Lina roused from sleep to see Gourry tiptoeing to the door with Midas, and her voice cracked like a whip through the silence, "Where do you think you are going?"
His hair stood on end as he froze mid-step, and then he slowly turned to face her and said, "Well, he looked like he was hungry. And I didn't want to wake you…"
"You weren't going to give him to Karina, were you?" She hissed as she sat up a bit, cradling Aurelia with her as she did. She'd found that by lying on her side and nursing she could feed one of the twins and sleep. It would have been perfect if both of them weren't so ravenous! At least once an hour they insisted on a feeding that could very well last an hour. Or two. Or longer. It was as though neither of them understood that they were separate from her now and were determined to remain connected to her through her breasts.
"Well, that's why we have her, isn't it?" Gourry replied as he put Midas on his shoulder and started bouncing him as the infant became increasingly agitated.
Images of Midas being swept away filled her vision as she protested, "But what if something happens to him?"
He looked at her, and she looked away. She sighed and stuck her finger in Aurelia's mouth to get her to unlatch and sat up in bed to rearrange herself. "Give him to me." She commanded.
"You're going to exhaust yourself if you carry on like this." He pointed out, though he handed Midas over nonetheless. Lina had to agree that he had a point. "Would it help if I stayed close by while he's with Karina?"
"May be tomorrow," Lina said as she arranged some pillows on her lap to support them. They were both silent for awhile as Lina got both of them latched on, and then she leaned back and closed her eyes, the glow and the euphoria from giving birth gone and exhaustion now settling into her features. The energy boost that came with carrying them had vanished now that they were born, and simply put, tired did not begin to describe how she felt. Somehow it didn't seem right that after the grueling process of pregnancy and birth that keeping an infant alive required so much effort and work. And she had two of them! And while the thought of constantly nursing both of them indefinitely was starting to feel unendurable to Lina, the image of seeing either of them in the hands of a Mazoku again was terrifying enough that she felt she had no choice but to endure. She bit her lip to keep the tears from spilling out and thought about how, if Luna hadn't meddled, she wouldn't even be obsessing with this! And as soon as she thought it, the desire to escape boiled over. "Gourry."
"What?" he said as he laid down beside her and grabbed a pillow and wrapped his arms around it as he closed his eyes.
"Maybe…maybe we should look into Trudy's offer."
"What!?" Gourry asked as he sat up straight.
"Think about it." Lina said, "It'd send a clear message to Sis that we aren't her tools in this war!"
Gourry exhaled and put a hand on her knee. "I don't know Lina. I like it here. I like your parents, and we have some great students here. And there's never much peace in my family. Luna needs to butt out, but what you put up with her is nothing compared to what we'd put up with Trudy."
"But you said you didn't know Trudy well. Perhaps she's different." Lina countered.
"Maybe." He conceded, "But if she didn't have an ulterior motive then she wouldn't have insisted on talking to me about something so important and that would affect your life in private."
Lina made a choking sound as he continued, "Besides, is this really the time? When we have two babies and Xellos could attack again at any time?"
Lina leaned back and glared at the ceiling. Gourry sighed, "I'll talk to Trudy. See what she can offer. Look into it. But I don't think we should rush a decision like this."
"Right." Lina mumbled, and then she sighed. "I am hungry!"
Gourry looked at the clock and shook his head, "I thought the midnight snacks ended when the babies were born."
"Gourry! I don't think I've ever been so hungry!" Lina whined as her eyes grew big and a bit of drool fell from the side of her mouth as she talked, "This is nothing compared to being pregnant! I'm constantly making food to feed these little humans! It takes a lot out of me! And I can't walk down there nursing both of them! So go get me food!"
"Right." He said as she started to scare him with how ravenous she appeared. "I'll be right back."
"Get me fifty sandwiches!" Lina amended, "All the fixings."
"Fifty!?" he asked, and then he shook his head as she looked at him and nodded decidedly, "Right."
