***Author's note: This is an alternate (and greatly abbreviated) story where Talvas didn't kidnap Miranja and ruin everything – the stupidly happy ending Miranja would have preferred. This story syncs up more with my actual playthrough, in that Miranja joined the Legion and fought in the civil war BEFORE having to do the peace conference and hand over Markarth to the Stormcloaks, so Ondolemar is still alive and well.***
1 Second Seed, 4E 203
Miranja and Talvas were making the rounds of their Skyrim properties, checking in to make sure her people's needs were being met, that everyone was happy, comfortable, and getting along, and to gather whatever spare crops they were able to collect to share on Solstheim. Normally, they would return to Solstheim on or before the first of the month in order to trade with the Skaal on the first, but this time Miranja had had the delicious idea to take Talvas out to the fertile fields of Goldenhills Plantation on the first of Second Seed, to celebrate the spring and the new life bursting forth by making love as the sun rose over the rolling tundra of Whiterun.
It was an age-old fertility ritual, undoubtedly started in a place and time where and when people hadn't been able to grow crops all year long, but since Miranja had been taking an herbal birth control formula since she'd first become sexually active, she was sure that she was infertile by now, and that was fine with her. She just loved the idea of making love outdoors like the animals and being part of nature. Talvas, of course, was game for anything she suggested, especially if it involved getting naked with her; he would jump off of Bard's Leap blindfolded if she expressed the whim. Not that she'd ever suggest anything so rash that would put his precious life in danger – that was altogether different in her mind from adventuring, although technically, adventuring put both of their lives in danger. Her love for him was always a burning ember in her heart, which could be fanned to a roaring flame at the slightest stimulus. And although in the long run Talvas was getting the short end of the stick, he loved her just as deeply and desperately and would follow her to the ends of the earth.
They rose an hour before dawn, gathered up the furs, mead, fruit, cheese, and nuts they'd prepared the night before, and went out to the wheat field. Talvas carried a lantern hanging from the forked end of a long, slender branch. They found a cozy spot on the far side of the field, within the shelter of the fence and out of sight of both the farmhouse and the bunkhouse. Talvas planted the stick with the lantern to the north of their spot, then they spread the furs on the ground, and sat close together facing east and feeding each other while they waited for the sun to rise.
"Thank you for agreeing to this, love," Miranja said, leaning against his shoulder and feeding him a snowberry and a bite of soft cheese.
"How could I say no to such an impassioned plea?" Talvas smiled. He put his arm around her, pulled her tightly to his side, and kissed her forehead as she gazed lovingly at him with shining, damp eyes.
A tear trickled down her cheek.
"Are you all right, Miranja?"
"My heart is so full right now," she whispered, a lump in her throat. "When I first met you I never thought I'd end up falling in love with you, or that you would return my love just as passionately. I'm so thankful for you, Talvas. You are the love of my life."
"And you're mine," Talvas reciprocated. "I've never felt so strongly about anyone before. My world revolves around you, you know."
"Oh, Talvas, I know this sounds utterly corny, but you make me happier than anything else in this life. I'm so glad my parents were supportive of our relationship. Of course, I knew they would be. They're very open-minded, generous, and compassionate people."
"It was wonderful meeting them," Talvas said. "And I'm glad they and my parents got on well. And thank you for understanding my parents' concerns."
"I understand them because I have the same concerns myself," Miranja told him. Said concerns revolved primarily around their disparate lifespans – even with the help of life-extending magicks, she would grow old and die long before Talvas would, and he would have to watch her grow feeble and grieve her after she was gone. If, that was, they both continued to survive the wild animals, the Blood Horkers, the Dawnguard, the Morag Tong, and so many other things that threatened their lives on almost a daily basis. "But I don't want to think of that right now. I want to think of how good it feels to be here with you right now, in your arms, being madly in love with you, being joined with you…" She pulled away slightly and turned more toward him, and her eyes on his mouth were his cue to kiss her.
