For the past several days since they returned home, all Enya could really do was stay in the workshop with her father and do her needlework, though at times she found herself worried and pacing the room. There were some days when Soren would leave the castle with Corvus, Kasef and Ezran for days at a time that put her on edge until they returned, always leaving her worried that something would happen and none of them may come back.

"You're already showing." Reyna comments one day as the tailoress is busy trying to sew a colorful patch of fabric onto a blanket. I think you may be about...three months along."

"I'm having a lot of headaches now, Anya tells me it's normal." Enya says as she sews. "And...I've been a bit moody lately too. I snapped at my husband the other day for taking the last jelly tarts on the tray Barius gave us. And the stupid nausea and morning sickness won't go away either."

"Yeah, the third month is just awful. Doesn't help when you have an increase of appetite. Gets a bit worse from there, but I think it's at this month that you can feel the baby moving. Have you felt that?"

She hadn't really felt any movement in her, then again maybe she had and just chalked it up to her nerves.

The two of them, along with Sigrid and Utu, were in the bedroom Enya shared with her husband. Soren had insisted she do her sewing tasks in bed with several pillows propping her back for comfort and support, though Enya didn't like it one bit.

"I am sooooooo bored!" Sigfrid groans from a nearby chair. "Katolis is cool and all but why do I gotta stay in the castle? I wanted to go with my brother to look for answers!"

"Sorry, but it's for your safety. Plus you get to help look after a baby so you're not too bored." Reyna says with a shrug.

"It's boring." The Del Barian mutters.

Utu, who was seated on her lap, gave a loud squeal as he threw the soft toy he had been playing with onto the floor. He recently discovered that he could make a game out of throwing his toys onto the floor for someone to pick up, only for him to fling another toy or that same toy moments later on the floor and repeat the process until he got bored. Warlon, who was also in the room with them and just sitting on a nearby chair trying to carve something, gets up to retrieve the toy from the floor, handing it back to the little half elf before going back to his seat. Sensing he had a new victim to pull into his game, Utu flings the toy again onto the floor and giggles. The three women watch with stifled giggles as the elf gets up again to hand the toy back to the infant, who doesn't even wait for Warlon to leave to throw the toy on the floor again and let out a loud laugh.

"You think that's funny, huh?" The Earthblood elf asks with a frown. "Because it ain't."

"Yes it is, he just manipulated you into playing with him." Reyna laughs as Sigfrid this time picks up the toy to hand it back to the giggling baby.

"One way or another he'll get you." Enya laughs. "And I think we know who he gets it from."

"Certainly not his father." Reyna laughs. "Or maybe he does a bit, but he mostly gets it from me, I do have a charm that wins even the grumpiest grump over."

"And I'm not gonna be one of them!" Warlon yells from his seat. "Ever!"

"We'll see about that." Sigfrid whispers and the other two women laugh.

A loud knock sounds from the door, startling them. Reyna gets up and hurries to open it and Soren pokes his head in.

"Hey just coming in to check on you guys and letting you all know, Zubeia sent word that there's something in a hoard she has that could be of use to us and that the archdragon of the ocean may be of help to us in finding the prison."

"Really? That's wonderful!" Enya says as she gets up from the bed to greet her husband. "Are you leaving right now? Can I come along?"

"Not this time, sorry." The captain said and kissed her forehead before placing a hand on her stomach. "So...how are you and this little guy, or little girl?"

"We're fine, Reyna says I might start feeling movement soon. I haven't felt anything yet."

"Hey, can you move a bit so mama and I know you're okay?" Soren says, getting on his knees and gently pressing his head to Enya's stomach. "Daddy's gotta go soon, don't give your mom any problems."

Enya giggled as he pressed a kiss to her belly and ran a hand through her husband's hair. "Are you sure I can't come with you? I don't like that you're away so long, it worries me."

