Earth's Children
Summary: The parents of Harper tell their tale of life and love in Post-Commonwealth Earth.
Author: Luna Sealeaf
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Again, I do not own any Andromeda characters, so don't sue me, etc. etc...
Night of stars and night of love,
Fall gently o'er the waters,
Heav'n around, below, above,
No more we'll heed the shore!
-Ancient Earth song
Episode Seven
I can't remember a time when I was so happy. For at least a week after our wedding, I felt sure that our future was secure. The Nietzscheans were gone, leaving us to live our lives, Liam and I were starting a field of crops, and the village itself would soon be self-sustaining. I remember those days as being filled with music; Josephine wanted me to play my tin whistle for her, and she would often sing when we were alone.
The days were beautiful, and almost every night the six of us would gather for dinner, sometimes sitting together for hours, just talking, telling stories, and such. Devin had finally asked Orla to marry him. She had asked for a day to consider it, just to scare him, I think, for taking so long about it, but of course she said yes. Even the work seemed pleasant. Liam was the only one who had some idea of how to farm, which left Devin and I, and sometimes one of the girls, to be field hands. Liam didn't like to talk while he worked, but Devin and I would joke and tease each other as we tried to make the soil fit for growing food. He and I had a similar humor, and we quickly became good friends.
But the happiest moments were when I was at my new house with Josephine. While I had asked if I might call her Rose, I rarely said the name out loud. In my mind I sometimes thought of her as Rose, but when I talked I usually called her by her first name. Surprisingly, not much had changed in our relationship, or at least, she still talked to me the same way she always did. One evening, about two weeks after the wedding, we were sitting on the floor in front of the small fireplace, watching the flames slowly die.
"I love you," I said softly, my arm around her, holding her close to me. When she didn't answer, I glanced down to see if she'd fallen asleep. But no, she was awake, just staring into the fire with wide eyes.
"Josephine?" I prompted softly, wondering what thoughts were in her head to make her stare at the flames with such intensity.
"What is love Evan?" She turned her face up towards me, and I was afraid I would melt under her gaze.
"When I know what love is, exactly, then I will respond the way you want me to," Then she kissed me softly on the forehead, stood, gathering the blanket around her, and left me with my troubled thoughts.
After that, something changed. I'm not sure what it was, but it was as if we were suddenly a little uncomfortable in each other's presence. However our lives continued; we woke in the morning, ate a small breakfast, and then I went to help Liam in the fields, a never ending task, while Josephine either went to the village to trade for supplies, or helped Orla and Lughna with various chores. If one of them had a moment to spare, they came to help us.
For a month or so, we were jubilant with success. In this practically barren land, the fruits (or rather, vegetables,) of our labor could be seen as the plants slowly began to grow. Even Josephine would smile broadly every time she passed the small field. It was a source of pride; as well as a representation of our hopes for the future. It was our proof that we, as humans, could survive without the Nietzscheans.
But then the rain began...and it didn't stop. When it first came, we were glad of the water; once boiled it could be used to drink or bathe in, not to mention that the moisture helped the crops. As summer dragged on though, it rained nearly every day. The humidity was almost unbearable when it wasn't raining, and many in the village came down with a fever, myself included. I awoke one morning with a deep ache in my bones, and I shivered as I tried to get out of bed.
"Evan? Are you well?" Josephine had leaned over when she saw me shaking, and laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. I tried to answer, but my throat was too dry to get any words out. Instead I stood up to get dressed, only to sit right back down as a wave of dizziness hit me.
"Rest here Evan; I'll bring you some water. Don't you dare try to get out of that bed!" my wife ordered, hurrying off to fetch me a glass of water. I was already asleep by the time she returned. I don't remember my sickness very well; I felt like I dreamed for a very long time. In reality I was only unconscious for a few days, when I awoke I was weak as a kitten. Despite my pain, and my anxiety about not being able to help with the food, it was gratifying to see how worried Josephine had been for my sake, and I enjoyed the extra attention she gave me. The thought instantly made me guilty; there were dark circles under her eyes from sitting up by my side, and during the day she'd had the usual chores, plus mine, to do, all on her own.
By the time I regained my strength, the people of Dunwich had recovered from the illness, and fall was fast approaching. As Liam, Devin, and I prepared for the harvest, we surveyed the field with despair. Many of the crops had died from too much water, what was left would barely sustain us all through the winter.
"We'll manage. We can always hunt or trade for food from the other villagers," Devin said confidently. "You'll see, we've dealt with little food before." I nodded, but Liam simply stared at the field with wretchedness written all over his face. Concerned, I touched his arm, startling him out of his thoughts.
