Post by seraaches on Oct 4, 2008 1:38:32 GMT -5
She waddled. She’d been waddling for months now, which definitely felt like forever. She waddled down the hallway, the whole affair an absolutely exhausting exercise even though she had only just begun her walk.
“Are you all right?” One of the men trailing her asked quickly, stepping up to her side, one hand reaching out hesitantly. Damas didn’t actually touch her though, pulling back his hand before he could.
Marisela turned to look over her shoulder and gave a tired smile, the look more heart-rending than reassuring as it was meant to be. The Selkie Lakes Club fought the need to pick her up and carry her back to her room right then and there.
“Miss Mari,” he began quietly, but he got no further.
“Miss Mari, Miss Mari!!” the little boy’s voice echoed off the sand-toned hallways and the canine turned to smile at the serving boy.
“What is it, Mullat?” the woman asked quietly, debating about leaning down to his level. She had to, though; she couldn’t deny her need to be near children. It was an effort to kneel even partially down.
“The carriage, Miss Mari! The carriage!” With his message delivered, the boy was up and pelting back down the hall, leaving the very pregnant canine stuck on the floor and staring at his retreating back in shock.
The carriage? There was only one such carriage she would be concerned about, just one that Mullat would come to tell her about. She tried to get her feet back under her, but she struggled uselessly until strong hands helped pull her upright. She sent Damas a brief, grateful smile then tried to hurry down the hallway.
She couldn’t, of course, and after only a few strides she had to pause.
“Mari, please,” the bison said in a low, urgent tone. “Just wait here. I’ll send Archie to bring them here. Okay? Just wait.” He motioned that the feline go, and the other Club dropped to all fours and jogged quickly down the hallway.
Mari’s head dropped towards her chest and she gave a deep sigh. “What if. . . Damas, what if he doesn’t want me anymore?”
The bison felt his heart turn over, though he couldn’t afford to let her know. “Of course he’ll still want you,” the Selkie said quietly, voice holding a throb of fervency. He bit his lip when he caught the sound, and then retreated a half-step, clasping his hands behind his back, at attention again. He needed to hide behind formality. “He would be crazy if he didn’t. You are a very lovely woman, Miss Mari.”
The canine gave a small, bittersweet smile. “No, not that. But maybe he can forgive me what I have done. Maybe. . .” Just like that, she dozed off, her head resting against the wall.
Damas gave a small sigh, pulling off his cloak and very gently tossing it over the woman’s shoulders. These episodes might last just a few minutes or it could be an hour; it really just depended on how long her body shut down. He didn’t think her excitement would let her sleep for too long, however. He would be terribly relieved when the doctor got the woman to stay on bed rest, even though he wouldn’t be needed as much. Mari was trying very hard to take care of herself, and do all of the “right” things for the babies, even at a very trying cost to herself.
Despite the fact that they weren’t biologically hers, Marisela had thrown her heart and soul into the carrying and growth of the babies within her. Any suggestion from the Court doctors was heeded to an almost fanatical degree.
Damas knew he should separate himself from her, but she tried so hard and put so much into the babies that he just couldn’t. And originally she was so alone. Yes, the Queens’ messengers had been sent out months and months ago, but after the initial excitement, the only news received back was negative. Mari had needed a strong shoulder to lean on, and the bison had stepped into the role almost instinctively.
His feelings for her had blossomed swiftly, and he knew he stood high in her own esteem. Though it did no good now. Nothing mattered now.
Damas gave another low sigh as he watched the dozing woman; why had Edward and Alachard found the stag? Why had they brought him back? If only. . . the thought was horribly uncharitable, but it still niggled at the back of his mind. If only the messengers had found the girls and not the stag. If only. . . if only Reston was dead.
He forced the thought away, moving to the Marshdweller’s side again. He gathered her carefully up into his arms, having to use his ability to get her and all of the babies inside of her. It was worth it, though; in her sleep, she snuggled into his chest and his heart twisted sharply yet again.
