Ronan sped through the city streets toward the hospital, having already called Doctor Lily on the way to brief her on the situation. His heart hammered against his ribs as he kept shooting anxious sideways glances at Liora, who lay unconscious in the passenger seat, before refocusing his gaze on the road.
Bypassing the standard hospital parking lot entirely, Ronan slammed on the brakes directly in front of the main entrance. He killed the engine, vaulted out of the driver's side, and carried Liora inside in a bridal hold.
Lily was already waiting and immediately conducted a preliminary examination.
"I can't seem to find any obvious underlying medical cause." Lily murmured, checking her vitals. "Her blood pressure is entirely stable, though she's noticeably weak."
"You're a doctor, aren't you?!" Ronan barked out, his tone sharp with panic. "How can you not know?"
"Whoa, easy there, Ron, calm down." Lily replied, raising her hands pacifyingly. "Tell me, has she been eating properly lately?"
"N-No," Ronan stammered, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "She can't keep anything down. She's been vomiting almost every morning, she's completely lost her appetite, and she gets exhausted after doing the slightest bit of work. On top of that, her mood swings have been everywhere, and she keeps craving the strangest foods."
Lily let out a light laugh. "Well, if I were to draw a clinical conclusion based strictly on those symptoms, I'd say Liora is pregnant."
Ronan scoffed, letting out a tense, humorless chuckle. "Can you please be serious right now?"
The smile instantly evaporated from Lily's face. Her eyes widened slightly before her brow furrowed in deep thought. "No... that's biologically impossible." She shook her head back and forth.
"W-What's impossible?" Ronan asked, horror creeping into his voice. "Is she dangerously ill?"
Instead of answering, Lily crossed her arms, piecing the timeline together in her head. "Wait a minute. When was the last time you two were intimate?"
"What?!" Ronan snapped, flushing slightly. "Why on earth would I tell you that?"
"Because I'm her physician! Good grief, Ron, just answer the question." Lily sighed heavily.
"T-Two or three days ago." Ronan muttered, looking away.
"And when did these symptoms actually start?"
"Um... about two or three weeks ago."
Lily's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? You didn't even give her a chance to rest while she was sick?"
"H-Hey! It wasn't like that!" Ronan defended himself like a caught child. "She was the one initiating it! It's been like that for the last two weeks!"
Intense sexual cravings... Lily thought to herself, muttering under her breath. She stepped forward and reached down to pull up Liora's shirt, but Ronan instantly blocked her hand.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Lily rolled her eyes at the possessive reaction. "Will you please step aside for a second and let me actually examine her?"
Ronan grumbled, frowning as he reluctantly stepped back to grant Lily access.
Lily gently pulled Liora's shirt up to her chest. Her breath hitched as she looked down at Liora's usually flat stomach, which now exhibited a slight, undeniable swell.
"Didn't you notice this subtle change before?" Lily asked quietly.
"Is she... is she really sick, Lily?" Ronan asked, panic lacing every word.
"I need to run a proper scan before making a definitive diagnosis." Lily said, taking a step back. "Even though it goes against everything I know as a medical professional, I think my initial suspicion might actually be correct."
"W-What suspicion?" Ronan demanded, following right behind as Lily helped a nurse transfer Liora onto a rolling gurney.
"Hang tight," Lily instructed over her shoulder. "I'm taking her to the advanced imaging suite, I don't have the necessary ultrasound equipment in this examination room."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A strange, cold sensation gliding across her lower abdomen gradually pulled Liora out of unconsciousness. Fluttering her eyes open, a soft, rhythmic lub-dub, lub-dub sound echoed throughout the room.
"Thank God you're awake." Ronan breathed out softly, leaning down to press a tender kiss to Liora's forehead.
Liora offered a faint, tired smile in return. "Where are we, Ronan?"
Before Ronan could answer, Liora noticed Doctor Lily standing by a glowing monitor, staring at the screen in absolute, speechless bewilderment.
"I... I can't believe what I'm looking at." Lily whispered under her breath.
"I can't believe it either." Ronan grumbled, his anxiety flaring. "Watching you checking Liora's heartbeat through her stomach."
Liora looked up at Ronan with wide, tearful eyes. "R-Rony... am I dying?"
"No, no, baby! Absolutely not." Ronan vowed, leaning down to press a reassuring kiss to her cheek. "I won't let anything happen to you while I'm here, I promise."
Lily turned to face them both, shaking her head. "You two aren't listening to Liora's heart on that audio feed. That is the heartbeat of your baby."
Ronan and Liora both stared at Lily as if she had completely lost her mind.
"What baby?" Ronan asked flatly.
"I know it sounds utterly insane," Lily said steadily, "but Liora is pregnant."
Ronan let out a heavy, exasperated sigh. "Cut the jokes, Lily. This really isn't the time."
Despite Ronan's disbelief, tears instantly welled in Liora's eyes. She clapped a hand over her mouth, her mind spinning into complete chaos.
"Look at the screen." Lily urged, guiding the ultrasound transducer gently across Liora's lower belly. "What do you see right there?"