He walked down to the kitchen and wondered if she was really serious about having fifty sandwiches. Until he walked in and saw Karina and Penelope sitting at the table with quite the spread between them. Penelope was even nursing Amelia's daughter as she grabbed a handful of almonds and crammed them all in her mouth. "Morning." He said as he tried to look at the baby without appearing like a creep. But then he decided he didn't actually need to see Justina to know that it was no contest. Midas and Aurelia were cuter.
"Morning." They replied.
"Is Lady Lina ready to throw in the towel yet?" Karina asked with a coy smile.
"She's stubborn like that." Gourry said as he shook his head, "Nelly didn't leave any sandwiches out by any chance?"
"You're in luck!" Penelope said, "She said with all the lactating ladies in the house it was a good thing she has Arnold around to help. He spent all afternoon making them."
"He makes a good sandwich." Karina said as she pointed at the counter, and to Gourry's delight he saw a plate laden with more sandwiches than even a nursing Lina could possibly eat! "Of course I'm not nearly as hungry now that mine is starting to wean, but with twins I have to ramp up the supply. Lady Lina better not wait till I dry out!"
"Right." Gourry said as he grabbed a plate and thanked his lucky stars that they had Nelly.
"Better grab that pitcher of water as well." Penelope said.
"Huh?" Gourry said.
"Hungry and thirsty." Karina said, "Those babies suck it all out of you. Literally!"
"Gotcha." Gourry said as he grabbed the pitcher, "Anything else?"
"Just give it patience and time." Karina replied, "And remember, it does get easier!"
Gourry smiled and nodded, "Thanks."
Zelgadis had thought it was a little too early to introduce Justina to the world. She was only two days old. Yet his wife and in-laws disagreed, and since the world they wanted to introduce her to was merely the students that were downstairs he couldn't complain too much. Especially as he was dying to show her off himself! While he hadn't seen Lina and Gourry's twins yet (Lina had insisted on having some time with just the family before she let even close friends meet them), he was convinced that it would be no contest. Justina was definitely the smartest, most beautiful baby in the world! She could already communicate to Penelope when she was ready to be fed and her head control seemed so good for an infant! He was convinced that most babies weren't so advanced and that she put the rest of them to shame. Plus, she looked at everyone so intelligently. There was no way Lina and Gourry's babies could compete!
"She's so cute!" Pippi exclaimed as Amelia beamed beside him as she held Justina. Zel had been worried about how depressed she seemed since delivering her, but the moment she stepped into the foyer it all disappeared.
"Thank you." Amelia said as she bowed her head and smiled.
"Oh, can I hold her?" Marcus asked.
Zelgadis was nervous at the idea of passing her around the students like a doll, and he put a hand on Amelia's arm, but she'd already handed her over to Marcus, who at least seemed comfortable holding a newborn. "My turn, next!" Pippi cried.
"Congrats, Duke Zelgadis." Ace said as she came up and offered her hand, and Zelgadis shook it.
"Thanks," he said, and despite his earlier reticence at letting everyone hold her, he found himself asking, "Do you want to hold her?"
Ace's eyes widened and she backed away, "No, no, just looking at one terrifies me."
"When are Dame Lina and Sir Gourry going to bring their babies down?" Maeve asked as Luna walked in.
"You will have to forgive them. Dame Lina is common born after all," Luna said, "She was raised with no expectation of having to show off her children and often forgets who supports her now. There are times to push it, but given the attack so soon after they were born, this is not the time. Once the dust has settled she will bring them down."
And with that, Zelgadis decided to remember to get the full story from Gourry later. Luna walked up and looked at Justina and smiled, "She is a beauty, congrats!"
"Isn't she the most beautiful baby ever?" Amelia gushed.
Luna's eyes widened and her jaw dropped a bit as she struggled for something to say before landing on, "You know, my boys were truly the most beautiful babies. Anyway, things seem quiet for now, so I shall report to the Eternal Queen."
"I don't care what she says." Amelia huffed, "Our Justina is more beautiful."
"Truly." Zelgadis agreed as Luna left and he watched nervously as the students passed Justina around until she started crying.
