Author's Note : Omg, another chapter ! Sorry, it took sooo long... But I have other projects, and school and work. My job is particularly tiring these days, but that's why I wanted to write. I needed this to relax. So, I finally wrote this chapter, instead of sleeping . Ok, nobody cares about my life, so here's the chapter. Thanks to all my readers. And remember, I'm french, so if there's any mistake, well, tell me so I can improve my english ^^.
Hope you'll like it !
"There we are girlie," Bailik said with a wide smile, pushing the heavy steel cabin's door. "Our new home !"
"Hum, you know, there's a tradition on my world. When two people marry, the first time they enter the house, the husband has to carry the wife through the threshold." Magda answered with a mischievous look. Bailik chuckled.
"Well, if it's the tradition…" He took Magda in his arms and lifted her up easily. She giggled and kissed him on the cheek, enjoying the brushing of his three days stubble against her lips.
"Ready ?" he asked.
"Ready !" she exclaimed happily. Bailik took a step forward, and they were inside.
The cabin was small, its white walls nude, its furniture scarce, but at least it was home. Magda thought she would have plenty of time to decorate it while Bailik was absent. Plenty of time to make it a cosy and comfortable place where he would be happy to come back, where his little wife waited for him.
Soldiers with families could have their own cabin aboard the spaceship, but they had to pay for it. The size of the cabin depended of the size of the family, and of course of the price. When leaving her planet, Magda had taken the few economies that she had earned from the tavern. Combined with Bailik's pay, they had been able to afford this little cabin. It consisted of a single room and a bathroom. On the right wall of the main room, which acted as a bedroom and a kitchenette, was an alcove where they placed the future baby's cradle. The bathroom was narrow and inconvenient, and only disposed of a limited amount of hot water, but at least they didn't have to take their shower in the communal bathrooms, with soldiers and workers. Bailik didn't really care, he was used to it, but Magda was relieved.
All in all, it wasn't worse than her former house, though far smaller. It was not luxurious, but it was all they needed. For a simple soldier and his young wife, that was really something !
Magda adapted quite well to the life aboard the spaceship. Better than she had thought. Of course, she missed her family and her planet, but at first there was the excitement of the discovery, the new life beginning for her, in this environment so different from her planet, so lively. The spaceship was so vast ! It was two kilometres long, with at least ten decks, always crowded with soldiers, workers, merchants, crewmen of the Navy, etc. Of course, Magda couldn't go everywhere. Some parts were formally forbidden, guarded by crewmen armed with shotguns. Some other parts, she had no will to venture. The lowest decks were crowded with indentured workers and even slaves, working and living in the hardest conditions to insure the smooth functioning of the ship.
But since Magda was married to a guard, she was part of the regimental cortege. That meant that she depended of the Munitorum, not the Imperial Navy. Given that, she had to find a job in the Munitorum. There was always something to do around a regiment of the Imperial Guard. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, waxing shoes, baking, etc. Those who couldn't find a job had to prostitute, so they would have the right to stay aboard. The Munitorum regarded the sexual workers has a useful tool for the morale of the troops. But fortunately, Magda hadn't had to resort to such desperate measures. She had found a little job in the kitchens, peeling potatoes. Not hard, but repetitive and tiring. Exactly the same as the farm, so she wasn't disoriented.
For two months, Bailik and her lived happily together, enjoying their new life as a couple. Bailik had introduced Magda to his fellow soldiers. Of course old Mihail, that Magda already knew well, and also some of his other friends. She had already seen most of them at the wedding, but had not been formally introduced yet. Magda thought that they formed a very welded team. They had thrown a party to celebrate their wedding, with a cake and a lot of alcohol, and they laughed all night long, while Mihail talked of the past. They all had the same strong accent as Bailik and Mihail. Magda felt like she was the one talking strangely, which was absurd. That was the first time she missed her planet. Not for too long actually, because she was with Bailik, and that was the only thing that mattered.
Bailik also taught her the organization and hierarchy of the Imperial Guard and his regiment, showing the officers from the distance. He made a point of telling her to avoid as much as possible the commissar, a strong and harsh man with a red cloak and a chainsword. Magda was not reluctant to follow this advice.
On her side, she had also made a few acquaintances. One of her colleague in the kitchens, named Agnes, was a mother. She was married to a scribe and had three children, of ten, six and four years old. Agnes was at least ten years older than Magda, and gave her useful advices for her pregnancy. Once, Bailik and her had been invited to Agnes' cabin for diner. They had met her husband and children, all of them very friendly. The sight of this happy family made Magda confident in the future. She felt – no, she knew – that she had made the good choice in following Bailik, far from her planet.
During these two months, Magda's belly became a little bigger, though she couldn't feel the baby moving yet. She had less nauseas and was less tired, which was good. When Bailik was not training, they would often use their new free time together to cuddle and make love. Bailik was especially satisfied with Magda's now bigger breast.
But eventually, these two months of happiness came to an end.
"We will soon return in Realspace," Bailik announced to her one evening, while they were in bed, sadness in his voice. "In a week I will go on the front with my regiment."
Magda didn't really know what to answer. She didn't want him to leave, of course. She was afraid. Afraid to be alone in this huge ship, afraid that Bailik may miss the birth of his child, and more than everything else, afraid that he would die. She felt the tears running down her cheeks as she watched Bailik's sad blue eyes.
"I can't explain you the details of the mission, but I think I'll be back in a few months." he added, sorry to see Magda crying. He took her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "You know that was gonna happen girlie, but I'll come back, don't worry." he continued in a soothing voice.
"You promise ?" she said, a knot in the throat, and buried her head in his muscled chest.
