Only minutes before he had just learned both the best news of his life, and the worst.  How could he possibly have this conversation with Echo?  She was already more than a month along according to Angela, and with triplets at that.  She’d start showing much sooner than the average mother to be, so even if there wasn’t a deadly situation at hand he wouldn’t have long to keep such information away from her. 
 
He looked at himself in the mirror of their personal bathroom and pushed both hands through his hair.  Even though his plan would work, it gave him more need to stay alive: if he were to be killed then she’d be trapped in the state he was going to put her in, forever.  There was too much pressure today…
 
So, he decided to take Angela’s advice and try to just let today be a happy one with her.  He removed his clothing and put on looser fitting garments that were usually saved for sleeping.  It wasn’t common to see the god walking around in such casual attire, but today he didn’t want to be a god: he just wanted to be a man.  There’d be plenty of that responsibility when tomorrow came. 
 
Sensing out where she was, he teleported through the rays of light that shone into their bedroom and reappeared outside at her stables.  Seeing her calmed him, and he knew being able to touch her, to hold her, would give him more strength than any amount of preparation could.  Putting on a smile, he approached her, “I’ve come back from Angela’s temple…Do you have a minute to talk?”  He reached forward and gently pulled a stray piece of hay from her hair, no doubt from some very up close and personal time spent with her fillies and colts.

Echo-Rose laid in the bath and soaked up all the hot water she could. Without telling Naota she had been severely sick the past few weeks. He was so busy during the day that he hadn’t noticed but she was doing a good job at hiding it as well. She leaned her head back and groaned a bit. She had never been this sick before in her life. Before she knew it she was got up out of the tub and walked out into their room to find something to wear so she could go down to the stables. The mirror was what first caught her field of vision. She stopped in front of it and tilted her head. It was on the ground, clearly meant for someone as little as she was, and she was turning side to side looking at what appeared to be her stomach going from toned to more roundish. She had never noticed before in her attempt to hide her sickness from him. “Hmmpf.” 

She tried to get dressed and she found that almost none of her clothes were fitting now but the loose dress she chose to wear most days. “What the actual fuck. NAOTA.” She yelled but he wasn’t here still. It was all that food that he was feeding her she was sure of it!

She huffed and she puffed before she got dressed back into her light dress and came down the stairs to her stables. She took care of her horses and before long Naota had showed up. “Sure, I have a moment to talk. I need new clothes my old ones aren’t fitting me because you’ve been stuffing my face for the last two months!” She poked at his chest. “How am I suppose to lead the horses if I am getting fat. I can feed myself.” And only if she knew how hormonal she sounded in that moment as she began to get irate with him over something that was only sort of his fault.

“LOOK AT THIS!” She pulled the loose dress tight so he could see the fast forming belly bump on her. It was more of ball at this point.

His eyebrows gently rose, wondering if this change in attitude had anything to do with the surge of hormones from her pregnancy.  Even if that wasn’t it, he couldn’t really blame her, who wouldn’t have been mad if their lover was overly feeding them and causing their body to change?  That wasn’t what was happening though, and suddenly all tension left him because he would get to have that happiness with her in telling her she was pregnant…One happy day would be enough, but he knew what he’d have to do by the morning.  There’d be time to think of that in a few hours though.
 
He moved a hand out, gently sliding his fingers along the swell of her stomach and resting it there, “You’ll get new clothes…I have something to tell you.”  Leaving his palm on her, his other gently cupped the side of her neck, the emerald of his eyes shifting to deep amethyst as he lovingly gazed down at her, “Angela told me very lifechanging news, that I hope you’ll be happy to hear…”  Echo wasn’t usually the type that liked beating around the bush, so he got right to it as softly as he could,
 
“Echo…”, he searched her eyes briefly before continuing, “You’re pregnant.  With triplets…”  His eyes glowed brighter, unable to hide the happiness in them as they cast purple shadows against his cheeks.

Her anger slowly dropped as he began to pet her swell. It told her one thing, that this was no weight gain. She waited to hear it from his own mouth and she took a deep breath. “Just make sure they are loose,” she said with a joke. However when he cupped her face she gave him a smile and looked at the deep amethyst his eyes had become. 

