'Lilly?'

'Give me another minute, James.' Pain laced her words as she continued to write.

He set the pages next to her as she wrote. She finished her sentence then turned to the other pages. With ink renewed on her quill she wrote long slashes between certain words then handed the pages back to him.

'I've written battle plans to the generals and remedies to your doctors.'

'What about the rest?'

'I just needed to vent some of my pain.'

'How are you feeling?' he asked, turning her chin to look at him.

The Gerrabella poison streaks had gone black, but they weren't bleeding. Blood tears ran down her right grooves and normal tears the left grooves. 'I'm a mess,' she replied.

'Why don't you get some sleep?'

She nodded then stood and hugged him. 'I love you, James.'

'I love you, too, Lilly. Very much.'

He watched her leave before calling for the generals and doctors. He gave them the plans and instructions Lilly had written and by early evening he was free to return to his room. In his room he found a young servant girl helping Lilly drink a bowl of soup. In between swallows the girl would nod, or Lilly would smile. Once both of their shoulders shook with laughter. It was good to see Lilly laugh. He was also given a bowl of soup as he continued to watch these two interact. Whatever they talked about he didn't hear. It was almost as if they didn't speak at all. Was the girl Adremedian? When they were finished, the girl took the bowls, bowed, and was gone.

'Lilly, was she Adremedian?'

'No, she's Human.'

'Then how were you able to talk? Did you open another channel?'

'Life around her is so quiet even the softest of Adremedian speech can be heard.'

'How is that possible?'

'She's deaf.'

'But her voice...'

Lilly's soft smile became a grimace of pain. 'She doesn't dare try to speak.'

'Are you okay?'

'I'll be after a little more sleep.'

'Okay,' he replied, kissing her. 'Um...Lilly?'

'Yes James?'

'Is it possible to have Adremedian healers help the sick in town?'

'Not in the way you're thinking.'

'But with the new Adremedians surely...'

'James. The only way to have that happen would be to harm one or the other to protect both so the healing can happen. Then either Humans would be mute or Adremedians deaf.'

James was silent for a moment. 'Won't the extra Adremedians live for a while after the war?'

'No.'

'Lilly...'

Lilly turned her back to him and closed her eyes.

James sighed then lie down to sleep.

Not long after he laid down Lilly was asleep. She was still asleep when he got up in the morning. He ate breakfast in the dining hall with Carthago. Spies had reported the Gerrabellas were about a two days march from town. James stood to leave when one of the soldiers came in.

"My Lord, the Princess won't leave the battlements. When we try to talk to her, she makes faces and shakes her head."

"Lilly?"

"Yes, My Lord."

James followed the soldier out and found her slowly walking the battlements. Her walk was a little different and she seemed to lean back a little further than normal. He climbed up.

'Lilly. What are you doing up here?'

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She stopped and looked over the wall and he could see her stomach looked bigger. He stood next to her and she pulled his arms around her waist. Her stomach was bigger. She pressed his hand slightly into her stomach and he felt something move. James started to pull away, but she kept him there.

'This child is ours, James. You speak beautifully in your sleep.'

'I'm sorry, Lilly. I was planning on giving you more time to work out your grief.'

It's okay.' She turned towards him.

James felt more movement under his hand and tears of joy filled his eyes. He kissed her. 'I love you.'

'I love you, too.'

'Come, we should go inside, it's not safe out here.' James took her hand and started to leave, but she stayed put. 'What is it?'

'Can we go for a walk in the garden instead? The little one is enjoying the warmth of the sun.'

'Sure.' Again he started to walk, but again she didn't move. 'What's wrong?'

'Something is bothering you. What is it?'

'I can't find the words for it. Now come, you make the soldiers antsy.'

'All right.'

Lilly climbed down with James from the battlements and into the garden. He kept one arm wrapped around her waist as they walked. They walked until noon when servants brought out a table and salads for them. The conversation remained light and he even managed to make her laugh. It was cut short when a warning horn was blown.

'It can't be… not already.'

'It's true,' Lilly said, moving to lie by the fountain.

As she moved James saw her pain and the Gerrabella streaks on her face were bleeding again. 'Lilly is there a way to stop this? The child...'

'The child wants to… escape the pain. Lie down, James,… help me bring this child into the sunlight.'

The horn blew again.

'Lilly….'

'Please James,' she said with tears in her eyes. 'Say the words and let this child know you love them.'

James lay down and pulled her close with a kiss. The rest of the words came to mind and he spoke them.

He heard her gasp in pain then she lie still. Between them lay a small baby boy. He picked him up and kissed him briefly before handing him to Lilly.

'I love you,' he said.

'I love you, too. Be safe.'

James got up and left. He hated to leave them like that, but now he had more of a reason to fight.