Sunday
"Oi! Luke blow the horn!" Clare yelled at her captain.
"What why?" He called from the helm.
"So everyone can come down and say hi...I might just get rid of my bad mood because of it." Clare called back.
"Okay!" He replied and sounded the horn twice. Clare had covered her ears and watched as the S.S Linebeck got closer and closer to the dock. Anni was already running down from the Inn, her chestnut coloured hair pulled back in a tight braid and her emerald green skirt held in one hand so she wouldn't trip.
"Auntie Clare! Uncle Linebeck!" She called.
"Anni!" Clare called and held her arms open as Luke lowered the bridge. The smaller girl threw herself into her aunts arms.
"Oh I missed you so much..." The tiny girl whispered.
"And I missed you to Anni..." The ninja said as she hugged the tiny woman to herself. The brunette was a little heavier than the ninja remembered.
"Welcome home..." She replied as she buried her face in her aunt's shoulder.
"Good to be home..." Clare said as she stood, with a little help from Luke.
"Uncle Luke..." Anni whispered and switched from Clare to Luke. And that's when Link came running at the ninja, tackling her over the railing of the ship and into the water below.
"Oh Goddesses..." Anni whispered as she covered her eyes. Clare and Link surfaced and she sighed heavily.
"Hello Link...Did you have to tackle me into the water..." She asked as she swam to the shore, where she was tackled by six men when she was waist deep in the water.
"Oh sweet Holy Trinity..." Anni whimpered as she hid her face in Luke's black coat. The water began to bubble and the pirates scattered as Clare surfaced and glared at the beach.
"Auntie Clare, are you alright?" Anni asked her voice a little shaky.
"No...I'm going to the Inn..." The ninja said as she walked up to the Inn and tripped on nothing before growling. She stormed to the Inn after picking herself up off the ground. Anni glanced between her Uncle and her adopted Aunt and then took off after Clare with a worried expression gracing her fair features.
"What's up with Clare? Usually she would just laugh and splash me..." Link asked as he hauled himself out of the bay.
"Clare's been having a bad day..." he winced as the door of the Inn snapped shut. Clare was sitting at her spot, her arms were crossed and resting on the table and she had her head in the crock of her arms, glaring at a random spot on the wall.
"Auntie Clare are you alright?" Anni asked, her voice quiet as she walked over to her Aunt.
"No. Just this morning, I stubbed my foot, burned my hand, tripped on the stairs, I've got a head ache and don't tell Link this, but Jolene scratched my ankle...I've been having a bad week." The ninja said and stopped her glaring.
"Oh Auntie Clare..." Anni whispered and wrapped her arms around the ninja's shoulders.
"Just a bad week..." Clare said and let her head drop she she was resting her forehead on the table.
"Do you want a cup of tea or something?" Anni asked, her voice still quiet.
"No but a banana muffin would do." Clare said as she sat up and smiled at the girl.
"Okay..." Anni replied with a soft smiled on her face.
"Just don't tell Link about the ankle alright...I don't need him hounding me..." Clare said as she rubbed her head sheepishly.
"Mhmm..." Anni replied with nod as she disappeared into the kitchen, a slight tremble running across her shoulders that Clare didn't catch. Luke came in with the others and sat next to Clare, who slumped down again. Anni came back and placed a single muffin on the table in front of Clare as she skirted around Link. Clare ate the muffin slowly, savouring the taste she missed and she sighed happily but winced when her ankle started to throb.
"Maybe getting tackled into the bay was a bad idea..." Clare said. Anni giggled lightly and beckoned for Clare to follow her once more passing Link at a considerable distance. Clare caught it that time but made no motion of asking the girl, just followed her with a slight limp in her step, Link caught the limp. Anni tossed him the iciest glare when he opened his mouth and took her Aunt's wrist and gently led her into the bathroom. Clare caught that also but she still kept her mouth shut as she followed her niece. Anni gently made Clare sit on the edge of the bathtub as she fished the first aid kit out from under the sink.
"So...what have you guys been up to since we left?" Clare asked as she rolled her shoulders.
