Back in Trench, Ari and Olene sat near Tyler's tomb; watching over him as instructed. They both prayed each day for a miracle, and that their dearest flower would awaken from this curse.
As they were watching, Olene suddenly began to retch and vomited onto the ground. She started dry heaving and sweating, and it was unknown on why she was feeling ill.
Instantly, Ari came to his fiancée's side.
"Olene, are you alright?"
The woman released another set of vomit, then wiped the rest away with her arm.
"Yes, honey."
Ari wasn't so sure.
"Olene, darling, I think we may need to see the healer."
"Ari, we can't leave Tyler." His fiancée said. "We've been given that command."
The Bandito looked boldly at his future wife.
"Then, I will bring the healer here, and he shall find the solution."
Ari gave a quick kiss to Olene and left. Once he was gone, the woman got sick again, and puked once more.
When Ari returned, he had the healer with him, whose name was Dr. Uriel.
Olene was standing over a puddle of her own vomit, and she was sweating. Ari immediately came to her side and held on to her.
"Dear." He said. "I'm here for you."
Dr. Uriel walked over to the couple.
"Lord Soroka." He said. "Lady Diduch."
Olene wiped away the last bit of vomit that stuck to her lips. She didn't want to look dirty in front of the young doctor.
"Hello." She said.
Dr. Uriel looked at the troubled young woman, and saw that she didn't look right.
"You're ill?" He asked.
"Very much so, sir." Olene replied. "I haven't a clue why I've become so sick."
"Well then, allow me to take a look at you."
Dr. Uriel came over and did a quick examination of Olene and her appearance. As a healer, he could quickly sense the reasons why someone would be ill, and would know what action to be taken to treat it.
After examining her, Dr. Uriel gave Olene a plastic strip.
"What is this?" The young woman asked.
"Take this to the woods and urinate." Dr. Uriel said.
When Ari heard the healer's request, he raised his eyebrows in a jarring way.
"Y-You don't mean-"
"I need to know for sure." Dr. Uriel said.
Olene took the plastic strip and nodded to the healer, then he turned and walked away.
~
Once they were alone, the couple stared at each other, while trying to take in everything that had happened. However, Olene took the possibility to heart, then calmly went behind a bush and performed the test.
It was as if she already knew.
When she was done, Olene looked at the plastic strip and read the result. She saw the two lines that indicated the answer to her sickness.
She was pregnant.
Learning of this news, Olene's thoughts started flooding her mind; trying to piece together how this could've happened. She couldn't recall the last time she had sex with Ari, but she had always been faithful to him.
No one else could be the father of her baby, except for him.
Finally accepting the truth, Olene returned to her fiancé, and calmly handed him the plastic strip. When Ari looked at it, a timid smile appeared on his face.
He put his hand over his mouth; holding himself back from crying.
Olene didn't know how he was feeling, until he looked at her.
"Y-You're pregnant?"
The young woman nodded.
Ari's smile grew brighter.
"I'm gonna be a father?!"
Olene was stunned by his reaction.
"You want to have this baby?"
When he heard this question, Ari wrapped his arms around his fiancée.
"Of course I want to have this baby, Olene! I love you!"
The excitement in Ari's voice gave clarity and warmth to Olene. The love and joy was so bright, it felt as if this child inside of her womb began to grow.
Ari cupped Olene's cheeks and gave her a kiss. Then, he took her hands into his grasp.
"Olene, I know things are rough right now, with Lord Josh being at war with Dema, and Tyler's curse, but I want to go through it with you by my side."
He reached behind his pocket and pulled out a gold ring, then placed it on Olene's finger.
"Olene Aramina Diduch, let's get married."
Without any doubts, Olene kissed Ari, and embraced him.
"Yes, we've been engaged long enough. I'm ready to marry you."
Once again, the couple shared a more passionate kiss, as their new lives had just begun.
However, their moment was broken by the arrival of Petruso and Dasha, who had little Lilya and Maks with him.
"Lord Ari, we have news from Kai." Petruso said.
Ari gently kissed Olene on the forehead, then turned to the couple.
"What is it?" He asked.
Petruso took a moment, then told him the news.
"Lord Josh plans to make an attack. He has secretly met with Nico, and they're expecting to make a move on Ender and Wren."
Ari looked at Olene; her hand tightly holding on to his. She gave a nod of approval, as she agreed that Josh's plan must go forward.
Then, the couple walked back over to Tyler's tomb. They saw the young child, who lay in peaceful sleep.
They remembered what Citrus and Gamma predicted, and they knew that time was running out.
Ari turned back to Petruso and Dasha, who held the little children close to him.
"Now is the time to strike." He said. "Tyler may not last long."
He tightened his grip on Olene's hand, and stood in firm silence, before his Bandito pride appeared.
"Dema must be defeated."