“Ah! I think I just felt her kick!”
Vera smiled in delight as she held her ear pressed to Alex’s stomach. Her whole face lit up as she motioned with one hand for Thea to come closer.
“Yes! Again, I felt her move!”
Thea quickly took her place, setting her head against the Demon’s ever-growing belly. She was still for a moment, her expression unreadable for several long seconds until…
“Ah!” Thea exclaimed in just the same tone as her mother. “She kicked!”
Alex sat patiently in her chair, one of her human-sized hands resting on the top of her stomach while the other held onto Dys’ hand. The smile on her face was no imitation, but wholly and uniquely her own expression. Jadis could practically feel the joy radiating from her lover as the others crooned over the baby within her.
“Do you think this means she’s close to being born?” Dys asked Vera. “I mean, Alex is looking pretty pregnant nowadays.”
Vera leaned back from where she was hugging Thea from behind and regarded Alex with a kind expression.
“Are you feeling any contractions yet? Any clenching sensations?”
“No…” Alex shook her head. “Just… Full… And tired…”
“Pregnancy will take all the energy right out of you,” Vera patted the side of Alex’s monstrous right arm. “But I don’t think you have too much longer to go. You look almost as big as I did when I gave birth to my children. Just make sure you let us know if you start to feel any contractions.”
“Yes…”
Alex really did look like she was about as far along as an eight or nine-month pregnant human. Bertha’s prediction that Alex’s gestation period would be faster than normal seemed to have been proven true, though they were still waiting for the big day. Alex was as healthy and slender looking as ever, but the roundness of her large belly was definitely making it hard for her to be quite as acrobatic as she usually was. Jadis knew Alex was happy, but she was also sure that the Demon was just as eager to get past the pregnancy stage as any other woman would be.
The thought of Alex’s impending labor was a happy one in Jadis’ mind, but there was one small concern that came with that thought that could not be ignored. If Alex was going to be giving birth soon, was it a wise idea to bring her along on the trip to Glanum?
Jadis looked around the dinner table, observing all the various conversations going on. All of her lovers were present, aside from Severina, scattered around the huge table between Jadis’ three bodies. Vera and Tegwyn were sitting with Thea, to Alex’s right, while Eir’s mother Svana was sitting just beyond them to Eir’s left. Einer wasn’t with them that evening, as he was busy attending to his duties as a margrave. Senta and Vikwas were present, however, as were Gerta and Walton, both couples sitting near their respective daughters. Bridget’s younger brother, Alban, wasn’t around even though he often joined their family gatherings, but Jadis wasn’t surprised that he wasn’t present at the moment. The young man had a habit of floating between the different apartment houses and eating with whichever family he happened to be around.
Noll was seated across from Jay, in a place of honor as their guest. To his left was Meli, who still looked a little uncomfortable, but who also looked like she was determined to not let her discomfort show. Aside from those two, everyone else in the room was family, as this dinner was one of their regular meals that they held every few days as a sort of new tradition.
Jadis wasn’t sure if the topic of Alex coming on the trip to Glanum was an appropriate topic for their gathering. They usually didn’t talk about “business” during their dinners, since those discussions strayed towards topics that would upset Senta and Vera. Neither woman was a fan of the danger their daughters habitually put themselves in. Not that either would try to stop their daughters from walking their own path; both women had come to terms with the choices their girls had made. Still, out of respect for their feelings, Jadis and the others usually avoided talking about the sorts of things that would make either mother worry.
Oddly, Jadis never had to worry as much about discussing such topics around Svana. The elven noblewoman seemed far more understanding of the realities of war despite her delicate appearance. Jadis figured that probably had to do with both her station and her age. There was no doubt that Svana cared, but she was certainly better at managing her worry when it came to her daughter. On a similar note, Bridget’s parents actually enjoyed talking about war and battle. Such an attitude came from life in a clan of mercenaries, Jadis supposed.
There was one reason why Jadis felt she probably should bring up the topic while almost everyone was present. If Alex ended up staying behind, it would be all the family who lived in the compound who would have to be with Alex during a very difficult and delicate time. That wasn’t a responsibility that she could just drop in their laps without discussion, first.
Before Jadis could follow the train of thought further, her attention was distracted by the sound of quick steps clacking across the stone floor.
“I am sorry that I am late,” Severina called out as she entered the open hall from the kitchen door. “I was delayed by—”
“Nope! Stop right there,” Syd cut the woman off as she pointed a stern finger at her. “Drop the act, Maeve.”