"I'm sorry, but I promise this won't take too long. And once we make contact with this sea dragon, we can get a start on the stuff we need to do. And who knows, maybe we'll be able to end all this in a span of a few days!" Soren says as he stands up and takes her hands. "So just sit tight, please A mhuirnín?"

"I'm tired of being cooped up in my room." Enya mutters as her husband kisses her knuckles and her cheek before hurrying out of the room. "It's so freaking boring! Also what if something happens to my husband while I'm stuck here and I don't know?"

"I don't like the idea of him being gone for so long either." Sigfrid agrees with a sigh. "And I'm stuck here too."

"I'm not, I can leave whenever I want." Reyna says with a shrug. "And knowing you Enya, you're not gonna stay doing what he says."

"You know what? You are absolutely right!" Enya storms over to her shared closet and digs around in it before pulling her surcoat out and moves to the clothes drawers to pull a pair of pants and a tunic out. "I am not staying behind because he said so! I told him I was going to stay by his side and I'm keeping to that promise!"

"He's not gonna like that." Warlon comments as he turns to face the wall as Enya rushes to redress herself, tossing her dress to a laundry basket and grabs her boots from under the bed.

"Well he's done countless things when I tell him not to, so he can't get mad at me when I do it to save his life!"

"I'm going too! Plus I've always wanted to see more of Xadia!" Sigfrid says as she jumps to her feet and hands Utu off to Warlon. "I'm gonna go pack!"

"You're both crazy!" Warlon exclaims as he turns to not face the wall.

"Know what, you have a point." Ella says as she stands up.

"Finally someone is talking sense. Because-"

"I'm going too!"

"Fuck..."

"Fa!" Utu yells, clapping his hands in glee.

"You're outnumbered now." Reyna laughs. "I'd come too but I think the boys will have their hands full dealing with their wives and Sigfrid."

"I'm packed!" Sigfrid yells as she reentered the room with her bag over one shoulder and holding another

"That's my stuff." Warlon comments. "I'm-"

"I'm paying you to keep an eye on her, so if she goes you go." Enya says as she grabbed her bag.

"I'll go pack my things!" Ella says before hurrying out of the room.

Once they all had their things, the group hurried outside to find Corvus, Soren, Kasef, Bait and Ezran with Zubeia as Zym and Tart chased each other around the dragon queen's legs.

"Oh a sending off party, you shouldn't have!" Soren chuckles as they approach. "Wait, Enya, weren't you wearing a dress earlier? Those are your traveling clothes. And why do you all have bags?"

"I was, but I changed, a dress will hinder me during this trip." Enya responds. "We - excluding Reyna and Utu - will be coming with you."

"Absolutely not!" Corvus exclaimed. "Two of you are pregnant!"

"I'm not and neither is he!" Sigfrid says raising her hand and pointing at Warlon.

"I tried to stop them." Warlon says quickly.

"Enya, I told you to stay put and for a good reason!" Soren scolds. "I can't take you because of your condition and Siggy needs to stay for her safety."

"I hear your reasons and I understand, but I'm coming this time and you aren't stopping me."

"A mhuirnín!"

"I forget how stubborn humans are." Zubeia comments as she lowers herself so Enya could use her mane to climb onto her neck. "Are you sure you wish to come along?"

"Why not? It's just to grab a gem from your...hoard was it? Well, I want to come, plus I've been cooped up for too long inside and it's driving me crazy."

"I know the feeling. When I was pregnant with Zym, my own mate refused to let me leave the mountain until after I laid the egg. It was quite boring for those few weeks."

"Your majesty, shouldn't you be dissuading them?!" Corvus asks as Ella and Sigfrid start to climb as well.

"Nothing wrong with more friends. Besides, we'll just get a gem, they can stay in the Spire while the rest of you come with me to summon the archdragon of the sea."

"Now you know how your wife feels when you don't do what she tells you to do." Kasef laughs, patting his friend's arm. "It'll be fine, plus you can keep an eye on her."

"Have a safe trip! I'll be staying behind." Reyna says as she holds up Utu. "I get to spend more time with this little guy, and keep an eye on him too. Say bye-bye to daddy, your aunts and uncles little dove!"

