Te'ijal couldn't believe it ... She didn't even know how to feel ... All she could do was sit there on the bed, staring into the two blue orbs of her husband who stood before her, looking just as shocked as she felt. It honestly shouldn't have come as such a shock to either of them, but for some reason it did. With every thing that had happened lately with Mel getting kidnapped, and then sent into the Demon Realm ... Well, let's just say that they had had other things on their mind's.

You see, Te'ijal had been feeling sick for the last little while. She was almost constantly nauseous, with very little energy. She had tried to ignore it, pretending that it wasn't as bad as it was, but eventually Galahad caught on that something was wrong with her. One day, while they were travelling through the Snowy Dire Woods, Te'ijal had just started feeling so weak and dizzy that she ended up fainting.

In a panic, Galahad had scooped her into his arms and rushed her back to Thornkeep, leaving Edward and Stella to catch up with them later. There weren't many people left in the ghost town; only the inn keeper and his wife, who just so happened to be a herbalist. Galahad thanked the Goddess for their stroke of luck, concerned at the time that his wife might perish before he could find help.

Galahad had been forced out of the room when the examination began, but was allowed to come back in after it was finished. The herbalist then began to ask the two of them some strange, and rather personal questions, such as when the last time they slept together had been. Neither Te'ijal nor Galahad had been able to figure out why she asked such a question ... That is until she finally told them what was wrong with Te'ijal. She was pregnant.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Galahad asked.

The herbalist nodded her head without a second thought. "She has all the usual symptoms. From what I can determine, she is around four or five weeks along," she explained, starting towards the door. "I shall leave the two of you alone for a few moments, as I'm sure you have much to discuss."

No sooner had the door closed behind the herbalist, the Galahad began to slowly draw closer to Te'ijal until he was standing at her side. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he ran a hand through his long blonde hair. "I'm surprised I didn't figure it out on my own," he stated. "I was always able to tell whenever Rhen was with child. What was preventing me from sensing that you were?"

Te'ijal took a deep, shaky breath. She had an idea, but she wasn't sure how he would react to it. "Galahad ... The herbalist said that I was five weeks along ... It shouldn't even be possible for me to be pregnant if that is the case."

He furrowed his brows in confusion. "What are you talking about, w-"

Then it suddenly hit him. He finally understood why she thought it was impossible. Galahad had been bitten by the Vampress, Beatrice, approximately six weeks ago. If what the elderly herbalist had said was true, then that meant ... No! He shook his head, desperately trying to deny that possibility. However, the more he fought against the idea, the more he realized that it might just be true.

"Surely, there must be some other justifiable explanation," he insisted. "Everyone knows that vampires can't have children."

"I am well aware of that, Galahad," she stated, her tone sounding the slightest bit irritated. "Yet, even I can't deny that it appears to be the case."

Galahad was completely silent for a while, as he tried to calm down and straighten out his thoughts. He should have been happy. After all, he had always wanted to have children one day. He had even discussed it with Te'ijal while they were living in Sedona. As strange as it sounded, the truth was that he had somehow grown to love the woman who had originally stolen his soul and cursed him to be a vile creature of the night. He had wanted Te'ijal to bear his children.

However, there was one thought stuck in his mind that prevented him from being happy; Was the child a vampire? He honestly didn't understand how it was physically possible for a human and a vampire to create a life, but he chose not to dwell on it for the moment. All he wanted to know was whether it was a human or a vampire. The thought of him having spread the curse of vampirism to his unborn child filled him with guilt. He didn't want anyone, let alone his own child, to suffer as he had.

"Perhaps you should kill me and save us all the trouble," Te'ijal remarked.

Galahad's head shot straight up. "How can you say that, wife?! Is the idea of bearing my child so horrifying to you?"

Te''ijal averted her gaze from him, instead looking at her own two hands, which were folded over her lap. "No. It is not you I am concerned about. You would make a wonderful father. However, can you honestly imagine me as a mother? I don't even remember my own mother. I don't remember what she looked like, or even whether she loved me."

His eyes softened as he reached out and took her hands in his. "Te'ijal, can you not see? You've spent the last several years protecting three children. Have you not noticed this? As soon as any of them are in trouble, they come running to you, no matter how far across Aia they are. You're already like a mother to them."

Te'ijal managed to let out a small laugh. "I must admit that they do seem to rely on me for some reason, believing that I have all the answers they seek. Mel in particular has always been strange in that regard."

Galahad smiled at her. He honestly didn't know how he had never realized just how wonderful she truly was. He must have been blinded by his hatred towards vampires, as well as his hatred towards her for turning him into one. She was incredibly brave, never backing down from a challenge. Although she would never admit it herself, Galahad could see now that she did have a heart, and a good one at that, even if she was a bit strange at times.

"Do you truly want this child?" Te'ijal asked him, lifting her gaze to look at him again. "Will you accept it even if it is a vampire?"

He nodded his head. "I will love it just as I have learned to love you, regardless of what you are."

And at that moment, tears began to well up in her eyes, trickling down her high cheeks. "Curse my pathetic human eyes!" she exclaimed, reaching up to wipe the tears away.

Galahad chuckled. "I think we're going to be just fine," he said in a whisper as he bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.