Chapter 42 -- Mages x Templars
*****
"I'm pregnant."
I looked up from my plate as we sat at the breakfast table. I shared a glance with a few others before asking, "Are you sure?"
"I'm pregnant, Ragnar. I went to a doctor yesterday to make sure. He says I'm at least three months along." I could only rise to my feet and take Solona in my arms, giving her a kiss as she started to cry. "We're going to have a baby, Ragnar," she whispered.
We were soon enveloped by everyone else. I caught the eye of Anora, her own eyes glistening. I just mouthed to her 'soon'. She nodded, and while she would have been delighted for Solona, I knew she was desperate to feel the same life growing inside her.
"Where the fuck did you find the time to put a baby in her?" Brosca wondered once we'd sat down, Solona now sitting next to me, unconsciously holding a hand to her belly.
"If she's at least three months, that's before more of the other shenanigans began. Let's be honest, Solona and I always find time for one another, even if it's only half an hour."
"I always cum regardless," she stated with a giggle.
"Does this change things?" Brosca wondered.
Actually, it was a good question. I didn't know much about pregnancy. All I knew is that people had sex, a child was conceived, it grew inside the woman, it was born roughly nine months later. Looking around the table, a few gave suggestions but, as none had children of their own, they were almost in the dark as me. "Why not speak to Leandra?" Anora suggested, "She's had children so can tell you all she knows."
"Oh god, I wonder what she'll think?"
I wrapped an arm around Solona. "She'll be delighted her niece is having a child. In fact, after breakfast, we should go tell her and the others."
"Definite jealousy from one or two people," Brosca added.
We headed out around an hour later, with most of my girls in tow. Only a few were missing. Lyna was apparently getting rather friendly with Fenris, and the elf had grown rather fond of her in return. I'm not sure if it was platonic or sexual, but if it meant she left my harem, then I could only wish her good luck. She deserved as much happiness as anyone else. Lenina and Neria had, for all intents and purposes, fallen in love with each other. Completely unexpected, as I knew they had the occasional fun, but from what I was told, it was now a full blown love affair. I'd sat down with them already and asked what the situation was. They suggested it might be better if they found their own place and see how things went.
I'll be honest, losing those three from my group made life a little easier, and also quieter around the embassy. Lyna still lived there, or at least had a room, but spent a lot of time with Fenris. The two elves were in the process of moving out. Being elves, that meant having to move to the alienage, but they'd already spoken to Merrill, who had spoken with the local leader, and accommodation had been found for them.
When I looked at the embassy now, I had Anora, Solona, Brosca and Eliza, and although the latter enjoyed time with me, like Sereda, I knew she was looking for a man who made her the one woman in his life. I'd already spoken to her about it and said if she found someone, she went with my blessing. In the end, life was definitely easier at the embassy, though I now had some new friends around the city.
Leandra was delighted to see us, inviting us in, Hawke and Bethany gathering around as Solona told them the good news. Leandra couldn't stop smiling, hugging Solona then myself, exclaiming it was the best news she'd heard in years. Hawke and Bethany were both overjoyed too. Thankfully, neither of them had confessed to any desire for children, and didn't seem jealous in the slightest, only happy for their cousin.
"This means no more following the Dragonborn around, trying to solve the problems of Kirkwall," Leandra ordered, though with a smile, "You now have life growing inside you and you need to protect it. I'm sure he'll survive with those remaining by his side."
"Oh, I was going to stop immediately. I've been wanting this for so long, I'm not taking any chances." Then she leaned in closely, "Can we still have sex though?"
Leandra laughed. "Of course, dear. In fact, you might find yourself increasingly horny as time goes by. I remember poor Malcolm, I fucked him raw while I was pregnant the first time."
"Mother, details!" Bethany cried, to the laughter of many.
"I was just going to suggest he fuck me in the arse if it was a problem," Solona stated. That made me roar with laughter. It was something we rarely did, but she said it so casually, I think she was being serious about it.
"No, dear, your pussy is perfectly fine for him to..." Leandra trailed off and cleared her throat. No-one except the Hawke sisters knew that I'd been with her and she obviously didn't want to go into detail. "Sex is fine, Solona. It won't be a problem."
Someone suggested we head out to celebrate, so we ended up at the Hanged Man. Most of the others eventually seemed to find out, finding us in our usual back room, everyone hugging and congratulating Solona, while my hand was shaken too. There were one or two jokes at my expense, and sat between Solona and Anora, the latter wanting me to hold her the entire time.
