Alive or Dud? [Finished]

[The Jenn]

((Note: The egg in question exists entirely as a stillborn. I intend for it to be an eventual dud. I'm just messing with my poor boy.))

It had certainly shocked Parzifal, the day he realized he wasn't just putting on a few mysterious pounds. He'd originally thought he was having bad stomach cramps and needed a quick visit to the toilet, which turned into an hour-long ordeal that resulted in something unexpectedly large hitting the water of the loo. It took him a pained moment of doing nothing but staring before something clicked in his brain and he thought to rescue the poor egg from the water.

The shell had been soft in his hands and a little cold, probably from its initial dunking. He'd quickly wrapped it in all the towels he could find and frantically tried to figure out what to do. An egg, undeniably his egg, and he didn't have the faintest clue. He'd taken care of his siblings, but they were all the same age. It wasn't even that he didn't want children, because he did. He'd just... wanted a mate first.

He'd ended up getting a few tips from a hen who worked in a drug store not far from the motel he'd been frequenting and did his best to keep it warm. The little thing was stubborn about it, chilling quickly as soon as it was left uncovered for more than a few seconds. After about a month, he began to worry that it wasn't doing well. Another few weeks and he couldn't tell whether or not it was still alive. Between the markings on its shell and the fact that he had only ever slept with one person in his entire life, he knew whose egg it had to be. He just wasn't sure if it would be easier to present it as a live egg or as a probable dud, or if he should even tell her at all.

Eventually the guilt of Calia never knowing wore him down and he wrapped up his small burden, keeping it as warm as possible on the flight to the Diamond Court.

[carcinoGeneticist]

(also duds, to be used in plot devices <3)

With her age, it had come as a surprise when the initial signs of pregnancy began to show themselves on her body. She had prepared herself accordingly, first by telling two of the three potential parents. It had gone over well, with Theofilus especially thrilled over the possibility of the Family expanding even further. Of course, along with that, she'd had to tell them the possibility that there was a third possibility for a parent - one that she had no clear idea how to contact. She put it out of her mind as best she could for the time being - after all, as soon as her own eggs had hatched, the question of paternity would almost certainly be answered.

And, after a long night of laying, it was. The eggs were beautiful, all three of them, and there was no question of the father, not with the striking black-and-purple that marked them all at least partially.

Of course, she still had no idea how to get in contact with Parzifal. Best yet, with the eggs in need of her constant care, she didn't have the time required to try and track him down. She worried about it almost every day. She wasn't expecting him to come looking for her, however, and it came as quite a surprise when the man was the one to knock on her door. He wore his bipedal form, but with the colors and markings of his plumage as well as the curious piercings in his beak... It couldn't be anyone else. She offered him a warm smile, then looked down at the eggs under her maroon feathers.

"I'm... so glad you've come, Parzi,[/b]" she said after she'd greeted him, something almost embarassed in her expression. "I.. wasn't sure how to contact you.[/b]"

[The Jenn]

A Court attendant had kindly directed him to Calia's room when asked, and Parzifal wasn't sure what kind of reception he should expect. How did someone approach their first and only fling with an egg? It seemed irresponsible, and even a touch cruel, especially when he knew that she was older and already had her own family.

She had been so wonderful about the whole thing. He hadn't been aware that there was even a chance of him getting pregnant until the egg 'happened'. He hadn't... well, he hadn't felt anything. Being the bookworm he was, though, he'd done a bit of research and figured out what had probably happened. It was a touch embarrassing, but perfectly plausible, especially since he'd been quite distracted at the time.

When she answered the door with a smile, also wearing her bipedal form, something in his chest eased and something else tightened. He matched it with a tentative smile of his own and followed her inside, looking down at the nest she returned to as she spoke. The nest with eggs. Torquehelm eggs. When he knew very well that her Queen was a Selkie.

His expression didn't know where to settle. It flashed through surprise, disbelief, puzzlement, and confusion before settling on a sort of wary optimism. "Calia. This is... unexpected. I, ah..."

He really didn't know how to respond. Looking at the eggs for another moment, he finally reached around to the single-strap bag he'd slung over his shoulder and carefully lowered it to the floor, kneeling next to it. Most of the bulk was padding and an inexpensive warming charm. He looked at her, red eyes embarrassed. "I have one too. But I don't think it's doing very well..."

[carcinoGeneticist]

For a moment, there was a touch of awkwardness in the air, and Calia glanced back at the eggs she was warming with a somewhat worried expression. There really wasn't a gracious way to tell a man you'd bedded once that yes, he was going to be a father. Her feathers fluffed ever so slightly as she moved the eggs closer to the heat of her body, giving them all the warmth she could. She had to speak to Parzifal from here, and she motioned for him to sit beside her.

After all, they were his children as well. If he wanted to be closer to her or them, he had every right to do so. She wasn't quite sure how to interpret the look on his face, and she blinked slowly.

