Lissa'sPOV
I knew Rose should've been the first to testify on day one. She returned to my side. Her exhaustion was written all over her. I doubted she had been sleeping well, between the baby and this, it's been taking its toll on us all. I beckoned her forward.
"Rose, go sit beside Christian and Dimitri. Have Rowland and Jones switch with you. That's an order- this stress isn't helping. And I'm sure the boys need you."
The Conta Princess and Ariana Szlesky looked at us curiously out of the corner of their eyes. I had their friendship and alliance. Ariana I had chosen as my advisor, while Princess Conta was my deputy advisor. Neither of them managed to hold a thing against Rose and wouldn't question me sending her to the boys' side. Dimitri was up to testify next anyway.
"Li-"
"Don't argue, Rose." I let my eyes fall to where her hands rested on her barely swelling torso. They hadn't moved from there from the second she'd taken the oath. It was the only sign she was stressing over not stressing for the baby's sake. On a side note, I was still firmly sure it was a girl.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Rose offered a small bow and I resisted the desperate need for me to roll my eyes at her formality.

When she sat between the boys once more I let out a sigh of relief.
"Vasilisa?" enquired Ariana.
"Her exhaustion will impact her performance," I covered.
Princess Conta shared Ariana's sceptical look. "Rose doesn't happen to be... with child, does she, Your Majesty?" asked Princess Conta. Damn. They'd been looking more attentively than I'd believed.
"That's for her to disclose when she feels ready," I dodged.
Ariana and Princess Conta shared a look and then smiled at me. "We won't say a word. But she is, isn't she? If anyone knows, it's her best friend that she made eligible for the Throne."
Don't kill me, Rose. I met her eyes. Hers darted to Dimitri's and she whispered in his ear. He nodded at her and placed his arm around his wife's shoulders comfortingly. She smiled at me. That was all the permission I needed... well, wanted. As queen, I could just tell the girls on either side of me anyway, but I was fighting for justice and equality for the dhampir, so I led by example and respected her wishes to keep their secret. "Yeah, she is."
Excitement shone in their auras and showed on their faces. "A baby of hers will be just as dangerous to the Strigoi as she is," praised Ariana.
"And Belikov will make a brilliant father."
"And they will balance family and duty just as well as they do now," I added.
The girls nodded with their smiles still in place. "Let's just hope the Strigoi don't get their hands on the child."
"Let's," Ariana and I agreed.