"So, what had we tentatively decided on for a boy?" She asked, sighing. They'd been through dozens of names and argued about them, but she felt like they'd come to some sort of semi-consensus by the end of the last round.

The debate for a boy's name had lasted a far shorter time than for a girl. "Dante for a boy," he grinned. It had started off as a little joke about Dante's inferno and passing through hell like she had to with the pregnancy, but the joke had been catchy and every back and forth it was one that made them both smile. "Well, at least if you still like it, that is?"

He handed her the picture. In his heart, he would prefer a boy and a girl. Two boys, although a blessing, could lead to feuding. Feuding with vampires that lived thousands of years was never a good idea. A girl might have a hard life, but at least she would either have a fellow girl to share it with or a brother to be friends with.

He pondered for a moment. "Maybe Sibella isn't so bad. I mean, if we're having two. Don't ask me why, but the twin thing is warming me to it." He grinned. He knew it would make her happy. Until then he'd always veto'd it, deeming it not a strong enough name for their only child, but with two—it was about making her happy. She was enduring all of this. He could concede on a simple name.

"Are we agreed for now?" He looked at her stomach once again and ran his hand over the footmark. "I wonder which little one that was."

Natalia smiled. She liked it when she got her way. She loved the name and had fought for it hard several times over, and Dante was a lovely boy's name. "I think we're agreed," she nodded. "And I need food—proper food for me. Not them." She sighed, debating whether to even attempt to get out of bed.

"A little sunshine might do me some good." she said, looking wistfully at the window. She wanted to go outside and walk in it, but she wasn't sure traipsing all the way to the gardens was a wise choice. "And I'd like to hear the doctor's opinion on this—" she then realized she was making a laundry list for him and blushed. "Sorry, you're not my maid. I shouldn't treat you as one. It's just...it's frustrating to feel stuck here all the time."

He felt a little bad for her being stuck inside all the time. She was easier to take care of where everyone could always get to her, and she wasn't really able to get up and run herself, anyway. He helped lift her up off the bed and put her arm around him for support. "Come on, lady list of demands, let's get you outside. I'll fetch you everything you want and then keep you company. Who knows, maybe the children will enjoy some sun and warmth." 'The children' felt foreign to say. It would take some getting used to.

With Marcello keeping her supported around the back, they started to slowly and steadily walk the corridors until they got outside. As usual, his body tensed up at the feeling of light upon his skin, and he had to take a moment before they carried on walking into the garden itself and to the gazebo that sat in the center of the garden. It was surrounded on all sides by blossoming hedges.

"What food are you hungry for? I can grab some after I talk to the doctor." He sat her down on the large, plush bench there in the Gazebo where she could look out to the whole garden. From her vantage point, she could even see him coming from the palace doors to return to her.

He sighed in relief at the brief shade, wiggling his fingertips to relax them. "I still can't believe you think this is pleasant. At best, its manageable, maybe even tolerable." They had walked in the garden many times, typically once in the morning and once in the evening, if she felt up to it. Whenever he became too irritable in the sun, she would act like he had some sort of weakness or ailment, another little joke to wind him up.

"Sunshine is amazing and necessary to survive. At least for humans," she shrugged. "It makes me a little sad that I can't really enjoy it, and then I won't be able to ever again." It was the price she was willing to pay, but there were things that still made her sad.

"You're going to laugh at me," she said, already laughing at herself. "Is there something sweet like a cake? Or a pastry? Or a huge vat of chocolate?" She grinned widely. If she had to drink blood, all day long, she at least wanted to eat something truly enjoyable. "If not, fruit is fine. It's not what I want, but it's fine."

"You're right," he said as she looked pleased and proud that he had agreed with her about the sunshine. "I will laugh at you!" He said as he burst out laughing. Still, he would get her what she wanted. Now that she was carrying two, she had twice the right to do as she pleased, and there would be twice the amount of doting on her.

"I'll find you something sweet, my lady," he said, bowing low as if he were her servant. "Besides myself," he winked, then sped off towards the house before she could reply to his jab. First was a trip to the doctor. He explained the uniquely wonderful situation, bubbling with excitement, and the kindly old man responded that he would get his equipment and meet them outside.

He then went to the kitchens and was handed a bowl of strawberries and a separate bowl of chocolate. Grabbing a cart to bring with him, he set both upon it, then added some cake for good measure. He felt it safer to get her as much as he could, in case her craving flitted to something else. He added to the cart two glasses, a small bottle of wine, a decanter of blood, and then pushed it alongside the doctor. Marcello stopped the cart beside her and offered her a strawberry, dipping it in chocolate before popping it into her mouth.

Meanwhile, the doctor opened his case to pull out a tape measure. "My sweet Lady Natalia, congratulations on your twins! The Prince has said you are both very concerned, but if I may do my usual measurements and readings. I'll do my best to make some suggestions from there."

"Thank you," she said to the older man, nodding, then repeating the sentiment to her husband. She reclined on the bench, giving the doctor access to her, and Marcello placed two pillows behind her back. As Marcello was moving toward another strawberry, she grabbed him and pulled his face down to hers in a kiss. "Have I told you how much I love you today?" She asked with a grin. "Because I certainly do."