"Ba ba!" Utu says as his mother waves one of his hands.

"We'll be back, don't worry!" Enya yells as everyone else is on the dragon queen and she takes off into the sky.

---

"I still don't feel comfortable about this, but this should be safe, right?" Soren asks as he helps Ella off the dragon queen.

"Perfectly safe." Kasef assures him. "I've dropped into the hoard a few weeks back, there's nothing really dangerous, we just have a terrifying staircase to use."

"How assuring."

"Well if he says it's safe, it should be safe." Enya says as she stretches her legs.

"You and Ella can rest, we'll go down to find the gem." Ezran says as he points to the entrance of the Spire. "It'll be quick. You know what the gem looks like Kasef?"

"No, I only went down there briefly because the queen needed me to check and see if Claudia left something weird or curse." Kasef responds with a shrug. "Come on, the sooner we find this Siren Stone the sooner we can summon this sea dragon."

Pyrrah exits the Spire, growling in greeting to the queen as Tart rushes up to her and pounces on the older dragon's talons playfully. Pyrrah looks at the dragonet confusion as she wags her tail before bolting into the cave with Zym behind her, both young dragons barking and growling playfully as they chased each other.

"Tart slow down!" Enya yells as she hurried after the two young dragons as Pyrrah and Zubeia follow.

"Uh...so where is this vault anyways?" Soren asks as they enter the Spire. "Like we've been in here before plenty of times but I don't recall a vault of any kind with piles of treasures."

"Right here." Zubeia says as she walks to the large table in the middle of the room and puts a talon on it to apply pressure. The group gasp and jump back as the floor opens out and what look like spaced out stone steps emerge from the walls of the pit.

"WHOA! WHOA! Whoa! Whoa!" Ezran yells into the pit as it echoes back. Zym and Tart peer into the pit and let out chirps to make their own echoes and repeat it again.

"So this whole time, that wasn't a table? It was a..." Soren asks, pointing into the pit.

"A button!" Ezran finishes with a grin.

"Corvus. It's a dragon-sized button."

"No duh." Warlon mutters and rolls his eyes.

"Some of the treasures held in the Arcus Vault are dangerous. It has long been our charge to keep them protected." Zubeia says as the others peer into the dark pit.

"How dangerous?" Ella asks. "Like curse level dangerous or something?"

"Will we be safe down there?" Ezran asks.

"So long as you stay close to Pyrrah. She knows where the Siren Stone is kept." Zubeia responds. Pyrrah snorts in response

"Hey boys, race you to the bottom." Soren says elbowing Corvus, his eyes glittering in excitement.

"Soren no - oh nevermind." Enya mutters as her husband charged down the stairs with Bait in his arms croaking in alarm. "I'm not following him that way."

Pyrrah snorts and nudges her hand to get her attention before motioning to her back and lays down. Enya smiles before climbing on, followed by Ella and Corvus.

"Ezran, are you coming?" Enya asks. "And Kasef?"

"I'll take the stairs, there's already enough weight on Pyrrah." The ex prince says before he takes off after Soren.

"We'll take my dragon." Warlon mutters, whistling for his drake.

Ezran held up a hand. "One second," he said, and looked back to Zubeia.

The dragon queen was gazing down into the pit in deep thought, and did not look at him until the young king speaks to her. "Zubeia? Won't you come with us?"

"The vault can be a painful place for me, Ezran. It is filled with all the treasures and marvels of history, but much of that history is complicated." She says and gives him a sad smile.

"It's better to see that past for what it was than to hide it." Ezran responds.

Zubeia chuckles and nudged him towards Pyrrah with a gentle push of her tail.

"You will understand someday, young king. Now go."