There was a small commotion as multiple heads around the table turned to regard the Seraphim who had paused mid-step. After a couple of seconds, Severina’s face went blank as her metal and feathered wings folded behind her back.
“How did you know?” Maeve asked, her tone having shifted into one of dark intensity.
“If I told you that, it’d just make it harder for me to tell when you’re fucking around,” Syd answered before popping a piece of potato into her mouth.
“If you want to join us, you can grab a plate and sit by me,” Dys told the Fetch. “Just drop the act and look like someone else, okay?”
Without any further words, Maeve shifted her form so that she looked like a redheaded therion with short curly horns. The spy silently joined them at the table, sitting next to Dys. She was still wearing the formal military uniform and had a sword strapped to her belt, so Jadis made a mental note to tell the Fetch to return both to Severina later.
When Noll gave Jay a look, she shrugged back at him.
“She likes to see how long it takes people to catch on that she’s an imposter,” she told her mentor quietly. “It’s harmless, since she hasn’t done anything to screw with relationships and she always lets people know after the fact if they don’t catch on by the end of the conversation.”
“Why let her do it at all?” Noll asked bluntly. “She works for you.”
“She works with me, not for me,” Jay corrected. “We have an arrangement. It works because I give her the room to do what entertains her. Within reason.”
“It’s also far easier to simply let her in on gatherings like this rather than turn her away,” Aila added dryly from where she sat next to Jay. “If we don’t let her observe, she just finds other, more disruptive, ways to spy.”
Noll watched the Fetch with a predator’s directness as Maeve began eating her dinner. Maeve, for her part, stared directly back at the old therion, unblinking as she chewed her food.
“Who exactly is…?”
Meli’s question drew Jay’s attention, and she realized that she hadn’t told the Dryad anything about Maeve.
“Meli, this is Maeve. Maeve, Meli,” Jay quickly introduced the two women. “Maeve is our… counter-espionage expert. Meli is joining the company as a mercenary fighter.”
When the thin Dryad only stared at the Fetch pretending to be a therion, Maeve leaned forward and smiled with an oddly wholesome and welcoming grin.
“Χαίρομαι που σε γνωρίζω,” she said in a language that Jadis had heard Meli and Tegwyn speak before.
“Πώς ξέρεις να μιλάς τη γλώσσα μου?” Meli reacted with surprise in her wide eyes.
“I spent some time in Volto a few years ago,” Maeve replied enigmatically. “Are you lusting after Jadis’ cocks?”
“What did you just say!?” Meli cried out as she half stood from her chair.
“Maeve!” both Dys and Aila shouted at the same time.
“That’s a yes,” the Fetch stated with no inflection as she shifted her unblinking stare onto the Dryad.
While Meli sputtered in embarrassed indignation, the sound of metal steps clanking on stone came from the stairs. Moments later, Severina came walking out of the stairwell.
“I am sorry that I am late,” Sev said as she walked into the room. “I was delayed by—ah! Noll, you’re here. And Meli, too?”
“Come on over,” Syd motioned for her angelic lover to take a seat near her that was between Kerr and Sabina. “We’ll get you caught up.”
As Severina made her way to the table, Jadis couldn’t help but admire the striking figure the Seraphim cut in her newly adapted armor and dark metallic wing. Since returning to Eldingholt from the trip to Cold Brook, Sabina had completed the enchanted prosthetic wing she had made for the noblewoman. Since the metal wing worked just as well as her natural one, Severina had asked the smith to make a few minor adjustments to her armor so that the wing was able to function with greater ease. The changes were subtle, but Jadis could tell the difference easily enough. Sev’s armor now had a less pristine look, with an almost lopsided series of blue enchantments that radiated out from her right shoulder across her back, chest, and arm.
The arm was the biggest change, though. Severina had finally gotten her right arm regenerated by the priests in Ulya’s temple. Jadis was extremely happy for her, since she knew that the Seraphim had felt self-conscious about her missing limb despite all the assurances that Jadis gave her that she was still stunningly gorgeous even while missing an arm. She knew that Sev’s confidence was greatly restored by the return of her limb, and not just because of her outward appearance. For a fighting paladin like her, Severina had sorely loathed the loss of one of her primary means of attack.
Once Severina was seated, Syd quickly caught her up on what was going on while conversations resumed around the table. Severina nodded in welcome to Meli once she heard that the Dryad was joining Fortune’s Favored. She had seen the lithe woman in battle, so she knew that she was a great addition to the team. When she heard that Noll would be riding with them to Glanum, Sev turned to address the veteran merc.