"Don't worry Liam, next season will be better," I tried to cheer him up.
"But we need food now," He said softly, rubbing a hand over his tired face. Devin and I exchanged curious looks; Liam wasn't one for pessimism. He saw the confused looks on our faces, sighed, and explained.
"Lughna's with child, I'm afraid there won't be enough food for her and the babe," After expressing our congratulations, the realization of what this meant became clear.
"Don't worry Liam, we'll make sure everything's well," I promised. He nodded, accepting my words, but not really believing them. I was his little brother; he always felt it was his job to take care of us all, and not the other way around. Later that evening, Devin and I told Orla and Josephine the news.
"Evan isn't it wonderful! We'll have a little niece or nephew! Oh I can't wait," Orla hugged me excitedly, and I suddenly smiled too; I hadn't thought about it really, but the idea of being an uncle was definitely a happy one.
"Assuming Lughna gets enough food to take care of herself." Josephine said quietly, breaking the happy reverie that had fallen on me and Orla. So among the four of us we decided to take less food, in order to make sure Lughna and Liam got plenty, as they'd need their strength more than us. Afterwards Josephine and I walked home in silence, and I wondered what she thought of the news.
"I'm happy for them. Lughna will be an excellent mother," Josephine said in reply to my question. Something in her tone led me to believe she was holding a thought back, and as we entered the small house, I caught her hand and asked if anything was wrong.
"I was just wondering what it would be like to have a child, that's all," She said softly, not meeting my eyes. I smiled and drew her into a hug.
"Someday we'll have lots of children Rose. We'll start our own little community of free humans right here in Dunwich." She didn't answer, and as I bent to kiss her, she seemed to stiffen slightly. With a sigh, I turned away and got ready for bed.
Winter came early that year; snow was never much of an issue, but the cold was sharp and bitter. Day after day the skies were gray and the air frigid. I worried for Josephine's health; with little food and the lack of sunlight, she'd become pale and withdrawn. Liam had his own worries over Lughna's health, and when Devin explained how the weather was making Orla depressed, I decided it was time to do something about the gloom. One evening Devin and I snuck off towards the village, where we learned that a celebration was being planned for the winter solstice, as well as to mark the last of the Nietzscheans leaving, and the factories being closed. Although this was promising, Devin and I continued with our original plan; to see if the lake had frozen over. It hadn't quite yet, but we were glad to see that it wouldn't take long.
To pass the month until the festival, I took over the cooking to relieve Josephine of an extra chore. This turned out to be a disaster as I was a terrible cook, but Josephine enjoyed laughing at my troubles, and soon she was teaching me to prepare simply meals. The uneasiness we'd felt earlier on in our marriage had all but faded away; Josephine had become my best friend as well as my dearest love. Now I sometimes wish I had taken the time to count my blessings rather then to mourn over what we didn't have. How could I not see that I was surrounded by friends and family who loved me? My only excuse is that I was young, and the young often take things for granted.
The solstice came, and we bundled up for the small festival, bringing what food goods we could spare. Bonfires roared in the streets, and I played a few songs in the square. Several people had various musical instruments, others sang. There was food, a few contests, and much trading. For the first time in months Lughna's skin had color, and she laughed. For Liam, I think it was worth the cold just to see her having a good time. Although she was only a few months pregnant, it had already been a difficult one for her, Josephine told me secretly, and while we were in the village the girls went to see the local midwife for advice.
I was sipping a mug of hot tea with Devin when Josephine stormed up to us, Orla following behind with a worried expression.
"What's the matter?" Devin asked, taking a step closer to the bonfire we were standing by.
"That horrid old woman doesn't know what she's talking about," Josephine practically shouted. Devin and I looked to Orla for an explanation.
"Some of the remedies the midwife prescribed go against Josephine's knowledge of medicine," She said quietly, obviously uneasy about repeating what had happened.
"'Go against!' Orla, the so-called 'medicines' she told Lughna to take will either kill her or make her miscarry for sure! You don't mix those plants," She rambled on for a few minutes about something to do with herbs. Devin glanced at me, but I could only shrug. She was his sister; he ought to know her as well as I did, if not better. At last, as night fell, we made our way back to our three small homes; glad nonetheless for the brief break in the monotony of the bleak winter.
Except for a short week where we all went to the frozen lake, gliding across it and mostly making fools of ourselves, we stayed inside to wait out the cold season.