Ezran nods before climbing onto Pyrrah, wedging himself between Enya and Ella. Once he was seated and Warlon and Sigfrid were on the drake, the two dragons along with the two dragonets dive into the pit. They managed to make it to the bottom before Kasef and Soren, and waited until the to arrived. The second he reached the bottom of the steps, the knight falls back on his back gasping for breath while the prince stands over him with an unamused expression.

"That was so many stairs." Soren wheezed as his wife walks over to help him sit up. "So many..."

"And you did it in armor." Enya addswith a frown. "To think you learned your lesson from when we tried climbing the Storm Spire in armor, and you think I am the foolish one right now."

"You may not have won the race, but I concede that you won the workout." Corvus says as he slips off Pyrrah and helps Ella down.

Soren flexed an arm. "I never lose those."

"Whoa, this looks almost like that earth dragon's hoard." Sigfrid comments as she looks around at the piles of gold, jewles and chests scattered around them. "But smaller of course."

"Don't touch anything, Zubeia mentioned these items can be dangerous." Kasef warns. "So unless you want to be cursed, leave everything alone in here."

"Soren!" Corvus groaned.

"What?" Soren said, his voice strangely muffled. "I think it suits me."

Enya frowns and turns to see her husband now sporting a bucket shaped helmet on his head that covered his face.

"What did I just say?" Kasef groans. "That could be dangerous! Like one of those trap triggered things!"

"It might be cursed." Corvus adds as Ezran laughs. "Take it off."

"I will if you put it on." The captain retorts.

"I'll put it on!" Ella volunteers before Enya hurried forward and puts her hands on the helmet to yank it off her husband's head.

"Wha- oh hi hun!" Soren says cheerfully when he sees her holding the helmet. "Hey so-"

Enya flings the helmet towards one of the treasure piles, earning her a loud clanking noise. "Please, let's just get this thing to summon the sea archdragon. Pyrrah, lead the way."

Pyrrah nods before motioning for them to follow her through the crowded vault. At one point she knocked over a pile of tomes that sent dust flying, startling Zym as he bumps into Tart and crashes into a pile of chests and knocks them over before something falls to the ground and rolls towards them. The little storm dragon growls at a long black arrow that was on the floor, his hackles raised like a startled cat. Tart approaches it to sniff the sharp object before she too hisses at it and backs away.

"It's alright, you two. It's just an arrow." Ezran tries to assure them.

"Hey what's that tied to it?" Sigfrid asks, walking over to kneel and examine the object. "Some sort of...red ribbon?"

"Why would the dragon queen have that?" Ella asks.

Enya glances at Ezran and she could see him now looking at the arrow in a mix of horror and anger. She places a hand on his shoulder and he jumps a bit before quickly pushing it off. "Ez? You good?"

"The ribbon...it looks like the assassin binding Rayla had." The young king says softly as he picks the arrow up to show it to the others. "But hers was white, and it was only supposed to fall off after she... after she killed me."

"This one's not on anyone's wrist. And it's red." Soren comments, voice grim. "What does it mean?"

"The assassin did his job." Corvus says quietly. "It means - ...this target was killed."

The group was now silent. Everyone had known the dragon queen sent assassins years ago in retaliation to what happened to her mate and egg, and only one person died from the attempted assassination. Ezran suddenly dropped the arrow back to the floor. It clattered and lay still. Corvus reaches forward to touch his shoulder, but the young king moves before he could make contact.

"We're wasting time, let's get what we came here for."

Soren opened his mouth and closed it again. Corvus only frowned. The others look at each other in worry but say nothing as they follow the young king.

Pyrrah continues to lead them through the cavern until she stops to touch her snout to a large chest with two poles attached to the sides. Soren and Corvus hauled away its lid to reveal a large blue gem atop a soft pillow, roughly the size of Bait. It begins to glow softly, filling the room with a soft blue light. The Siren Stone.

"So this is it?" Enya asks as Ezran reaches into the chest to touch the gem.

"Seems so, let's get it out of here." Kasef says. "And...take another tiring trek up the stairs.

Ezran seemingly ignored him and began talking with Pyrrah, a conversation none of them could understand. He then shuts the lid with such force it causes them all to flinch.