The man ignored the looks sent from the other guards and marched resolutely back towards the woman’s rooms; she needed her rest. He would guarantee she got it. No matter the cost.
“Are you all right?” One of the men trailing her asked quickly, stepping up to her side, one hand reaching out hesitantly. Damas didn’t actually touch her though, pulling back his hand before he could.
Marisela turned to look over her shoulder and gave a tired smile, the look more heart-rending than reassuring as it was meant to be. The Selkie Lakes Club fought the need to pick her up and carry her back to her room right then and there.
“Miss Mari,” he began quietly, but he got no further.
“Miss Mari, Miss Mari!!” the little boy’s voice echoed off the sand-toned hallways and the canine turned to smile at the serving boy.
“What is it, Mullat?” the woman asked quietly, debating about leaning down to his level. She had to, though; she couldn’t deny her need to be near children. It was an effort to kneel even partially down.
“The carriage, Miss Mari! The carriage!” With his message delivered, the boy was up and pelting back down the hall, leaving the very pregnant canine stuck on the floor and staring at his retreating back in shock.
The carriage? There was only one such carriage she would be concerned about, just one that Mullat would come to tell her about. She tried to get her feet back under her, but she struggled uselessly until strong hands helped pull her upright. She sent Damas a brief, grateful smile then tried to hurry down the hallway.
She couldn’t, of course, and after only a few strides she had to pause.
“Mari, please,” the bison said in a low, urgent tone. “Just wait here. I’ll send Archie to bring them here. Okay? Just wait.” He motioned that the feline go, and the other Club dropped to all fours and jogged quickly down the hallway.
Mari’s head dropped towards her chest and she gave a deep sigh. “What if. . . Damas, what if he doesn’t want me anymore?”
The bison felt his heart turn over, though he couldn’t afford to let her know. “Of course he’ll still want you,” the Selkie said quietly, voice holding a throb of fervency. He bit his lip when he caught the sound, and then retreated a half-step, clasping his hands behind his back, at attention again. He needed to hide behind formality. “He would be crazy if he didn’t. You are a very lovely woman, Miss Mari.”
The canine gave a small, bittersweet smile. “No, not that. But maybe he can forgive me what I have done. Maybe. . .” Just like that, she dozed off, her head resting against the wall.
Damas gave a small sigh, pulling off his cloak and very gently tossing it over the woman’s shoulders. These episodes might last just a few minutes or it could be an hour; it really just depended on how long her body shut down. He didn’t think her excitement would let her sleep for too long, however. He would be terribly relieved when the doctor got the woman to stay on bed rest, even though he wouldn’t be needed as much. Mari was trying very hard to take care of herself, and do all of the “right” things for the babies, even at a very trying cost to herself.
Despite the fact that they weren’t biologically hers, Marisela had thrown her heart and soul into the carrying and growth of the babies within her. Any suggestion from the Court doctors was heeded to an almost fanatical degree.
Damas knew he should separate himself from her, but she tried so hard and put so much into the babies that he just couldn’t. And originally she was so alone. Yes, the Queens’ messengers had been sent out months and months ago, but after the initial excitement, the only news received back was negative. Mari had needed a strong shoulder to lean on, and the bison had stepped into the role almost instinctively.
His feelings for her had blossomed swiftly, and he knew he stood high in her own esteem. Though it did no good now. Nothing mattered now.
Damas gave another low sigh as he watched the dozing woman; why had Edward and Alachard found the stag? Why had they brought him back? If only. . . the thought was horribly uncharitable, but it still niggled at the back of his mind. If only the messengers had found the girls and not the stag. If only. . . if only Reston was dead.
He forced the thought away, moving to the Marshdweller’s side again. He gathered her carefully up into his arms, having to use his ability to get her and all of the babies inside of her. It was worth it, though; in her sleep, she snuggled into his chest and his heart twisted sharply yet again.
The man ignored the looks sent from the other guards and marched resolutely back towards the woman’s rooms; she needed her rest. He would guarantee she got it. No matter the cost.