Understanding slowly crept into her expression as he took the parcel from his back, her beak opening slightly and then closing once more. Another egg, another child. It seemed strange, to her, that something so amazing could happen: both parties of a chance encounter walking away carrying the children of the other, and yet... It had clearly happened. She could see what must have been the hint of Kahmden on the shell, and it made her heart flutter warmly. His words, however, sparked the first hint of worry, and after a small bit of shuffling she stood and walked to his side. "This is.. an incredible surprise,[/b]" she remarked softly, extending one hand and letting it brush across his own, a gentle and reassuring touch. "I'm certain that it's fine, Parzi.[/b]"

Though the egg had only been out of its enchanted bundle for a moment, she could already feel it cool, and her feathers flattened across her body in alarm as she looked up at him again.

"As long as you're here, I'd be happy to brood it as well, with its siblings,[/b]" she offered quickly, attempting to smooth over the alarm that she was feeling. She hoped he accepted her offer, he wanted to get the egg in a warm place as quickly as possible. "And you're welcome to stay as long as you wish, as my guest.[/b]"

[The Jenn]

A surprise, yes... that had certainly been one word for it. Finding out that she'd laid several eggs of her own proved to be even more so. What were the chances of such a random encounter producing, what, four children? Her touch was reassuring and helped him relax a little bit. He hadn't been entirely sure how she would take this whole thing, but obviously she was just fine.

"I would appreciate that," he said with a grateful look, picking up the multi-colored thing and handing it to her. "You wouldn't believe how hard it's been to keep warm. I've gotten advice from everyone I could but it just... doesn't want to stay the right temperature."

As to staying, he wasn't sure how long he would be able to take her up on that offer in good conscience. This place, full of grandeur and Court trappings and Calia's actual family, wasn't his home. He wouldn't feel right intruding on the life she'd built for herself, nor would he honestly want to. He had a very good time with her that evening and hoped to remain close acquaintances, maybe even friends, but he wasn't looking for anything more from her. She had given her heart to someone else, and he was still looking.

Apparently he was going to be sharing the lives of several eggs with her, though, and that was a sobering thought. "Thank you for the offer, but I won't be staying for too long. Likely no more than a few days. I just had to show you and I was hoping for some advice. Anything to help keep it alive." Sure it hadn't been planned, but damn it, the child was his and he didn't want to lose it before he even got a chance to know it.

[carcinoGeneticist]

"Of course,[/b]" Calia responded, carefully taking the egg from Parzifal and motioning for him to follow her as she slipped it in beside the others, assuming animal form before settling in over them. It was more comfortable for her in this shape, the bird's slightly broader body and fluffy chest feathers serving well to keep the eggs warm. She carefully used her beak to roll Parzifal's egg closest to her body, continuing to touch it in a silent prayer for health before settling again. It was a strange feeling, having so many eggs beneath her once more... She was just greatful that there weren't five this time around. It had been difficult enough to do once.

"I've always found it's easier with my animal form, but I'm certain you've been told that before.[/b]" as she spoke, her curiously fluffy tail curled around her, adding extra protection to the clutch. "Sometimes they're just tricky. My daughter Mori was rather difficult, but it just took a little bit of extra patience and she turned out just fine.[/b]"

She glanced up at the man then, a curious expression flashing across her face and then staying there. Perhaps... "His Majesty, Theofilus... He knows about these eggs, and he's utterly thrilled. Family is the most important thing to him. If you aren't bothered by the idea, I could send for him...[/b]" she smiled slightly, trying to reassure Parzifal. Inside, she was dreadfully worried. Mori had been difficult, yes, but this egg... Something about it didn't seem right. It grew too cold too fast, as a hen's egg intended for a meal might. "He recently bestowed a blessing on a pregnant young woman, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to do the same for our egg.[/b]"

Best yet, Theofilus knew Calia was caring for eggs and so she wouldn't have to go find him - it would be an easy matter to have him sent for, and she was sure he'd love to meet the brilliant - but young - corvid.

[The Jenn]

Parzifal's wings fluffed with a touch of nervousness as the egg left his care. Considering who he'd just handed it off to, he wasn't at all worried, but he hadn't let the odd little thing out of his sight even once during the month and a bit since it had appeared. Watching its bizarrely colorful shell settle next to its siblings, he knew he'd be able to pick it out of any crowd. It had to be a tri-realm with those colors, strange and rare as it seemed.

He listened to her without interruption, nodding as she spoke and wrapping one wing-arm around a leg awkwardly as he sat near her. When she broached the subject of the Queen, he shifted and looked at her from the side. The gesture would have made more sense in his animal form, but it was habit from years without anything else.

"Not to imply anything rude," he began quietly, "but do you really think that he would be so comfortable blessing the egg of the man who slept with his mate? I know that the two of you are... close. I don't imagine he's very pleased with me, especially since none of your eggs are his."

If the man would, though... well. His chilly little egg probably needed all the help that it could get. The sentiment would be plain on his face.

