Chapter 73

Willow

It was Friday afternoon 4:30 pm. The lights in here were blinding, even though honestly, it wasn't any brighter than any other doctor's office, I was just shocked.

I Saw what he was talking about I just had a hard time wrapping my head around it. I was only a month along

"If you see the two lumps, here and here, you'll see that there's twins." Said Dr. Sampson. He pointed to the pictures on the wall. This doctor came all the way from New Apple. He took the cases of me, Grace, and Samira, while some other famous doctor delt with Diana

I was in the Dr's office here in the pack clinic though thankfully, since this famous M.D. decided to come personally to Misfit.

Yet. Dr. Sampson's sharp, stern, but familiar features threw me off He looked like Somone I knew, but I couldn't put my finger on Who.

"Is there another test?" Asked Kaizen. "I see the lumps but-" he got cut off.

"No. There's twins in there." Said the Dr. Firmly. Like there wasn't any negotiation that maybe he might be wrong. "I'm never wrong." He glared at the both of us.

"But what of my children?" Kaizen asked standing up. "Only One was blessed by my grandfather as General 4 What of the other? Will they be mortal?" He asked. "Please don't tell me that I may see one die."

"That's not something I could rightly talk about." He said as if he knew, but he's just a doctor he didn't.

"Fuck. Willow would you be alright if I spent an hour or two Below? I need to talk with Him." He said cryptically.

"I know I'm having boys, right?" I asked the Dr.

He nodded. "The Horned One told you that you'd have a son; you're having sons with an 's'."

"Then I can go get the nursery ready, and you try and figure out what we're going to do They need cribs, formula, clothes, toys, baby proofing everything. We have 5 more months." I got held by Kaizen. It stopped my worries a moment.

"It'll be Fine. I just want to make sure that if we are to have two, that they're both healthy If I have to trade or offer something to do that, you know I will" he hugged me gently.

He rumbled a growl I hadn't heard before. It didn't have any meaning to it But it felt nice.

"I must take my leave to see to the other royals. Personally, I think you both worry too much. If anything happens, I'll leave a way for you to summon me directly." Dr. Sampson vanished leaving a small ruby collar behind

"The note says for you to wear this." Said Kaizen. It was a thick necklace made with black metal, and a large ruby cabochon The ruby was crystal clear as water feeling cold to the touch. Kaizen put it around my neck, and for some reason I knew it would be able to shift with me, but I was already told no shifting.

I was told that at this stage, if I shifted, I'd have to stay that way until they were born.

The drive home was silent, since neither of us knew what to say What Kaizen said reminded me of Gemineye constellation. It was said that Arviel put it in the sky to honor his sons Twins born where one was immortal, and the other was not I also think though that only one child was his, but it didn't matter In all the ancient stories where this happened, the mortal child Always died some graphic, painful death

Or since I'm immortal too I'd have to watch my child age, grow old, and die..

Who would want that for their children.?

"Don't cry Willow. Today is meant to be joyful." He said wiping the single stray tear away

"I don't Alright." I relented He said he'd handle it. All I could do is trust him on this.

"I Will Handle This." He said confidently.

Kaizen parked at home with Eternya already on duty. He laid in the grass in the front yard, babysitting some of the young children he trained, about 4. They were out of daycare and running all over him. It was hard to imagine he was the son of the Volcano God when he was like this.

"Hey, stop biting each other!" He shouted with his eyes closed. He sounded a little done with them, but he kept his cool.

Then there was crying. He sat up. I recognized the two in question. They were both 4, but also big troublemakers at the daycare

"Jamie Bit Me!" Cried the one who started it, Tonyeh.

"I did not!" Jamie screamed at the top of his lungs. The shriek hurt my ears, but Eternya sighed.

"Yeah and I saw you nip him first." Said Eternya, holding them both. "Apologize and stop playing rough if you don't like being bit back." He looked a little agitated, but I could understand that He was one of the higher ranked generals of the Realm King He should be out, I don't know, blowing something up, not chastising teething toddlers.

He let them go, and grumbled something in another language.

