***** Chapter 5 - A New Life *****
Rim Elm, Drake Kingdom, five years later.
"Children, lunch is ready!" announced Mei to the boy and two girls. As usual, Nara was first to react and took the lead, she not only was a smaller, four-year-old, version of Noa, but had also inherited her mother's speed, and spirit. Thoram, five springs into the world, stepped in, gently carrying his three-year-old sister, Candela, in his arms. These were both Mei's offspring; little Candela was like her father, blonde and looking at the world through big, curious blue orbs. The boy was brown-eyed and haired, big and strong for his age, and had Trevor's personality, infinitely kind, caring, and quiet.
Mei's husband came behind her, hugged her gently in his powerful arms, and kissed her cheek, just as the kids stepped in. "Yuk! Gwoss!" exclaimed Candela, "Get a room!" piped Nara. Thoram rolled his eyes but remained silent. The adults smiled at the display, remembering a time when they shared the same opinions, and at any rate the little ones seemed more amused than disturbed.
As they sat to enjoy a meal of bread, cheese, and fruit, Nara asked Mei, her gray-green eyes looking at the young woman expectantly, "When can I see Mommy, Auntie?". "Soon, sweetie, the baby will be born shortly, and then you'll go and meet your new sibling." Said Mei.
"One day I will have a baby all my own!" announced Nara proudly.
"Mee twoo!" joined Candela.
"Me three." Added Thoram.
Nara looked at the ceiling, in a gesture of hopelessness, "Boys can't have babies, silly! It's a girl thing!"
"Says who?" inquired the boy.
"Says the Elder, and Mommy, and Auntie Nene, and many, many more!" concluded the red-haired girl.
Used at losing arguments to his energetic friend, and not really caring about the whole thing anyway, the boy shrugged and silently ate his fare. Satisfied, and thoroughly pleased with herself, Nara attacked her own food hungrily. Mei still wondered at the name Vahn and Noa had chosen for the girl, she suspected that it was a contraction of two words from the old tongue, literarily meaning 'Mountain's Beloved', but her friends had never commented on it. The five of them had just finished their lunch, when there was an assured knock at the door.
Nene finally allowed Vahn into the house, and Gala went to fetch Nara. The monk had made an unexpected visit, to everyone's delight. "You have a healthy baby girl Vahn, you can go see them now." Said the young girl. The dark-haired man wondered at how time passes, for his little sister was blossoming into maidenhood, and had become the region's healer's apprentice, assisting many births in the surrounding villages.
Noa was prompted on pillows, the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms, for coming into the world is a tiring ordeal after all. "Come, Vahn, someone here would like to meet you." Said the little one's mother. He reached, tenderly kissing her, and then gently touching his lips to his newborn daughter's tiny brow. "I love you, you know, I'll never tire of saying It." He whispered. "And I'll never tire of hearing you say it, my beloved." She answered back, lightly touching his face with her free hand.
Suddenly, they both burst out in laugher, as they heard the sound of small feet running into the house, and an exited little voice exclaim, "Yay! I have a little SIS-TER!"
***** THE END *****
Rim Elm, Drake Kingdom, five years later.
"Children, lunch is ready!" announced Mei to the boy and two girls. As usual, Nara was first to react and took the lead, she not only was a smaller, four-year-old, version of Noa, but had also inherited her mother's speed, and spirit. Thoram, five springs into the world, stepped in, gently carrying his three-year-old sister, Candela, in his arms. These were both Mei's offspring; little Candela was like her father, blonde and looking at the world through big, curious blue orbs. The boy was brown-eyed and haired, big and strong for his age, and had Trevor's personality, infinitely kind, caring, and quiet.
Mei's husband came behind her, hugged her gently in his powerful arms, and kissed her cheek, just as the kids stepped in. "Yuk! Gwoss!" exclaimed Candela, "Get a room!" piped Nara. Thoram rolled his eyes but remained silent. The adults smiled at the display, remembering a time when they shared the same opinions, and at any rate the little ones seemed more amused than disturbed.
As they sat to enjoy a meal of bread, cheese, and fruit, Nara asked Mei, her gray-green eyes looking at the young woman expectantly, "When can I see Mommy, Auntie?". "Soon, sweetie, the baby will be born shortly, and then you'll go and meet your new sibling." Said Mei.
"One day I will have a baby all my own!" announced Nara proudly.
"Mee twoo!" joined Candela.
"Me three." Added Thoram.
Nara looked at the ceiling, in a gesture of hopelessness, "Boys can't have babies, silly! It's a girl thing!"
"Says who?" inquired the boy.
"Says the Elder, and Mommy, and Auntie Nene, and many, many more!" concluded the red-haired girl.
Used at losing arguments to his energetic friend, and not really caring about the whole thing anyway, the boy shrugged and silently ate his fare. Satisfied, and thoroughly pleased with herself, Nara attacked her own food hungrily. Mei still wondered at the name Vahn and Noa had chosen for the girl, she suspected that it was a contraction of two words from the old tongue, literarily meaning 'Mountain's Beloved', but her friends had never commented on it. The five of them had just finished their lunch, when there was an assured knock at the door.
Nene finally allowed Vahn into the house, and Gala went to fetch Nara. The monk had made an unexpected visit, to everyone's delight. "You have a healthy baby girl Vahn, you can go see them now." Said the young girl. The dark-haired man wondered at how time passes, for his little sister was blossoming into maidenhood, and had become the region's healer's apprentice, assisting many births in the surrounding villages.
Noa was prompted on pillows, the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms, for coming into the world is a tiring ordeal after all. "Come, Vahn, someone here would like to meet you." Said the little one's mother. He reached, tenderly kissing her, and then gently touching his lips to his newborn daughter's tiny brow. "I love you, you know, I'll never tire of saying It." He whispered. "And I'll never tire of hearing you say it, my beloved." She answered back, lightly touching his face with her free hand.
Suddenly, they both burst out in laugher, as they heard the sound of small feet running into the house, and an exited little voice exclaim, "Yay! I have a little SIS-TER!"
***** THE END *****