"We have what we need, let's go." He announced loudly.

Corvus and Soren lift the heavy box between them, following Pyrrah back to the more brighter part of the vault

"Ezran?" Soren called. "Where are you going?"

Ezran was walking back into the dark area of the vault and disappeared. After a few minutes, he emerged, still looking angry and walked past them to Pyrrah.

"Let's go." He says loudly.

"Is the kid okay?" Warlon asks softly as Pyrrah grabs the chest and flies out of the pit with it and Ezran.

"Doesn't seem like it, that arrow seemed to haunt him." Enya responds quietly. "Normally when he was upset he'd come to me asking for hugs, don't think he's gonna do it this time."

"Let's give him a bit of space and not ask him about it, something tells me he needs it." Kasef says quietly as Pyrrah returns.

Once they were all out of the vault and it was closed up, they carried the chest back to the chambers of the dragon queen to show it to her.

"So, where do we need to go?" Ezran asks. "And how do we summon the sea archdragon?"

"I'll be taking you there, we must make haste now that you found the gem." Zubeia says as she stands and looks at the humans. "Ezran, I know you will go, but who will you take?"

"Well I was thinking of Soren and Corvus, they are my guards and will insist on coming with me." The young king responds. "Warlon probably wouldn't come because Enya's only paying him to protect Sigfrid, Kasef hates the cold so I won't drag him to come along, and as for E-"

"I'm coming too!" Ella yells, flinging her arms around her fiancée's waist. "I did not leave Katolis for you to leave me here for weeks at a time worried sick!"

"I suppose you want to come as well?" Soren asks Enya.

"Well I told Opeli and everyone on the council I'd come with you, so that's a yes."

"Then the rest of us stay here and...do what?" Sigfrid asks.

"Babysit Tart?" Ezran suggests as the said dragonet chirps.

"I'm not getting paid to babysit a dragon." Warlon states.

"How about the rest of us stay here and...I don't know, guard and clean up the Spire?" Kasef suggests. "Ibis normally cleans the place out and it's been a month since...well this place needs cleaning and no one likes a musty and dusty cave."

"Better than nothing I guess." Enya says with a shrug. "Ella and I can come as...back up?"

"Back up who can't fight without risking something terrible happen." Soren corrects her. "Fine, but best hope we don't need to fight."

"Very well, you five will come and the three of you stay here and guard the Spire. If anything happens, Pyrrah will stay here to guard." Zubeia says with a nod and looks to the younger dragons. "Zym and...Jelly Tart was it? I suppose you two would want to come, otherwise we'd have a repeat of what happened last time."

Zym whines and lowered his head in shame while Tart huffs and looks away in annoyance.

"Then that settles it, lets get going." Enya says with a grin.

---

The ride to where they were supposed to go was long and it didn't help that it started raining as they got closer to their destination. Once Zubeia landed on a stretch of rocks facing the sea where a large metal structure that looked similar to a shell stood, the group was soaked to the bone. The five humans and the two young dragons had to climb a set of stairs leading to the top of the structure until they arrived at the top. Once up there, Soren and Corvus remove the top of the chest and Ezran removes the Siren Stone from the cusion it laid on, walking to a large device that he attached the gem to. The second it was secured, the platform began to glow blue and a bright light shot into the sky, a becon, one that hopefully would summon the sea archdragon to their location.

"And now, we wait." Ezran sighs as they step back.

"You girls okay?" Corvus asks as he removes his scarf to drape it over Ella to protect her from the rain.

"I'm good, dunno about Enya." His fiancee responds.

"I'm fine, just tired." The tailoress admits. "Don't wanna take the stairs again though."

"I can carry you downstairs when we need to leave." Soren assures her as he removed her belt from her waist and removed her surcoat to drape it over her head. "Sorry I don't have a cape or scarf, kinda now wish I still had the one you made me."

