Short chapter here to get everyone up to speed. Thanks for the reviews! I feel the love.
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9
I awoke to the dry tones of Sybille.
"Well, at least he can follow instructions."
Opening my eyes, I found her standing beside us, her arms crossed over her chest. "Good morning, mage"
She snorted slightly, "Hardly morning. Now, let's have a look then." I moved away from Thora, gently rolling her onto her back and brushing the hair from her face.
"Well, it seems I was right. She did need sleep."
I had to agree. Her color was much better and some of the bruises on her face had started to fade. Sybille opened her robe and checked the skin of her chest, which had thankfully closed without any scars.
Then she started touching her breasts. My hand shot out and closed around her wrist automatically. "What are you doing?"
The mage sighed. "My King, she was burned here. Since her breasts are going to be, shall we say, 'operational' fairly soon, I need to make sure they are healing and that there is no deeper damage to the tissue." She twisted and pulled her wrist free. "If you're upset with what I'm doing here, you're going to love what the midwife does."
I growled and let her return to her work. "I think she'll make a complete recovery. I congratulate you, Jarl Ulfric, when I first saw her, I was sure she'd have some lasting scars."
"How is the child?"
"Ah, that Nordish directness. Always so refreshing." She rolled her eyes. "The child is fine. It's lifeforce is quite strong and there is no reason to think it has been effected by it's mother's adventures."
"It?"
"Do you wish to know the gender?"
"I do."
She smirked again. "Does it matter?"
"Only in selecting a name. I have no preference." As she lifted a haughty eyebrow, I continued. "But I can see I'm taxing your abilities. It is no matter. I'm sure my Mage Wuunferth will be able to share the happy news with us." I lifted my own eyebrow, indicating it was her move.
"I'll be delighted to inform your Majesties. I simply wish to wait until the Queen is awake to hear it for herself. It's hardly fair for her to hear it second hand while she's doing all the work."
"Of course," I agreed reasonably. "Perhaps this evening when you next check on the Queen, she'll be awake and you can share what you know." I gave her a hard look, letting her know she was dismissed.
"I look forward to it. Good day, your Majesties." She said as she swept from the room.
I sighed as I looked back to my wife. The sight of the Breton mage being so free with her body had upset me more than it should have. I wondered if this strange possessiveness was due to her injuries or her pregnancy? Either way, I knew that she would have laughed at me if she had seen it.
I smiled, thinking of how she would tease me. What? The great Ulfric Stormcloak, seducer of thousands, getting bothered by a pair of breasts?
I dismissed the thought with a faint chuckle and settled back to sleep.
I awoke hours later to find her restless in my arms. I could see by her face she was in pain and she was crying softly in her sleep. Gently I woke her, rubbing her back and speaking her name until her eyes cracked open.
"Ulfric?"
"Right here, my love."
"It hurts."
"Sit up with me. Sybille left some potions for you and that should help." I passed her the large red bottle, knowing it was some kind of healing potion. As she drank, I kept rubbing her and making encouraging noises.
When the bottle was empty she passed it back and rested her head in my shoulder.
"Better?"
She nodded and I could feel her body relax under my hands. "Yes, much better." The strength in her voice relieved me of a tension I didn't even know I was holding. My limbs suddenly felt like they were made of jelly. She looked around her. "Are we in Solitude?"
"We rode here last night. Don't you remember?"
She shook her head. "I don't remember any of that."
"On Odahviing."
Her eyebrows shot up. "I missed that?" She clicked her tongue in annoyance.
Slowly we began piecing together what we recalled. There were still gaps, from when she was inside and injured, and I was waiting outside, but at least we had a framework.
"Wait. Did we find that man's wife? Elise?" she asked.
"Did you?"
She thought for a moment, and then her expression cleared. "Yes, I remember. We found her in the last room." She smiled and I was dazzled.
I couldn't take any more and softly kissed her, slowly pulling her close to me, careful to not hurt her. "Thora," I whispered. My voice broke and I didn't care. "I almost lost you."
"I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone," she whispered back into the crook of my neck.
I pulled back to see her eyes brimming with tears.
"If any thing had happened …" She stopped my mouth with her hand and I kissed her fingertips instead, allowing that to express my feelings, before I drew her back to my embrace.
I could feel her hand lightly stroking the back of my neck and I wondered for a moment who was comforting who. The thought strengthened me.
"The baby is fine."
"Its definite than that I'm … you know."
I kissed her temple. "Love, even the Dragon knew. Sybille was delighted to be able to confirm it."
"Oh," she settled back against me. "Well, I guess that's that. Sybille said he's okay?"
"Yes. He?" I wondered what she knew.
"Well. I don't feel right calling him or her an 'it'."
"Sybille said tonight if you're awake when she comes to check on you, she'll tell us the gender."
That made her happy. The blissful smile was back, accompanied by a yawn. "What's the plan for today, Bear?"
"You are going to stay in bed and sleep and heal." She nodded, so I knew she was still pretty hurt. "I'm going to stay with you until one of the housecarls will relieves me so I can check on our rescues, and then I'll be back to you." She nodded again, laying down on the bed, her eyes closing. "Sleep now." With that, she was out.
I rose, washed, dressed, and started writing all the letters that I needed to send out.
