I had to sit down again. Barely taking two steps towards the exit of the tent I found my head so dizzy I knew if I didn't sit back down I would be on the ground regardless. Lowering myself, I keep my head down and eyes closed, trying to gain control over my spinning head.

It was heading into midday and I have been in Tula's tent since early this morning, beading and painting with some other tribe's women. I wasn't feeling all that well when arriving but as time progressed I was getting worse.

"Aleenia?" I hear one of the women ask, muffled by the loud noise of my heart pounding in my ears. I hold the sides of my head as if it could help.

A hand is placed on top of my head, and the women ask me what is wrong in their native tongue.

" I feel-" I start to reply in their language back but realize that I have not learnt the word for dizzy yet, or if they're even is one. So instead I stick out my pointer finger and swirl it around a few times in quick session before indicating towards my head.

They seem to understand as the hand on top of my head moves under my chin to lift it up. Blinking one eye open I see a water skin offered to me and I take a few sips, trying to calm the roaring in my skull.

After a couple minutes I feel like I can stand up, and the woman help me by placing their hands under my arms. Once steady I smile with thanks and start making my way to the exit, this time not feeling on the verge of collapse.

"Aleenia, wait," Tula follows after me in her burnt orange dress, her face etched with concern," I will walk you back."

I begin to protest but she already had a hand on the small of my back, guiding me back to my tent.

"Did you eat this morning?" she asks me, still keeping a hand on my back for support.

I rub my forehead, a headache beginning to brew right in the center," No... I was not hungry this morning," I admit.

Tula eyes me curiously for a second, yet when she notices me catching her stare she forces a smile on her face. Before I can question her, we arrive at my tent, Tula accompanying me inside. Jaida meets us at the threshold, cocking her head at us in confusion.

Tula speaks first in native tounge," Aleenia, nearly fainted this morning."

I can't help but roll my eyes, thinking her over dramatic, " I am fine."

Tula scoffs motherly, then eyes Jaida," Feed her well, she needs it," she gives me a couple light pats on the back before dropping her arm.

Turning to her I give her a grateful smile," Thank you, Tula," with that said I make a move to the dining room, hoping to find more water to help ease my headache. I luckily did and sat at the table on the comfortable floor cushion, pouring water from the jug into a clay mug.

As I am about to take my first sip I noticed Tula had not left yet, as I saw hers and Jaida's reflection through the tent fabric. They were whispering to each other, too quiet and quick for me to understand. When Tula finally left, Jaida emerged into the room, her face looking bright... a little too bright.

"Jaida?" I question but she either didn't notice my tone or ignored it.

"What is you feel like to eat?" She asks back, and at the question I found my appetite coming back to me. I decided not to interrogate her on what she was discussing moments ago with Tula.

"Ah..." I think for a second," Something sweet... something with berries."

"Alright, I shall see what I can find for you," Jaida says making her exit, however at the flaps she stops and looks back at me, biting her lip. I raise an eyebrow in question.

"I-," she stammers," Tula, thinks you might be getting ill, she thinks the healer should come and check on you today."

I shake my head with a smile that will hopefully indicate that I really am fine," No, Jaida. I'm alright, I had just not eaten this morning because I was not hungry, I must have ate something not right."

Jaida still eyes me warily, looking like she is contemplating my answer.

I softly laugh at her sweet concern," Jaida, I'm fine."

She still does not look overly convinced but leaves with a lasting glance before getting my lunch.

I sigh when she is gone, relieved that she did not push further the idea that I was sick.

Quiet descends and I fidget with my fingers, turning my water mug around clockwise. I missed my husband, normally we would try and have lunch together everyday, but that had not happened in two months. I had not heard from him directly since he left, only when the Ukan tribe arrived at the Svorn Tribe. No one knew how long the meeting would be, but from Chief Kono's experience he estimated a couple weeks if not a few.

Seanne had also gone with Zachan, which did not leave me with people whom I was very close to. Besides Jaida, but she got all twitchy when I would force her to join me to talk or eat, as she always ended up running off to do her chores, no matter how many times I told her I could help her or give her time off...

I just hoped Zachan would be returning soon.

.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

I might have convinced Jaida not to get the healer to check on me, but she still insisted I rest for the day. I was to remain bed ridden after eating my lunch, and I was forced to watch Jaida shuffling around the house, cleaning and arranging my clothes that I insisted I could do myself. When she had gathered the dirty ones she had told me she was going to get them washed, and gave me a stern look when she then added 'I was not to move.' I nodded, but as soon as she was gone I gathered my bear fur and crawled out of the flap in the corner of my room. Jaida would at least take an hour, so I had that amount of time to walk around before returning.

The fresh crisp air was nice. Winter was fading with no more snow to be seen, but it was still cold weather through and through.

I began walking through the forest, not really knowing where I was going. Walking past the spot Zachan and I use to go to draw his portrait made me hesitate. Some of the cornflowers were starting to bloom early, and it bought a smile to my face. Yet it turned sour when I looked at the log, I could not sit on it with out him, it just did not seem right.

I kept walking and before I knew it Mr.Larkin's treehouse had appeared above me, creaking from a strong gust of wind blowing through the canopy.

I had seen Mr. Larkin a little more frequently these past months, joining the tribe in winter feasts at night. He would even stay in a tent at the haven when the weather was too cold and traitorous at night to be in his tree house. Yet this would be the first time in a while I would be visiting him. I was wondering now if he was even up there, as he might be discussing things with Chief Kono.

Climbing the ladder to see him was trickier then it normally was for me. My muscles seemed to ache by the third rung, my stomach starting to churn from exhaustion when I made it to the top. On the balcony I looked straight ahead at Mr. Larkin at his desk , clad in thick furs, eyeing me in surprise before giving me a perplexed look. That look was probably because the blood had drained from my face as my lunch came creeping back up my throat.