The idea was for this to be a primal experience, and in Miranja's eyes, there was nothing quite so primal as the Forsworn, so she and Talvas had worn Forsworn "armor" for this outing. The added benefit to this clothing was that it was simple, scant, and easy to remove. Their kisses became more passionate, and they undressed each other as they kissed, stroking and fondling everything they uncovered as the sky lightened in the east. It was chilly, and they stopped long enough to get some warming mead into their bellies. They reclined and covered up with one of the furs, facing each other, pressing their bodies close.
Miranja stroked Talvas' face, ear, and neck with her free hand, finally burying her fingers in his thick, tousled black hair and combing through it repeatedly, lovingly. Talvas stroked her cheek for a moment then ran his fingers down her neck and over her collarbone to cup her breast, thumbing the already stiff nipple. The urge to suck it was too overwhelming to fight, so he moved down and did so, eliciting a pleasured moan from his love.
Miranja slid her hand down from his hair to squeeze his lean but muscled shoulder, then worked her arm beneath his so she could continue down his side to his hip, then to his rigid member, grasping it and stroking it gently but firmly. Talvas moaned and mirrored her action, working his fingers between her legs in search of her moist, warm slit. Miranja raised her leg to assist him, propping her knee on his hip, enjoying his touch for a few moments as he slid his fingers pleasurably fore and aft. Then, aching for more, she rose and pushed him onto his back, mounting him and pressing herself against his manhood, grinding in a circular motion and building the pleasure for both of them before lifting herself and fitting him to her entrance.
Hands on his shoulders, looking him in his gleaming crimson eyes, she slowly lowered herself onto him, and they both moaned. She lay her body down chest-to-chest with him to feel him close, kissing him sensuously, languidly, as they moved together, slow and deep. Her thoughts were focused on being joined with the one she loved most in all the world, that she was welcoming him into her very body, giving him all the pleasure she could give him. There was nothing so supremely euphoric to her as being one with the love of her life.
Talvas, for his part, was having similar thoughts, but being a man, his thoughts were perhaps just a little more on the selfish side. He loved to look at her, smell her, touch her, taste her, listen to her sexy moans, sighs, and squeals. He enjoyed making her make those noises. He was, to be sure, in awe that she loved him as fiercely and passionately as she did, and there was no question that he loved her back just as much. Yes, she was giving herself – body and soul – to him, but he surrendered himself to her in return. He was never so vulnerable to anyone as he was to this amazing woman. Dragonborn, Arch-Mage, bard, warrior, vanquisher of evil, alchemist, healer, humanitarian – he felt that even if he became the most powerful Master Wizard in Tamriel, he would still never compare to all the wonderful things that she was. He counted himself the most blessed man on Nirn to possess her love, her body, her very being.
Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled them over so that she was beneath him, lifting up on his elbows so as not to crush her. He drank up her lovely face, reveled in the adoring look in her emerald eyes. As the first rays of the sun stretched their golden fingers over the horizon, he re-entered her, drawing forth another impassioned moan. He kissed her hungrily, lust and love intermingled in his mind and heart. She was his woman, now and forever, their souls inextricably linked.
Master Neloth would never be a competitor for her affections again. A month ago, right in front of the Palace of the Kings with Brunwulf Free-Winter presiding as Jarl, and their friend Erandur performing the ceremony, Miranja had proudly pledged herself to him, right hand bound to his right hand in the ancient ritual before both of their parents and all of their friends in a fairly simple but well-attended wedding. Decorations were non-existent, but they had a big outdoor reception with tables set up all around the Candlehearth, and they made sure there was plenty of food. All three of Miranja's bards played music and mingled with the guests. Inside the Candlehearth, Lisette and Jorn accompanied Luaffyn in playing music for a festive dance in the cleared-out common room.
Having met her mother, it was no surprise to Talvas that Miranja was such a loving and compassionate soul. Hjalda had certainly earned the name "Hjalda the Compassionate." And Miranja's father Flavio was a fine, honorable Legion veteran who did all he could to make the lives of his friends and neighbors more pleasant, regardless of race or social standing. Talvas' own parents, Beran and Salyna, while they were unusually good to their slaves as well as their paid employees, were nevertheless slave owners, to Talvas' shame. It had never occurred to him until he went to Skyrim with Miranja that slavery was not a universal thing, and Miranja had convinced him that it was not right for people to own other people – whether those people were Khajiit, Argonian, human, or otherwise. That sense of ownership was what had gotten him into trouble with her for the first time, and when she put it into terms specifically regarding him and her, it made more sense to him – Miranja was a beautiful, free spirit who should never be shackled. Every person had the right to live their own lives as they saw fit, provided they weren't hurting anyone.
