his enemies child wasn't sitting right with him. "Hey..." I whisper, gently touching his arm. He looks at me, not completely down to earth. "We're going to be ok." I smile warmly. He smiles back nervously before wrapping his tail around me again to help me down the tree. Once on the ground, he sets me down and takes my hand.  We walk through the forest, my free hand on my stomach almost the entire walk. He stops in the center of a small clearing, looking around like he had lost something. "Coral?" He calls out. "Arthur!" A cheerful voice states behind us, making me cry out in surprise. I turn around to be met with a pair of bright baby blue eyes and a wide smile. I take a step back, kind of hiding behind Arthur like a little kid. After... Magi and Lucas' introduction... I was nervous around anyone new. Arthur lets out a soft, hearty chuckle. "Hello Coral." He smiles. I slowly look passed Arthur to get a good look at the Lamia that was hanging upside down in front of me. Her tail was a bright pink, almost the color of what you would expect a mermaid tail to be, her eyes were a bright baby blue. Her... chest area... is smaller then Magi's, making them maybe a B cup. She was skinny and apppeared to be very full of energy. "Ohhhh! This must be your mate!" She quickly climbs down from the tree and wraps me in a tight, slightly uncomfortable, hug. "Arthur told the whole council about you! Everyone is so excited he finally chose a mate!" She pulls away and smiles at me. She gets a confused look, staring at my abdomen. "What are these?" She tugs at my shirt, making me squeak and hide behind Arthur again. She looks at Arthur, confused. "Your mate has very loose skin. That's not healthy." Arthur chuckles softly. "It's not skin. They're skin covers called 'clothes'. All humans wear them." Arthur explains. "Why? What is the point of them?" She asks, pulling me closer. "Humans aparently do not like to show their bodies. They're self conscious." He smiles slightly. "Oh, honey, your body is beautiful. You are beautiful. You have no need to hide!" She smiles down at me. I smile awkwardly and pull myself away from her, backing up into Arthur's chest. He clearly sensed my discomfort and cleared his throat. "Coral, we're here cause I need a favor." He states, wrapping his arms around my waist. "What do you need Arthur?" Coral smiles, grabbing her hands. "Well... We believe that Scarlet, my mate, is... pregnant." He sighs. She gasps. "Oh, congratulations!" She claps her hands. We just stare at her, not reciprocating her excitment. "What?" She asks, now concern. "We don't know who the father is..." I whisper. "It's either me, or Lucas." Arthur sighs. Her eyes widen. "Oh..." She looks between us. "You... want me to check?" Arthur nods. "Alright..." She slithers closer to me, making me slowly put my arms up. "Do I need to remove my clothes?" I ask, looking up at Arthur. "No, they're fine." Coral smiles, her eyes shifting to a bright green color. A sudden warmth fills me as I suddenly get extremely dizzy. Arthur holds me to help keep me balanced, but continues to stare at Coral. "Well..." Coral sighs. "You are pregnant." Her eyes go back to blue. "And the father is..."

A/N: Who should the father be?