A Pleasant Surprise

Diane stayed cooped in her small cottage on the plot of land her father left her before he died. She sobbed and sobbed until she could cry no longer.

Days passed from the last time she saw Xander. She knew that he would have had to leave her; but she always wished it wasn't that soon. She stopped in her strides and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy whilst her lips chapped and dry from the lack of water she drank.

Diane stared blankly at her reflection as she noticed the day was yet again gone in the blink of an eye. "... I... knew this would happen but..." she muttered to herself as she curled into a ball on her bed; thinking back to the day when she last saw Xander.

***

A month passed and Diane was getting used to the loneliness yet again, regaining her confidence and stepping out of the comfort of her own home. She smiled solemnly as she swept her porch, mindlessly going through the days, trying to forget about her ex-lover. There was no way they could salvage their relationship... Not with him being married to another woman... and him being the King of the country.

"Diane..." a voice said softly, calling out to her as she shook her head; thinking it was the overwhelming loneliness making her imagine things that were not there. "... Diane..." the voice called out to her again, making her furrow her brows as she continued to ignore it, telling it to go away.

"Diane! Please! Look at me!" the voice pleaded as Diane felt a touch so familiar yet foreign holding onto her shoulders, forcing her to peel her eyes off the ground. "... Xand--... Your majesty... ... M... May the light of the Divine One be on you... hic..." Diane replied, choking on her words as her voice cracked; she bowed her head, dropping her broom as she shook off his firmly placed hands and rushed for her house.

"Diane! Please! I... ... Don't go..." Xander pleaded, catching Diane's wrist as he pulled her back to face him. He tilted her head to look at him, taking in her frail body and swollen eyes that were growing red as they started to well up with tears once more. 

"You... can't do this..." Diane mustered out as she shook herself free from his grip.

"I just... don't want to see you sad... I was just as hurt... Seeing you run off that day. I would have chased after you... but there were circumstances that forbade me from doing so..." Xander explained as he pulled Diane into his embrace, stroking her gently on the back, comforting her. Diane gave into his pleas and cried herself to sleep in his warm embrace, knowing that this was probably the last they would ever meet again.

***

Xander watched his lover's chest rise and fall as she sighed softly, turning in her sleep as she snuggled closer to him. Her face relaxing into a smile as she draped her arm across his chest.

Its... only for today... I mustn't... see her again. For her own safety... Xander thought as he ran his fingers through her luscious locks. His heart clenched at the thought making him frown as he hit his chest, trying to calm himself.

"... To protect you... I must leave you... but... I just can't bring myself to do that..." Xander whispered as he caressed his lover's cheek, wiping the loose tear that escaped from her eye.

***

Day came and Xander was gone yet again. Diane frowned as she thought back to what she overheard Xander whisper to her when he thought she was sleeping. He says he needs to leave me... to protect me? Hah... He always... leaves me... Diane thought solemnly to herself as she tried to get up.

Tripping over her blanket, she fell with a thud onto the floor as she groaned in pain. It's been awhile... My body is so uncooperative... Diane grumbled to herself as she climbed back onto the bed rubbing the sore area after that fall. Giving up, Diane decided to crochet instead as her activity for the day as she waited for the hours to pass so that her sore back would ache no longer.

The hours slipped by as the sun set and evening came by. Diane stared at the clouds until she felt a wave of nausea come over her. She flailed about running after her chamber pot as she threw up into it.

This seems to be happening alot lately... Not to mention the dizzy spells that I have been getting... Diane thought as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before she spotted her calendar. Come to think of it... when was the last time I had my menstruation...

Diane hurled up once again before slumping onto a wooden chair where she grabbed a wooden cup and drank some water. She mindlessly rubbed her torso in a circular motion as she smiled tenderly. I... think it is...

***

"My goodness Diane! Congratulations! Who is the father? My my! I can't wait to see the child born from such a beautiful and kind soul such as you!" an elderly woman exclaimed with much excitement in her voice. Diane simply smiled at the woman's words of excitement as she thought of what to reply.

"My my. Why the look my dear? If it's the child you're worried about, there's nothing to fear. I'm sure such a child born from a woman as strong as you will be just as lovely as you are. I'm certain of this. Now just turn that solemn face into a gleeful one." the woman said as she squeezed Diane's cheeks with her fingers. Diane chuckled as her mind drifted off to how she was going to break the news to her lover.

***

Surprisingly, Xander visited her once again that week making Diane all the more ecstatic. The two spent the day together in her cozy home as she readied herself to break the news.

"Diane, I..." 

"Not yet... I need to tell you something!" 

"... Okay..." 

"I'm... I'm pregnant!" Diane exclaimed excitedly as her face pulled into a big grin. Xander's reaction however, seemed quite the opposite.

"...? Xander...?" Diane asked as she approached him, touching his cheek. Xander said nothing and snuggled into her touch as he turned to look at her and smile. 

"... That's great news..." he said, his expression something Diane couldn't understand.

***

The two lay cuddled on the bed as Xander thought about what Diane had said. He smiled to himself before jerking up suddenly. A presence around the house! But how? I made sure to mask my tracks!

Xander kissed Diane's hair as he exited the house, holding his sword as he scoped the surrounding. He could not see anybody and was surprised as he heard footsteps coming behind him.

Xander turned and was about to strike when he saw Diane groggily approaching him. "What's wrong...?" Diane asked as she held onto his arm, not fully aware of the situation that she could have been in.

"... It's nothing... Let's go back inside." Xander replied as he ushered Diane back into her house, following close behind her. As he closed the door, he glanced around at the surroundings hoping that it was nothing.

***

"Your majesty... I have a report to make." a man cloaked in a black garment said as he knelt before Lilith. 

"Oh~? Do tell." Lilith answered as she twirled the goblet of gold, filled with a rich and dark red wine.