"I promise." he smiled slightly. "That's why I asked you to come here with me, so that I will always come back to you." He wiped Magda's tears with his thumb. "Don't cry, I promise I'll come back. The Emperor protects, you know ?" He chuckled to himself. "I told you once, I have a reason to live now. You're my reason to live, you and our kid." He tickled her belly, making her laugh a little.
"But what if you come back too late, when the baby is born ?", Magda asked, anxious. What if you don't come back, she thought, but refused to say it aloud. "We have to agree on a name !"
"Hum, that'd be better, yes." he acquiesced, frowning. Magda could feel that he was anxious too. He didn't want to admit it, but he feared death. Magda realized she had to be strong, for him. After all, he was doing the hardest part, going to fight and not even knowing if he would come back. Magda didn't even know what kind of horrors he was going to face. What enemy of the Imperium was he going to fight ? She couldn't guess. She knew the Imperium of Man had many enemies, but she didn't know anything about them. And she had the feeling that Bailik wouldn't tell her. So she braced herself and dried her tears. Thinking of a name for their future baby would at least keep their mind busy for a while.
"Ok," she said, determination in her voice. "What kind of name do you want ? A name from your planet or mine ?"
"I like both, you choose." Bailik answered with a smile.
"Maybe we could just make suggestions, and see if we like something ?"
"Ok. If it's a boy, what do you think about Vasily ?"
"Hum… Sounds funny, but that's cute. What do you think about Pierre-Olivier ? That's a common name on my planet. It's from a saint, I think."
"Not bad, but is it very common ? I want something unique for my son !" Bailik laughed.
"We don't even know yet if it's a boy or a girl !" Magda said, touching his nose. "What if it's a girl ? I love the name Angèle."
"Oh, that's very pretty, I like it too."
They spent the major part of the night discussing names, and decided to sleep on it. The next day, they agreed on two names. Pierre-Aleksandar for a boy, and Angèle for a girl.
There was only one week before Bailik's departure, and he had less free time now. He had to train with his unit all day long, and was tired when he came back in their cabin. The days were passing too fast, working all day, spending only a few hours of free time together, and sleeping in each other's arms. Magda grew more and more anxious as the day approached, and her nauseas began again.
"I won't be able to leave you if you're sick," Bailik said, his tone concerned. He caressed Magda's forehead with the back of his hand. "Try to relax, I'm not gone yet."
"But I don't want you to go," she complained.
"You'll have plenty of things to do while I'm gone." he answered encouragingly. "You could try to make this cabin more joyful for example. You could go see Agnes sometimes, that'd please her, I'm sure." He scratched his chin. "And maybe you could find a way to send a message to your sister ? But that'd be hard…"
Magda had not forgotten her family during these two months, but she couldn't see how to communicate with them. People aboard the spaceship seemed totally cut off from the world. Only the Guard and the Navy could send and receive messages. But Magda missed her sister. She had started to write letters to her. Letters which were in her notebook, in the cabin. And which would probably stay there forever, she thought.
"I'll try to find a way", she said, without much hope. She touched her belly. "Pfff, you'll miss all the changes in my body."
"Yes," he chuckled, putting his arms around her hips. "But it'll be funny when I come back, to see you with a big, round belly. You'll be so changed ! Maybe I won't even recognize you ?"
"Humph, you better recognize me, or you'll have to sleep with your fellow soldiers !" she pouted. Bailik burst out laughing.
When the day of the parting finally came, Magda accompanied Bailik to the deck where he would board a shuttle and leave the ship. All his regiment was there, organizing. For the soldiers with families, it was the time for farewells.
Magda cried all the tears of her body. Her resolve to be strong was forgotten at the moment. She hugged Bailik like it was the last time, which it might be. Maybe it was the last time she could feel his muscled chest against her head, his hot breath in her hair, the sound of his heart pounding in her ear, and smell his scent. Maybe it was the last time she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach his face, so much higher than hers, to watch his surreal blue eyes, to feel his soft lips against hers. Maybe it was the last time she could feel his strong arms around her, embracing her, clenching her with all his love, as if he didn't want to let go of her. They kissed a lot too, not caring about the other soldier's look. At this moment, nothing mattered except the husband and wife.
Behind them, an officer shouted to the troops to gather. Bailik had to leave.
"Take care of yourself while I'm gone, take care of the baby. If you have any problem, go see Agnes, but don't isolate yourself. I'll come back as soon as I can." he said in a hurry.
"Promise me you won't die," was all Magda could articulate trough her sobs.
"I promise you I won't die." His voice seemed so sad, and so desperate. That made Magda cry even more. "I'll miss you, you have no idea how I'll miss you." he continued, his lips brushing the hair on top of her head.
"I'll miss you too…"she sobbed. She wanted to say a million things to him, but she had a lump in her throat. Why now ? Why when it was the last time she could tell him those things before such a long time ? Or the last time at all, but she refused to think about it now.
"You know, I don't say it often, but I love you," he whispered in her ear. He didn't have to say it, Magda knew he loved her with all his heart. She should be pleased that he said it, but it gave to the conversation a definitive aspect. Now it was really the end. Now he had to leave, and might never return.
"I love you too ! Oh I love you so much ! Don't leave me !" she cried, clenching Bailik's clothes. But he had to go now. He raised her chin and kissed her one last time, passionately. She felt all his love in this kiss, but also all his fears, the fear to die, the fear to abandon her, the fear to never know his child. This kiss scared her more than it recomforted her.
"Don't go… Don't go…" she continued to cry, wetting his uniform with her tears. He gently removed her hands from his clothes, kissed them, and turned back. Without another sight to her, he walked to the other soldiers in a resolute way. Magda wanted to watch him, not to miss a single glimpse of her young husband, but she was unable. So she just stayed there, her face in her hands, crying and feeling miserable. And soon, Bailik was gone.