“Prince Kestil was looking for you,” she told Noll. “That is actually part of why I was late. I was checking with the usual taverns and residences you patron when you stay in Eldingholt. I had not expected to find you here, though I suppose that is a misjudgment on my part. Would you please make sure to visit Prince Kestil tomorrow morning? Preferably before the tenth bell.”
“I don’t answer to him,” Noll replied dourly. “I’ve been hired by Somerulf.”
“I am aware,” Sev contained a frustrated sigh. “However, my lord has a few items to discuss with you that relate to your duty.”
“What items?”
“I was not told that,” Severina lied.
Syd twitched as she eyed her Seraphim lover. While the paladin had a great poker face, Jadis had been around the woman long enough to recognize her tells. Severina rarely lied, but when she did, she couldn’t help the way her feathers puffed up slightly. Jadis presumed it was because Sev didn’t like being dishonest; it went against her moral and religious values. However, Jadis knew that her lover would tell a lie if it meant protecting others. Or, if it was an order from her prince.
Jadis didn’t call Sev out on her deception. Whatever was going on between Kestil and Noll wasn’t her business. She didn’t want to get sucked into the political scheming that the second prince so dearly relished. Besides, she trusted Noll to be able to see through any lies the prince might tell. The old wolf knew how to take care of himself.
Noll’s response to Severina’s assertion was a deep grunt, which was about as good an acknowledgement as one could hope to get out of the old man when it came to things he didn’t want to do.
From there, the conversation turned to talk of recent events in the city, particularly concerning the inaugural flight of the empire’s first airship. People everywhere were shouting the praises of the master enchanter Sabina and her incredible genius, a fact which made said genius blush in embarrassment whenever it was brought up. Sabina wasn’t the sort of person to seek the spotlight or enjoy fame. She just wanted to build things. Fortunately for her, a good amount of the populace’s attention was being split between Jadis and Kestil. Either Jadis, because she was seen as the one who came up with the idea, or Kestil because he had somehow maneuvered the public’s perception into seeing him as her benevolent sponsor.
The idea of Kestil getting the credit for her and Sabina’s work didn’t sit well with Jadis, but there were worse alternatives. At least he wasn’t acting like the idea had been his, only that he had provided all the necessary materials to aid in the creation of the airships. Which wasn’t wholly inaccurate, after all.
“It’ll be nice to get away from Eldingholt,” Sabina was telling Bridget. “There are so many people from the temples and the academy and from noble houses and businesses that keep calling on me because they want to talk about my enchantments and I like talking about them but they distract me from actually working! All I want to do is carve out my latest idea for a new flight stabilizer but then I can’t because some acolyte is hovering over my shoulder! At least there won’t be any of that in Glanum.”
“But you won’t be able to work on your enchanting while we’re on the road—er, in the air? Traveling.” Bridget stumbled over the saying as she replied to the curly-haired half-elf. “You won’t get stuff done like you want to, anyway.”
“I can still work on the theory!” Sabina replied in chipper tones. “I’ll have my notebooks and the travel kit I installed in the new airship. Plus, we’re visiting my father and brothers! We’ll definitely work on some projects together in his forge.”
“You said you have two brothers, right?” Kerr commented as she gnawed on a chicken bone.
“Yes, one older, one younger,” Sabina nodded brightly. “Crispus and Valerius. They both work with my father, though only Crispus is a smith like dad. Valerius is a bowyer and a fletcher, so he works more with wood than metal.”
“That could be useful,” the archer mused. “Are they hot?”
“Really?” Bridget looked at the therion with a raised eyebrow.
“What? Just because I’m dedicated to my darling Nephilim doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a cute butt on a hot guy.”
“I don’t know if they have cute butts,” Sabina sincerely answered the question. “But I have always thought that both of my brothers are very handsome. There were always a lot of women who liked to watch them work while we were growing up, at least.”
“They aren’t married, though, right?” Bridget asked.
“No, neither are married. I guess they never found the right woman for them. But that’s sort of a good thing since it means it’ll be easier to bring just the three of them back from Glanum instead of a whole big family!”
At those words, Sabina stopped and looked panicked before rushing to apologize to Bridget’s mother and father who were sitting just to the other side of the orc woman.