Miranja raised her legs higher and linked her ankles behind Talvas's lower back, causing him to snap out of his memories and return to the present. He had subconsciously started thrusting harder when he'd thought of Master Neloth losing out, and it made him suddenly worry that they would have a replay of that night in Whiterun when he'd tried to claim her in his mind and she'd used the Voice on him. But things were different now. She wanted to be claimed by him; it thrilled her heart when he dominated her. His intensifying their coupling had not repulsed her but added to her pleasure, and her breath was starting to hitch. He knew she would climax very soon, and that thought spurred his own rise toward the apex…
"Talvas… Talvas…" she panted, clinging to him with both her arms and her legs. "I love you so much, precious husband… come with me, fill me with your seed…" Her words devolved into a growling moan as her orgasm overtook her, and the sharp pain of her teeth in his shoulder was a catalyst for his own release. He enjoyed the pain; it was a sign to him that he had caused her to lose control, he had driven her half mad with passion and pleasure. And from now until one of them died, he would be the only one to do so without both of their consent.
^O^O^O^O^O^
25 Second Seed, 4E 203
A few weeks later, back at Severin Manor, Miranja and Talvas were getting washed up and dressed first thing in the morning to go to Tel Mithryn so that Talvas could try to get a full day of training in with Master Neloth before they left for Skyrim for another property tour. When Miranja had brought Talvas back to Tel Mithryn last Heartfire, after their first trip to Skyrim together, Miranja had petitioned Neloth on Talvas' behalf, asserting that Talvas had grown by leaps and bounds in his magical skills while they'd been in Skyrim, and his confidence was much improved. She'd had to convince Neloth that Talvas was honored to be his apprentice and was in awe of his prodigious knowledge and skill, and he was not going to betray him or attempt to murder him like some of Neloth's previous apprentices. Talvas, she assured him sincerely, simply wanted to learn everything Neloth had to teach him so that he could be a worthy heir to Neloth's position and fortune. Of course, it helped that Miranja had already softened Neloth enough to try to be just a little more trusting, and to see things from outside the viewpoint he'd had to develop over centuries of dog-eat-dog Telvanni machinations.
Miranja had been moving slowly that morning, and Talvas thought she looked rather peaked. She'd also commented for the last few days that her nipples were very sore and tender, and he knew it was not because of anything he had done to her in bed. Suddenly, she dropped the pants she'd been about to put on and bolted for the bucket in the corner of the room, where she fell to her knees on the cold stone floor and heaved miserably whatever remained in her stomach from supper last night.
Talvas had never seen her more than simply tired, as she had a tendency to push herself too hard sometimes, and this was completely alien and utterly alarming to him. Horrified, he rushed to her side, pulling her long, loose hair back in an attempt to see her face. She heaved again, but nothing came this time.
"Water," Miranja murmured weakly, and Talvas immediately went to the table and filled a tankard with water from the jug. He returned quickly and handed it to her, watching and waiting with concern as she swished the water in her mouth and spat it into the bucket. She took a small sip and swallowed cautiously, waiting to make sure it would stay down. Then she handed the tankard back to Talvas so she could use both hands to support herself as she rose shakily to her feet, and she leaned on him as they walked back to the bed.
Talvas sat next to her and pressed his hand to her forehead. She was sweating, but her skin was cold. She was still holding her belly and grimacing. Had she been poisoned?
"Miranja, what's wrong? Are you okay?" There was a note of panic in his voice, and Miranja smiled weakly at his loving concern.
"I'll be fine, my love," she assured him. "Let me simply say that… I believe your seed has taken root in my garden."
Talvas looked befuddled for a moment, then realization dawned in his eyes, followed by disbelief with a touch of fear. Miranja continued smiling her small, queasy smile as she took the tankard back from Talvas' unresisting hand and sipped a little more water.
