Chapter Text
The day was calm, the night patrol had come back no less than an hour ago and the news to report did not seem good, but she would deal with them later.
Lilith stood tall at the head of the mat watching the new lieutenants circle each other, so far nothing promising anything above average. The bigger man charged toward the woman who easily dodged the punch, she was quick, and by the looks of it, she knew how to use it in her favor.
"It is slightly better than the last batch of them," Aimsir remarked, more trying to distract her than anything.
“Slightly better than incompetent is just mediocre” She shot back at him, receiving a huff in response. The truth was simple, she was pissed, which was nothing new, but still. Being in her late thirties and rapidly climbing the ranks, now a colonel, while still managing to care for her two children was an accomplishment that half her peers had fallen short of achieving, and yet here she was, assembled to the more administrative duties.
"You cannot oversee flight properly in your condition," Aimsir reminded her as she contained a sigh. Convincing her dragon to stop acting like an overbearing mother wasn't a fight she was winning anytime soon, a fight she hadn’t won the last two times either.
Yes, she was once again pregnant, and yes, in her late second trimester which made some maneuvers quite difficult but she could still fly, not to mention that her current condition was entirely her husband's fault with his stupid soft smiles and the fact that she pathetically couldn't deny him anything.
“I do not recall you even trying to deny–”
“This conversation is over,” She cut him off before slamming her shield more firmly into place, a feeling of deep amusement reaching her through the cracks.
Unsurprisingly, the fight ended with the bigger man on his ass, Major Daxton made sure to detail each assessment about each newcomer as she discharged them, assembling them to their new duties in the papers she carried while listening to the patrols' debrief.
Lilith herself was focused on detailing reports of recent skirmishes and the budget estimate for the next few months when Daxton reached her. Her worried expression clearly signaled that the news brought by night patrol were concerning and that there wasn't a way in hell she could have any hope of a calm week. The major was the second in command of the outpost beneath Lilith and would be responsible for overseeing her duties when she started her leave, a few more weeks and whatever had happened wouldn’t be her problem anymore.
Getting leave of active duty meant she would be bound to do minor tasks until the birth, followed by a twelve-week leave of all duties to recover, but still, it was getting harder to move. With that in thought she returned to her quarter to have a proper breakfast instead of the orange she ate on the way down, it was around seven so the children would be getting up in half an hour or so. Plenty of time to fail at making anything slightly edible for them.
The riot that went on a mission a few days before in an outpost outside the wards had brought a hostage she would have to question later that day, but the poor flier was not a problem for now either.
Going up the stairs and into the family quarters she opened the door to the one assigned to hers, it was simple and spartan, even though bigger than the average, with a simple kitchen with a living room, a hallway leading to a bedroom, a nursery, and a bathroom in between in one side, a bedroom with a jointed bathroom and simple office on the other, the stone walls and wooden floor were cold at that time of the day so she used a minor magic to start a fire in the fireplace on the opposite end of the kitchen and got to work.
Samael was probably still in the archives, but he would be back soon enough to suffer from her culinary skills, she was in the middle of mixing some eggs when a yawning Brennan appeared at the doorway. His reddish-brown curls and amber eyes were a copy of his father just like Mira was hers, apparently, their genetics went drastically to one end or another.
"Morning mom" he greeted with another yawn. "I thought dad was making breakfast today", his tone was wary, which brought her a hint of amusement that she didn't show.
"Is there any problem?" Lilith asked absently, raising an eyebrow at him, just a hint but it was enough to have him profusely denying, and she couldn't quite hide the small grin. "Good, go wake your sister then."
Brennan nodded but murmured something about Mira almost punching him the last time, which sounded entirely too Mira-like to be a lie.
"You made yourself a small copy, that is your fault," Aimsir, again, tried to distract her.
Twenty minutes later the two little wildcats were sitting on the table waiting for the food and already dreading it when the door opened and a hurried Samael entered.
"Sorry for the delay," he said going to her side and kissing her cheek. "There were a lot of reports to transcribe" he grimaced looking at the pan. "I would have come earlier to cook if I could", at the table Brennan and Mira traded a mischievous look, while Lilith just gave the smallest of smirks.
"If only you had arrived on time..." she trailed off with a bored tone and then shrugged as the complete nightmare she was, he gave another small smile and sat down at the table, the three of them accepting their fate.
"It'll be a boy," Brennan said vehemently, Mira did not seem happy about that at all, her short hair was a mess, and as always, she wasn't sitting still while all but inhaling the food so it would be over sooner.
"No, a girl,". They were going over the argument the whole time since they started eating, still in their sleeping tunics, both their parents refusing to take a side, or to give any input at all in Lilith's case.
Their father tried to patiently mediate while fidgeting with his glasses but when neither of the kids was inclined to enter a consensus Samael simply decided to get them changed for the day, Mira was going to the tutoring with the other kids around her age to learn the basic while Brennan had a more advanced curriculum of classes and training.
