Rescuing His Captive Mate: Saving The Future Luna

~~

Star

~~

 "Did you say child?" The Queen was smiling giddily at Artem\'s words. "I am very certain that I heard you say the word child, Artemis. Is that right?" The Queen seemed very eager to have Artem repeat what he had said. I couldn\'t help it, I laughed softly.

"Yes, he did." I was having trouble controlling the giggles now but I was managing to speak nonetheless. "Artem and I found out just recently that I am pregnant."

The Queen jumped to her feet and smiled brightly. Actually she didn\'t quite jump to her feet. I don\'t know exactly what to call what she was doing. It looked as though she was jumping up and down with joy but she was actually moving higher and higher with every little jump. If she didn\'t stop soon I was afraid that she was going to hit the ceiling.

"I am so happy for you both. A lovely little baby. This is the most delightful thing I can possibly think of. Children bring such joy to the world. Yay, a baby! Yay! Yay! Yay!"

It seemed that the Queen\'s excitement was growing as she flew higher and higher. It was almost like the excitement and joy were what were making her float in the air. It truly was quite interesting to see. And just as I had thought she got high enough that her hands that were stretched above her head brushed against the ceiling. 

"Oops, it looks like I got a little too excited." She giggled at herself as she saw that she was still floating in the air above us. "Allow me to come back down there now, shall I." She smiled and I saw that her feet were glowing. I had expected that she would be wearing beautiful and elegant shoes but she was in fact barefoot. The long dress she was wearing hid that fact though.

As I watched her dainty little feet glowed a bright blue and her toes pointed toward the floor. It was almost like there was a magnet in the floor that was now pulling her down at a slow and steady pace. She didn\'t look bothered by any of this at all. Actually, it looked like the Queen was having a lot of fun.

When the Queen had finally settled herself back on the floor I watched as she rearranged her dress so that it sat a little neater. She looked slightly embarrassed now when she turned to look at me. It was almost as if she were a girl who had been caught goofing off when she was supposed to have been working.

"I do apologize about that. I tend to keep my emotions under control because they can manifest in some, uh, unique ways." She was smiling as she explained what it was that had happened.

"So, is that what happens when you\'re happy?" I asked her with a grin on my face. This whole floating thing had actually made me feel a little more calm than I had been before.

"It most certainly is, my dear. When I am overjoyed about something and feel very bubbly inside, well, I float. I can stop it if I truly try but I simply wasn\'t trying at the time. I mean, why would I? I am in my personal space now. This is where I can truly let go of the rules and be as free as I want to be."

As the Fae Queen explained what was going on she was twirling in a circle as if she were truly having fun. It was like she was dancing to a song that only she could hear.

"This is where I bring all my family that I wish to have private talks with. You are my family as well Star so I hope you do not mind my rudeness and letting myself go. It does get to be so dreadfully boring when one has to be so proper all the time."

There was more life and energy in the Queen\'s eyes now. She truly seemed so much younger right now. It was almost like I was looking at a young girl instead of the same Queen that I had just been having lunch with. It\'s amazing how she went from nearly crying to dancing with joy in just seconds. I guess when you\'re as old as she is you learn to focus on the positives rather than the negatives.

"Now, where were we?" She spun one last time as she looked at the three of us. "I think that a celebration is in order. We need to tell everyone that not only do I have a beautiful niece that we never knew about, but that she is expecting as well and that there will be yet another addition to the family. I know that everyone was so excited when they found out about Acacia\'s triplets." She was clapping her hands with her joy that was still overflowing.

"Oh, no that is not necessary." I tried to stop her. "Please don\'t do that. I am sure everyone was happy for her because they already knew her. I would just feel awkward and embarrassed if I were the center of a major party. Please, we can just be happy among ourselves. Really, I don\'t want anything else."

I watched as the Queen pouted a little, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I understand what you are saying." She didn\'t sound happy but she also didn\'t sound angry either. "Alright, we will not have a big celebration, but please let me do something for you. I can get you a baby gift. If not now then closer to when you are due." 

She looked determined now, like she wasn\'t going to take no for an answer no matter what I said. I actually felt happy hearing what she had to say. I was glad that she was accepting me so much and making me a true part of her family.

"Alright, that will be fine." I smiled at her while nodding my agreement.

"Yay. This is going to be fun. I just adore babies. I love commissioning new gifts for all my new nieces and nephews."

"What about your own children and grandchildren?" I wondered as I saw how happy she truly was about the baby.

"Oh." It looked as if the Queen was suddenly a little less happy, almost sad even. "Well, I have not found my true mate. And I guess that the fates have not seen fit to bless me with children until I do find him. I do not have any children of my own yet. However, I do have magic enough to run the entire world of the Fae so I am its ruler for now. If there ever comes a time that my childlessness causes our magic to dwindle then I will step down so someone else may rule in my stead."

"Oh, I am so sorry. I did not know. Please forgive me, Queen Gloriana." I bowed my head afraid that she was going to take some form of retribution against me.

"Do not worry, Star." She smiled at me, the sadness already passing. "I am quite used to how my life is. I may not be perfectly happy but I am perfectly content and that is all that I can ask for. There are plenty of babies around me that I can take joy from seeing them." She walked over to me as she spoke and placed a hand on my belly. "Now, let\'s see what you are having, shall we?"

There was a flash of bright yellow light that flared up from around the Queen\'s hand where it rested on my belly. As I watched the light became a cloud that floated up to rest near my head.

The floating light cloud was shifting and changing shapes as if it was having trouble trying to figure out what it wanted to be. After a moment the image in the shining cloud of light finally settled into that of a baby. 

The yellow shining baby was floating next to me and looked as if it were crying. I could see it\'s little arms and legs kicking with its silent frustrations. The tiny little face on the baby was scrunched up as if it were afraid and wanted to be held.

I felt a motherly urge inside of me kick in and go into overdrive. I just wanted to reach out and hold the crying baby. I wanted to soothe him until his tears stopped and he was smiling instead of crying.

Without realizing it I did in fact reach out toward the child. My right hand was stretched in front of me and was just about to graze the baby\'s hand when it moved and looked at me. The baby touched me first and seemed to instantly stop crying. I felt it\'s little hand actually close around my index finger and it stared at me with a smile.

The baby kicked again, this time with joy and silent giggles. With the movement the baby was making this time I was able to see that it was a little boy. And as I looked closer I could see that he had the exact same shape to his eyes that Artem had. There were other subtle similarities as well. It was almost like I was looking at Artem as a baby instead of some magically floating light baby.

"W...w..what is this?" I asked the Queen with awe in my voice.

"This is your future baby. You will be having a strong and healthy little boy." There was joy in the Queen\'s voice again. "I see he will take after his daddy quite a bit." I saw that the Queen was looking between Artem and the baby.

Artem was slowly walking up next to me. I saw the look of shock on his face as he stared at the little baby as well.

"O..our b..b...baby?" Artem grabbed a hold of my left hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Our baby." I squeezed his hand back as I stared at the little boy that was supposedly growing inside of me right now. As Artem and I watched the baby giggled silently and smiled at us. He truly was a beautiful little boy.