TLoS: oSaS 9: A Stressful Day, Part 3

Ddraig blinked, not quite able to take in what Emperor Long'Li said immediately. "What, what did you say?"
Long'Li frowned: "You're pregnant." He told her: "...You didn't know?"
"No!" She stammered: "...How, how could, how did..."
"...How did I know?" Li snorted: "I've been aound long enough to see the tell-tale signs of an expecting dragoness. I'm sorry, I thought you knew already." Ddraig shook her head: "...Come on Ddraigtanto, use your brain..."
Ddraig felt herself going into a sweat; she should've known, she'd had unprotected sex and that should've been obvious enough for her; but she'd also gone through several stints of sickness, hunger and cravings, the sudden chest pains... It all made sense! Long'Li took a second to eye her up: "...My wife had three children during her life, I've come to be quite good at noticing the patterns and symptoms of pregnancy."
Ddraig needed to sit down, and so Long'Li got up and invited her to sit, where she slumped into the soft padding. "Oh my god..." She felt her heart rate go up, but Long'Li wouldn't have that.
"Ddraigtanto, be calm." He instructed: "Take deep breaths, count to ten, whatever it is you Europeans do to relax yourselves, do it. Trust me, the last thing you need is to stress yourself out more." He pulled up another chair and joined her: "Do you know long it's been since you did it, and do you know who the father is?" He frowned.
"Erm, King Alexander, my king of the Netherlands." Ddraig responded meekly. "It was quite a while ago if I remember right." Ddraig responded: "Some time last year I think."
"Alexander Greywater? The rebel?" He smirked: "...Well, that's one way to deal with unhappy voices. I imprison them, you make them fall in love with you... You're quite far through your pregnancy. You'll begin to show it soon."
"May, may I ask, when did you find out?"
"I confess I didn't realise it at first. It wasn't until you had extra portions at dinner that I started to piece everything together..." Long'Li sighed: "...I can't keep you waiting any longer. A pregnant dragoness should be at home, resting until the egg is born, and resting yet more after until the female body can recover from its ordeal."
"I can't rest!" Ddraig protested: "I'm at war! My people need me, and my army needs me to lead them! ...I can't afford to stop now, when we're in such a delicate and dangerous stalemate with Sekeolath! ...I must lead my soldiers, or else who will?"
The Emperor scowled: "And what if you get shot?" He sharply poked her stomach with his claw: "It takes only one bullet, one bite, one scratch from sharp claws or a slash of a bayonet or piercing of sharpnel! Just one! And your baby will be dead! And you along with it most likely! And yet you want to go fighting on the front lines?!"
Ddraig went quiet, looking down at the floor, thinking, before she looked up with a response: "...I... I'll keep the war camp, I'll plan things from there, but I won't stay hidden away in the Capital like some useless armchair general. That's no way for a leader to act!"
"That's perfectly justifiable for a pregnant leader!" Long'Li counter-argued: "I'm sure your armies will understand you not being in the middle of a tundra leading soldiers if you have your future heir in your belly!"
Ddraig felt her blood run cold as the gravity of that response struck her. "...The child will be my heir..." Her mouth went dry: "...So, so, so when it's born, Cynder won't be heir to anything!"
"I'm afraid not." Long'Li nodded: "By your kingdom's own rules, blooded children take priority over adopted children..." He frowned: "...Unless you decide to not legitimse it. The child is a bastard, after all."
"No, I couldn't do that..." Ddraig shook her head: "Oh, this is all such a mess!"
"You should've known." Li commented: "But now, we must hurry up and sort out this mess. I like you, Ddraigtanto. You're a good example of your race. We will come to an agreement where you get my guantlets, if that's what you want from me. But they're dangerous, very dangerous, so I won't be giving them to you for free..." He got up and walked to the door to invite her out: "Now, I think it's time for you to leave. You've got a phone call to make, if you chose. But in any case, your secret is safe with me..."