"We're going to be parents?" Talvas whispered, moving to kneel on the floor before her, his squinty eyes wider than Miranja had ever seen them. He took the tankard from her and set it on the floor, then took both her hands in his.
"Yes, I think so," she nodded, feeling a bit trepidatious herself. "It all adds up. My menses are late, my breasts are sore, and now this." This hadn't seriously been her intent when she'd taken Talvas to the fields on the first of the month, although Talvas had occasionally mentioned children in passing as if it was an eventuality, and she really hadn't believed it was possible. But here they were, and Miranja was worried that the herbs she'd taken for the last six years might have an unhealthy effect on the life that now grew within her, even though she'd stopped taking them when they'd gotten married. She would have a long wait to find out.
Miranja looked into Talvas' dear face and was filled with conflicting feelings of love, joy, fear, anticipation, even sorrow. She was certain that she and Talvas loved each other more than anything on Nirn, and she was overjoyed that their physical expression of that love had created a life that would soon become a new and unique person made of a little of both of them. The fear was not only about the possibility of something being wrong with the child because of her herbal potions, but also about not knowing what she was doing as she reared their child. She supposed that she and Talvas would have to muddle through the best they could, with the advice of friends and neighbors. She'd never had siblings to look after, never cared for anyone else's children. And then there was the fear of what would happen to her body, and how much it would hurt giving birth. The anticipation was, at this point, just wanting to see what their child would look like, wanting to see the look on Talvas' face when he saw their child for the first time. Lastly, the sorrow – that her "carefree" days (if they'd ever really been carefree) of mostly doing what she wanted when she wanted on her own terms were over, and there would be many years of having to be responsible for another person ahead of her. She may never have cared for a child herself, but she'd seen enough exhausted parents to know that it was hard work to raise a child.
"A drake for your thoughts," Talvas said gently, seeing the distant, thoughtful look that had come into her eyes.
She shared with him what she had been thinking, and he knee-walked closer, pushing himself gently between her legs to get right up to her, and folded her into his arms. He hugged her tightly for a few moments, then pulled back and kissed her tenderly, reverently.
"You've never been one to back down from a challenge, as long as I've known you," he told her. "I know you'll not only do fine, but amazingly well, like you do with everything."
"Most everything I've done and gotten good at, I've had lots of time to practice. This is different, Talvas. I've had no practice with children. I can't practice on my own child."
"Don't second-guess yourself," Talvas chided gently. "You have your own parents' excellent example, and Alvor and Sigrid…" He paused, thinking of other examples. "Kerah and Endon in Markarth, Rustleif and Seren in Dawnstar, and in Riften you have Dinya and Maramal as well as Fastred and Bassianus. I bet Seren, Dinya, and Fastred would be the best ones to talk to, since their children are still babies and they have the most recent experience with newborns. Don't worry. I know you'll have a lot of support, and I'll be right behind you, holding you up and pushing you forward if you need it. Just do the same for me, okay? We'll both be in unfamiliar territory."
Miranja smiled and placed her hand on his cheek, and he leaned into her touch. "Together," she whispered. "Always."
They embraced again and stayed that way until Talvas' knees couldn't take it anymore, then Miranja finished dressing and they rose and started upstairs to have breakfast. They walked at a leisurely pace down the hallway toward the stairs hand-in-hand, and Miranja said quietly, "Let's not tell anyone until we've at least sent letters to our parents."
"Deal," Talvas replied. "If you want to write the letters before we go to Tel Mithryn, we can drop them with the courier's office before we leave Raven Rock. You are still feeling up to going to Tel Mithryn, right?"
"I am feeling better, yes. And Tel Mithryn should be fine. But I'm not sure about going to Skyrim now. I might spend the whole voyage feeding the fish."
"I've done that trip with you enough times now that I could do it alone if you want me to," Talvas offered.
"I'd miss you something awful," Miranja said, "but it does need to be done. People need to be paid and fed."
"I'll miss you just as much," Talvas replied, squeezing her hand. "But it's only for a week, barring anything unforeseen."