[carcinoGeneticist]

The young man's nerves were obvious, but Calia really wasn't sure what she could say or do to attempt to alleviate them. After all, she understood his worries - though she was the "father" of the egg, it was his, had come out of his body, and for its admittedly short life had been in his protection. It didn't matter who he handed it off to, letting it leave his hands... it had to be impossibly difficult. The woman wouldn't take it personally.

Once she was settled in, she felt another surge of worry for the poor little unhatched chick. Among all the eggs settled in around her body she could pick out the one that the man had handed her. It was too cold, colder than the others, much slower to warm... Some instinctive voice in the back of her head told her that it was too late, but she shoved it out. She would ignore it as best she could. After all, Parzifal had brought it to her for help, and she wouldn't rest until she felt she had done everything in her power to try and save the child within. Getting Theofilus's help was the first thing to come to mind.

Calia also couldn't blame him for his reaction, so she gave him a wide and reassuring smile. If she'd been in biped form, she would have rested a hand on his arm, something to keep him from worrying.

After all, a fear that he'd incur the wrath of the Queen of Diamonds was a reasonable one.

"When I told Theofilus that I was pregnant, he was thrilled. That excitememt didn't change at all when I told him they weren't his or Her Highness Kelasia's. His only sadness is that he wasn't able to meet you,[/b]" Theofilus loved children, and he loved having a family to care for. It was the most curious thing to her, especially having come from a strict Kahmden family unit, but she'd grown to see the beauty of it. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll have something he can do to help the egg, and that he will give it freely. Family is family to him, regardless of parentage or upbringing.[/b]"

[The Jenn]

Even through his nerves, Calia's comforting smile made an impact and he returned the expression with a great deal more worry. Not having the egg in his hands and feeling the unusual coolness, he could now believe a touch more readily that the Queen of Diamonds would be able to do something for his poor child-in-the-making.

He didn't know what he'd do if the egg died before hatching. He hadn't wanted children right away, it was true, but... he had wanted children. And this was his child. If he'd inadvertently killed the poor thing through some oversight or ignorant mistake, he would have a hard time living with himself. Mammals might say that birds had it easy, getting the kids out while they were only a few months in and not having to go through the same kind of pain, but making sure they actually lived to the point of birth was a lot harder once your body no longer regulated such things. He was willing to take pain if he could give the child a greater chance at life.

Family was... so important. He was more dependent on them than either of his siblings had ever realized. They grounded him in the world, helped him know where he stood and what he lived for besides himself. These past few years spent exploring the world that had been denied to him for so long were wonderful, but he missed them terribly and only heard snippets of the things happening in their lives. Things that seemed to be far worse than anything he'd yet experienced. Their lives had never been easy or mundane, but his Imre and Poe, he worried so badly for them. And they didn't need their older brother hanging around to protect them anymore, even if he'd been able.

Yes, he wanted a child, and maybe for the wrong reasons, but he didn't care. He wanted to be its parent, like no one had ever been for him. He wanted this egg to live. He needed it to live.

"If things are truly as you say and the Queen might help... I would be forever in his debt. And yours." His red eyes were expressive as he looked at her, the same eyes she'd gazed into before but this time lined with feathers. "Where could I find him at this time of day?"

[carcinoGeneticist]

Though she tried to ease the young man's anxiety, Calia could still clearly see how worried Parzifal was. It was easy to imagine the way he must have felt in this moment, having parenthood thrust so unexpectedly onto him. Her feathers fluffed slightly in an attempt to mask her own anxiety, and she settled herself more securely over the eggs. She hoped he would go to the Queen... The poor little egg needed everything it could possibly get. Taking a moment to clear her thoughts, she moved her head down to better shift the eggs she was incubating, making sure that each one was getting equally warmed.

But the one Parzifal had given her, she kept it closest to her body. It still felt so cold... But she wanted it to live almost as much as the crow did.

She was already a parent to six children of her own, and so having a family wasn't new to the woman. The eggs she sat on now were not the beginning of a new portion of her life, as they were to Parzifal, but they were, at this moment in time, her entire life. Each perfect orb was a gift she'd never once imagined she'd have. She'd grown to accept the fact that she was too old to have children again, yet... Here they were, nestled in against her warmth, growing and becoming strong.

All except the one. Calia would go to the ends of the earth for the lovely egg, swirled with all the colors of their mixed realms. It was plain to see that Parzifal felt similarly, which filled her heart with joy.

She was certain that it would be the same for Theofilus.

"Right now.. He'll be in his office.[/b]" Calia quickly gave Parzifal directions to the place, then hesitated. The softness that she'd had in human form carried over, even with her less expressive and more harsh beak. "If you like, I'll set up a carrier and come with you... but if you'd rather I stay with the eggs, I'd be more than happy to send word ahead. This is Family Business, so it won't be seen as an interruption either way.[/b]"