I had been the Guardian of Love for over a year, and the wife of Kozmotis Pitchiner for just short of a year when I received some highly unprecedented news. I was expecting a child with my dear Nightmare King husband. I won't lie and say that I was not surprised. In fact, the whole thing came as quite a shock to us. I was still young, twenty years old actually, when the news of my pregnancy came from an unlikely source. My step daughter, Emily, Mother Nature herself.

It was late February when Emily and I had decided to take a walk together in the nearby forest by my hometown. Snow sparkled on the trees around us, frost covering the dead mid-winter bushes. She had come to visit her father and I, and though we were not very close, I did enjoy speaking with the young woman who meant so much to my husband. I cared about her as if she was my own family though.

As we strode through the woods, arms linked at the elbows, we watched the woodland animals who were not hibernating as they prepared for the coming spring. Emily and I were silent for a long time, simply enjoying one another's companionship. Then my step daughter (it still felt strange saying that) turned to glance at me, her emerald eyes shimmering with eons of knowledge and secrets. "Anara, are you alright? You seem troubled..." She spoke softly, as if she was speaking to one of her forest children. I sighed, deciding to admit what had been troubling me for quite some time. I gazed back at Emily shyly. "I just...I can't help but feel as if you dislike me." I admitted.

I certainly didn't think Emily hated me, and that wasn't my concern. The feeling I had when we spent time together though was as if she didn't quite know what to make of me. Then again, if my father had married a woman centuries younger than me, I probably would not have known how to react or behave either. But Emily had blessed our union and attended our wedding in good spirits, so she must at least accept me in some way. I was just very confused. The girl gave me a confused look in response. "Why would I dislike the woman who has given my father his happiness once again, and will soon provide him with my half sibling," She wondered, then tilted her head thoughtfully. "Although.. I do understand that I may come off aloof sometimes. You must forgive me. It has been ages since I had a mother figure in my life, and now that I am Mother Nature I do my share of parenting. I have forgotten what it is like to be a daughter myself. But I do wish for us to be friends." Emily explained, fixing me with a gleaming white smile.

While I was beyond relieved by her words and truly appreciated them, something else she had said caught my attention. She had said something about me being the mother of her...half-sibling...and soon... My heart raced, preparing myself to respond to her and ask another question. "Thank you, Emily. I completely understand and I appreciate your honesty. Please know that I will never try to replace your mother. But I certainly want to be friends with you too!" I replied, tentatively squeezing her arm. She let out a small laugh, then looked at me with that same knowing gleam in her eyes. "Something concerns you still..." She said. It was not a question. I took a deep breath and nodded in affirmative. "You mentioned something a moment ago. Something about your half-sibling. I must admit I'm not quite sure what you meant..." I tiptoed around my own question, trying to ask it indirectly.

Emily seemed to sense this, chuckling lightly in understanding. "Oh, I must apologize for that as well, Anara. I get ahead of myself sometimes.. That is actually what I wanted to see you about. I wanted to know how the pregnancy is going so far." She stated matter-of-factly with a wave of her hand. I stopped dead in my tracks, feeling my knees weaken. I used my mind to summon Bastet to me, relaxing slightly when I felt her silky fur rub against my legs as she helped me keep my balance. "Anara?" Emily raised her voice, her tone expressing concern for me.

I nodded, holding my chest in a useless effort to slow my accelerated heartbeat. "Yes...I am okay...just...did you say pregnancy? Emily, I'm not sure where you heard that, but I don't believe I am expecting." I said as I stared at her in confusion. Emily gently grasped my upper arms, "Oh Anara, I thought you would've known by now. Rest assured, I am positive you are with child, my sibling in fact. Fertility does fall under my realm of knowledge. I sensed your conception two weeks ago. I am surprised you have not had any symptoms yet. You know what the symptoms of pregnancy are, correct?" She quizzed me, giving me a reassuring smile. "Of course I do! But no, I haven't had any symptoms. How is this possible? I didn't think Guardians could have children, and your father thought the same..." I inquired earnestly. I didn't know whether to be excited or begin to panic. Emily gave me another squeeze. "It is possible. It has simply never happened because no Guardian has ever taken a mate before. This is a first..." She told me.

