March 16, 2014

In Which Ashe Calls the Shadow by Name

October 27, 1184

"Feeling all right?"

Rona nodded. She'd left at the crack of dawn that morning, when Ashe himself hadn't been capable of much more than a groggy goodbye before collapsing immediately back to sleep. When he'd woken an hour or so later, the first thing he'd said to Medur was to alert him the second Rona returned. The steward had made good on that and told him she was waiting in the bedroom. That made sense. Where better to discuss their intimate details?

"So... are you...?"

She swayed forth and caught him by the shoulders. He took to massaging the small of her back as her cheek brushed his. "A little over two and a half months."

That was it, then. Arydath had confirmed this, just like she'd confirmed hundreds of pregnancies before. There was nothing out of the ordinary; only out of their ordinary. "Arydath caught it before Farilon."

"She did." They parted, Rona biting her lip all the while. She'd seen her brother only a couple days ago--and many times since the probable conception date--and if he'd noticed anything, he'd kept it to himself. They'd discussed it the night before, at least as much as they'd had to discuss it. If Farilon couldn't sense Rona's pregnancy, they both knew what that meant.

"So we won't have to worry about this one." That confirmed Deian's prediction of the time-frame. What had he said again, exactly? One after Darry, depending on how soon they got to it? That had been Aspen.

"Not in the way we have to worry about the others, anyway."

"I guess not." But a shadow lurked in her amber eyes and answered to the name of 'doubt'. She wasn't convinced. He didn't blame her. If they had ten more children and they hadn't a shred of magical energy among them, he still wasn't sure if he'd be convinced himself. "But I want to have Farilon over for dinner some time this week. Just to be sure."

"I'll send word, then."

"Thank you." The flesh beneath her eyes was dark and puffy, and her lips moved with sluggish hesitation as if she lacked the energy for more. Darry and Aspen had both been easy pregnancies for Rona, but Ashe hadn't forgotten how sick she'd been with Yvanette. Just her having risen early, perhaps--he dared hope. That and the worry, maybe.

"Can you find Winter and tell her to bring the children to me? I think I need to see them right now."

NEXT CHAPTER:

5 comments:

Van said...

Heeey, we're finally done with October 1184!

*points*

Ekho said...

I can understand how both Ashe and Rona are going to behave a little apprehensively with this new baby. As long as they love it the same as the others, regardless of any magical-ness included, that's all that matters.

Van said...

I don't think loving this baby any differently than the others will be an issue... but knowing that this new one won't have the difficulties (or assets?) that their older siblings have to deal with is both a relief and a new source of worry for the three they already have.

It wouldn't be the strangest thing in the world for a kind of divide to form between the older three and any subsequent children (both Sims have that "Have ten children" want...) based on mutual envy. I could also see Ashe and Rona continuing to pay the older three more attention based on their magical afflictions, which would only add fuel to the fire.

Winter said...

Ashe wouldn't be Ashe if he didn't have something Rona/family related to worry over. Hopefully, though, Rona's pregnancy will go easier on her from here on out.

A divide between the magical and non-magical kids sounds realistic to me. It's not fair, but a kid that turns into a kitten involuntarily is just going to draw more parental attention than one who doesn't. I hope the non-magical ones inherit some of Celina's patience and forgiveness.

Van said...

Ashe does have to have something to worry about. It's practically a law of the universe.

(But rest assured that I have no plans to make Rona's pregnancy any more difficult than the average pregnancy. 1185 might be pretty busy as it is.)

No matter how equally they love the kids, they're bound to pay more attention to the kids with the magical issues, which will likely spark jealous in both groups. For this fourth kid's sake, I hope they end up having at least a fifth for solidarity there. Celina's patience and forgiveness would also be a great asset.