He laughed at her, taking a seat beside her before putting another strawberry in her mouth. She rewarded him with a pleased 'mmm,' then grabbed a fork and jabbed some of the cake, putting it into her mouth with a similar 'mmm' as before. This was by far the best breakfast she'd ever had. Chocolate and cake were hardly breakfast foods, but she'd been through enough.

He smiled, watching her eat. She made it look so delicious that he tried dipping a strawberry in chocolate and eating it himself. The taste was not too bad, very sweet, but he could eat it again.

The doctor moved all around her and took her various body size measurements, including her stomach and breasts. Marcello always had to look away with a mixture of jealousy and embarrassment. He then pulled out a small cone-shaped item, which he placed the small end in his ear, and the larger end on her stomach. Then he moved it around on her abdomen, attempting to listen to the heartbeats. He then removed another little pouch from his case and began spreading a small amount of paste over the bruise.

"So, my dear, your babies are both in perfect health and should stay that way if you keep feeding them enough blood. I would suggest up your dosage. Perhaps carry a flask with you at all times, just in case. Your body is progressing in the remarkable fashion. However, know we know it's been explained by the 'double trouble' set of children. The paste should help heal and numb the area. If they accidentally graze it again, the pain should be bearable."

He started packing his case as Marcello watched on with a small frown. Was that all he could offer? No wisdom or best guess of what they should do? Then again, he had as little to go on as they did. "I would just keep an eye out and see if you notice any changes out of the ordinary." The doctor glanced at the assortment of food. "For example, you may gain some more vampiric qualities. You may come to enjoy blood a bit more, perhaps even gain some toughness. Compulsion you could do without. You already have this one wrapped around your finger."

Marcello groaned as the doctor walked off. If he hadn't been such an asset to the family over the many years, he would not let such a comment or tone stand with him. What made him the most irritated was that it was seemingly true. He needed to keep a close eye on those green eyes of hers. Or maybe not. Maybe that was exactly what he should not do.

She saw the anger flash across his eyes. "Shh..." she soothed, touching his hand. "He's trying to make me laugh, not insult you." She reached up to brush his face, gently.

"This is good. They're good. I'm good. Everything is good." She kissed his cheek. Drawing back, she realized she'd left a chocolate kiss mark on his cheek and tried to rub it off with her thumb. It only smeared.

"Sorry about that," she laughed, then attempting to lick it off. Finally, she picked up a napkin and finished wiping it off.

Still, he looked bothered.

"Are you alright my love? You look... troubled..." she reached out to hold his hand and stroked his fingers with her thumb.

He dropped the frown and smiled. "Its nothing, just me being as I shouldn't be. I was hoping he would have a little more to give us." He sighed and looked out into the garden. The sunlight still made his eyes squint even while he was under the safety of the shade. Then he looked back at her and wondered: when he turned Natalia, would there even be much human left to turn? She could either be so far gone and drained from the twins, or empowered so much she was barely human, anyway.

Looking back to her, she was still enjoying her sweet food. "Are they agreeing with all that? No kicks, no pangs, no issues?" They tended to have problems with almost anything she ate that was not what they wanted. He looked at her stomach, wondering how much they understood of what was going on around them. Could they recognise their voices? Discern their tones?

He repositioned so he could lay a hand on it. Maybe they knew that was Daddy's hand. "Do you think you have any new abilities because of two? Or is it just double pain? Does blood taste any better than it used to?" He did not want to force her into drinking it, but it was something the doctor had mentioned. If she could gorge herself on blood that tasted good, it would no doubt keep the twins as happy as they could be.

"They appear to be alright with it. Maybe I'll have to eat sweets for every meal," she laughed, but she certainly wouldn't mind. "And it's slowly been getting easier and easier to drink the blood. I still don't like it. But I also don't mind it much anymore."

She took another strawberry and dipped it, then ate it. "I know you were hoping for more information. I was too. But if it's really the first time, he'd just be guessing...."

Then something dawned on her. "He seems so much older. Is he human? Or was he turned? Was he just turned as an older man and basically froze him at that age?"

Marcello shook his head. "We still age, just slowly. A doctor is such a renowned position in our court, particularly because of our family, that it is tradition we turn a freshly trained doctor young. That way they live through the generations of our family and can usually pass on the knowledge when the time comes. He was there for my birth and... Yeah—" He cut himself off before the words 'my sister.'

"Your father's?"

"That—maybe. It might've been before his time. My father in quite aged. Have you never wondered why lineages all go by Antony the first, Antony the second, and so on?"

"I always assumed that was because of naming their children after themselves," she replied.

"Well, of course, that's what we'd want you to think. Isn't it?" Marcello grinned and sipped from his glass. "When a reasonable amount of time has passed, and the next 'king' needs to ascend the throne, we simply put it down in the books as the first, second, third. My father is the 12th, and I believe he will retire before there is a 13th."

Natalia found the admission fascinating. "So he's been ruling hundreds of years?"

"Precisely. As will I." He sipped from a blood glass and watched as the old man walked away. It was a very special position. Currently, Doctor Lorenzo still had a few good years left in him, but eventually he would decay. Those who had been turned seemed to age and wither faster than those who were born. The thing Marcello had always found most interesting was that the doctor chose mostly to move and act as a human. He said it gave him more time to enjoy the experiences of walking somewhere. It made him notice things he otherwise would not have.