"N-nothing much...w-we added a f-few more room onto the I-Inn...we lost A-Auntie Shiloh a f-few months ago..." Anni answered as she sat on the floor next to Clare and pulled out the peroxide.
"Hmm...Sorry to hear that...you should tell your Uncle when you're done with this..." Clare said as she slouched forwards.
"Y-Yeah..." Anni replied not meeting her Aunt's eyes like she normally would as she bandaged Clare's ankle.
"I'll be here if you need to talk about anything else..." Clare said when Anni finished her ankle.
"Okay..." Anni replied as she darted out the door and around Link as he came to check on them.
"How long has she been acting like that?" Clare asked as she stood.
"Couple weeks...every time I try to ask her what's wrong she just backs away from me and runs off saying something about laundry or a meal...and she's up every morning at five..." Link replied as he offered a hand to the ninja. Clare put her hand in his and thought for a second before she shook her head.
"Hmmm...let's just go back out there and see where it goes..." She told him.
"She's starting to worry me, I can't even touch her...but let's go with your plan." He said as he helped Clare back into the hall.
"Come on Link, I don't need help walking...It's just a scratch." Clare said as she pushed him against the wall and walked down the hall.
"Ow Clare that hurt..." he whined rubbing his shoulder.
"Is it just me or did Link just whine. I think you've been hanging around Linebeck too long since his pansyness rubbed off on you." Clare said over her shoulder giving him a teasing smirk.
"I resent that!" Luke called from the other room.
"Resented!" Clare corrected him. Link blinked, "Resented...?"
"I'm not a pansy anymore!" Luke replied before grumbling about a lack of back up.
"That's why I said Resented, past tense Hun...guess you don't pay attention to me....oh I feel so loved." Clare said as she took a page from his book and placed her hand over her heart with a hurt expression on her face. Luke sighed and got up. He walked over to her and looped his arms around her waist.
"You know I love you Clare..." He whispered. Behind the ninja Link frowned and glanced into the kitchen where Anni had her back to him as she washed the dishes. Clare nuzzled his cheek with her own and looked over at Anni while doing so. Link sighed, shook his head and passed the couple before disappearing out the front door. Clare eyed him then Anni then the closed door.
"Something's not right here, I can see it and feel it." Luke whispered as he released the ninja.
"Yeah me too...Anni's hiding something...and Link had no idea what it is...but it's something to do with him..."Clare whispered as she eyed her niece.
"She'll talk Clare but only to you...give it a shot, take her for a walk, that's what I did when she was younger. It usually works." Luke said as he went after Link.
"Anni!" Clare called as she went over to the high sage. The brunette nearly jumped out of her skin dropping a plate in the process.
"Yes..." Her voice unnaturally quiet.
"Let's go for a walk...now." Clare said and grabbed the younger woman's hand and led her out the door. Anni was tense and jumpy as she followed her Aunt outside. Clare led her away and kept her senses on high alert, along with her body and magic. She walked until they were deep in the forest before turning to look at the woman behind her. Anni was staring at her feet wringing her hands uneasily. All in all, she'd only seem her this nervous once and her life was in danger that time.
"Anni what's wrong...?" Clare asked as she hugged the girl gently.
"Me and Link have a really big problem..." Anni replied so quietly Clare nearly missed it.
"How big?" Clare asked as she kept hugging the younger woman.
"Huge..." Anni replied her voice cracking terribly.
"You're not...are you?" Clare asked. Anni nodded, she was now trembling badly and had taken the skin off the back of her hand.
"Well," Clare said grabbing Anni's hands, "We're just going to have to get you to married soon then hmm?" Anni nodded again apparently not trusting her voice.
"Hey, everything is going to be alright...as long as Linebeck doesn't find out, we should be fine...actually Link should be fine..." Clare said as she hugged the girl. Anni nodded again and swallowed hard.
"Does Link know?" Clare questioned her.
"No..." She whispered.
"Then you'll tell him when you're ready...okay?" Clare asked as she stroked the girl's hair. Anni nodded.
"I'm going to have to tell him soon..."
"Sooo....how far along are you?" The ninja asked as she started to lead the girl back to the Inn.