Understanding began to flow through me. Everything Emily was saying made sense, and it was certainly possible that I was pregnant given the time period she had mentioned. Thousands of thoughts were going through my head, What would I tell Pitch? How can I handle being a mother and a Guardian? Would I even be a good mom? I was hardly a step mother. Doubt and unease filled my head, yet, in my heart I could feel warmth spreading throughout me. Perhaps I had subconsciously longed for a child, and until now never considered it to be a possibility. Pitch had seemed so sure that he could not father children as a Guardian, which upon reflection, he did seem sad about. However, at the time of my realization, that thought escaped my mind entirely. If Emily was sure I was pregnant, then I trusted what she was saying. And despite my concerns, I felt a contentment inside myself. It would be hard, but I was beginning to feel excited about having this baby. I only hoped Pitch would feel the same.

Hours later, I waited for my husband to arrive home after delivering his nightmares to the children around the world. He had developed a system almost like Sandy's, and instead of personally visiting each child, he could send tendrils of his nightmare sand to the children who needed a good fright. It was very efficient and allowed him to return to me much sooner than he could in the past.

Standing in our throne room, I shivered in the cool night air, pulling my sheer silver robe tighter around me. Nervousness caused me to pace back and forth as I waited for Pitch to arrive. Soon, the sound of thundering footsteps echoed through the chamber, and my husband's familiar steed appeared from the corner of the room. Onyx slowed down as she saw me, the mare tossing her head happily in greeting while my husband flashed a brilliant grin from atop her back. I smiled back at him, instantly feeling better about everything, and I approached the horse slowly. As Pitch dismounted, I stroked Onyx's head slowly. She pressed her nose to my stomach and flicked her ears, whinnying loudly in the otherwise silent room. With a start I realized this was something she had just started to do recently, and I understood that she must've known of my condition before I did.

The torch light flickered over my husband's face as he stepped around Onyx. "Hello love, what are you doing in here, in the cold instead of in bed?" Pitch whispered as he approached, resting a hand on my neck lightly. He leaned in to kiss me softly, an action I returned with just as much care. Perhaps my husband could sense my stress, and when he pulled away he frowned worriedly. "Something is wrong. I can tell. Whatever is the matter?" Pitch inquired curiously. I couldn't help myself.

Tears came to my eyes, beginning to spill as the exhaustion of containing my discovery crashed over me. "I-I'm with c-child, P-pitch." I whimpered, practically collapsing in his arms. I heard the breath hitch in his chest. "H-how did this happen? I did not think it was possible, at least, not for me." Pitch muttered, eyes wide with surprise. I shrugged and shook my head, breathing deeply to try and stop my crying. I didn't even know why I was crying. "I don't know Pitch. I didn't think it was possible either. I didn't even know until today. Emily was the one who told me. She could sense our child already..." I explained through the cracking of my voice.

Pitch was silent for a long time, his fingers rubbing my back in small soothing motions as he hugged me against his chest. I managed to quiet myself, fingers tightening in his robe as I clung to him. When he finally spoke, he asked a question that took me off guard. "Do you wish to keep the child?" His voice was calm and soft. I looked up at him incredulously. "Of course I do, my love." I answered truthfully. "Well then, why are you so distraught, my Queen?" He murmured, brushing my hair away from my face and making me look up at him. I sighed, "I guess..I thought you would not want another child, since you have Emily already." Pitch hugged me closer, pressing a small kiss on my forehead. "Anara, if you do not think I would wish to create a family with you, you are mistaken. This news makes me happier than you could know...so long as it makes you happy too." He whispered. Hearing his words, I hugged him close, relaxing in my husband's arms.

And so the coming months went by with little incident. The only symptom of my pregnancy was my missed menstrual cycle; there was no dizziness, nausea, morning-sickness, mood swings, or anything. I suppose that was a perk of being a Guardian. I continued to perform my duties, casting love charms and calming those dealing with romantic or familial strife.

