Maeve looks at Corazon apologetically. His cheek was swollen and an ice pack pressed against it to ease the searing sting.

"I'm so sorry about what happened earlier..." She quickly apologized," It was a reflex-oh," A thin blanket drapes on her shoulders, and over her navy blue nightgown. She turns her head to follow Amadeus sauntering to the opposite side of the table where everyone else sat.

"It's no hard feelings, Ms. Maeve!" Corazon quickly dismisses, "I have to admit, it was stupid on my part to have just walked in like that," He grins brightly and Maeve's heart panged against her chest.

"Oho~ Being aware of your stupidity makes you more stupid? Damn, that must suck kid. How do you manage to get by?" Amadeus adds sarcastically before smirking.

Corazon leaps across the table and shakes Amadeus by the collar as he releases curses in droves. Amadeus laughed his ass off the entire time and Soul shakes her head with a sigh before turning back to a baffled Maeve.

"Ms. Deirdre," She beckons, "Your reaction to this child's intrusion is reasonable though, one thing doesn't sit right with me."

Amadeus and Corazon stopped fighting to listen to the conversation. Maeve tilts her head at the masked woman.

"Oh? Whatever could it be?"

"You've entered the tavern on the verge of passing out and despite that, you refused to remove any clothing or change into more comfortable articles. You risked injuring yourself and your offspring as a means to hide your condition."

"Ms. Soul. . ."

"Why is that?"

As blunt and cold as Soul was, she truly asked the important questions. Silence overtook the atmosphere and Maeve let out a shaky breath. Her avoidant gaze landed on her bulging stomach, her hand gently stroking it as thoughts raced through her head. Amadeus saw her inner conflict and sighed.

"You don't need to tell us if you're not comfortable, Ms. Maeve," She meets his violet gaze with glassy eyes," But I think we all can agree if we know more of the story, we'll be of more help."

Maeve saw a burning determination in Amadeus' eyes and those tears finally spilled from her lids, shocking everyone at the table.

"Y-You're so kind, Amadeus. My heart just feels lighter with your assurance and I'm crying and sweating and I can't seem to stop and I don't know if I can take it anymore because I wanna puke!" Maeve quickly spoke in tongues with her thick accent.

"I-It's fine Ms. Maeve just breathe!" Corazon attempts to soothe the woman and he freezes when she clings to his shirt for comfort. 

She looked up at him and his heart was about to burst out of his chest. Maeve finally took hold of her breathing and calmed herself down to face the others.

"Right, suppose I owe an explanation," Maeve starts as she caresses her bump," Ever since I found out I was pregnant about twenty-four weeks ago, I've been keeping it a secret from the eyes of the public. It was an easy task with my clothing already being so uselessly tulle and puffy but I fear it's getting harder and harder every day when he's so eager to get out before his time."

"That doesn't explain the secrecy," Soul interjects and Corazon snapped his head to her with furrowed brows.

"Ms. Soul!" He gasps in disbelief and the wintry-haired woman tilts her head, meaning she rolls her eyes.

"She's quite the blunt one, ain't she?" Maeve chuckles warmly into a gentle smile," I wouldn't give her wrong for wonderin'. You see, I've started my career in a small pub, barely making ends meet with the little tips I gathered. That all changed when my manager managed to get me as an opening act to some big-shot musicians. Who knew my wardrobe would cause me such pain today, aye?"

"Your wardrobe?" Corazon leans in and Maeve nods.

"That cursed dress is what made people see me as the fairy I am today! Oh, how I should've burnt that dress before I performed that night so I wouldn't have all these problems now!" Maeve's fist slammed on the table before ruffling her short locks in frustration.

"How is a dress the cause of your problems?" Soul asks.

Maeve sighs, "Because of that one performance, people saw me as this pure fairy and the producers who signed me made it my forever image. People then looked up to me as the perfect, dainty lady with a silky voice and soft demeanor!" As Maeve carried on, her accent got thicker and her behavior rowdier.

". . .And you're not?" Corazon carefully asks.

"Of course not!" She bleats and startles the young man, "Look at me! I'm twenty-four weeks pregnant and still performing m' ass off until I could have this child and finally retire! M' manager saw m' stressed and she found the nerve to tell me to get rid of it . . . get rid of it she says! Who would say that to a pregnant woman!?" Maeve throws her hands up and Amadeus smiles at her tantrum.

"Wait wait wait! Retirement?" Corazon jumped to his feet," You can't retire! Celtic music has become a mainstream genre since you debuted! To stop performing is like giving up on everything you worked for!"

Maeve blinked a couple of times but soon softened," Your enthusiasm is admirable Cora, but I can't keep going like this. . . Keeping this face up for years has been a task and pregnancy made it a trial of endurance since. Not to mention the uproar that happened with Belinda Murphy a couple of months back. The media will eat me alive!"

"Belinda Murphy?" Amadeus raised a brow and then turned to Corazon for more info.

"Huge celeb, all-rounder in acting, singing, the lot. Word is she got pregnant and hid it from the masses until she went into labor on stage. Now people have been speculating that the father could be between this country singer dude or this DJ and it created this whole unnecessary scandal when she came out and said it was a surrogacy for her brother."

"Exactly! An unnecessary scandal is the last thing want my child to experience. It's way too dangerous in this industry to have a family, especially when fans feel entitled to know my every waking move. I mean, just yesterday I got another death threat about my figure being a few centimeters off! That's why I told my manager I'll be retiring after this Ren Faire so I can raise my child in peace. . ."

Maeve sighs and her hands drag on her face. This poor woman was going through the hormone-fueled ringer and she was about to throw in the towel. Corazon's head hung low and his jet-black hair fell over his eyes. He rose to his feet abruptly and saunters to Maeve's side.

"Cora?" Amadeus, along with the others followed his path.

Maeve shrieked as Cora fell to his knees," Ms. Maeve Deirdre, I've been a loyal fan for years. I care more about your well-being than anything anyone else says," He captures her gaze as he professes," And I promise, with every fiber of my being, I'll make sure you're safe along with that little guy or gal in your belly!" Amadeus whistles impressed at Corazon's bold declaration.

"Well damn, Cora. It's unlike you to leave me in the dust like that!" Amadeus strides to Cora's side and slings his muscular arm over his shoulder," Count me and Soul in too, Ms. Deer!" He points a thumb to his chest.

"Excuse me?" Soul turns her head with an appalled tone at the muscular cupid, who simply shrugs.

"You guys. . ." Maeve bursts out crying once more, "You didn't need to. . ."

"But we want to! Please say you'll let us help you!" Corazon pleas. Maeve wipes her tears and her lips tug upward.

"Okay. . . Yes!" She sniffles," All of you will accompany me to the concert at the Ren Faire!"

"Yeah!" Corazon and Amadeus enthusiastically cheered.

Meanwhile, Soul shakes her head. They were about to get into something completely irrelevant to the task at hand. Yet, it warms her heart to see the woman finding a semblance of peace in her life. Even more when Amadeus grins with his shoulders bouncing. Her shoulders relaxed as she observed his cheerful sight.

He turns to face her and instinctively, she turns away with heat on her cheeks.

"Why did I just avoid his gaze like that? Why is my heart racing? How is he able to use his Cupid abilities on me? I am Lady Hathor's right-hand cupid, pull yourself together Soul!"

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A/N: Don't forget to vote and leave comments!