The next week passed quietly on the road.
One bright morning, while preparing breakfast, Lina suddenly felt a wave of nausea. She paused, hand resting on her belly, and realized what it meant. After a quick check with the little healing herbs she carried, her suspicion was confirmed.
She was pregnant.
During breakfast, Feng noticed something was different. Lina was quieter than usual, her movements a little hesitant, and she kept touching her stomach unconsciously. He set down his bowl and looked at her gently.
"What's wrong, Lina?"
Lina's face turned red. She lowered her head, bowing slightly as tears welled up in her eyes.
"I'm… I'm sorry, Feng," she whispered. "I'm pregnant. I didn't mean to make things harder for you. I only wanted to comfort you that night… to make you happy, even for a little while. I never intended to burden you with this."
Feng was silent for a moment. Then he reached over and gently took her hands in his.
"You are not a burden," he said softly, his voice steady and warm. "You gave me comfort when I needed it most. You stayed by my side when I had lost everything. This child… it is not a mistake. It is a new life. We will face it together."
He pulled her into a gentle embrace, stroking her hair. "Thank you, Lina. For everything."
They spent the whole day talking — sitting by the stream while Suki played nearby. Feng spoke calmly about the future, about finding a safe place in the Holy Kingdom, about raising the child together. Lina listened, her tears slowly turning into soft smiles. For the first time in a long while, a quiet hope began to bloom between them.
Suki, who had been listening from a short distance, suddenly ran over with a big grin.
"I'm happy!" she announced loudly. "I'm going to have a little brother or sister! I'll be the best big sister ever!"
Feng and Lina looked at each other, then burst into soft laughter. The sound was warm and genuine, the first real laughter they had shared since leaving the ruined village.
Suki beamed, clearly proud of herself for making them smile.
By noon, they had packed up camp and resumed their journey. The three of them rode side by side under the bright sun — Feng in front, Lina and Suki following closely. The road to the Holy Kingdom stretched ahead, but now it felt a little less heavy.
A new life was growing inside Lina, and with it, the small family of survivors was slowly beginning to heal.