"I was going to ask you to watch Willow, but I see the Munros and Guthmans asked you to watch their 'angels'." chuckled Kaizen. "The Doglesses and Roberts too."

"I see this as penance." He said standing. "I will gladly watch your mate. There's blocks over there." He joked lightly.

"Oh whatever." I complained.

"Damn Sassy toddlers don't get cookies." He warned.

"Nor do fathers who forget the trash Again!" Shouted Flora. "Stop burning the garbage in the backyard to hide it too!"

"Time is a construct dear." Eternya yelled smugly.

"So's your paycheck." Said Kaizen, who wasn't amused.

"What?" Eternya asked, blinking twice.

"You're on *my* payroll, not my uncle's until he sends for you... I told you that last week You are clocking in, right?" Kaizen knew the answer to that, and the realization made Eternya sharply look at the front door. The thumbprint machine was in the kitchen.

"Shit!" He yelled.

"I'll fix it when I get back." Said Kaizen. He disappeared with a puff of black smoke leaving Eternya looking defeated.

Jamie screamed again, but this time I really did have to hold my ears.

"Uncle Eternya has a *new* game." He hissed. "It's called give it back, or I blow it up."

"I got them." Said Flora, shaking her head. "Your reward will be 3 scones with jam and some black lavender tea when you get back."

"I wanted to go shopping anywa-" I was cut off.

"Glorious. Let's go." He said happily.

I decided to walk, even though I could feel the keys in my pocket. It was a nice day out, and I needed the air

"You seemed uncomfortably unhappy to be with child." Said Eternya when we were out of earshot of the kids.

"I am I'm having twins." I said looking down. "What if one's born really weak, or some evil twist of fate has one destined to die or something?" I said looking at the sidewalk.

"You're thinking of Arviel and Posidion's children When you were human, you must have liked mythology." He said with a small smile.

"I still do." I said truthfully.

"Well, let me tell you what happened to Castel and Pollex." He said as we walked.

----Kaizen----

I landed at the gates of my grandfather Father was already there it seemed.

"I understand your desire, but it is Denied." Said grandfather.

"I want to-" father was cut off.

"You will Not." He hissed. "You don't have the experience to make souls like this. If they were all born mortals, witches, or something simple, I'd hold your hand and show you. Not them." He said firmly.

"Grandfather I come to ask mercy for my little ones." I said firmly.

"How I make them is how they will be made." He growled Where was grandmother?'

Usually, she was here to aid in his temper.

"She does not speak to me She does not look my direction I broke her heart with my harsh actions, and harsher words Her oldest threatened her life. How betrayed she must feel. If I could feel anything from her right nowI didn't mean to let her see my true nature up there"

"What happened?" Asked Father.

The Horned One's eyes were more saddened than angered now He took a few steps, and with the wave of his hand, the stars in the sky were gone. The only thing there now was a red moon, the one he made for grandmother so she could still do her job in his realm

As far as I knew, they lived together in his castle, but I didn't smell her scent. At least not new scent

"There is peace, but no wife holds the hand of their husband." Said grandfather. "In my infinite power, I rule half all the cosmos, yet my big ass mouth has me eating my words."

He said that bitterly, as if he didn't even want the power he held

"I could speak with her." I offered.

His eyes lit up.

"But on the condi-" He cut me off.

"Whatever it is you intend to do, do it. I will honor your request should you be successful." He said striking me with lightning.

I blinked and I was at the foot of grandmother's gates... They were giant and silver. The handles to the 200 foot tall doors were two 10 foot crescent moons

[You may not enter blood of my blood.] Said Grindel, the First Wolf The Moon Goddess's Herold He was a mighty black wolf, made when time wasn't stable His fur held glowing white markings. They pulsed with his threatening presence.

That meant he could not be defeated. They have the ability to get as strong as they need to be to defeat a foe

Knowing this, for my sons' sake, I would try to reason with only the wolf, as only the wolf myself.

"I have come on behalf of the Horned One. I seek entrance to reason with my grandmother. It is my right as her blood It is for my children, who are not yet born If I cannot speak with her, they may be born to die."

Even though he had no human form, I could see the shock on his face.