Body wrapped in a warm, wolfskin cloak, I stepped into the crisp morning and headed for the Temple.

It took everything I had not to vomit in the flowerbeds around the Gildergreen. I had a sinking feeling in my gut about the cause of my nausea, but I wanted to be sure before I told Vilkas.

The smell of lavenders was strong in the air as I pushed the door open. Spots of dust danced in the growing sunlight, the specks floating up and down. The beds, for the first time, were empty. Seemed that Whiterun's citizens were doing better than when I left.

Danica greeted me as soon as I walked in. "It's so good to see you again, child," she said as she wrapped me into a hug. "I trust you are well?"

"I'm not sure. If I were well, do you think I would be here so early in the morning?"

Her face became grim. "What is troubling you?"

"For the past several mornings, I have been very, very sick. It's hard for me to keep food down, but then I'm better by the afternoon."

"That sounds like only one thing to me. Do you think—"

"I'm hopeful."

She motioned for me to follow her into her private room. She sat me down on the bed, then she pulled a chair in front of me.

"Can you find out?" I asked as she sat down in the chair.

"Yes, I can. That magic is simple. It is also painless. You won't feel a thing."

I nodded and leaned back slightly. Danica pushed her hand underneath my tunic and let her palm rest against my flesh.

"Is that a scar I feel?" she asked as her palm rested against the smooth, white mark.

"Yes. My quest was a dangerous one. But I'm all right now. Other than the sickness I've been feeling."

She nodded, then closed her eyes in concentration. Her fingers slid over my stomach slowly, warmth radiating from them.

The longer the silence between us lasted, the harder my heart twisted. What if I had been wrong? What if it had all been in my head? What if there was another explanation for my sickness?

But those questions faded as Danica smiled and pulled her hand off my abdomen.

I sat forward, my words catching in my throat. "Am I...?"

"Congratulations, Ylva. You're with child."

-------

The news was so incredible and mind-blowing, I had to go take a walk around Whiterun a few times. I couldn't believe it. I was expecting. In a few months, Vilkas and I would be parents. I was going to have a baby. It was so surreal. Could it really be?

On my way back through the Plains District a few hours later, I stopped by Fralia's stall in the market and told her about Sofie.

"She's such a good kid," I said at the end, leaning against the stall. "But I just don't think I can be the one to raise her. She's already almost grown. She's more like a little sister to me."

Fralia nodded. "I see what you mean."

"What am I supposed to do, Fralia? Leave her to herself in Jorrvaskr? Try to be her mother, even though there aren't that many years between us? What's the best thing I can do for her?"

"I think that she needs a stable home, not among you warriors."

"I can't provide that for her." I sighed. "I guess I should've thought of that before I told her she could come home with us."

"I didn't say that she couldn't stay in Whiterun. With all my children grown, it gets lonely in our home. Eorlund spends most of his days at the Skyforge, leaving me alone to tend to the stall and the home. I think a little girl like her would be a wonderful addition to our family."

I pushed myself off the stall. "Fralia, I can't ask you to—"

"Shush, child. Let me finish. She could help me with the stall, and she could take a few of the chores that I can't do anymore. But she'd still be treated as my daughter." She gave me a wrinkled smile. "When you see her, tell her that she has a home waiting for her. And don't tell her she has to come, because I wouldn't want to force her to stay with us."

"You are too kind." I smiled at her and took her hands in mine. "Thank you, Fralia."

"Of course. I've been thinking of traveling to Riften and taking one of those poor children out of the orphanage, anyway. You've saved me that trip, though." She laughed at this and pulled her hands from mine. Then she pressed her gnarled, weathered hand to my cheek. "Go one, then. Tell the little one of her new home."

"Talos bless you, Fralia."

When I reentered Jorrvaskr, I spotted Tilma cooking, Aela talking with Farkas and Tyra, and Vilkas kneeling in front of Sofie, a small dagger in his hands. I assumed that the rest of the whelps were so hungover, they were still asleep downstairs.

Serves them right for getting so drunk.

As soon as he saw me, Vilkas stood up and came to me. He grabbed my elbows and smiled. "Where were you? When I awoke, you were gone."

"I went out. I have something to tell you, but we need to be alone."

He furrowed his brow. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes." I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his nose. "It couldn't be anymore perfect. I need to tell Sofie something first."

He nodded and walked with me back to Sofie's side. She was giving her new Skyforge dagger a few swings, but stopped when we approached.

"Look!" She held up the dagger for me to see. "Isn't it amazing?"

I smiled. "It is, little one. I have something to tell you."

"Yes?"

I knelt down in front of her, taking her by the shoulders. "I went for a walk this morning, and I stopped by old Fralia Gray-Mane's stall. Her husband is the one who made your dagger. I told her about you, said you were such a sweet and energetic little girl, and you know what she told me?"

"What?"

"She told me that she wanted to adopt you into her family."

Her eyes lit up. "Really?!"

I nodded. "She said you can live with her and and her family whenever you want. You could help her with her market stall, train with us, and learn all sorts of smithing skills from Eorlund, your new father."

Tears spilled to her cheeks. "Thank you so much."

I fought against my own tears welling in my eyes. "Don't thank me. Your new mother is the one to thank. If you want, I can take you to her now."

She nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I knew you were the best friend ever. Thank you."

A tear fell to my face, and I let it be. "You're welcome, little one." I pulled away. "Your new family is eager to meet you."

