Waking With Anticipation

The morning was cold and sunny. More snow had fallen the night before and was now lying nearly two feet deep in areas where there were no drifts. The grounds workers had shoveled the drives all night long, including the walkways to the stables. Gav was dressed early and looking out of the windows of their royal chambers. "Are you ready to meet your unicorn, my love? I think Tilly is nervous. She has told me that she's nervous about meeting you."

Chestnut curls were the first thing that could be seen peeking out from beneath the covers as they were slowly drawn down at the sound of her beloved husband's voice. Des barely opened her eyes as the covers dipped below her line of sight on the word 'ready' and spotted Gav already dressed and standing by the windows. When the word 'unicorn' came out from between those lips she so adored kissing, she sat straight up in bed and flung the covers off then scooted right on out of the warm coccoon.

"I was born ready! Give me five minutes! No make that four. Ya got coffee over there? I must have coffee. Just let me watch my face and brush my teeth and comb my hair and I'll get some clothes and I swear I'll be ready! Don't go without me!" She was on the waddle as fast as she could to take care of the morning stuff and calling out behind her. "Grab me some clothes Babe. Any old thing will do. No wait! I need something special to wear to meet 'er in because she is special. Get me something nice please I want to make a good impression!"

Gavilean had to laugh. Oh how he adored her so. Every day Des made his life worth living. He went into the antechamber where the pot of coffee was waiting and he poured two cups. He knew that Tilly was young and not impressed with fancy clothes, so he chose the most comfortable clothes that Des had that were also very warm. "Your clothes and coffee are waiting for you, my love. Mmm...this coffee sure is good. I just might have to drink yours also." He knew that would change the four minutes into two.

"Ack! Don't ya dare drink my coffee Babe!"

Des put her motions into high gear and was indeed ready in half the time, cleaned up and nice, comfortable, warm, clothes on and hair left to fall freely around her shoulders and down her back today. She would have loved to have been able to run to the waiting coffee but that just wasn't possible at her advanced stage of pregnancy, so instead she ended up just rushing the best she could to save it from the hands of her greedy husband.

"Mine! Is she awake this early do ya think Babe? Is she really waiting for us? Do ya really think she will like me? What do ya talk about to a unicorn? Should I take her a treat? Oh lordy be what in tarnation do unicorns like as treats love mine?" She was still talking a mile a minute now between sips of coffee. Her smile was lighting up delicate features and navy blue eyes that were watching his handsome face were lit up with excitement at the prospect of meeting Tillie.

He couldn't stop from laughing. "Des, I just love you so much my heart is bursting." He reached over to the table and picked up a bright red apple and handed it to her. Tilly would love an apple." He handed her the cup of coffee that was waiting for her. "I thought I was really going to have that cup of coffee, but you got here in time."

He looked at her pregnant body and thought she was surely the most beautiful woman in the entire universe. "You will know what to say to her, darlin'. No worries about that. Just remember that she is very young and thinks like a young child. Nevertheless, she has great powers at her disposal. She will speak to your mind, but you can mind speak or speak out loud, whichever you choose." He continued to drink his coffee while he sat down at the table in the antechamber.

Des nodded to him while he was answering all her questions pretty sure she would forget the answers and praying that she wouldn't. It was still almost beyond her comprehension that he had given her a real live unicorn for Christmas. Granted eventually Tilly would grow up and return to her family, but still they would be together for many years before that ever happened and good grief a unicorn of her very own. It just boggled her mind to think of it and she was waiting to meet her right this very second, and what was that Gav was doing now.

Her eyes must be deceiving her; surely he wasn't taking a seat at that table. The cowgirl Queen blinked and blinked again to be sure but no he really was sitting there just like it was any other morning with his coffee mug in his hand as though he had no where to be and no certain time to be there. Well Des had somewhere to be and the time to be there was past already she chugged her coffee then pretty as you please sauntered right up next to the man she loved more than anything else in the entire world and flicked his ear.

Gav acted like there was nothing special going on until she flicked his ear. "Okay...okay! I guess we can go see your new unicorn." He gulped down his coffee and got up and put on his heavy coat. He handed Des her leather coat that was imbued with magic that would keep her warm. It had a hood that was removable, but now attached, and that would keep her head warm. "I guess we're ready. Don't forget the apple!" He walked to the door and opened it. The guards immediately came to attention. In no time at all they were on the first floor and headed out the massive entrance.

-= to be continued =-

The Revelation

Des smiled happily and gave Gav's hand a squeeze as they turned to head out of the stable into the bright sunshine of the chill winter day to meet Tilly. Her voice was lowered as she glanced over to him and spoke. "I still can't believe she is real. Just look at her Babe. She is beautiful. There isn't one spec on her pure white coat and her hooves don't seem to sound like horses when she was walking in the stable, nor are they colored like them either. And her eyes so blue but like nothing I've ever seen before."

Out on the palace lawn the young unicorn did a playful dance in the snow, rearing up then coming down and dipping her horn in the slow. The air around her seemed to glow just a little brighter in the morning sunlight than the rest of the landscape, and yet one could not be certain if it was reality or just an illusion.

>>Come play, Des...play Gavi<< she said, the sound of her voice coming into their minds.