"Hey it didn't go well with your current armor, it's fine." Enya assures him. "Maybe with the next set of armor you get it can go with the cape."

"You think so?"

"I know so, or maybe I can make you a better cape with that next set."

"Or save the cloth in case this little one wants to take after their dad."

Enya smiles as her husband places a hand on her stomach, a fond smile on his face. "Well maybe this little one will want to follow in their mom's footsteps, being a tailor."

Soren rolls his eyes but helps her set down as Corvus and Ella also take a seat. Zym, Tart and Ezran however just moved to the front to where the wide sea spread out in hopes of seeing the sea dragoness first.

"How long do we have to wait?" Ella asks loudly.

"As long as it takes!" Ezran yells back. "Which I hope isn't long!"

Enya let's out a tired sigh as she leans against her husband's shoulder, his hand straying to her stomach and resting there, gently rubbing it. For a moment she thought she felt a flutter of movement, but dismissed it.

Soren sighs and looks down at her with a concerned look. "Um, so I've been thinking-"

"Oh how dangerous." Enya bit back a laugh when she saw her husband frown. "Sorry."

"As I was saying, I've been thinking about this whole baby business we got going on right now. What...it's gonna sound selfish coming from me, forgive me, but what about joining the crownguard?"

"You're asking if I still plan to join?" Enya asks and her husband nods. "Well, maybe I can put it aside for now, after the birth we can see what we'll do."

"Who's gonna look after the baby if you're training and I'm working?"

"My dad said he wouldn't mind babysitting, he'll have no problem caring for the baby until we are not busy."

"But his tailoring work?"

"Soren, when I was a baby he was the one who mostly cared for me while my mom was busy hunting with my grandfather, he's more than capable of caring for a baby while sewing some clothes." Enya assures him with a chuckle. "And when I'm not doing training I'll have the baby with me in a sling, and perhaps you can too."

"That'll be a sight to see." They hear Corvus laugh. "I suppose I'll have to do that too if Ella needs a break."

The rain still hadn't let up, forcing both Ella and Enya to wait in the tower out of the cold while Corvus and Soren stayed outside with Ezran. Tart was with them, snuggled against the two women and keeping them warm.

"You think the sea dragon will come soon?" Ella asks. "I don't want our boys to get phenomena from sitting out there."

"I hope so, and they don't wanna wait here with us to avoid that." Enya says with a shrug and glances outside in time to see the bright beacon of light suddenly fade. "Oh that's not good, what-"

There was a loud roar, followed by the yelps of the boys and Zym. Tart was now on her feet and bolting towards them, Enya and Ella behind the little dragon as a massive figure emerges from the sea and now sits on a large rock staring down at the five humans.

"Holy shit..." Enya hears Ella murmur as Ezran tries to talk to the dragon before she suddenly lifts her tail and smacks it against the sea, causing a wave to rise up and hit them. Both women yelp in alarm as they slip, attemping to hold onto each other.

"Who is this child?" The sea dragon asks.

"He is a king!" Zubeia yells from her spot.

"Ezran be careful!" Ella yells as Ezran walks closer to the edge to be closer with the dragon.

They could barely hear what he was saying, so they got closer, standing close to their husbands. Enya grabs Soren's hand and he gives a small gasp, before he clutched hers tightly.

"I do not know where it is, but I know what it is." The sea archdragon says to the young king.

"What is she talking about?" Ella whispers.

"The prison of Aaravos." Corvus responds.

"Deep beneath the sea, hidden amongst the rocks and coral you should find something that sticks out amongst it, yet blends in." The archdragon says. "While I don't know the location, and neither does Rex Ignious, you should locate the archmage who helped lock Aaravos away. Seek out Akiyu, once you are ready."

"Wow, that was...unhelpful." Soren mutters as the dragon dissappears back into the sea with a splash. "So what now?"

"We return to the Spire, get out of this rain before we catch a super bad cold, and figure it out from there." Ezran responds as he walks back to them. "Hopefully Callum and Rayla had better luck than us."