My heart melted when I introduced Sofie to Fralia. Eorlund just happened to be down at the stall with his wife as I was bringing Sofie to them. Fralia smiled at the little girl, then took the child's hand in hers.

"Hello, Sofie," she said, brushing a lock of the girl's hair from her face.

"Are you my new mama?" Sofie glanced at Eorlund. "And papa?"

Fralia nodded. "Do you want to be a Gray-Mane, little one?"

To answer, she wrapped her arms around the woman's legs. "Yes!"

Fralia smiled and patted Sofie's head. Then she gave me a thankful look as Eorlund took the child into his big arms and held her high.

Vilkas, who had come with Sofie and me, nudged my arm as we walked down the path towards the gates. "You said you had something to tell me?"

I nodded and linked my arm with his. "I think it's a nice morning for a walk, don't you?"

"Are we going to leave the city?"

We walked out of the gates, and I shrugged. "Why not? The feast in our honor still has to be prepared. I think we could both use this time alone."

We walked down the path towards Honningbrew Meadery, passing a couple guards on the way. We stayed silent for a while, listening to the birds chirping and the water rushing. The air was filled with the scent of mountain flowers, tundra cotton, and dragon's tongue. It smelled and sounded and felt like home.

"Ylva, we've been wandering for a while now," Vilkas said as we passed the meadery. "When are you going to tell me? Is everything all right?"

"I told you before. I'm fine. I just don't know how to word this."

He stopped me. "Word what? What is it?"

"Vilkas... I'm going to have a baby."

"You're... what?"

I laughed and framed his face in my hands. "Oh, my love, I'm with child. We're going to be parents."

When it registered to him, he cupped his hands to my cheeks. "Are you... are you really?"

I wrapped my fingers around his wrists and smiled. For the second time that day, I started crying. "Yes, Vilkas. I am."

He dropped his hands, face filled with shock. His legs started to tremble, and I grabbed his elbows to keep him steady.

"Vilkas!" I laughed at him as he stared at nothing in particular. I couldn't believe how shocked he was. "Say something, love."

When his legs steadied beneath him, he pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. But then he let me go and grabbed my shoulders. "Did I hurt you? I don't want to hurt you or the baby. Are you—"

"Vilkas, please." I pressed a finger to his lips. "I'm fine, and the baby is fine."

He smiled with relief. "Oh, this is the best news I have ever heard. You're actually with child." He rested his hands on my hips. "When will the baby be here?"

I laughed. "Love, these things take time. About nine months, in fact. I can't be sure when our child will be here, but he or she will come when it is time."

His eyes sparkled with tears, and he pulled me in for a gentle, tender kiss. A kiss that made my heart swell and heat spread through my chest. A kiss that made me forget about anyone or anything else in the world, and only focus on my husband and our contact.

As we pulled away, we turned towards two sets of pounding footsteps headed our way. Farkas and Tyra, hand-in-hand, ran straight for us, Farkas practically dragging Tyra beside him. On their faces were the two most ridiculous grins I'd ever seen.

"What on Nirn has gotten into you two?" I asked as they stopped in front of us.

"We have..." the started together, before they giggled and looked at one another.

"You tell them," Farkas said to Tyra, but she shook her head.

"You tell them," she said.

Then, they nodded to one another and said in unison, "We'll both tell them." Then they turned to us, wearing those grins again.

"We're going to be married!"

I clapped my hands over my mouth while Vilkas just gaped in shock.

"When did this happen?" I asked, running to hug Tyra. Vilkas clapped his brother on the shoulder, a look of pride and happiness in his eyes.

"Just this morning," Tyra said. "He asked me after you and Vilkas left." Then she pulled away. "Why are you all the way out here? It took us forever to find you."

"If I told you, it would take away from your happiness."

Farkas shook his head. "We don't care." He took Tyra's hand in his, giving her a sweet smile. "Tell us."

"Farkas, Tyra..." I began, Vilkas taking my hand in his.

"... we are expecting a baby," he finished, flashing me a joyful look.

Tyra got it first, and she gaped at me. "You're... you're with child?!"

I nodded, unable to keep the smile from my face. "I found out this morning."

"Wait," Farkas said. "If you're... then that means... I'm going to be an uncle?"

Vilkas nodded to his brother. "Yes, you're going to be an uncle."

"And I'll be an aunt," Tyra said, holding Farkas's hand. "This is... so amazing!"

We all shared a big hug, right in the middle of the path, where the guards could see us.

"How the Divines have blessed us all this day," I said. "We should thank them."

"Will you, Ylva?" Vilkas asked, pressing a kiss to my temple. "Pray for us all?"

I nodded, and we all bowed our heads. "We thank you, great Divines, for the many blessings you have poured over all of us today. We thank you, Mara, goddess of love, mother of all, for the love you have forged between Farkas and Tyra. May you continue to bless them as they prepare to spend eternity together, held in your embrace. We thank you, Akatosh, great father, for granting Vilkas and myself with this child. Bless our son or daughter as he or she grows within me, and help us when the time comes to be the mother and father we need to be. We thank you Knyareth, goddess of the winds and sky, for your priestess who has relayed to us this news of my unborn child."

I finished with a thanksgiving to Talos, for never abandoning his people, even though most of them have abandoned him. Then we all picked our heads up and headed back for the city. Vilkas held my hand and draped his other arm over Farkas's shoulder. Farkas returned that, and held onto Tyra's hand.

"Praise the Divines," Tyra said, and we echoed her words.