Ronan squinted at the dark monitor. "It looks like... a tiny bean?"
Lily burst into a fit of boisterous, glass-wiping laughter. Ronan stared at her in utter disbelief, convinced the doctor had officially snapped.
"What is so funny?!" Ronan demanded.
"I-I'm sorry, I can't help it!" Lily wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye. "In all my years, I've never heard a father refer to his unborn child as a bean on their very first scan! That is your baby, Ron. You're going to be a father. Congratulations."
Ronan stood frozen, completely unable to process the words. "What? B-But Liora can't get pregnant! H-How is that even-"
"I know!" Lily interrupted, her expression softening into genuine awe. "I'm just as stunned as you are. In all my years of medical practice, I've never witnessed anything like this. But you have to trust me, Ron. You're going to be a dad. Liora is carrying your child in her womb, that's the real reason behind every single symptom she's had over the past few weeks."
Ronan stared blindly ahead, his lips trembling. "M-My... child?"
Before anyone could react, the sheer weight of the revelation hit Ronan all at once. His knees buckled, and his vision went completely black.
"Ron!!"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When Ronan slowly regained consciousness, he found himself surrounded by familiar faces. The four primary guardians were gathered around the bed. But he wasn't in the hospital anymore; he was resting in his own master bedroom at the Brown mansion.
"L-Liora?" Ronan gasped, instantly trying to bolt upright.
"She's right beside you, Ron." Michael said gently, pointing toward the peaceful figure resting beside him. "She fell asleep a little while ago. She was terrified when you fainted, she genuinely worried that you were upset about the pregnancy."
Ronan looked over, his eyes softening as he traced the outline of Liora's face. "I-Is she... is she really carrying my child?"
"Yes, Ron." Maya answered, a bright, warm smile spreading across her face. "It's true."
"B-But how?" Ronan whispered, still staring in disbelief.
"We'll explain everything tomorrow." Ethan said, clapping a supportive hand onto Ronan's shoulder. "For now, you two need rest. Congratulations, Ron."
The guards quietly filed out of the room, leaving them in privacy.
Ronan lay there in the quiet room, gazing down at his sleeping wife before carefully pulling her closer into a protective embrace.
It still felt entirely surreal. He had never once entertained the thought of becoming a father to a child born of his own flesh and blood. Knowing biologically that Liora's body lacked the natural capacity to carry life, Ronan had been completely content with just having Liora's love. They had occasionally talked about adopting a child in the distant future, but this... this was beyond his wildest dreams.
This was their own child. Blood of his blood, growing inside the person he loved most in the world. An overwhelming wave of profound happiness crashed over him.
As Ronan tightened his grip, Liora stirred, her eyes slowly fluttering open.
"Oh... did I wake you?" Ronan murmured softly. "I'm sorry, love."
Without warning, tears spilled over Liora's lashes, and she began to sob softly, sending a spike of panic straight through Ronan's chest.
"Love?! What's wrong? Are you in pain?!" Ronan asked frantically.
"D-Do you... do you hate that I'm pregnant?" Liora wept softly.
Ronan let out a massive sigh of relief, realizing Liora wasn't physically hurt. "No, no, absolutely not, my sweet angel! I am the happiest man alive right now. I was just so overwhelmed and shocked by the news that my brain completely short-circuited. I'm so sorry for scaring you."
Liora let out a tearful, relieved laugh. "It's okay. Come here."
Liora pulled Ronan down against her chest, and Ronan buried his face deep into the crook of Liora's neck.
As they held each other in silence, Liora suddenly felt a warm dampness spreading across her skin.
"Rony?" Liora pulled back in shock, looking down at Ronan's face. "Oh my god... are you crying?"
Ronan was weeping openly, tears streaming unchecked down his cheeks. "I-I'm just so happy, love. I can barely contain it."
Liora's heart swelled with affection. She wiped the tears from Ronan's cheeks, giggling softly. "I'm happy too, Rony. But come on, stop crying! Who's supposed to be the pregnant one here, me or you?"
Ronan offered a tearful smile, his eyes shifting down toward Liora's lower abdomen. "Um... can I see?"
Liora laughed warmly at the hesitant request. "You don't ever have to ask permission for that, Rony. This is your baby too." She gently stroked her own belly.
"Yeah... mine." Ronan whispered proudly.
He pulled up Liora's shirt, shifting closer to press a gentle, reverent kiss directly onto Liora's slightly rounded, two-month belly.
"Will you forgive your silly dad for being so shocked at first, my little bean?" Ronan whispered against her skin.
Liora burst into laughter, resting her hand in Ronan's hair. "Bean?! Rony, stop calling them a bean!"
"Well, it looked like a cute little bean on the monitor!" Ronan defended playfully, pressing another soft kiss to the same spot. "Right, my little bean?"
Liora watched the sight with deep adoration. She had a devoted, loving husband and now a precious new life growing inside her. She felt completely perfect.
While the concept of her pregnancy had initially seemed biologically impossible, Lily had explained how her womb had miraculously fortified itself. Miracle or not, Liora vowed in her heart to protect and cherish the tiny life within her with everything she had.
