When The Heart Sings

Chapter 85

Serena's POV:

Darien smiled gently down at me as he kissed me again. He let me slide down to sit on his lap once more. Saphira looked amused, although Lucas was still rolling on the ground laughing.

Lucas struggled to sit back up, still laughing, "Oh, that was hilarious. Only you could get away with that."

I didn't quite understand what he meant. I knew Tarulk weren't much for contact, but Darien had no problems with me playing with his hair. In fact, he usually enjoyed it, although that big gaudy yellow flower was a bit much.

Darien once more scowled in his brother's direction before picking up a rock and lightly chucking it at him.

"Ouch! No need to be violent!"

"That barely even counts as a warning." There was a faint note of warning in Darien's voice. He may not mind it when I put flowers in his hair, but he wasn't about to let his brother make fun of him for it.

"Okay, okay, I will behave."

A familiar black form jumped over the hedge beside us and I sat up straighter, "Hi, Schlach!"

I now saw the downside of having four feet, you had to carry things in your mouth. He walked towards us before stopping and grasping the brown object in his hand. He held it out towards me.

"I am not sure what this is," I admitted as I reached out and carefully took the bulky object. It was bigger than a basketball and covered in some sort of brown material.

Schlach went to an empty section of grass and sat down, "A gift. Please open it."

"Oh, thank you!" A gift? It wasn't my birthday... I turned it over before finding the seam in the material. It was held together by tiny wooden clips, which made sense since I had yet to see tape here.

I removed the wrapping and unfolded the supple material inside. It looked like a small blanket, but it wouldn't quite be able to cover me from shoulders to toes. It was covered in dark brown dappled fur on one side, while the underside was the softest leather I had ever felt. Whatever it was, it was very warm and thick.

"It's so soft and warm..." I continued to examine it with curiosity, still not sure what it was meant for, or what animal it had come from, although I bet it would be excellent to sit on if I relaxed in the garden with a book during the few times Darien was absent.

I realized that everyone was completely silent and I looked up. The others all looked shocked and now I realized that Darien's side of the bond was starting to stir with some sort of emotion.

I glanced between them and an amused looking Schlach, "Ummm... Am I missing something?"

Saphira slowly reached over to gently stroke the blanket in slight shock before gazing intently at me, "It is a baby blanket..."

My jaw dropped. I was pregnant? I quickly did a mental count and realized that I was almost two weeks late. I wasn't sure what was stronger, my shock or my growing excitement.

I looked at Schlach in astonishment, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I can smell it," his long tail reached over to gently tap the beautifully tanned hide, "This is Lamara fur. No insect, bug, rodent, or snake will cross it, which will keep the child safe if they are on it."

I was speechless at the thoughtful gift, "Thank you..." My voice trailed off, likely since I was still in a bit of shock. Darien also seemed at a loss for words, although I could see growing excitement in his eyes as well.

Schlach turned his head and addressed Saphira, "Why don't we show them their other gift?"

She gave her head a small shake as she recollected her thoughts, "Yes." She stood up, "Please follow us."

I gazed at Darien inquiringly, but he shrugged, unsure of what else they were up to. Saphira had definitely not expected Schlach's gift, which I was still reeling from. We followed the Dranek and sviper. Alex, Fiona, and Lucas tagged along in curiosity. This part of the forest was unfamiliar to me, although I knew the Dranek had their camp somewhere around this area.

Darien and I both stopped in our tracks as we rounded a corner. Our house from Compass Pass was sitting in the middle of the clearing. Saphira watched our reaction with a pleased smile on her lips, "We copied the design of the house and built it here. We even planted the garden with the exact same plants."

Darien and Lucas were both looking at it in shock, as if unable to believe that it was just a copy, and not the original.

"Thank you so much!" I was thrilled, although I wasn't sure how to properly thank someone for building a house for Darien and me. I could ask Darien later; perhaps he would have some ideas.

Saphira continued, "We built it just for you two, either to stay in whenever you visit this place, or to live in permanently." She glanced pointedly towards Lucas, "Because we do not honestly see how you will be able to tolerate Lucas in your original home, which I know used to be shared by both Darien and Lucas."

Schlach regarded the forest around us, "The Dranek have their dwellings in this area, and my home is nearby as well. No large predator will get close without one of us noticing. It is also far enough away that someone would have to intentionally come out here to find you."

In other words, trouble would also be spotted long in advance. I realized that I would really miss Schlach, Alex, and Fiona if we went back to Compass Pass. I enjoyed their company and had become good friends with them over the last couple of weeks.

Darien looked down at me as he pulled me closer for a hug, "We can always try it and decide later which place we prefer to stay at."

Lucas scratched his head, "Why are there weeds in the flowerbed?"

Fiona whisked her foot across his ankles, sending him tumbling to the ground in an ungraceful heap. She eyed him up like he was a delinquent teenager, "Those ones are not poisonous, so calling it a weed simply means that you are shallow-minded and unappreciative."

Fiona had spunk... Lucas simply stared up at the woman speechlessly. Alex commented, "Perhaps it is a good thing that Darien and Serena have a place of their own now..."

Lucas got back up on his feet while warily watching Fiona, "Yeah... Come to think of it, it may be best if they stay here. Darien will probably get even more overprotective than he already is and I am already getting daily death threats."

I had not thought of that angle. Pregnancy involved not such fun things like morning sickness and growing pains. There was no way to block the bond from picking up such things either. Perhaps keeping Darien away from others was my best plan if the bond got him too worked up.

I wrapped my arm around Darien and he held me close as we both looked at the house in appreciation. I wondered whose idea this had been, but it was clear that both the sviper and the Dranek had worked together to complete it.