“Sorry! Not that it’s a problem to have a huge family! In fact, it’s great! Everyone’s been fitting in so well and now we have so much help around the forge that we can trust and—”
“Don’t worry, dear,” Bridget’s mother, Gerta, reassured the smith. “We know what you meant. It is a pain to move around so many people! Besides, I bet those nice brothers of yours will find a pair of lucky ladies when they come to the capital. With so many people here, they’ve got better chances of finding the right ones!”
Jadis wasn’t sure that Gerta’s logic was sound, but she wasn’t about to tell her soon-to-be mother-in-law otherwise.
“It’s a good idea to get them somewhere safe,” Walton, Bridget’s father, commented as he calmly cut a slice of Demon-made bread and put it on his wife’s plate before cutting himself a slice. “Your father and brothers are brave to stay so close to the front lines, but they really shouldn’t be in Glanum. Hardly any civilians are with how close it is to the overrun lands. I wouldn’t want any of my family on the border unless they had combat classes.”
Walton’s words were accompanied by an encouraging smile directed at his daughter. Bridget smiled back, raising her mug of fruit juice in acknowledgement of his faith.
The remark reminded Jadis of her own concerns regarding Alex, though. She’d been distracted by the commotion caused by Maeve and Bridget, but her mind was back on the idea of whether or not her very pregnant lover should be coming on the trip to Glanum. She hadn’t yet talked about it much with anyone, which, when she considered that fact, made her realize that was the problem. She needed to talk it over with Alex, since more than anyone else, it was her decision.
“Hey, Alex,” Dys said quietly as she leaned her head in close to the Demon’s tentacled head. “Can I talk to you about something?”
“Yes…” Alex answered immediately as she turned to look up at her.
Dys couldn’t help but smile at the earnest and wholehearted attention that the Demon gave her. Briefly, she considered asking Alex to step away so they could talk privately, but she discarded the notion quickly. Alex appreciated direct communication, just as bluntly as Jadis did. There was no point in beating around the bush.
“Do you want to come to Glanum?”
“Yes…” Alex replied without hesitation.
“Even though you’re going to have a baby, really, really soon?” Dys pressed the question.
“I go… Where you go…” Alex asserted with absolute authority.
“It’ll be a rough area, though,” Dys explained the reason for her concern. “What about the safety of our baby?”
Alex’s tentacles wrapped around her stomach as one of her large hands brushed against Dys’ cheek.
“We will… Protect her…”
“Yeah, I know we will,” Dys nodded with a smile. “I still can’t help but feel a little nervous about you coming along.”
“It might be better if Alex does stay,” Eir commented as she politely inserted herself into the conversation. The red-skinned elf moved from her seat to stand next to Alex and Dys. “If you are close to giving birth, it might be best if you’re here where Bertha can assist with the delivery of the babe.”
Eir’s attention moved from Alex to Dys as her words continued.
“That said, I know I can perform the duty of midwife if it comes to it. I’ve done it before. I know I can also heal Alex or the baby if anything happens. Besides, if you leave Alex here, she’ll be alone for the delivery. I don’t think you’d want to miss it.”
“Damn, no I wouldn’t,” Dys cursed under her breath. Jadis hadn’t thought about that part if Alex stayed behind. “There’s not a chance in the world I’d leave you alone for that, Alex. I’ll be right by your side the whole way through.”
“Yes…” Alex agreed with a gentle smile. “We are… Going with you…”
“Okay,” Dys let out a nervous breath. “Damn. This really does feel super real, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does,” Eir murmured as she put a loving hand on Alex’s shoulder. “You are going to be a wonderful mother, Alex. And so are you, Jadis.”
Dys leaned down and kissed Eir on the lips before switching to Alex and giving her a kiss as well. While the three of them basked in the glow of the comforting moment, Sorcha pushed her chair away from the other end of the table as she got up. She called out to the gathering at large as she headed for the kitchen door.
“Okay, I can’t bloody stand it anymore. Oats made her first ever golden berry pie today and it smelled like a sugar dream when I was in the kitchen earlier. Who else wants to try it?”
The goblin’s question was greeted with a chorus of yeses as pretty much the whole table wanted to try a slice. Syd got to her feet and followed after Sorcha, since she was pretty sure that with as many people as there were at their gathering that night, they were going to need more pies than just one. She only hoped that Oats had made enough.
“The Demon really makes pies?” Jay heard Meli quietly ask no one in particular.
“You get used to the idea,” Senta told the Dryad as she started clearing the table of plates. “I didn’t like the thought of eating food made by a Demon either, until I tried her bread. She’s a better baker than I am, I can’t deny.”
“This is a very strange place…” Meli murmured as she slumped back in her chair.
273