#finit

“Sarah,” he breathed, his hand resting on her belly. When his hand felt her flesh beneath him, he retracted it. Looking down to his hand, he was covered in dark liquid, warm and metallic stinking. Nico shook his head, “No…” He looked up, and plunged deep into Sarah’s gut was a long sword. “No!” He screamed, shooting out of bed.

Wrapped around the hilt was a set of thin fingers, with nails like daggers. Glowing just beyond, the queen’s dead eyes and a cruel, monstrous smile. “You’ve been disloyal, my attendant!” She cackled, the sound filling his senses until he went numb.

“No!” Nico sprang off the bed, breathing heavily as he stared into the familiar darkness of his chambers. He swallowed thick bile, his hands shaking. He tugged his face into his hands, wiping away at cold sweat.

“Nico,” said a sweet voice. A hand rested on his chest, another rubbing loving circles on his back.

Nico stared at the woman next to him with wild eyes, his hands still trembling as they clutched onto her. “God, Sarah… she had killed you… she had killed the baby…”

I nodded, tucking Nico beneath my chin. This had been the third night terror this week. I knew it was coming when Nico started thrashing in his sleep. I rubbed his chest to calm his breathing. “It’s all right, darling,” I said. I took one of his trembling hands and rested it on my swollen stomach. “We’re still here.”

Nico pressed his hand where I had placed it, and we both felt the child within kick his fingers. Nico’s eyes filled with tears, and he fell into me, sobbing. “I thought… I thought you were… I lost you both… Sarah…”

I hushed him as we rocked back and forth. The baby kept kicking around, now awake from all the commotion. “It’s all right, Nico,” I hummed. “We’re both here, and we’re not leaving.”

Nico nodded, sniffling as he kissed my belly. His kisses trailed up to my chest, journeying up my neck until he suckled on the crook of my shoulder. I sighed happily, letting him pepper me with affection. When he pulled away, his arms resting around my waist, his eyes were glistening and hazy. “Sarah,” he moaned, leaning in to kiss me tenderly.

I giggled lightly against his feverish kiss. “No, Nico,” I refused. “Tomorrow is very important. You’re not in your right mind. We need to rest.”

“I need you,” he countered, leaning me back onto the pillows.

I grumbled sleepily, my back aching in discomfort. Pushing him away, I said, “You know, it’s not even proper for me to be here. We won’t be married until tomorrow night.”

Nico laughed airily. “I don’t think anyone is expecting us to act according to propriety,” he said, his hand grazing over my very large belly. “I’m afraid I’ve already made a very dishonest woman of you, lovely.”

I giggled, letting him kiss me noisily on the cheek before curling into my side. “You do have a fair point,” I said, closing my eyes and turning off my back. I rested my stomach on the mattress, sighing happily at the release of pressure.

Nico wrapped his arms around me from behind, allowing me to use his arm as a pillow as the other patted our baby. He kissed the back of my neck, making me shiver. “Are you hurting,” he whispered.

I shrugged. “My feet ache, my back hurts, and this child will not stop moving for a second. But yes,” I laughed, “I’m wonderful.”

Nico smiled against my hair. “Good.”

I shifted to look at him through the corner of my eyes. “Are you all right, Nico?”

Nico quieted, sighing as he pulled me tighter. “I’m fine.”

I laced my fingertips with his as they rested on my stomach. “Nico,” I pressed gently, “the nightmares are only getting worse.”

He didn’t reply, but hugged me close to his chest. “One day they’ll stop. Until then, I’ll just keep waking up to you next to me. Having you here is the best thing for me.”

“Nico,” I breathed, pulling his hand to my lips. “I’ll always be here. I promise.”