Nestlings
Disclaimer: I do not own Trickster's Choice, or Trickster's Queen. I do not own Aly or Nawat, or any other characters in this fic. I do not keep Tamora Pierce locked up in my attic, even if I claim I do.
A/N: This fic is based on the panic that ensues with most first time fathers. I am mostly imagining this, because I am not a father, nor will I ever be, seeing as I am a girl. I hope you (the reader) enjoy this tale of exactly what happened when Aly had "Nestlings". Please review.
Aly had finally taken off the charm that night before bed. She felt that she could now afford to have "nestlings" now that she and Nawat were married. She didn't think much of it, but Nawat did, he thought a whole lot of it.
Nawat rubbed the napkin ring nervously, occasionally stealing a glance at his wife, Aly. Aly had complained of pain in her stomach that morning, Nawat had fetched the healer, and she had told him that the baby was ready to come out. Aly had been pregnant for almost nine months. Nawat hadn't been to many human births, he hadn't been to any at all in fact, but among the crows, birth was a serious thing, often fraught with danger and complications, and more than never, the mother died defending her young. A few places over on the dais, where Queen Dovesary and her most important staff ate, Queen Dovesary gave the order to eat. Joining the Queen and her ministers today was the Tortallan entourage, which included a great deal of Aly's family. The King and Queen themselves where there, having left their son in charge of the kingdom, Aly's Mother and Father where there also, along with Aly's adoptive Aunt Daine, and her adoptive Uncle Numair. A servant brought Nawat his food. He dug in, not really paying attention to what he ate. He heard the Tortallan's quiet curses about the spicy food that Nawat wasn't bothered by. The people on the dais chatted, but Nawat wasn't really paying attention. Aly turned to him
"Are you all right Nawat?" she asked, her brow creasing with worry "you seem quiet."
"I'm fine." Nawat replied, patting Aly's hand. Aly smiled at him, and then returned to speaking with her mother.
The healer had pulled him aside after she had said Aly was okay.
"Are you going to be all right? Your wife is about to have her child, and you seem entirely calm."
Nawat, whose insides felt like hundreds of butterflies were trapped in them, nodded "I feel fine," he replied, examining his fingernails "just worried"
The former Raka conspirators, plus the Tortallans met in Aly's workroom that night, for old times' sake. Chenaol was passing around the arak, whilst people reminisced about the old days of adventure, even if the "old days" weren't so long ago. Aly was in the middle of an animated description of when she and Nawat had gone to meet the "Pohon Mage" when they hit. Aly was rolling on the ground with pain.
Nawat stood outside the infirmary, pacing. He had been pacing for the past thirty minutes or so, ever since he had been forcefully evicted from the birthing chamber by Alanna. From inside the chamber, a scream of pain rang out. Nawat jumped. Aly's father, George, came across the room to Nawat.
"Why don't you come sit down before you wear out the carpet?"