Her eyes lit up at the word pregnant but as soon as his news of triplets left his mouth she got unsure of herself. Suddenly the little elf was passing out in his arms. She was glad he was happy but there was a certain shock to finding out you were carrying three little beings in you. After the initial panic of her passing out. She found herself stirring up in their room. She had a glass of water next to her and she certainly felt like she needed it. She drained the entire glass and took a long drawn out sigh.

“Triplets? I don’t know Naota. What if I’m not a good mother?” There she was ready to doubt herself like Angela said she would. Her wild amber eyes were a little bit sad as she watched how happy Naota was. “I mean, we never really talked about babies before… I mean I suppose we knew the risk and everything.” She put her hands protectively on the little swell and smiled. “Do you think they are all girls? What do you think?”

While he had expected surprise, he hadn’t anticipated actual fainting.  Nonetheless he caught her easily, and kissed her forehead with a sigh before taking her to their room.  He laid her down and covered her with a soft blanket before bringing a cold glass of water to the nightstand with a twirl of his fingers.  As he waited for her to wake on her own, he laid down next to her on his side.  His eyes took in every detail of her face even more than usual as he tried to make sure it was committed to memory.  He’d never be able to look at her enough.
 
With hesitance, he moved his fingers and gently touched them along her stomach, over the blanket though.  For a second he considered moving forward with his plan now.  It would be easy, it would be safe, and for her she would have just fainted and then woken when this whole mess with Dalanesca and Angela was over.  But he couldn’t do it.  Instead he simply watched her sleep.  When she began to stir, he sat up to give her space to move and let her speak. 
 
His eyes softened at her worry, he knew that she would be a much better mother than she thought.  Though really he couldn’t blame her for having fear, what with her own mother having been so terrible.  But that fear was the very reason he knew she wouldn’t make the same mistakes.  He doubted any good person could do what her ‘mother’ had to their child…He gently brushed her hair behind one of her ears and then folded both hands in his lap as he listened on, only speaking when she was finished,
 
“Well if they are all girls it’s going to be a very interesting home to say the least.”  He smirked, growing up with only brothers it would be a very foreign concept to him and while it left him nervous, it had him more excited than anything. “In truth, I would like a daughter…”  That same foreign element also left him with a want of it in his family. 
 
“Of course no matter what they are you’ll have enough feistiness to spread through the lot of them.”  Yes, he highly doubted any children they had would be the calm and quiet type.  Even in his birth family he was a rarity and he honestly had no idea where he’d gotten it from.  His smile faded, though he held the same ease in his face,
 
“Echo you had the same worry when I asked you to marry me…”  That felt like ages ago now that they had three children on the way. “And just like with that, I have the same strength of confidence that you’ll be a fine mother…Every parent is going to make mistakes, even me and I’m a god.”  It was meant to lighten her and he smiled, “But you aren’t alone, this is something we’ll be doing together…”

Echo stared happily at him after she had woken up. “What if we have many daughters? That would be interesting. Did you want to stop at three?” She tilted her head at him and pondered about what their life would be like with many little children about the shrine. “I mean we could have dozens.” Was she really suggesting that? They did have long lives ahead of them.

She puffed out her chest a bit and gave him a chuckle. “I’m sure they will survive my feistiness.” She teased him. Her hand left the warm blankets and she gently rubbed his cheek. “I’m just worried that I lack any motherly love. I know how to love but that’s taken some time to come out. It took us forever to even admit it. It worries me that I might not be able to love my babies right away.” She frowned a bit. “I mean I love their existence but… I don’t know how to describe it. I am worried.”

There was a fierce need to protect them. “My mother took my childhood from me. I’m not entirely sure how to even raise them… I mean you are going to help but I feel useless.” She rubbed his face more before leaning in and kissing him. “Seriously though I am going to get huge. I’ve seen pregnant women and they were only caring one. I can’t imagine how large I am going to be from the triplets… and now we need names!”