It took some coaching but both ended up getting dressed in the simple tunics and pants most children wore before Brennan took his sister's hands and headed to the door waving them a good day they returned.
Sam didn't need to pay too much attention to notice his wife was troubled with something, sitting in the armchair with one hand cradling her belly while twisting a particular dagger in the other, she was wearing her usual uniform, with the only difference being the looser black tunic to accommodate the pregnancy.
Her eyes were far away, resembling the storms she wielded, not even twitching as he went to stand behind the armchair and started pressing his fingers on her tense shoulders
"What is wrong my Lily?" He asked, keeping his voice low as he used the nickname he had learned to wield against her as if it were a weapon. "What are you thinking so much about?" another press of his hands. She looked at him for a second before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"Do you think we made the right choice?" she wasn't looking him in the eyes anymore. "We are getting old my love, I'm more tired carrying this one than the other two and…" she trailed off, not finishing what was possibly a long list of reasons.
Sam mumbled over the question, yes, this child was not planned and yes, they had talked about their options, his wife wasn’t exactly a person to rethink past decisions over and over so for her to start doing it now…
"I'll never get old while I have you" he answered, making his way to stand in front of her. "Brennan will be ten years older than this one" he continued, lowering to her eye level and putting a hand over the one she had cradling her stomach. "We are about to be overruled by little Sorrengails. A boy or a girl it doesn't matter, we are fucked if it gets your temper or my wits", his hands were still on her stomach when she gave him an almost-not-there smile. "We made our choice, and even if it was the wrong one I'm more than happy to deal with the consequences".
He knew his wife, she wasn't an easy woman, admitting those uncertainties was a thing she only did to him, but he knew where they came from, the only thing she was truly afraid of - Not being able to protect her family.
She wasn't someone he’d classify as a good person, and if he himself were a better man he could have cared but he didn't, he saw all the horrible, terrible things she was capable of, and yet... to him, she was just Lily. His Lily. With the cold mask, the brutality, the stubbornness, the overall lack of morals- she was terrifying- and yet here he was, completely unable to resist the storm.
She nodded at him, and just like that he knew that wasn’t the end of it. "Okay, but there’s something else," She stopped twisting the dagger, re-sheathing it at her leg, and bringing her hand on top of his, her face hardening. "The night patrol reported an unknown possible threat outside the wards a few hours away from here" Samael stilled but did not comment. "The debrief was sent to the main base and the higher ranks decided it would be wise to send a riot to a reconnaissance mission around the area tomorrow morning, but there's a storm gathering–"
"No."He cut in, shaking his head. "You're just a few weeks away from getting leave,”
"Which means I'm still not on leave and, therefore still obliged to duty," he was still shaking his head. "I'll only keep the weather stable and oversee while the rest do the reconnaissance, I'll be careful."
Malek only knew her definition of careful was his major source of concern. He wanted her close, and safe, and preferably on their bed resting until the baby was born and for a while after that, but realistically speaking, if she had orders…
"Tell me this will be the last patrol, mission, or whatever else you go" he all but demanded with a soft voice. "Tell me I won't have to worry about my pregnant wife in enemy territory against 'unknown' threats again,"
Her hand was gentle against his cheek. "I'll do what I can to make sure of that" It was the only promise she could give him and he knew it, he wasn't a violent man, but the feelings stirring within his chest could put that theory to the test, not at her but at Command , that was ordering an almost seven-month pregnant woman in a mission.
Instead of arguing he gave her a small grin. "People call you a demon for a reason, live up to it if you need to," She scoffed. He laughed, only for a few moments until he pressed his face against her stomach. "Lily, Lily Lily, my monstrous night creature, be careful"
"So very romantic" she commented in a dry voice, but her eyes were alight as he looked at her, his eyes soft as he kissed the place his cheek had rested a moment earlier.
"You're a complete nightmare," Another kiss. "One that forever haunts my sleep," another. "I can continue, but I have the distinctive feeling that if I do we are not getting anything done today,"
"I suppose you're right" She gave him a look, eyes narrowing as she considered him before accepting. "I have a poor bastard to question," he arched an eyebrow at the change of subject. "The riot leaves at midnight, I'll make sure to get here five minutes late for dinner just in case you forget to be back in time,"
That was a small mercy on the entire family.
He nodded, eyes still worried. "I'll, unfortunately, get home a little early and stop you from making dinner," he took another deep breath before leveling her a look. "I have to leave for the archives, but I know you have a few hours until your next assignment. Sleep a little, since I doubt you'll be able to do so on dragon-back on your way to gods-know-where," It was a clear judgment as he placed a light kiss on her hand. "When do you return?"
"If all goes as planned at dusk the day after tomorrow," she answered, taking her hand to an almost-there caress to his cheek and just taking him in - The long face, straight nose, those amber eyes behind the small oval glasses he wore, the reddish hair that curled on his shoulders. "I'll sleep for a couple hours and then get to administration, I also have to help Brennan with his sword training this afternoon but we will be both back for dinner. Don't worry yourself to an early grave, my love."