Maria was not the only one that Brad had managed to forge a friendship with. Edgar and Earl, the twin brothers of Ivor had taken a liking to Brad, seeing him as the older brother they never had.<br/><br/>Ivor had always been a bit…off, even when they were children.<br/><br/>Being young men, just out of their boyhood they had a thirst for adventure but the curse of royal blood that would prevent them from seeking that which they craved. For hours they could listen to him retell a riveting tale about one various hunt or another. Thoroughly enraptured by his words, eyes full of wonder as if they could just about see themselves there crouched in the dirt, bow drawn and the deer within their sights. The trio met nearly daily and Brad welcomed the company. It gave him a chance to have some fun and not dwell on the fact that Maria was not with him all the time like he wanted.<br/><br/>At the moment they had a raw hide ball stuffed with straw and he was kicking it back and forth between them. They had only really talked about the weather, a young pair of maids that they had their eyes on. Nothing of real importance until Earl brought up something that had thus far slipped by Brad.<br/><br/>“So, did you hear?” Earl asked while he bounced the ball from knee to knee.<br/><br/>“Hear about what?” Brad asked confused by the random question.<br/><br/>“Maria…”a pause as he dropped the ball and kicked it to his brother, “She is with child, the midwife confirmed it this afternoon. We are supposed to have a celebratory dinner tonight,” Edgar finished the sentence. “You are going to come, right?”<br/><br/>It took him a moment to answer right away, because he did not hear anything else after the information that Maria was with child…<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Could it be mine? We had been together…often and it was before that…well it was before. So, there is a chance it could be mine and not…his…a baby. Our baby….I have to talk to her, I have to see her….I have to do something…I have to…she needs me…</span><br/><br/>“Hmm?...Oh. yes of course. I would not miss such a happy occasion,” his smile was happy but sad at the same time. There was that small chance it would not be his baby, but even if it was his baby, how was he going to be the father to it? When no one even knew of his relationship with Maria.