"Perhaps we should hibernate, like the animals of old used to do," Josephine joked one night, huddled in a pile of blankets by our fire. Carrying two small cups of tea, I hurried over to her side, handed her one, and pulled the blankets around myself as well.
"Ah, but we have better ways to keep warm," I said in a teasing voice, wiggling my eyebrows at her over the rim of my tea. As intended, she laughed at my silliness. We fell quiet, sipping the hot tea. (Oh how I longed for a drink of decent whiskey or beer! Liam and I had discussed making our own, but lacked the proper ingredients)
"Everything's changed so fast," She said after a moment, her voice serious.
"Yeah, I guess it has." I said in agreement. I didn't usually think about the past much; it was too depressing, but I realized that for her, things had indeed changed extremely fast. And not just her own life, but the village itself. She had grown up with the Nietzscheans ruling and the factories being the main source of income. In a few months, less than a year, Dunwich had suddenly become isolated, practically cut off from the rest of the world. It must have been unsettling, at the least, for her.
"How bout this; I promise never to change. No matter how weird things get, I'll always be the same: in love with you." I suggested, pulling the blanket around us tighter. She smiled at the suggestion, resting her head on my shoulder.
"Sounds like a plan," she replied, and we spent the rest of the night in peaceful silence.
Just when we were sure that we couldn't stand another day of winter, the first signs of spring began to show. Each day became a little warmer, the sky became a little bluer, and the sun, nigh unseen for months, was again shining brightly.
None of us wanted to remain indoors when the weather was so beautiful, and we resumed our usual group dinners outside. The laughter and light returned to Orla's eyes, Josephine filled out a bit more, and we men were simply happy to have something to do. Lughna was heavy with the pregnancy now, but her smile had returned to her face, and the girls often crowded into her room to keep her company and help with the chores. Meanwhile, Liam, Devin, and I were trying to replant the fields. For once I didn't complain about the back-breaking work; I was too happy to be outdoors again. Even Liam was grinning most of the time, clearly hopeful about the next crop, and excited about becoming a father.
For our one year anniversary, Josephine and I spent a whole day alone together. I had found a bit of wood and carved it into a rose, or what I imagined a rose to look like, and gave it to her as a present. It was a lovely day, most of which we spent talking, among other things.
Then, maybe three or four days later, Liam was working with Devin and me in the fields when Orla came racing towards us. We stopped working, afraid she had bad news.
"Liam! Lughna's giving birth!" Orla cried out, waving her arms frantically. Liam paled visibly and suddenly broke into a run. Devin and I laughed and followed Orla back up the small hill to Liam and Lughna's home.
"Out! Get out all of you, except you Orla, I may need help. The rest of you get out!" Josephine was already there and wouldn't let even Liam past the doorway.
"Josephine, that's my wife," Liam protested, trying to get by her. He winced as Lughna cried out from somewhere inside.
"I'm sorry Liam, but I need room to help Lughna, and she needs air to breathe, so you'll just have to wait outside." While she spoke, I came to her side and asked softly, so the others couldn't hear,
"Josephine, have you ever delivered a child before?"
"Have you?" She shot back. This was not the most reassuring answer, but as Josephine knew the most about medicines and such, there didn't seem to be a choice.
That was one of the longest days I've ever waited through. Devin suggested we go back to the fields and continue working, but Liam and I were too nervous to do anything but sit there. Every once in awhile Lughna would scream and we would watch in sympathy as Liam clasped his hands and grimaced. Orla was the only one moving; running back and forth, from hut to hut gathering supplies, sometimes pausing to place a reassuring hand on Liam's shoulder, or give an encouraging smile, before hurrying back inside to assist Josephine.
Evening came and I used my newfound cooking skills to scrape together a quick dinner for all of us. Josephine was the only one who didn't come out to eat.
"Should it be taking this long?" Liam asked more than once in a worried voice. Neither Devin nor I had any idea, so we could only shrug. Finally, Josephine stepped out of the small doorway into the night. We stood up as one, and I reached for her; she was pale, shaking, and her arms were covered in blood.
"Liam, your daughter is born." She said the words simply, but didn't move aside as Liam tried to enter the house.
"There is another child, Liam. It's going to be difficult for Lughna, so I ask that you wait here for a little longer. As soon as the second one is delivered, you can come and see them both."
"How is Lughna?" Liam asked anxiously. Josephine looked him in the eye steadily as she answered.