"Alright, show's over, time to get this one fed," Penelope said as she cut in and took Justina from Maeve.
"Thank you for coming to meet our precious daughter." Amelia said diplomatically, and then they turned to go up the stairs.
Once her back was turned away from the students, Zelgadis watched with alarm as the spark went out of Amelia's eyes and she slumped forward as though climbing the stairs was exhausting her. It made no sense! Zelgadis couldn't remember a time when he had been happier. They'd had everything they wanted. A beautiful daughter and all of Amelia's family in the manor to meet her. And while he understood that her pregnancy and delivery had been challenging, they were over. Why Amelia wasn't happy was a mystery to him.
As they reached the second floor Penelope took Justina to the nursery, and they walked over to the sitting room and he was pulled from his thoughts as they heard Naga yell at Phil, "I was right about Uncle Randy and Alfred!"
"Sadly, you were." Phil replied, and as they walked in they could see that Phil was seated on the couch while Naga stood in front of him and pointed a finger at him accusingly, "But you don't have to sound so happy about it!"
"Not happy. Vindicated. I warned you! You never took me seriously!"
That's because it's rather hard to take you seriously, Zelgadis thought as he looked at Naga and wondered if he should leave. He grabbed Amelia's arm, but when she moved it was towards the couch, and decided that if she was going to stay and watch then no one could fault him for doing so as well.
Naga continued to press Phil, "Did you ever investigate them to see what role they played in Mommy's assassination?"
Phil threw his hands up, "Why can't you just let it go!?"
"Because you failed her!" Naga shot back. "Because you couldn't bear to believe your own blood would do this!"
Phil looked winded as Amelia sat down on the couch beside him and grabbed his hand, "Please, this is the first time we've all been together for years. Must you fight?"
Zelgadis wasn't sure what to do, so he decided to be as unobtrusive as possible as he leaned against the wall as Naga said manically, "I won't rest until their connection is investigated. And it's much harder now that they're dead. So much time and evidence is lost!"
"I launched an investigation!" Amelia snapped as she stood up and her hand clenched into a fist, "After Alfred tried to usurp the crown, I launched it in private. And I found what the official inquiry concluded, Sissy. It was a foreign power. You may have been right that Uncle Randy and Alfred were up to no good, you just had the scent on the wrong plot."
Naga's eyes narrowed as she was stunned silent, and then she said quickly as she stormed out, "You too, Amelia?"
Amelia put her hands to her face and burst into tears as Zelgadis walked up and put a hand on her back as Phil sighed, "Likely she's off to get drunk."
"It's like the wound that doesn't ever heal, isn't it?" Amelia asked.
Phil wrapped an arm around her and did his best to smile, "There now, enough about that. Let's think about happier things."
"I just thought having a baby would bring everyone together again." Amelia said.
"Sometimes…it takes a while for things to work their magic." Phil said.
From the way that she kept crying, Zelgadis guessed that Amelia didn't believe him either.
"How can you still be hungry!?" Lina yelled as she unlatched Aurelia and tried to put her down to sleep, but her daughter screamed in protest and grabbed her robe in an effort to pull herself back to Lina's chest.
Gourry watched from the couch and bit his tongue. It almost would have been comical, watching Lina fend off a newborn with only one hand as her other one was needed to support a currently nursing Midas. Except for the fact that he was deeply concerned that spending the past two days nursing the twins was starting to push Lina to the brink.
The whole day he had alternated with Leia and Han, watching as Lina tried to keep up with feeding both hungry babies. She hadn't left her bed since the day they were born other than quick bathroom trips, and one time to take a fast bath. And while Leia had read to her, there was no way Lina could hold a book and feed both babies, forget getting anything else done. Two days staying in bed and doing nothing but nursing around the clock was starting to take its toll. But since Lina had lashed out at Leia so forcefully when she asked to get Karina, Gourry didn't even feel as though there was much he could do aside from wait for her to finally realize that she wasn't doing herself any favors. Which, as Lina yelled even louder to be heard over Aurelia's cries, he hoped would happen sooner rather than later.