Pitch and I were growing increasingly excited for our new arrival. Using our combined powers, we refurbished and redecorated Emily's old nursery, which had gone unused for centuries. I could sense Pitch's nostalgia as he went through Emily's old things. One night I caught him as he attempted to box them up, as if trying to hide his old life. I approached him, my footsteps quiet on the dark carpet of the room. "Whatever are you doing, love?" I asked him, wrapping my arms around my husband from behind and leaning my head against his back.

He flinched, but then relaxed and let out a brief sigh. "I am sorry for waking you, my nightflower. I wanted to get the rest of these things out of the room by the morning." He murmured. "Why are you moving them?" I asked gently, confused about his actions. "I am making room for our child. I figured having Emily's things here would only take up space..." He answered slowly. Frowning, I stepped around to look him in the eyes. I knew he wasn't telling me the whole truth. "That's not the real reason. You can't lie to me Pitch, I know you too well." I remarked, brushing my hand over his cheek softly. It was a moment before he responded. "You have been so excited for the baby to have this nursery. I thought that keeping Emily's belongings in here may upset you..." He admitted. My mouth gaped open at him in disbelief upon hearing his confession.

Shaking my head, I used my magic to take the box from his hands and set it on the floor. Then I reached forward, intertwining our fingers together. "Kozmotis Pitchiner, you know me better than that. I love Emily as if she were my family by blood. I would never ask you to move or get rid of her things, especially since this was her home too, and this very room was where she grew up. If you and Emily are alright with it, I would love for this stuff to stay here instead of being boxed up. Our child will not be able to see their sister very often, but perhaps her things can be reminders of her presence even when she is not near." I told him, rubbing my thumbs over his knuckles in a soothing manner. Pitch visibly relaxed, pressing his forehead against mine. "What did I ever do to deserve a wife like you?" He whispered, gazing into my eyes lovingly. "Thank you, my Queen. I cannot tell you what those words mean to me. I suppose you are right though. I should have known better than to think that of you." He added, backing up so that he could bring my hands to his lips and kiss them sweetly. I smiled back at him, then looked around the room. My eyes fell upon something gleaming in the back of the room, sticking out of yet another box. I moved over to grab it and see what it could be.

As I lifted the object out of the container, I couldn't help the grin that spread over my face. It was a baby mobile, the ones that hang over cribs to keep children entertained or help calm them so they fall asleep. It was silver in color, made of some type of stiff material I had never seen before. Strings dangled from each of the five arms of the mobile, and various glass beads hung from these strings. Most were circular, but all were varying sizes and mixtures of colors. They looked like little planets. Every now and then, a larger glass charm in the shape of a star, moon, or some other astrological symbol separated the rows of beads. It appeared to be a miniature solar system.

I held it up to Pitch, spinning it carefully to watch the candlelight reflect off the charms. "Was this Emily's?" I asked him curiously. He nodded, letting out a small chuckle. "Yes, as it was mine before her..." He admitted. I cocked an eyebrow at him, surprised. Glancing at the mobile once more, I realized that there were engravings, clearly written in another unknown language, in the material that made up the top portion. This was practically ancient. "Do you mind if we hang that over our child's crib?" Pitch asked, a small smile parting his lips. I carefully passed the mobile to him, "Of course. Would you do the honors?" I asked, gesturing to the dark wooden crib in the center of the room. His grin widened as he accepted the mobile and stepped across the floor to place it on the hook above what would soon be our child's bed.

It was not long after that my belly finally began to swell, evidence of the new life growing inside of me. I decided that it was time to tell my mother and the other Guardians. With the holidays coming and going, and the seasons changing, seeing my friends and family had been relatively hard to do. Pitch and I visited my mother together, appearing in the living room of my former home while she was in the kitchen making dinner one evening. I had spoken to her on the phone several times, but it had been a good month or two since we had seen one another in person.

