Nine



EIGHT MONTHS LATER



"I don't like green," decided Ari, putting a hand on her swollen belly. "I'd much rather have yellow." Leeta put down the silk curtains and rolled her eyes at Ari. Daleya laughed, and continue to sew embroidary on one of the pillows.

"I hate to be so picky," Ari apoligized, "but I want this to be special."

Leeta nodded. "I know."

After Ari and Thade's wedding, Ari had began to decorate the nursery. Daleya, much happier after a few months of recovery and Leeta, who was thrilled about this baby, had helped her almost every day. Daleya sewed beautiful patterns onto pillows and Ari and Leeta tried to pick a colour scheme.

"What about pink?" Daleya suggested, staring down at Leeta's pink dress.

"What if it's a boy?" Ari asked, wrinkling her nose. She stiffened as the baby moved.

"Are you alright?" Leeta asked, concern on her face.

Ari nodded, but her face showed otherwise. "I'm fine. It's too early, anyways." But Ari knew better. The baby could come at any time, the doctor told her. A human woman had a time span of nine months, but ape females could be any time, it just depended on the rate of development, and by the look of Ari's belly, she seemed ready.

"I know!" cried Daleya. "How about red?"

Ari shook her head. "I think I'm going to go with yellow. It matches the colour of the wood of the cradle. Ari always sat in this room, and just looked around. She and Thade had been given many presents for the baby, and Ari had set them around the room.

"Ouch!" Ari gasped, clutching her stomach. The other two looked at her with alarm. "They're kicking a lot today," she said, trying not to show discomfort to her friends. She knew they would just make a big deal about it.

"Maybe I should find Thade," Leeta said. Ari shook her head.

"No, I just need to sit down for a minute, that's all." Ari sat down on the edge of the gorgeous mahogany rocking chair that her father had given them. Sweat beaded at her forehead and her breathing was laboured and shallow. Leeta ran from the room, and Daleya rushed to Ari's side.

"Just relax, Ari. Everything is going to be fine."









Leeta ran out of the house and wondered where she could find Thade. She ran towards the Sandar house and knocked on the door. Sandar answered.

"Is Thade here?" she asked, breathing heavily.

"No, why?" Sandar asked. "Is something wrong."

Leeta nodded. "It's Ari. I think she's ready."

Sandar eyes went wide and he nodded. "You find Thade, and I'll find the doctor."





To Leeta's luck, Thade and Attar were walking towards his house. Thade stopped when he saw the look in Leeta's eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Ari," Leeta replied. "She's ready." Thade swallowed, looking a little nervous, but ran after Leeta to his house.

"You're too late," Daleya said, when they arrived.

"Why?" demanded Thade.

Daleya smiled, and gestured towards the stairs. "Go and see for yourself." Thade left Attar, Daleya and Leeta downstairs and went up to the bedroom. As he opened the door, the doctor, an orangutan, was just leaving.

He smiled at Thade. "Congratulations," he said. Thade nodded his thanks, and went into the bedroom. He saw Ari laying there, propped up against the pillows, looking exhausted. Even though she was tired, she glowed with happiness and pride. In her arms she held a tiny bundle that's soft cries filled the room.

Thade sat down beside his wife and kissed her on the forehead. He smiled at her and looked down in her arms. There was his child staring up at him with confused eyes.

Ari shifted the baby into his arms, and smiled. "We have a daughter," she said.

Thade held the baby to his chest and smiled down at her. "What did you call her?" he asked.

"I was waiting for you," Ari said. She had been wondering what to call her, but couldn't think of anything. Blythe, which meant true happiness, was Thade's mother's name. She had died when Thade was a teenager, and Ari remembered how much he loved and missed her.

"How about Blythe?" Ari asked.

Thade smiled. "After my mother?" he said.

Ari nodded. "It's a beautiful name."

"Okay," Thade agreed, and kissed his daughter on the forehead









"I'm so happy for them," Daleya said, sitting down beside Attar on the front steps. Attar looked up at her and smiled.

"Me too," he said. "I can't wait to have my own children."

"I know," Daleya sighed. "I thought I'd have soon some, but after Usis died I..." Daleya trailed off as tears filled her eyes. Attar put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"He was a great soldier," he said. "And a good friend."

"I miss him so much," Daleya admitted. "Ever time I think about him my heart breaks again."

"Then maybe you should move on," Attar suggested.

Daleya looked up into Attar's soft brown eyes, and realized how right he was.