As the days had come to pass and their sister was clearly gaining more weight with every day the boys began to become suspicious of what was really happening with her. "Brother I think we were successful!" Arthur said proudly.
"But who was the one who bore the child of our sister?" Arthur asked worriedly.
"Fear not dear brother! It must have been I! Like I said, I clearly have the dominant genes among the two of us. Your genes are inferior, but do not take this as failure dear Arthur. There is always next time." He smirked.
Arthur growled barking at him. "My genes are not inferior brother! I will have you know I may not be as strong as you but I am clearly more clever than you! Considering I usurped our sister's innocence right from under your nose as you slept in the very same bed as our love making." Arthur riposted with such harshness.
"I'll make you eat those words brother!" Cornelius shoved Arthur down to the ground with a hard tackle to the chest. Raising up his arm with a clenched fist. "Take it back!" He snarled punching the younger brother in the face with an audible "Whap!"
Before he could get another shot off Arthur took his arm and yanked him off by the elbow. He wiped his mouth glaring at him. "What's the matter Cornelius? Can't handle the truth that your baby brother might be the one who bested you at your own game?" Face it Irina is mine... You only wanted her for your own selfish desires, but it was I who actually showed her the affection she needed!" He swiped the air emotively arguing with him.
Cornelius cracked into laughter. "Dear brother you're daft! You've fallen in love with our sister? Surely you jest." He rested his hand upon his head snickering and giggling.
"Do not toy with me brother, I know you feel as I do. I have seen you fawning over her...Ever since last we had our rendezvous in the washroom! " Arthur's voice sounding like he was about to break. He finally had enough and charged him and knocked Cornelius to the ground, his hands around his throat. "If you're not here I will not have to worry." He tightened his grip choking the male. "splt! Grk!" Cornelius tried to fight for air.
"That is enough! Both of you!" A thunderous authoritative voice bellowed, yanking Arthur off of his brother, holding him by the neck with a furious glare. "Why are you trying to hurt your brother! You know he's the only one you got! You know better!" He turned to Cornelius. "Get up! You're in trouble too!"
Cornelius struggled to his feet rubbing his neck. "Father I can explain." He was quick yet raspy to explain.
"You better explain, because I want to hear the entire spiel. No skipping the nitty gritty." He took them both by the back of the neck and marched them inside. Marko plopped the two into a seat at the table. "Now you're gonna tell me just why on earth you two are fightin!"
Cornelius and Arthur looked at each other and sighed heavily looking down. "There is no use hiding it any longer." Cornelius spoke up.
"Irina is pregnant father." Arthur responded.
Marko's eyes widened. "What!? How! By- by who!?" His voice more baffled than angry.
"Well you see father that was..." Cornelius pursed his lips.
"That was our doing." Arthur raised up his hand embarrassed. "We were thinking about you as well as our families bloodline, once you leave us we will be the only ones to carry on the family line, we wanted at least another to help us keep our proud lineage alive father..." Arthur's ears fell to his head.
"Arthur...Cornelius. I'm proud of you both. You're both dunder heads for thinkin you can try and hide this from your old man! But I'm proud of you for thinking about your family." Marko stepped behind them and pulled them both to his sides. "Now comes the most important question." He walked over to the other side of the table and looked at them both with a very serious look on his face. "Who did it? Because you're gonna have to make an honest woman out of her."
The two looked at each other and back to Marko. "You two are about as sharp as a bag of potatoes sometimes I swear..." The boys looked at their father and frowned.
"We are sorry father, we've failed you in the end." They hung their heads in shame. Marko shook his head.
"You didn't fail me, just...We're gonna have to do something that we don't normally see all that often that's all." He stroked his chin. "There's a rite as old as time itself called a hand fasting It'll bind you three together until either we can figure out just who's seed brought life to your sister's loins, or until you two can stop trying to kill each other over who loves your sister, and find out who's gonna be there for her in the end."
"And since I don't see that last part happening any time soon I reckon this will be the best bet, Why don't you go see your bride to be and tell her what's been going on? I'm sure she wants to be let in on our little discussion." He folded his arms and leaned back.
The boys got up and walked themselves into their room where their gravid sister lay on her side, she rubbed her stomach gently, the feeling of life apparent inside of her. A little smile across her face as she whispered quietly to herself.
"Irina?" Arthur spoke up. Irina's tail thumped against the bed as she rolled over. Her stomach very apparent that she was with young.
"Hello Arthur, Cornelius." She turned to them and sat up, her hand on her belly. "What can I do for you?" Her demeanor seeming pleasant for the time being.
"Irina father knows everything, he's come up with a fair solution to ensure you're kept as an honest woman." Arthur wagged his tail.
"Yes dear Irina you have to choose one of us to be your husband!" He proclaimed, only to get a swift hard jab to the arm. "Ow!" He rubbed his arm. "Didn't hurt!"
Irina giggled softly watching the two. "Father said we are both to be your betrothed, as to quell the fighting amongst our family."
Irina smiled looking at them, "So not only am I to be a mother soon, but I will have a husband as well?" Her cheeks flushed.
The boys nodded their heads smiling to her. "Well two husbands technically. One to keep the house happy and another to keep you happy of cou-Ow!" Cornelius protested once again. "Really? The same spot?" He groaned.
Irina couldn't help but snicker and laugh. "I love the thought. I adore the thought of having a big family." She stroked her stomach. "Did you two want to feel?"
Arthur and Cornelius looked at each other and stepped over to her placing a hand on her stomach. "Brother I felt it move!" Arthur squealed with delight.
"Why yes Arthur I do suppose you are right." Cornelius's face reddened with a smile he couldn't shake.
As the three discussed their arrangement. "I think if it's a boy I would like to name him Thomas, and for a girl...Why not Katarina, after mother?" Irina asked the two.
"Father would be so proud Irina." Cornelius agreed. "I feel both are lovely names. Arthur nodding his head, slinging his arm around his brother's shoulders.
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Several weeks had passed in the Patterson family Marko and his sons had been hard at work building a second home on their farmland. "Are you boys doing alright out there?" Irina called out to the three tirelessly working. In her hands was a baby Australian Shepherd, a little tuft of white hair atop her tiny head, bundled up in a white blanket. Irina lifted her up giving the tired pup a kiss on the forehead.
The trio stopped for a moment and they came over to their wife. "We're doing okay, we're just glad to see you up and about." Cornelius smiled and took a finger gently stroking the little girl's cheek.
Marko wiped the sweat from his brow. "It won't be done before snowfall. But you're all still welcome at home. Least till your own home is complete." He looked to his daughter. "My strong girl. I am so proud of you." He smiled holding out his hands to Irina.
Irina unwrapped the little girl and handed her over to her grandfather. Her meek eyes opening up with a quiet whimper. "She really does have your eyes. Irina. That soulful stare you always seemed to have.
Marko teared up and nosed the little girl's cheek, her tiny arms reaching up touching his nose. Marko wiped his face and smiled. "Katarina, you're going to have a beautiful life ahead of you with a loving mother and two very brave fathers to protect you. And you'll always have Grandpa Marko here to come and visit you my little cherub."
Irina smiled looking at her father. "I think this family is going to be just fine father. We have each other, and that's all we'll ever need."
