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Caine was distraught. Jupiter smelled different and she was hiding something from him. He’d never thought that this moment would happen, that she would grow distant. He did not want to imagine what it would be like when she moved on, but he felt like this was it. After all he was a Splice and she was a Queen, he should have expected it, but she never did anything to say their bond was temporary. Quite the opposite actually, she told him she would never let him go, and even has some Entitled ridiculed her for her choice of him, she stayed true. That was why this change hurt so much, his sweet and strong Jupiter, his Queen, his rock was pulling away from him. It was never meant to be… he would have to accept it.
He felt miserable for the next few days but Jupiter did not seem to notice, or maybe she did not want to notice? Nothing else changed in the way Jupiter was with him, she still kissed him, smiled, held his hand, and he still slept in her bed. The only changes were her scent and the secrets and maybe a few more trips to the ‘fresher room. Which was strange in itself, but not that much, she always had periods where she used the facilities more often. He really did not know what to think.
After almost a week he was getting stir crazy. What was going on? Jupiter seemed tired but also unusually happy. He noticed her smiling with her gazed looking into the empty space in front of her. Her scent kept changing too. That evening, after a light meal in their personal quarters, she rushed out to the ‘fresher room and he heard her being sick. Oh… maybe that was it! Maybe she was ill? Why did she not simply go see her personal doctor? He was getting more and more confused. Her scent was not one of sickness, but what he heard was unmistakable.
He heard her freshen up and brush her teeth and take deep long breaths. When she came out, she went to her closet and came back with a strange smile and a cardboard box.
– Since you heard that, I guess I should tell you now…
She handed him the box and knelt in front of him.
– I kept waiting for the perfect moment but I can’t wait anymore. I’m sure you smelled that something was going on anyway.
Caine took the box, perplexed. He looked at her and saw some glittering light in her eyes. She also smelled excited. Maybe this is a good secret? He quickly shut down the feeling of hope that was climbing at the back of his head and slowly opened the box. Inside he saw a sheave, it was some kind of law about splices she had changed but as soon as he took it to read it something else caught his eye. There was a mini version of his skyjacker shirt under the sheave but made in the soft Earth fabric she liked. On it was written “My daddy is a Skyjacker”. There was even a tiny pair of wings on the back of the shirt. Caine looked at Jupiter with wide eyes. He could not believe what he was thinking.
– Your Majesty? He asked incredulous.
– Surprise! she replied.
– What is this? he asked again, his eyes tearing up.
– Our baby’s first shirt, she said with a big smile, cupping his cheeks.
Caine rushed to his knees, hugging her hands across his face. He had been afraid he was going to lose her, but this was the complete opposite, it was getting closer, a bonding of their genes! But he was still a little bit confused, so he asked:
– How can this be? Defective splices are not allowed to breed!
– You really think that I would let a stupid law like that stand? She asked him in return.
– No, but the legion gave me my shots last year! They last 10 years, how could you be pregnant?
– Read the sheave Caine, she said with a smile, handing him the sheave.
He sat back on the dinning chair, took the sheave and read it. It said that sterilization was now illegal without approval by the sterilized sentient being, which included splices, and that it could not be a requirement for any job or contract.
He looked at her in disbelief because the dates did not match. The law was changed after his shots from the Legion. His face must have said it all because she prompted him to continue reading.
The next part was a copy of his medical record. There was a royal order in his record, countermanding his sterilization and ordering the process to be reversed. Dating back to before the shots he received from the legion last year! He could not believe this. This was too much. How did she know?
When he looked at her again, Jupiter rose to her feet and sat on his laps. Putting both hands around his neck, she kissed him with love and passion. And Caine finally understood that she would never leave him.
– My Queen, my Jupiter. He said holding her hands and with tears in his eyes.
– You will be such a good father, she replied with the same tears in hers.