"You've given me the greatest gift in the world, my love." Ronan whispered, tears of joy sparkling in his eyes as he stroked Liora's stomach. "Thank you for keeping our little gem safe in here. I already love this baby with all my heart. You're our little miracle baby... Mom and Dad can't wait to meet you. Be good in there, okay? Don't make things too hard on your mom."
Ronan continued showering her belly with soft, peppering kisses until Liora broke into fitful giggles from the tickling sensation.
Unbeknownst to them, back at the hospital, the moment Liora and Ronan had departed, Lily had suddenly begun to tremble violently.
A dark, sinister energy surged through her body, and her eyes flashed a brilliant, unnatural green.
"Ah..." Lily muttered, a wicked, cold smirk spreading across her face as her voice altered. "The main power has finally revealed itself."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The following morning, the atmosphere in the Brown mansion's living room was thick with discussion. Ronan and Liora sat together on the primary sofa, with the four royal guardians gathered across from them. As always, Liora was snuggled securely against Ronan's side, while Ronan kept a protective arm wrapped around her waist, mindful of the precious life inside her.
"So?" Ronan asked, raising an eyebrow at the group. "What did you all figure out last night?"
"We spent the entire night analyzing the situation, Ron." Maya began explaining calmly. "We also spoke with Doctor Lily. She confirmed that under normal biological circumstances, Liora's womb was far too weak to sustain a pregnancy, the natural probability was under five percent."
"However," Maya continued, "Liora didn't conceive through normal biological odds. Her womb was artificially fortified and empowered to one hundred percent capacity. This is an explicit divine blessing from the two royal gems. Think back to your wedding night, the unnatural surge of cosmic energy that drew you two together was caused by the gems resonating. That alignment fortified Liora's body, which is why the pregnancy is already two months along. This child is a direct miracle born of the two gems."
Ronan nodded slowly, thoughtfully running a hand over Liora's back. "That aligns with what I felt. But what about her eyes? Why do they occasionally glow purple?"
Liora hummed quietly, pressing her face into the fabric of Ronan's shirt. She had suffered another wave of morning nausea earlier, but she had been too exhausted to run to the bathroom, choosing instead to seek comfort in Ronan's warmth until the feeling passed.
"It's almost certainly coming from the baby." Ethan chimed in. "Purple represents the absolute fusion of blue and red, which signifies the union of both your powers- wait a second!"
Ethan abruptly cut himself off, jumping to his feet with a gasp.
"What is it?" Ronan asked, startled.
"How was the main power described in the ancient prophecies?!" Ethan shouted, spinning around to face Maya.
Maya's eyes widened in realization. "The ultimate synthesis of the two gems, oh my god!" she shrieked.
"Will someone please explain what you two are screaming about?!" Michael grumbled.
"The main power isn't an artifact or a spell!" Ethan and Maya shouted in unison. "The main power is the baby!"
"I knew it!" Sophia squealed, leaping off her seat. "I had a feeling!"
The sudden wall of noise startled Liora, causing her to instantly clap a hand over her mouth and dash toward the master bathroom to vomit, with Ronan springing up to follow right behind her.
"I was suspicious of the purple aura from the very beginning." Sophia declared proudly, wrapping her arms around Michael in excitement. "The combination of the red and blue gems creates the ultimate purple energy, which is the main power!"
"Exactly," Maya agreed, nodding rapidly. "The purple light manifesting in Liora's eyes is the unborn baby's latent energy showing through. Because the main power is so immense, it's reacting with Liora's body."
Moments later, Ronan re-entered the living room alone, looking slightly drained.
"I helped Liora back into bed so she can get some proper rest." Ronan explained, taking his seat once more. "Now, what were you saying about our baby?"
"Ron," Maya said, her tone turning serious. "we are entirely convinced that your unborn child is the incarnation of the main power."
A swell of immense pride filled Ronan's chest at the mention of his baby, though he quickly pulled his expression into a focused frown. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"We can't be one hundred percent certain without further confirmation, but all evidence points to it." Maya explained. "Which means we need to increase Liora's security detail tenfold immediately. If Darken catches wind of this, he will stop at nothing to eliminate the child before they are born."
"Furthermore," Maya added, "once Liora reaches her fifth month of pregnancy, we must relocate her to the Mo Kingdom. The high concentration of ambient spiritual energy there will help stabilize and nurture the baby's growing power. Even though Liora was born on Earth, you are a true Movian, Ron. The baby carries royal Movian blood, meaning the child belongs to the realm as well. We strongly advise that the delivery takes place in the Mo Kingdom. Ultimately, it's your decision to make."
"And finally," Maya concluded, "we should brief Lily on the spiritual nature of this pregnancy and bring her along to the Mo Kingdom to oversee the delivery."
"Why Lily?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I actually agree with Maya." Ronan chimed in without hesitation. "If Liora is going to give birth in the Mo Kingdom, we need a doctor we completely trust. Lily is the only medical professional who knows about the pregnancy and can keep it strictly confidential."
The group nodded in agreement, completely unaware that the decision to trust the doctor would turn out to be the most catastrophic mistake of their lives.