His eyes widened, more children?  For him it was a miracle to ever have even one, and now they were going to have three.  But he knew his answer instantly and laughed at her suggestion of ‘dozens’, “To be honest we’re very lucky in that…well, our children would always have security, food in their stomachs, clothing, support, things that all parents wish for their children.”  He chewed on the edge of his bottom lip in thought, his voice quieting and his cheeks warming only slightly,
 
“In truth, I would be happy with many…many children.  But right now let’s focus on these three.”  He chuckled and held her hand to his face before turning his head and kissing her palm, “Parental love isn’t something learned, it’s something that’s felt.  Something that is experienced.  I couldn’t tell you how to love like a mother any more than I could tell myself to love like a father.” 
 
Father.  The word rung in his head loudly, it was the first time he’d actually said the word out loud and it left him…with an odd feeling.  Not bad, just new.  It was almost too much and he swallowed down.  There were too many flurries of emotion right now, and he suddenly had the frightening recollection that all of this could be ripped away.  No.  She deserved this happy moment.  They both did, he wouldn’t let Dalanesca and Angela’s feud ruin that.  Why did their squabble have to involve his own family?!  It didn’t matter that it was unintentional!
 

One thing was for sure though, and he said it with certainty: “You will not be useless.”  His lips pressed back to hers, “Oh my love you’re going to become quite large…It will be cute though, given how very tiny you are.”  His smile returned and he kissed the bridge of her nose, “Before we start to think of names, there’s something else I need to talk with you about…”  It wouldn’t leave his head, and he needed to tell her.  He needed her to understand her situation, their situation.  And more than anything, he needed to warn her about what he was going to do…

Echo really wished it was something she could learn or know right off the bat. “While that makes it an adventure it does absolutely terrify me Naota.” She spoke softly to him as she joked about all their babies. 

Listening to his words she nodded. “You always know what to say… even if it is something really obvious.” She blushed when he called her cute and kissed her nose. She moved to rub the tip of her nose against his. These were the moments she absolutely adored with him. “What’s that? You sound rather upset about it.”

Her amber eyes looked at him with obvious questions filling them. Suddenly she was really worried. “What’s going on Naota?” It was the way his eyes were starting to form a new emotion, the way his voice carried his thoughts. She didn’t need to be told something wrong was going on. “What do you know that I don’t?”

How was he going to be able to say this to her…?  Even if he wanted to stall or draw it out, how do you draw out telling a person that the lives they’re carrying inside of them may perish, along with them?  He moved both hands and gently held under her jaw; his thumbs brushing softly against her cheeks as his eyes searched hers, “Angela had other news as well, regarding this…situation, with Dalanesca.”  His heart began to pound harder in his chest, for this was also a reminder to him of how dire this all was,
 
“She told me that there’s a risk that…”  His eyes saddened, the once loving amethyst fading to a dull gray as they warmed, “That…the babies could die, depending on how all of this ends.”  [i[And you as well…It was hard to say, but he quickly followed it, his voice wavering despite himself, “I-I’m sorry that I didn’t lead with this information, but it’s only because I know something that could protect you.  All four of you, something I can do.”  He gripped her face more and moved closer to her on the bed,
 
“Would you trust me…?  And do you forgive me…?”  Even though this wasn’t his fault, he couldn’t help the guilt.  He was her husband, their father, and there was nothing he could do as of yet to end this feud between gods.  But at least he could keep her and the unborn ones safe.  Even with that it made him nervous to know that he’d have to leave them to go to Dalanesca.  He wasn’t sure what he could do or if he could convince the woman to end this madness but he at least had to try something.

Echo’s anxiety spiked at his words. Her mouth formed words but the sound did not follow. Her eyes were full of tears. Her body began to react before she could as she let out a scream. “Naota do not let our babies suffer because two people can’t get along. It’s not fair!” She was irate as the suddenly stopped and took large breaths. She had to remain as calm as she could. “Just do what you have to. I don’t care as long as our children are all right.”

There were still tears streaming down her face as her hands were suddenly encasing her swelling belly. Her amber eyes were so sad and she knew that whatever it was that he had planned she most likely wouldn’t enjoy. “Just do it and promise me that everything will be okay somehow.” She pulled him to her and kissed him softly.

“I want them safe Naota. We can’t have our family ripped from us just as it begins. I refuse to accept that.”