Turning around I grab the wooden railing of the balcony and can't help but heave the contents of my stomach over it. It was foul, as was the taste as I tried to even my breathing and control the cold shakes that followed.

I then walk into Mr.Larkin's tree house, not giving him a glance as I head straight for the chest of draws on the right. A jug and glass sit neatly on top and I pour myself some water, downing it and cringing from the taste.

"Your welcome..." I hear Mr. Larkin say sarcastically to my left.

I pour myself another glass before moving to join him at his desk," Thank you for offering me some," I banter back taking a seat.

I finally look up at him and he is still giving me a weird look," If you're sick, please wash the glass and return it to me by tomorrow."

Exasperated from the constant assumption I am sick I let out a huge sigh and roll my eyes, slamming the glass on the desk." I am not sick... I must have eaten something off or rotten sometime."

"Is anyone else sick at the haven?"

I think for a moment before shaking my head," No, no outbreak of sickness... not in the last week or so anyways."

The crease in Mr. Larkin's eyebrows deepen," You have been sick for more then a week?"

"Yes, but its just moments of the day... maybe I am eating something that I am allergic to." I ponder aloud, having that thought for the past couple days. Yet today of all days I felt worse, not experiencing extreme dizziness yet or headaches. Another was coming on right now.

Mr. Larkin then sighs, deeply," Is there something I can help you with, Mi Lady?"

I can't help the small smile that appears on my lips, the lack of patience in the old man never ceases to amuse me." Yes actually, what is the word for dizzy in their native tongue?"

" Sa-soo Sa-soo," Mr. Larkin informs me, going back to looking over a piece of parchment in front of him. " The literal translation is , around around... if your dizzy Aleenia, are you sure you are not sick?"

I let out a heavy breath through my teeth." No, and last time I checked you were my teacher, not my doctor."

"Lucky for me," Mr. Larkin quips looking back up at me with a fake toothy grin," Because right now you're a worst patient then a student."

He was right though...but I wasn't going to admit it. I was never good when I was ill when I was younger... or an adult. I always got so frustrated and agitated by the fact I could not do my usual routine or tasks. That's probably why I got so annoyed today with everyone treating me like I was sick, I was so afraid of it I was in denial.

My eyes scan over the documents littered across the desk, and my eyes catch onto a calendar on the right hand corner. I gesture to it with my head, " What is the date today?"

Mr. Larkin peers at it for a second before returning to his document," February the 7th."

I register the date and in my mind and sit back on my seat. It was my birthday in 4 days, I would be turning 29 years old. Last year I had missed my birthday completely in my depressed state, as well as the fact birthdays aren't really celebrated here.

"A special date..." Mr. Larkin inquires.

"Ah..." I hesitate, but realize it wouldn't hurt for someone to know," It is my birthday on the 11th."

Mr. Larkin looks up at me, eyebrows high," Happy Birthday Mi Lady... don't expect a gift from me however, this job doesn't pay much I'm afraid."

I let out a chuckle as my eyes go back to the calendar, finding my birthday date, seeing it falls on a Tuesday. However as I continue to look at the weeks and months of this year a thought nags its way into my consciousness. I had estimated that Zachan had left two months ago, which was the beginning of December... and since then I hadn't had my monthly-

The thought, the realization hits me so hard that if I had anything left in my stomach it would have come up again, as it literally felt like a punch to the guts from the way it lurched.

I stood abruptly, the chair scraping back from under me. Mr. Larkin jumps at the noise before looking up to me." Mi Lady?"

"I-," I stumble out, my thoughts scattering," I have to get back to Jaida."

Quickly I make my way out and down the tree house, my heart pumping hard against my ribs. My legs are working overtime to get back to my tent.

When I do I don't bother crawling through the gap at the back. Instead I go through the entrance and head straight for my bedroom, Jaida had luckily not returned yet.

I toss my bear fur from my shoulders onto the bed and race to stand in front of the floor length aged mirror. I turn side on, bunching my loose navy dress at my back, trying to see the outline of my stomach.

Was it bigger? Did it slightly budge more than usual near my pelvis? I trace my fingers over it to see if that gave any indication. It didn't.

I lift up the skirt of my dress frantically, gathering it around my waist... I trace my skin again, yet I couldn't tell from just looking. Yet all the symptoms these past weeks added up-

I see Jaida from the corner of my eye appear at the entranceway of my bedroom. I drop my dress back down, but Jaida's cheeks have already pinked a bit. I didn't care though; I was in too much disbelief to.

She bites her lip," Do you want me to get the healer now?"

I stammer on my words like a fish out of water. Then another thing hits me today," You suspected? You and Tula?"

She gives an impish look before nodding. She releases her bottom lip and she breaks out into a full-blown smile. Jaida rushes forward, throwing her arms around me.

"I am so happy for you Aleenia, a baby!"

Shock. That was all that I felt, I could not even lift my arms to hug her back.

What do you guys think!!! Are you guys as shocked as Aleenia?! To be fair I'm more shocked that I updated so soon! I was on a writing high or something as I starting writing at midnight and didn't stop until 4 in the morning yesterday... or this morning, LOL.

Anyways, thanks for all your guys votes on the different covers, I loved also your reasonings for your favorites. In the end the favorite one was the painted rocks, but before I go back to that one I'll rotate the rest, as all of you had a different favorite.

So please Comment and Vote, that would mean the world! And also if your reading on your phone or ipad and you see a ad you could watch, if you can please watch it. It would mean so much to me!

Love U.