Marcus gazed into her, his own blue orbs glinting through the glass of his spectacles. They were tears in her eyes, he could see that - but he could also see, from the smile on her lips and the quickness of her breathing, that they were tears of happiness.
"You're certain?" He leaned in to her, clasping her face in his palm.
She nodded. "I am! I missed my blood this month, and the month before last. Mage-Captain Harlow says there can be no doubt. Marcus, I am with child!"
The sheer bliss in her voice made his heart feel like it was glowing. He knew how much this meant to Moiré. She carried so much pain from her past in slavery, and he knew how much it meant to her. In a very real way, this was her final assertion of freedom.
"I'm so proud of you." He whispered. "You never gave up hope."
"I had a reason not to." She whispered back.

~

Just a little personal art showcasing the core strength of the relationship between Moiré and Marcus. For those not in the know, Marcus is Duncan's biological father - the only reason Duncan exists is because Marcus is a shapeshifter, and his genetic heritage is therefore exceedingly malleable. While they may have been forcibly separated for more than ten years, Moiré and Marcuse still have a relationship founded on a deeply-set trust, one that no amount of pain, cruelty or grief can break.