"I can't tell you right now. She's lost a lot of blood, and she's a small woman...I just don't know right now," she reached out to reassure him, then seemed to remember the blood covering her hands, so instead she turned and went back inside, closing the door behind her. We sat in silence for a few moments, absorbing the news she had brought. None of us wanted to talk, but we couldn't let Liam dwell on his worry for Lughna.
"A little girl eh? Have you discussed names yet?" I finally asked, trying to sound cheerful.
"Yes, if it was a girl, Lughna wanted to name her Siobhan, after her mother." He fell silent, and no one said anything else for a long time. I was determined to stay awake as the night wore on, and my fear for Lughna's health helped keep me awake. Then, an hour before dawn, Josephine came back outside, and this time there was a tired smile on her face. As she opened the door we could hear a child's cry. Liam practically leapt to his feet.
"Congratulations Liam; you have a healthy baby boy as well as a girl. Lughna will recover. You may go see them now." She moved away just in time as Liam ran inside. Devin wandered in to see Orla, and I moved to Josephine could sit down.
"If you can let Orla handle things, you should go and get some rest." I told her gently. I could see the exhaustion filling her eyes. I helped her to get cleaned up, and then made sure she went to sleep, before finally going to see my niece and nephew. Lughna was sleeping inside, Orla and Devin were carrying bundles of soiled sheets out to be washed, and Liam was holding the two children in his arms. He looked up and smiled when he heard me enter.
"They're beautiful," Liam said softly. I walked over to look at them closely. "The boy's name is Declan. Aren't they amazing?" I stayed with him for a few minutes, but my own feelings were quickly becoming overwhelmed with exhaustion, and I went to join Josephine in sleep.
The children, or 'bairns' as Liam and even I sometimes called them, were strong for all that they were so small. Lughna slowly regained her strength, and all in all the two were delighted with their son and daughter. It was not a completely happy ending though; Josephine told them both that it was unlikely Lughna would have any more children, that if she did become pregnant, another hard birth like that would most likely kill her. They were too happy to care much at the time, neither of them thinking of future children for the moment. We were all caught up in helping Liam and Lughna with the babies. Orla was absolutely in love with them, telling Devin in no uncertain terms that she wanted children of her own someday.
I was just as taken as the others, making small toys for them whenever I had time to spare, and often volunteering to help watch them. I had never been around babies before, and it was an amazing experience. Josephine was always so tender with them, as though afraid they would break if handled too roughly. Seeing how happy Liam and Lughna were made me want to be a father, and I began bringing the subject up with Josephine more often. She wasn't quite as enthused by the conversations, and I sometimes got a little short tempered with her.
"I thought you wanted kids," I said in a rather accusing tone of voice. We were alone in the house and Josephine had been mending our clothes.
"I do. Or I did. I'm not so sure anymore." She set the cloth down and stared at the floor.
"What changed your mind?" I asked incredulously; surely seeing our niece and nephew would have had the same effect on Josephine as it had on Orla.
"Look Evan, I know Orla and Lughna can't stop talking about babies and all that, but neither of them seem to remember the night Lughna gave birth. I do. It was terrifying; Lughna nearly died. The children nearly died. What's changed my mind? Fear. I don't want to die," She stood up, raising her voice in anger, but at her last words she started crying and turned away from me. I felt terrible and went to comfort her, but she shrugged my hands away and went to our bedroom. I guess I hadn't really thought about it, but if it was a question between having kids or having Josephine, my choice was clearly Josephine.
The summer passed in a blur of unexpected happiness. The crops were growing wildly, Siobhan and Declan grew stronger and healthier with each day, and the rest of us watched them with pride and joy. Autumn came, but it was longer than last year's season, and this time there was a much more substantial harvest, which was good seeing as how there were two more mouths to feed. The days didn't become cold until late November, as though to make up for last year's early winter. All in all this season was much easier than the last, and it went by faster than the last winter as well. I think part of the reason was due to the extra food, but our good moods were mainly due to the two babies, who provided us with much amusement through those long winter nights. We'd crowd into Liam and Lughna's hut, share food, talking, the usual, and watch the two babies playing and laughing. With such entertainment, the days almost went by too quickly. There was no news from the outside world, and Dunwich was becoming more independent each and every day. Things were practically perfect.
Sometimes I think Josephine would still dwell on the warning given to her by the Nietzschean woman a year ago, but she almost never shared her concerns with me.
One late afternoon in spring, just after our second anniversary, I found her standing outside, looking out over the landscape as though trying to figure out a puzzle. I walked up behind her, and she still didn't notice my presence. Or at least, I thought she hadn't, until suddenly she broke the silence.
"Something's different," She said softly, still staring out at the world.
