Gods, has the Meadow always been this far?
I hate walking. I have rediscovered that about myself. Walking is just… it's completely pointless when you have wings. The ground, woo hoo, nothing I haven't seen before. But the sky! The landscape there changes a dozen times within a day. I will never grow tired of stretching my wings and catching a thermal over the Valley.
But of course, I had to go and get knocked up once more which significantly impedes my ability to fly. It makes me grumpy at a time when I am already grumpy.
Lucky Kushiel.
As to this pregnancy? I love my son but I wanted a daughter as well. Thankfully, that is exactly what I'm getting. Mind reading does, in fact, extend to the unborn. Although babies tend to think in pictures and lights, and they don't make great conversationalists. Mostly I tune out the kid's contented ramblings. Just wait, girl. It gets a lot crazier out here.
I get a wonderful sense of glee thinking of this little one driving her big brother to distraction. Just a bit of payback, perhaps, for his tumultuous childhood.
Not that I would change Kushiel for the world. He's made quite an impression on Beqanna with his fire skills, and I am the picture of a proud mother. I catch sight of him moments after crossing over the border, half sulking against a towering tree. I scan his mind a bit, picking up some details to flesh out the stories I have heard. I greet him with a grin. Poor boy, I ought to go a bit gentle on him. It's not every grown son whose mother publicly humiliates him on the challenge field.
"You have been busy, Kushiel. You're the talk of quite a few minds."
I nuzzle him, rubbing the sore spot on his neck. After a moment I indicate my growing stomach. I swear it grows by the hour. Soon I will have my own moon.
"I've been busy too, darling. You are going to have a little sister."
Honestly I shouldn't have to say it. You would have to be completely dense or self absorbed not to know I am pregnant at this point. Then again, I always thought Kushiel was paying attention when I was teaching him fighting tactics. We saw how that turned out.
"And please don't throw a tantrum about it." I tease. "Of course I'll always love you and all that other required parent shit I'm supposed to say. And yes, you will be babysitting although so help me, if you turn this child into a chamberling I will seriously consider filicide."
Of the two of us, I'm going to be that Kush is the more ecstatic one. And I swear to the gods if he mentions my age I will kick his ass again, pregnant or no.
G A L L O W S
We must all hang together or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
|
