would work with the botanists and those who wished to come to the city could come. It would be a far more controlled situation for you.”
She stroked his chest. “Oh dear. You figured out that I am a control freak?”
He gave an exaggerated look around their quarters with everything neatly stowed and folded. “I have that feeling now and then.”
She sighed. “Would your family come with us?”
“They are already packed. Come on. New world, new life, new city.” He lifted her chin on two knuckles and kissed her sweetly.
“Good. I am already packed. The bags are in the bedroom.”
He grinned. “You knew what I was going to say?”
“Sebach offered it a month ago. I have packed the bags every day just in case.” She blushed and smiled.
“Then, what are we waiting for? You can sleep and get some rest instead of tossing and turning.”
She grinned and he got the bags.
The rest of the pregnancy was uneventful, and the birth was a normal procedure in which the father-to-be knew just what to do and the Avatar of the world held Cierra’s hand.
They had grown closer in the intervening time, and there was no longer a threat in Sebach’s need for a new Avatar. It was incredibly trying for Sebach to have to use the body of Seera when the soul that had made them such a good match was gone.
Cierra breathed, pushed, and after twelve hours of labour, the N’ga-Sebach midwife caught the little girl and examined her swiftly before cutting the cord and wrapping her up.
“Strong, healthy and with a bright set of lungs on her. Her skin tone should settle in a few days, and you will know who she takes after at that point.”
Cierra took her daughter and blinked in surprise. A fuzzy shock of blue hair stuck out on her slightly pointed skull. Her eyes were vivid purple and there was a pink tinge to her rainbow-coloured skin. She was made of cuddly pink quartz.
Sebach looked at her and smiled. “She is beautiful.”
Urion was kneeling next to the bed, and he stroked the soft head of his little girl. He was grinning foolishly and looking into the baby’s eyes. “A little girl.”
Cierra sighed happily. “A little girl.”
Urion helped the midwife to attend to her, and when she was wrapped and ready for visitors, the N’ga-Sebach started to file in.
Food, wine, clothing, toys, all were put on a table laid out for the purpose, and every woman touched the baby’s hand or foot.
One month later, the celebration was held to welcome Ninya Ahierra into the family.
Cierra sat and had some tea while Sebach waltzed Ninya around the square.
Her mother-in-law was sitting with her. “Don’t you worry about Sebach taking her?”
Cierra shook her head. “No. There is nowhere that she could take her that I couldn’t find her, besides, we have an arrangement.”
“I don’t understand why you allow her to get so close.”
“When I was little, I was left at the hospital and handed around as a ward of the state. Unlike many in my position, I got out without being molested, but I never felt loved. I was cold, focused only on making myself secure. Then, I ended up on Xerat and tried to do the same thing. We all know how that turned out. Here is a new world, and I chose banishment over being rejected again. I know how it feels to have the little you can love and trust taken from you, and I know how much a little love fills a huge void.”
Her mother-in-law blinked. “I didn’t know.”
“It is hard to explain. Now that Ninya is in my life, I want her exposed to as much love as comes her way. You can never have too much, but you can have too little.”
“How did you live without anyone to support you?”
“I learned to support myself, and I insulated myself against those who would try and reduce my efforts to nothing. I earned one thing, and then, I earned the next. It was a slow progress, but it worked.”
Evlynia Sapket was listening intently. She nodded and reached for Cierra’s hand. “Will you accept
She stroked his chest. “Oh dear. You figured out that I am a control freak?”
He gave an exaggerated look around their quarters with everything neatly stowed and folded. “I have that feeling now and then.”
She sighed. “Would your family come with us?”
“They are already packed. Come on. New world, new life, new city.” He lifted her chin on two knuckles and kissed her sweetly.
“Good. I am already packed. The bags are in the bedroom.”
He grinned. “You knew what I was going to say?”
“Sebach offered it a month ago. I have packed the bags every day just in case.” She blushed and smiled.
“Then, what are we waiting for? You can sleep and get some rest instead of tossing and turning.”
She grinned and he got the bags.
The rest of the pregnancy was uneventful, and the birth was a normal procedure in which the father-to-be knew just what to do and the Avatar of the world held Cierra’s hand.
They had grown closer in the intervening time, and there was no longer a threat in Sebach’s need for a new Avatar. It was incredibly trying for Sebach to have to use the body of Seera when the soul that had made them such a good match was gone.
Cierra breathed, pushed, and after twelve hours of labour, the N’ga-Sebach midwife caught the little girl and examined her swiftly before cutting the cord and wrapping her up.
“Strong, healthy and with a bright set of lungs on her. Her skin tone should settle in a few days, and you will know who she takes after at that point.”
Cierra took her daughter and blinked in surprise. A fuzzy shock of blue hair stuck out on her slightly pointed skull. Her eyes were vivid purple and there was a pink tinge to her rainbow-coloured skin. She was made of cuddly pink quartz.
Sebach looked at her and smiled. “She is beautiful.”
Urion was kneeling next to the bed, and he stroked the soft head of his little girl. He was grinning foolishly and looking into the baby’s eyes. “A little girl.”
Cierra sighed happily. “A little girl.”
Urion helped the midwife to attend to her, and when she was wrapped and ready for visitors, the N’ga-Sebach started to file in.
Food, wine, clothing, toys, all were put on a table laid out for the purpose, and every woman touched the baby’s hand or foot.
One month later, the celebration was held to welcome Ninya Ahierra into the family.
Cierra sat and had some tea while Sebach waltzed Ninya around the square.
Her mother-in-law was sitting with her. “Don’t you worry about Sebach taking her?”
Cierra shook her head. “No. There is nowhere that she could take her that I couldn’t find her, besides, we have an arrangement.”
“I don’t understand why you allow her to get so close.”
“When I was little, I was left at the hospital and handed around as a ward of the state. Unlike many in my position, I got out without being molested, but I never felt loved. I was cold, focused only on making myself secure. Then, I ended up on Xerat and tried to do the same thing. We all know how that turned out. Here is a new world, and I chose banishment over being rejected again. I know how it feels to have the little you can love and trust taken from you, and I know how much a little love fills a huge void.”
Her mother-in-law blinked. “I didn’t know.”
“It is hard to explain. Now that Ninya is in my life, I want her exposed to as much love as comes her way. You can never have too much, but you can have too little.”
“How did you live without anyone to support you?”
“I learned to support myself, and I insulated myself against those who would try and reduce my efforts to nothing. I earned one thing, and then, I earned the next. It was a slow progress, but it worked.”
Evlynia Sapket was listening intently. She nodded and reached for Cierra’s hand. “Will you accept
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