This was not how things were supposed to go. None of this is how things were supposed to go. She never thought she would find herself so vulnerable, contractions wracking her too thin body, surrounded by those who had reason to despise her the most. Sheer force of will is the only thing keeping the child from coming into the world, her refusal to allow herself to be so incredibly vulnerable in front of so many.
Dovev follows her of course, foolish man that he is. Can he not see this is for the better? Luster could give him everything he had wanted. Could love him selflessly. Heartfire never could, never would. She is a jealous lover, and he would never remain faithful to her. Better to spare them both the pain.
But when Djinni appears, all of that ceases to matter.
She recognizes the woman, of course. Though they had never been friends, they had run into each other often enough throughout the years. Enough for Heartfire to know she is a fickle woman, who does only what seems to please her, rather like the fae of old. Benevolent one moment, pernicious the next. Surprisingly enough, it is something Heartfire has a great deal of understanding for, though she holds little faith in the woman. She would be a fool to do so.
Dovev, however, sees only a stranger, an intruder, and reacts instinctively.
She hasn’t the energy for this now, has no desire to watch him wage a futile war against the woman. Whatever Djinni had done upon her arrival had instilled some amount of strength into her. Enough to allow her to command Dovev’s sight, to erase the rose woman from it. She could have simply stolen his sight, she supposes, but this seems easier. Let the woman be invisible to him. Heartfire will deal with whatever fallout there might be.
She struggles to her feet once more, hoping she might have the strength to make it far enough for at least a modicum of privacy. A pained gasp escapes her lips as another contractions squeezes insistently at her abdomen, a vice-grip telling her she hasn’t much time. She pushes deeper into the sparse foliage, shoving past Dovev as she does so. Frankly, at this point, she didn’t give a shit what the man did, so long as he wasn’t trying to fight over the top of her.
Perhaps he would come to his senses, would return to Luster. She ruthlessly ignores the small piece of her that hopes he does not. It’s a foolish fantasy.
She doesn’t make it far before the contractions overwhelm her once more. Her knees buckle beneath her as she settles wearily onto the sandy loam, her body rippling with an agony she’s too exhausted to fight. It’s too soon. Much too soon, but her baby is coming now, with or without her permission.
i see your sins
and i want to set them free