Des slanted a grin to her beloved husband then let go of his hand as she watched Tilly for only a few admiring moments before her enjoyment caught hold of Des as well. Gloved hands gathered snow into a loosely formed ball and sent it sailing gently toward the unicorn in an arc. "I shall defend my fort with my life or die upon these snow topped hills!" With that Des carefully ran a few steps to her left to establish her 'territory' on the snowy lawn.

Gav laughed and began making a snowball as he watched Tilly hop into the air and kick back in glee with her hind legs, avoid the arced snowball. She then came racing by Des, coming close as if teasing, winding up twenty yards away and stopping to look back. Gav turned to Des, "Those hills are mine! Surrender or prepare to die!" He tossed a snowball at Des. It was a light throw that glanced off that large target of her pregnant belly. Tilly came over and knocked Gav into the snow with a nudge of her nose.

>>Careful, Gavi. Don't hurt Des' filly!<<

Tilly pranced off twenty yards in the other direction.

Filly!? Des blinked and looked to her tummy then to Tilly then to Gav then back to her tummy again feeling rather shocked. Both gloved hands came up to rest on her rounded tummy as she lifted a questioning glance to Gav and Tilly both, but was for once in her life speechless; although her mouth was moving it, was only her voice that was missing.

Tilly was off and playing as if she simply stated the obvious, as if stating the color of Des' hair or an article of clothing. It was said so matter-of-factly that Gavilean didn't pick up on the news until he saw the shocked look on his dear wife's face. Now he was speechless for a moment. He looked to the unicorn. "Tilly, come here, girl." The unicorn pranced and came over and nudged Gav and then went to Des and rubbed up against her. "Tilly, did you say that Des has a filly?" Tilly rubbed her nose against Des.

>>Can Des' filly play with Tilly when birthed?<<

Gav could say nothing. He just looked at Des.

Finally able to find her voice, Des whispered in a tone of awe. "We are gonna have a litle girl. Can ya believe that Babe? Us? A sweet little girl." She reached out and stroked Tilly with one hand as an arm went around Gav to give him an exuberant hug. "We hadn't known Tilly!" Her eyes were lit up and a radiant smile appeared as plans began to form for the changes in the nursery now that they knew for sure they were having a little girl.

Gavilean beamed...overjoyed with the news. He took Des into his arms and gave her a kiss. "I really wanted a girl," he said lovingly. Soon we'll have our own little daughter. He noticed Tilly nuzzling Des' hand as she stroked the young unicorn.

>>Des not know? Filly is inside Des girl. Soon come to play.<<

Gav grinned as Tilly didn't quite understand Des' meaning. He also stroked the unicorn and gave Des another kiss. He whispered, "You're giving us a daughter." He was utterly amazed.

She returned the kisses lovingly filled with joy at the news. Des would have been just as happy had they been having a boy but finding out was exciting business and in such an unexpected way to boot. She laughed warmly as she hugged her beloved husband then scratched Tilly behind the ears affectionately. Already she liked the little unicorn and was growing attached to her.

"Yes Tilly our little girl can come and play with ya too when she gets here even if we have to tie Gav up so I can bring her to visit ya. I'm just sure he is going to be one of those over protective fathers and try and keep her shut up in the house, but you and me can see to it that she escapes." Des grinned charmingly to the man that she loved more than anything as she teased him unmercifully.

Gav blinked and gave her that "who me?" look.

>>Des don't worry. Tilly will free her from big stable. Tilly like to play with filly.<<

Gav laughed, "Well, Des and I need to go to the 'big stable' and eat breakfast."

>>Tilly come too?<<

Gav looked at Des and shrugged with an expression that said 'what do we tell her??

Des smiled and nodded to Tilly. "Sure ya can come with us." She certainly didn't care what the diplomatic community might think and knew for a fact that Tilly wouldn't make a mess in the Palace. Tilly was not a horse she was a unicorn. Big difference. She placed her hand in her beloved husband's and gave a tug as she turned toward the Palace. "Shall we go inside then you two? I'm sure the cook can scare up something for Tilly to eat as well."

Tilly bounded around like it was Christmas day and she got her first glimpse of presents under the tree.

>>Gavi! Tilly love Des! Des good to Tilly and make Tilly happy! Tilly see BIG stable!<<

Gav wasn't too sure about having a unicorn in the palace, but he did remember taking Tiller inside many, many years ago, and that worked out alright. "I think you've made a friend for life with that decision, my love." He followed Des, responding to the tug on his hand. "Soon there will be four of us - you, me, Tilly and our daughter." His eyes widened, "We can now think of a name!"

Des chuckled warmly as she watched Tilly cavorting about in the snow like the youngling that she was. "Yup and I will make sure that ya get your own place inside the Palace Tilly up where the family stays since ya are family. We can decorate it just like ya want to be and everythin'."

She kicked at the snow with her boots as they walked along together back to the door enjoying the chill in the air and the bright sunshine as well as the high spirits of the three of them. "Oh lordy be, Babe. We do need to be deciding on a name now that we know for sure and the time is getting near for our little one to be born." Navy blues swung from watching the snow dancing up in puffs from her boots to Gav's face holding the knowledge of what a huge responsibility it was to name a child.

-= to be continued =-