"Three months give or take a couple weeks..." Anni answered still trembling badly, if it got any worse her knees would buckle.
"Hmm...when we get back to the Inn, I want you to relax, take a break...I'll handle it, alright...and besides there is a festival coming and you need all the energy you can get." Clare said as she hugged the woman again.
"Okay..." The tiny brunette replied as she tried to calm her shaking. Clare hugged her again and walked forward pulling the girl behind her. Anni stumbled as soon as the Inn came and stopped, "I can't do this..."
"I'll be right beside you...If things get ugly I'll take you away...But this is something that has to be done Anni, I can't deter this as much as I would like to." Clare said as she turned to the woman.
"I think I'm going to be sick..." Anni whimpered as her knees finally buckled. Clare caught the pregnant woman and sighed.
"I'm not going to tell them...let's just get you inside. We'll worry about them later..." Clare said as she picked up the younger sage. Anni nodded and leaned her head against Clare's collar bone as she tried to settle her stomach. Clare hummed and took the girl inside and went up the stairs to Anni's room. By the time they reached her room, Anni was a little pale, her eyes a little glassy, "I still don't feel good..."
"Morning sickness...Thank Goddesses that I know a spell to cure it temporarily though..." Clare said as she set Anni on her bed then put a hand to the younger sage's forehead the other around her stomach then she muttered something in the ancient language. Slowly Anni's colour returned and her eyes cleared leaving them a pale pale blue. She rolled on her side and wrapped her arms around a pillow.
"And here comes the mood swings..." Anni whimpered as tears started rolling down her cheeks.
"I'm going to get supper started, I'll bring you up some..." Clare said as she kissed Anni's forehead and stood up.
"Okay..." She whimpered and buried her face in the pillow. Clare hummed and walked to the door closing it behind her then she went down stairs and into the kitchen. Link was sprawled out on the floor in front of the fire place banging the back of his head against the floor, Luke keeping an eye on him to make sure he didn't hurt himself to badly.
"She's in her room...I suggest you sleep on the couch tonight Link." Clare said as she started dinner.
"Oh goddesses..." He moaned and whacked his head hard enough to rattle the glasses on the coffee table.
"But that depends on how she's feeling..." Clare said as she moved around the kitchen getting ingredients.
"Is she alright?" He asked his normally emerald eyes so dark they almost looked black. Clare looked through the window for a moment.
"She is..." She said and went back to making dinner. Link sighed and smacked his head again.
"Stop that...you're going to give yourself a concussion..."Clare said as she put the potatoes on the stove to boil.
"I'm watching him Clare, you concentrate on dinner..." Luke said as he slipped his foot under the blonde's head.
"Thanks..." Clare said as she puttered around the kitchen. A few minutes later Clare went up the stairs to check on Anni. The tiny brunette had curled herself around a pillow in the middle of the bed, her back to the door.
"Anni...Are you still awake?" Clare asked as she tiptoed inside the door. Anni lifted her head ever so slightly and looked at Clare through her bangs and nodded.
"How would you feel if I sent Link up with your food?" The ninja asked as she sat at the edge of the bed.
"I don't know...I'm so scared..." She replied in a whisper.
"There is nothing to be scared of Hun. We'll be here for you. I wouldn't leave you until I know you're going to pull through." Clare said as she stroked the younger woman's hair away from her eyes.
"I'm scared he's going to be mad..." Anni whispered as she curled tighter into herself. Clare smiled at this.
"Anni, since Link was twelve, he's wanted his own batch of kids. He's not going to be mad at you...in fact, he'll probably hug you and smother you in kisses." Clare told her.
"Are you sure?" The tiny girl whispered still tightly curled around her pillow.
"Positive." Clare said with a smile.
"Okay..." Anni replied.
"Okay, I'm going to head back down stairs and make sure one the dinner isn't a little over cooked and two Link hasn't killed himself yet." Clare said as she stood and headed for the door. Anni nodded and curled as tightly as she could around her pillow. Clare walked down the stairs with a heavy sigh and she ran a hand threw her hair tiredly. By the fire, Luke was currently sitting on Link who now had a throw pillow under his head with the Captain glaring at him.