Back at the embassy that night, I offered to spend the night with Solona. She said it was fine, that she enjoyed sleeping with Brosca or Eliza nowadays. I was surprised by the Brosca revelation, but she admitted that Eliza was looking for a man of her own, and that Brosca was feeling lonely with Sereda, so they sometimes ended up in bed together. And occasionally in the way I was thinking, but more often than not, they simply enjoyed sharing a bed. I often heard them giggling away and she assured me that my place was with Anora.
Walking into our bedroom, she was sitting on the edge of the bed. As soon as I closed the door, she walked towards me as she burst into tears. I held her tightly as she cried. "It's not going to happen, is it?"
"These things take time, Ani," I replied softly.
"I stopped taking potions ages ago, Ragnar. I should be pregnant by now."
Lifting her head with a finger, I gently wiped away her tears with a thumb. "Ani," the name made her smile, "It will happen, okay? Trust me, I want it as much as you do." I rested my hand on her stomach. "One day soon, you will have life growing in there. It will be our child, whether a son or daughter, I don't mind. Then you will carry another one after that."
"And one more?" she whispered.
"We can have as many as you want, Ani."
She got on tiptoes to kiss me. "I know I sound desperate..."
I shushed her again. "Ani, I want our child as much as you. No matter what I do out there, you are the most important person in my life, though Solona is immediately elevated now for obvious reasons. All we can do is keep trying. It will happen. I promise."
With some urgency, she undressed herself as I did the same, and there was little foreplay before we fell into bed, Anora desperate for me to be inside her. Feeling her lift her legs back, she shuffled so I felt ever so deep inside her, legs bent and pressed against my sides, as she begged for me to cum inside her. I leaned down to kiss her as I thrust into her.
"Cum in me," she pleaded, "Cum in me, Ragnar. Give me what we both want."
"I love you, Ani."
That made her smile though the lower lip continued to tremble. I didn't last too long as I wanted to cum inside her. I wanted to give her what she wanted. Arms wrapped around my neck, she wanted continuous kisses, eventually moving her legs so her feet rested just above my arse, moaning into my mouth before needing to break the kiss. "That's deep, Ragnar," she whispered, "I love you so much."
"You're going to have our children, Ani. We're going to have a family." It must have been something in my voice, as she could only nod, noticing a tear or two escape her eyes. I kissed her softly again. "It will happen, Ani. It could happen in a couple of minutes."
"And we could make sure again in a little while?"
"I'll never say no to this, Ani."
That made her smile. "I think I should stay on my back. Don't want to spill any of your cum."
She said that with such humour, I couldn't help chuckle, and it made me smile when she giggled. Then I came, needing to groan instead, resting on my forearms as I felt Anora squeeze me with her arms and legs. "Gods," I groaned, "That should have worked." She giggled again, kissing my cheek.
We made love all night, and I'm fairly sure I came inside her four time by the time I had to cry enough. She was feeling rather sore as well, though she definitely went to sleep with a smile on her face that night. I'm not sure that's how it works, we make love constantly and it just happens, but for some reason, I had hope that the gods would be kind and give us what we wanted.
*****
"I don't like templars," I stated.
"I know you don't, Ragnar, but the request has come from the family. And though I'm not fond of them myself, Keran sounds innocent in all this. They're not all bastards."
"So he's been kidnapped?"
"That's what his sister told me. He joined only a few months ago and has disappeared. She seemed to think Knight-Commander Meredith might be involved, but even I think that's unlikely."
"Okay, so what are we doing?"
"First, we need to go speak with some other templars, see what they know. Probably won't like us being mixed up in their affairs, but since the request has come from family, fuck what they want."
We headed out, Hawke and I, with Bethany as always, Varric, Isabela and Merrill all tagging along too. Brosca was still in life but we now working with fellow surface dwarves, having tired of the fighting, at least for now. I didn't blame her. Solona obviously remained at home while Eliza was in the process of joining the city guard with Aveline, which is why the latter rarely joined us though she would always be up for a drink or two at the Hanged Man.
As for Merrill, nothing had happened between us since that night at the tavern. I think she was still overawed by myself and rather unsure what to do. Like Solona and our first time together, I would wait until she was adamant and told me she wanted it to happen. Thing is, Merrill seemed even more delicate and innocent than Solona ever was. I'll admit that a small part of me might even feel guilty afterwards, but in the end, if she wanted me to be her first, I wouldn't say no.
Anyway, Hawke and I led the rest towards the Circle tower, templars in the courtyard busy performing practice drills. A templar approached us, appearing to recognise Hawke at least, introducing himself as Hugh. A couple of others also approached as Hawke started to question him about Keran.
"You are fellow recruits?" she asked.