"What do you mean? A lot is different..." I trailed off, confused by her words. She shook her head slightly.
"No, something...else...isn't right," She sounded so worried that I slipped an arm around her waist, leaned against her and tried to understand her thoughts. As usual they eluded me. We were quiet for a few minutes, and finally I asked,
"Is there something else on your mind?" She smiled, turning to face me, but the smile wasn't one of gladness.
"Earlier today, I was beginning to rethink my views on having children,"
"Oh? I was wondering why you left Devin and Orla's so soon." I waited for her to continue, knowing she wasn't finished.
"Yes, well, it occurred to me that I may not have a choice when it comes to having children." I admit to being confused by her words, so I didn't say anything as she went on.
"Orla told me that she thinks she's pregnant." I was about to say something, surprised at the news, but Josephine cut me off, "She's not positive, so she doesn't want to say anything until she's sure. But it made me think, Evan; Lughna and Liam were married for less than a year when she got pregnant, and Orla and Devin haven't been together for as long as we have. We've been together for two years now and..." I knew where her thoughts were going, and I quickly stopped her from continuing.
"Josephine, Liam and Lughna were together for a year before they got married, and who knows how long Devin and Orla..." I suddenly frowned, not wanting to think about my sister and Devin, "Anyway, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about Josephine. If we're meant to have kids, then we'll have them."
"I guess you're right," She said softly.
"And I know how much it pains you to admit it," This earned me a smile, and I convinced her to stop worrying about it. Spring was always her favorite time of the year, and I suppose that for a while she was able to keep her disturbing thoughts away. Siobhan and Declan were a year old now, and they were becoming little people rather than just babies; starting to talk and developing individual personalities. They held our attention most of the time.
"I didn't know they grew so fast," Lughna commented one day as we watched her two children chasing each other in a game that only they understood. I have to admit it was a beautiful sight, and I could tell that Lughna and Liam were beginning to remember their dilemma, now that the twins were growing older. They had both wanted a big family, but it seemed unlikely that it was meant to be.
The crops were again beginning to grow when Orla confirmed her belief; Devin was ecstatic, though also terribly frightened, he told me one evening, but all of us were looking forward to more children in our large family. Josephine began fussing over Orla's health; I knew she was worried about her, but my sister was taller and stronger than Lughna, and I felt confident that she would be ok. So another lazy summer began. Later I would look back and be amazed at how quickly the times had passed, but I suppose when your life is good and peaceful, the days tend to go by faster than when each day is a battle.
Still, our time of peace didn't last long. The outside world hadn't disappeared; it had merely left us alone for a time. Towards the end of the summer, people began to worry over reports that Magog attacks had increased around the world. Josephine however, remained unconcerned.
"They attacked once, more than a decade ago, but Earth isn't a small planet; what are the odds that they'll attack here again so soon?" For the most part, we agreed with her, but the talk kept us from enjoying the fall harvest time as much as we had the year before. When reports came of Magog attacking as near as New York, panic began to spread. Some families had already decided to move to the Refugee Camps, and the six of us were even considering the option. Liam soon dismissed the thought; the idea that our peaceful lives could be interrupted was unthinkable. So winter came and we all continued with our peaceful existence.
Then one morning I awoke to an awful sound; Josephine was retching into a water bucket in the other room. Concerned, for she never got sick, I quickly got out of bed and went to see what was wrong. I had rested a hand on her back and was trying to soothe her with comforting words, when to my surprise, she turned around and laughed.
"Josephine, what's wrong, are you sick?" I tried to press a hand to her cheek, but she brushed it away impatiently.
"Evan, I'm fine,"
"You don't look it," I said in disbelief. Judging by her broad smile, she had a pretty high fever that was making her delusional...
"Evan, I'm going to have a baby!" She announced, standing to throw her arms around me in a hug. We embraced for several minutes as I tried to understand the meaning of her words. When it finally made sense, a smile threatened to split my face in two. And then she said the words I'd waited nearly three years to hear.
"I love you so much,"
And with those words, our formerly happy, peaceful world began to end. Proof, if ever it was needed, that the Universe loves jokes, especially when they're on us.
Author's Note:
Wow, this was a long episode! But then a lot happened. I hope it didn't feel too rushed. I can't thank everyone enough for their kind reviews! You guys rock! One more episode, I think, and then the real fun can begin. Mwahahahahaha. All this was really just a prologue. Granted, a really long prologue...anyway, I'd enjoy the warm and fuzzy moments while you can. Ok, me out. Thanks for reading,
Luna Sealeaf