Mari nodded to the boy and gave a bit of a grin as they went to the checkout, and all she could do was, well, grin. She handed over the clothes, then however much money it all was... to be honest, it almost hurt to hand that much money over, but smiled lightly before turning to Sage with a chuckle, a bag full of new baby things. "Right. Cafe, then?" She asked with a cocked head she did want to go, but to be honest, she was a bit nervous to spend more money... but they could. That had enough left over to get a little cake or something nice.

Sage sort of just hovered behind Mari protectively while she checked out and whatever else, before nodding happily when she said they could get going to the cafe. They didn't have to spend a lot....they could get something small and share it. Especially since he didn't eat much and she should probably be eating more healthy things. "Let me pay for it though," he hummed. "You paid for our last trip out ...count this as a date or something," he hummed, wanting to do something nice for her. He'd thought more about proposing too...he'd glanced at shops while they were in town ...but rings alone were much too expensive. He'd thought about making one himself, but he almost felt like that wouldn't be very adequate, and Mari might feel like he'd taken a shortcut or something. It was a bit frustrating, really, trying to figure out what to do.

Mari smiled slightly when he said he'd pay... as much as she didn't want him to, she didn't expect that he'd let her pay... that was alright, she could pay for the next thing. "It's about time you took me on a date," she teased lightly, but he'd know she was just joking. She didn't mind what happened, if it was a date or just a walk around, talking to the boy. She liked that bit more than anything, just talking to the boy. She wandered into the little cafe, finding a little seat in the corner that was nice... the little shop was sweet. It had cute little pictures and a fire crackling in the corner, and the thick smell of coffee and cake icing. "Can we share something?" She asked with a cocked head. "You can pick, just anything," she chuckled lightly.

Sage snorted and handed the girl his arm playfully. "Well then, right this way," he chirped, heading off a few steps before stopping with a laugh. "I don't know where I'm going," he admitted with a giggle, rather amused at it all. Once they'd gotten settled, he nodded in response to the girl's comment, humming slightly in agreement. Though, at her second comment about him picking what they had, he snorted and crossed his arms stubbornly. "No, it's your date, you pick," he huffed, though obviously not in a annoyed or upset manner. "You know very well I'll eat anything," he pointed out.

Mari couldn't help her snicker at the boy when he tried dragging her off in the wrong direction. It was amusing to her to say the least... still, she linked arms with him until they were settled. She cocked her head at him when he said he wanted her to pick. "Now that's too much pressure!" She joked lightly before shaking her head. She looked at the little menu, and picked out something nice for the two of them... nothing too sweet, because it'd make her sick, but nice all the same. "How do you feel about cheesecake?" She hummed quietly. When he reiterated that he'd eat anything, she shrugged lightly before ordering from a very sweet-looking waitress, and soon enough their food and whatever drinks they'd ordered came out for the two of them. They both ate before heading back up to the castle to get some more rest... much, much needed rest.

The next couple of months were... similar. Mari had been exhausted, and she'd started feeling kind of sick again. Not awfully so, but a little bit... but that soon passed too. Sage had gone off to the yard like he always had, and she'd gone off work now... she still did a little bit to keep her entertained, but she mostly just messed around in the kitchen. She was making some breakfast for the two of them, as she always did, and was starting to dish everything up when she felt a bit of a flutter in her stomach... like a bit of a wabble. This baby couldn't seem to stay still... but she still got excited every time she felt every little kick or movement. She wandered down to the yard, a plate in each hand, when she spotted Sage fussing little Mystery... or, not so little mystery. "Hey," she chirped lightly as she placed the plates down on a side in the tack room before wandering back out to see Sage, greeting him with a half kind of hug, before taking his hand and placing it on her side, where you could feel the very slight movements of kicking... but they didn't last very long. "Can you feel that?" She asked with a bit of a grin.

Sage chuckled lightly and shrugged in response to the girl's comment before deciding cheesecake sounded fine to him. It was nice, he thought, to have a date with the girl. To pay for something for her and spoil her a bit. And....the cheesecake was actually really, really good. He enjoyed that night, he really did.

He enjoyed the next few months too. Weaning Mystery was a bit of a hassle, but luckily the filly was perfectly fine now, snd he'd started doing some ground work with her to sort of get her used to some different things. He grinned at Mari and took the plate, greeting her with a peck of the lips and then cocking his head curiously when she put his hand on her belly. When he felt the tiny movement, his grin widened and he nodded happily, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I can't wait to hold the little one," he murmured lightly, knowing it would be rather soon....the doctor had started watching her closely, and sage knew it had been around nine months. Nine very long months. He'd built a cozy little crib, and he'd also crafted a small ring made out of a delicate bit of honestly quite pretty wood from the gardens. It had taken him a few tries, but he'd perfected the small, leafy pattern on it and smoothed it out. He hoped Mari would think it was alright he didn't buy one ...he just didn't make enough for that. He felt a bit guilty about it all, and he was definitely nervous to propose, but he did want to marry the girl .. he knew that much.

Mari couldn't help her little giggle at his slight peck in the lips a grin spreading across her face when she saw the boys face light up at the movement. She closed her eyes when he pecked her on the forehead and nodded lightly. "I have a feeling it's going to be a wiggly one. Hasn't stopped moving since yesterday," she hummed softly with a bit of a chuckle. She was excited... they maybe only had a week or so left, and the doctor had been on her every few days, making sure everything was alright... as excited as she was, she was also terrified as they got closer... she couldn't let anyone go wrong now. "It's going to be tiny," she mused lightly. She wasn't quite as big as she'd thought she'd be... she had a bit of a bump, but she wasn't exactly huge. Just enough to tell that she was actually pregnant. It was getting a little bit colder now... not freezing, but a little bit colder, which was a tiny bit worrying for her. But they were in the castle for now, which was pretty much always heated. "You're going to be adorable holding it," she grinned to the boy before going to sit on a small haybale with her plate.

Sage chuckled lightly and nodded. "Nothing wrong with having a bit of energy," he hummed. He supposed he himself was always moving in some way.... fidgeting with his hands or jogging his leg. Unless he was out cold or just having a really hard day, he supposed. But either way, having energy meant it was healthy. He shrugged at her other comment and chuckled. "Well, look at its parents. What did you expect," he pointed out with amusement. "A Luther baby," he chuckled, hunting at the boys larger size. Then he hummed happily, nibbling at his food. "Holding it is so close and so far," he groaned, though he was really just excited to meet his child. Really meet it...because as good as feeling it kick around was, he wanted to see it's little face and hold it.

Mari chuckled lightly to the boy before shaking her head. "Thank god it's not a Luther baby," she mused before shaking her head a little bit. "Well, I suppose a bit of energy is alright... until it learns to walk and suddenly we're running a mile a day," she chuckled lightly. Though, she was every excited to watch the little one grow... to see it for the first time, actually. She then smiled and rested her hand on her stomach. "Do you think it can hear us in there?" She asked with a cocked head before shrugging a little bit. She felt the little one moving about again, and the feeling made her chuckle softly. "I know... they're right there..." she trailed off a little bit before resting her head on his shoulder lightly. "I want to hold it already," she mused lightly.

Sage chuckled and nodded at the girl's first statement, rather amused by the comment. He shrugged with a grin when she mentioned the energy, supposing running after a baby might get tiring. "We have a bit until that happens," he chuckled lightly. He cocked his head slightly at her question and then nodded. "I like to think so," he hummed. He wrapped an arm around her when she rested her head on his shoulder and hummed in agreement with her comment. "Me too. And the doctor is just as excited about it as we are," he chuckled. "He won't shut up about it all."