The house still looked the same as it always had, and the scent of lilac clung to the air. "Mom, Pitch and I are here!" I announced in a sing-song voice. I was wearing a loose fitting top and leggings, already discovering most of my clothes now fit tightly around my middle. This outfit also disguised my baby bump, allowing me to surprise my mom. Artemis and Aphrodite, my other beloved pets, both greeted me with loving nudges, wagging tails, and purrs. My mother appeared from inside the kitchen, smiling happily when she saw me petting our shared cat and dog. "Well hello, my dear. How are my daughter and son in law doing? I haven't seen you in ages!" She greeted us both with a hug. "We are great Mom, truly." I answered, casting a glance at Pitch. "That's wonderful! Please, come sit down. Dinner is almost ready." She gestured for us to follow her into the dining room, but I reached out to grasp her hand. "That sounds wonderful! But first, Pitch and I didn't just come to visit, Mom. We have some pretty important news." I admitted, guiding her to sit down on the nearby couch.

My mother looked between Pitch and I, clearly curious, but she sat down and folded her hands neatly in her lap. Pitch moved closer to me, rubbing my shoulders encouragingly. I took a deep breath, "You know how you always joked about becoming a grandmother before you turned forty five?" I asked shyly and bit my lip. She tilted her head, nodding, then an expression of understanding began to form on her face. "Are you saying..." She trailed off, lifting a hand to cover her mouth. Pitch and I both smiled, and my husband placed a protective hand over my stomach, drawing attention to the bump that was slowly forming there. "We are. Anara and I are having a child...your grandchild..." Pitch answered softly.

I watched my mother as her gaze met mine and tears formed in her eyes. "I have dreamed of this day for so long. I never imagined it would come so soon though! I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner." She rambled, uncovering her mouth and revealing a bright smile. "Well, believe me, it took us by surprise too. We found out only a couple months ago. I would've told you sooner, but I wanted to be sure. No Guardian has ever had a child before. I didn't want to get your hopes up, just in case. But everything is going well so far, and Emily feels confident in the baby's health from what she can sense." I explained, offering my hand to my mother.

She stood up once more and accepted my hand, giving it a tight squeeze. I smiled at her and returned the gesture. She looked between my husband and I, joy gleaming in her pale eyes. "May I?" She asked, her hand hovering slightly above my belly. I nodded in consent and Pitch shifted his hand to allow my mother to feel the space where her grandchild was presently residing inside of me. Her fingers cautiously pressed against my abdomen, and she smiled as she felt how solid the area had become. "Oh, I am so happy for you both!" She exclaimed, unexpectedly pulling us both in for another hug.

From the kitchen, the timer for the stove went off, startling us all. She quickly released my husband and I, turning to quickly jog into the kitchen. "Please sit down! This is cause for us to celebrate!" She called over her shoulder. "Well, one down. Five to go." I remarked to my husband as my mother left the room. Pitch nodded, taking my hand again and leading me into the dining room to prepare for dinner.

Telling the other Guardians of my pregnancy took even less effort from me than telling my mother. Apparently, Manny had been waiting until I was able to tell my mother before he chose to send a sign to the others. A few days after speaking with my mother, the other five Guardians showed up at Pitch's palace, using the old entrance hole in the forest. Pitch and I had been sitting in our throne room, practicing our magic, when the other Guardians of Childhood burst through the doors, all chattering excitedly. Both Pitch and I practically jumped from our chairs. "What is the meaning of this?" Pitch growled, looking around wildly. He respected the others now, but still didn't love them. Given their history, I couldn't say I didn't understand his reservations. But they were my friends, and they were good. "Oh, get your robe out of a twist, Pitch. We are here to congratulate the two of you!" Jack teased, leading the group forward.

Pitch and I exchanged a look. Pitch's eyes seemed to ask if I had known of this, to which I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. "Aye, we heard that Anara's got a fruitcake in the oven!" North added with a wink. "I'm not sure that's the right expression North, but same idea I guess." Jack muttered. "Ya, and that fruitcake will soon be a wee ankle-biter before ya know it." Bunny continued. Laughing at the banter between the other Guardians, I reached over to grasp my husband's hand, mentally preparing myself to answer the barrage of questions that my friends would be sending my way any moment.