"Linebeck get off him...Link come here..." Clare said as she stood at the foot of the stairs. Luke gave the kid one last glare before hauling him to his feet and steadying him when he swayed. Link walked over to Clare.
"She needs you...I can't do any more..." Clare said as she stood to the side of the stairs. Link bolted up those stairs faster than lightening. Luke glanced at the ninja then at the stairs.
"You stay down here...it's their secret, they'll share when they want to..." The ninja said as she went back into the kitchen and checked the food; it was still all good. He nodded, knowing Clare knew what she was doing and returned to the couch. It was around supper time when the pirates came and sat around the table. Clare was starting to bring out the food. Upstairs there was a loud thump that sounded like the sound of someone hitting the floor, hard. Clare quickly put the food on the table and ran up the stairs, tripping on some of them before she slid into the wall beside Anni's door.
"Link are you alright?" Anni's tiny voice asked. She received no reply. Clare opened the door to see Link lying on the floor stunned. She tilted her head and nudged the hero with her foot. Anni was sitting in the corner against the wall by the head board, her pillow still in her arms.
"I didn't even tell him yet. He slipped and hit his head on the corner of the nightstand...." She told the ninja.
"And I have the perfect way to get him up...." Clare said and leaned down to Link. Anni watched her Aunt carefully.
"Hey Link. Jolene attacked me while we were gone and she cut my gut open..." Clare lied. The blond was upright instantly only to fall back over with one hand to his head.
"Anni has something to tell you idiot." Clare said as she nudged the hero again. Link managed to haul his ass off the floor and onto the edge of the bed.
"Anni what is it?" He asked as he turned his emerald green eyes to her. She wrung her hands for a moment, then looked up at Link through her bangs.
"You're going to be a dad Link..." She said quietly. The hero blinked then blinked again before a huge smile stretched across his face and he hugged the high sage to him.
"That is great...Thanks Anni." He whispered to her.
"You're not mad?" she asked quietly as Link gently worked the pillow out of her arms.
"No...I'm not...I've always wanted kids of my own..." Link said. Clare smiled and snuck out the door and sighed happily before she went down stairs to finish getting the food on the table. Luke looked at Clare and smiled, he'd figured it out and he wasn't flipping out. Clare gave him an odd look as she put the rest of the food on the table.
"Is it safe?" Nudge asked poking a potato.
"Don't insult Miss Clare's cooking!" Niko piped up from his end of the table.
"Thank you Niko." Clare said as she sat down in her spot and slumped her shoulders tiredly. Luke got up and took his seat after placing a kiss to Clare's temple. Clare didn't do anything just rest her head against his shoulder with a tired sigh.
"How you holding up luv?" He asked running his fingers through her hair.
"I'm gonna need a lot of down time after tonight..." Clare said as she rubbed her neck with a hand.
"Just be glad it wasn't Wednesday, that's happy hour." He whispered as he nuzzled her cheek. Clare sighed with defeated tone before she grabbed the pork chops.
"Eat then we'll go to bed..." He whispered and rubbed her back.
"Okay..." Clare said as she ate her food without really tasting it. When she finished she leaned her entire weight against him.
"Medli, can you do the dishes tonight?" Luke asked as he scooped up the ninja.
"Of course, sleep tight Miss Clare." The young Rito said as Luke packed Clare out of the room. Clare waved her hand over his shoulder before it dropped back against her stomach. Luke nudged their door open and kicked the door shut. He gently laid Clare on the bed, slipped her sandals off and then removed everything except his pants and laid down next to her.
"You still with me luv?" he asked.
"Yeah..." Clare said as she snuggled into his warmth.
"She's pregnant isn't she?" He asked running his fingers through her hair.
"Yeah...Guess you figured it out on your own...who knew you could be so smart..." Clare said with a light giggle.
"That and I caught the kid fiddling with the ring downstairs before you came down..." He replied pulling the blankets up over them.
"I hope he asks soon..." Clare said with a yawn.
"Go to sleep." He whispered placing a kiss to her forehead.
"Already on it..." Clare said as she fell asleep shortly after.
"Sweet dreams luv..." he whispered and snapped out the lights.