[FweepFwopFwoop]

"I could give you a few lessons on something." Astien said. "One of the classes I teach is musical instruction. I also teach classes in music theory. I could teach you piano, violin, harp, lyre, mandolin, lute, percussions, flute..."

[Eskal]

Marius chuckled. "I'm fine, thanks."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien shrugged. "I'd like to dedicate this next song to my lovely fiance." He started playing and singing.

"Everyone says I love you.
The guard on the corner and the burglar too.
The preacher in the pulpit and the man in the pew
says I love you."

[Eskal]

Marius smiled and blushed lightly.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"There are only eight little letters in this phrase you'll find.
But they mean a lot more than all the other words combined.
Ev'rywhere, the whole world through,
the king in the palace and the peasant too,
the tiger in the jungle and the monk in the zoo
says I love you."

[Eskal]

Marius hummed along.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien put down his violin and chuckled as he placed a hand on his belly, gently and lovingly stroking it as he felt Aiden kicking. "Don't worry, little one. I love you too."

[Eskal]

Marius smiled and lovingly gazed at his fiance.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien yawned as he rubbed his belly, and soon he had Delas yawning too. Delas put down his guitar and hopped upstairs into the guest room. Astien clumsily stood up from his chair and made his way to the stairs, slowly climbing up.

[Eskal]

Marius helped Astien up the stairs.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

As the two walked down the hall, Delas poked his head out of his room and motioned for Marius to come closer. Then he closed the door again. Astien chuckled. "I assume he wants your help planning something special for Cormac's big proposal. You can fill me in on it tomorrow." Astien gave Marius a kiss on his lips and walked into the master bedroom.

[Eskal]

Marius chuckled. "Alright then." He went to the room where Delas was. "What's up, Kiddo?"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Delas sat on his bed, looking sad as his elf-horse wars drooped down. "With all this stuff going on with the hearing, we missed Astien's birthday."

[Eskal]

"Really? I though it wasn't for another few days..." Marius sighed. "Damn."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"When we get to Crescent Bay, we need to make it up to him. He really needed something to cheer him up, and we completely forgot about the perfect opportunity to do so."

[Eskal]

Marius nodded. "What do you have in mind?"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Delas shrugged. "Why am I the one who always has to think of ideas? You're his fiancé, you think of something."

[Eskal]

"I'll try to think of something," Marius said. "Sleep well, Delas." He left the room and entered the master bedroom.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

In the bedroom, Astien was dressed in nothing but his underwear, standing in front of a mirror, staring at his reflection as his hands moved across the wide expanse of his belly. Small footprints appeared on the skin of said belly as his son kicked outward. "Gods, but I'm huge…" he mumbled.

[Eskal]

Marius wrapped his arms around Astien and gently kissed his cheek. "Because you love Aiden so much."