"Two hours! You've been nursing for two hours! That's enough! It's closing time! Learn to do without for a few minutes!"
Gourry sighed as Aurelia continued to scream and got up and walked over to pick her up. He hoisted her on his shoulder and started to pat her back to burp her to see if it would help. "And he's been going for an hour!" Lina cried as she looked at Midas in dismay, "What am I doing wrong? Why do they never get full!?"
Gourry bit his lip and started repeating to himself like a mantra that she would ask for Karina when she was ready for Karina. Aurelia burped, but continued to cry as she rooted around Gourry's shoulder as Lina continued to vent, "All they do is eat! How am I supposed to get anything done?! Keeping both of them fed is four full time jobs! And I'm one person!"
Gourry couldn't hold it back as he said, "Which is why the Eternal Queen provided a wet nurse!"
"But what if it's not Karina?" Lina asked as tears fell from her eyes, "What if Karina is a Mazoku?"
Someone knocked at the door, and without waiting for an answer Leia walked in determinedly with Karina. "Mom, what are you doing?" Lina asked as Leia came up to Gourry and held her hands out for her granddaughter. Gourry hesitated for a moment and wondered if he would rather face an angry wife or an angry mother-in-law, but then decided he would hope that Lina would thank him once she had a break and a good night's sleep. He promptly handed her over as Lina yelled, "Don't you dare, Gourry! Mom, no!"
But Leia quickly handed her to Karina, who smiled as she sat down on the couch and got her latched on, "There now. Cluster feeding's a bitch, isn't it?"
"Cluster feeding?" Lina repeated.
"They do it when they're newborns or going through a growth spurt," Karina explained, "They just feed all the time and are fussy when they aren't nursing. It's normal."
Lina seemed to relax a bit, "So I'm not doing it wrong?"
"No, honey. It's hard enough doing it with one. It's harder with twins." Karina said as she shook her head as she smiled at Aurelia.
"There," Leia said softly, "I don't think a Mazoku would be able to feed her, would they? They don't produce milk, or at least I would assume that they can't. It should be easy enough for Karina to prove she is Karina before each feeding."
Lina laughed a bit nervously, "I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm not usually like this."
"You've been through a lot in the past few days." Leia said as Gourry started to relax now that Lina was finally calming down. "It's hard for everyone."
"Until now creating life was so easy. But keeping them alive…how do people without so much support do it?" Lina asked as she stroked Midas's hair.
"That's what communities are for." Karina said. "You'd better give me the other one. I'm going to need to ramp up my supply to keep up with twins."
"I know Luna already requested another wet nurse." Leia said as she walked over to Lina's bed and held her arms out again. "Back up is on the way!"
Gourry was a bit alarmed as Lina still pulled Midas closer to her as though to shelter him as she said, "The first time I let him go…"
"Part of being a parent is knowing when to hold on and when to let go." Leia said gently but firmly, "And it's not always easy to tell which is which. But Midas has already shown he can take care of himself."
Lina's lip quivered, but she finally unlatched him and handed him to Leia. Gourry got in bed beside her and held her hand as Leia gave him to Karina who said cheerfully, "There. I'll take care of them for a bit. You just brought two beautiful babies into the world. Go take a long bath and get some sleep."
As Lina nodded and slowly got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, Gourry looked at Karina and Leia and mouthed, "Thank you." And hoped that after this first time, letting go would be much easier.
AN: I don't know how women did it before Netflix and lightweight paperback books (or better yet e-book readers). Honest, my son nursed a minimum of 12 hours a day. It sucked. And the brief snippets we had of Nama/Naga in Evo-Revo led me to conclude that things between Phil and Naga weren't as warm as they were between him and Amelia. I fleshed out a background story for this in Naga's Story, and I borrowed from the dust I kicked up in that story to create the conflict between Phil and Naga in this. I won't say it's exactly a sequel, and I've tried to make this so you don't have to read Naga's Story for background, but if you're lost it may prove illuminating.