"Just don't play with anyone over there without me," Miranja teased.
"You have my solemn oath, by the Reclamations," Talvas swore. "It's cheating if you're not also involved."
"Yeah, that stuff is going to have to go by the wayside, too," Miranja said with a sigh. "Not just over the next months, but probably for good. Hard enough to make love with your spouse with children around, much less have escapades with other people. But we'll see."
Argis and Bralsa were just finishing their creamed wheat and honeyed apple porridge when Miranja and Talvas arrived.
"Sleep in today?" Argis teased as Bralsa started dishing up porridge for Miranja and Talvas.
"No," Miranja told him, "we've been up for a while, just talking about Tel Mithryn and the trip to Skyrim." She poured some hot water from their ready kettle into a mug, then stirred in a mixture of powdered canis root and ground snowberries.
"I'm off to the mine," Bralsa announced after setting the bowls of porridge on the table.
"See you at lunchtime," Argis replied, pulling her into his arms and kissing her sweetly.
Bralsa pulled away. "What is it with you Nords and your slobbering?" There was a sparkle in her eye and the corner of her mouth turned up ever so slightly.
"Hey, I don't slobber," Argis protested.
Bralsa was already heading for the door. "I love you, you big oaf," she called over her shoulder as she opened the door.
"Love you, too, sweetroll," Argis called back.
"Ugh," Bralsa said, closing the door a little harder than usual.
Argis chuckled to himself; he knew it needled her to be called sweetroll, and that was exactly why he did it.
Miranja sipped slowly and carefully at her tea and ate an obligatory spoonful of porridge, but her stomach reacted threateningly, so she didn't finish it.
Of course, Argis noticed. She usually had a good appetite. "What's wrong with you this morning, Little Bigpants? You're looking a little green around the gills."
"I'm not feeling particularly well this morning, Argis. But I'll be okay, I'm sure. You know me; I'm healthy as can be."
Argis looked dubious but let it go.
After breakfast, Miranja and Talvas went back downstairs and wrote their letters, then headed out to continue their day as planned.
^O^O^O^O^O^
Miranja's morning sickness passed in a few weeks, and Talvas only had to make one trip to Skyrim on his own. Miranja had insisted that he not tell anyone in Skyrim anything other than that she was ill and hadn't felt like making the trip this month, so that they could be together when they announced their news the next month. Besides, she was concerned about the possibility of a miscarriage and didn't want to tell everyone and then have to explain what happened – it would break her heart.
They did, of course, tell their friends in Raven Rock; it would have been difficult to hide from them in light of her morning sickness and the weight she was losing. She suddenly found that she couldn't abide the smell of fish or seafood, and Geldis would have known from that alone that something was not right. She adored clam chowder and ordered it every time it was on the menu.
Telling Master Neloth was difficult for them, especially for Miranja. He still held a very special place in her heart, and she knew that he still loved her in spite of his eternal stoicism. He had cited busyness as his reason for not attending their wedding, but she knew he was hurt. Although he had never said anything aloud, she suspected that when she and Talvas had first announced their official union, he had felt that this was almost as big a betrayal on Talvas' part as if he had literally attempted to murder him and take his position. But in spite of his avoiding the ceremony, she knew he must have come to terms with it, since he was still grooming Talvas for assuming his position after his hopefully natural death. After all, Neloth was the one who had insisted on cutting off their affair "for her safety," so he couldn't have expected her to just pine for him for the rest of her life.
On the visit to Skaal Village on the first of Midyear, Miranja announced her news to her friends there. Then, on the trip to Skyrim in the last week of Midyear, they shared the news with everyone they knew in Skyrim.
Windhelm was very uncomfortable. Miranja tried to keep her announcement subdued when she told Ambarys and Malthyr. She had avoided Revyn's shop ever since she and Talvas had announced their wedding, and she'd had to ask Ambarys' advice on whether to invite Revyn to the nuptials or not. She didn't want to make him feel slighted by not inviting him, but she worried that inviting him would be like rubbing it in his face. Now she worried that Revyn would be extra hurt when he learned that she and Talvas had created a child together.
"I suggest you let me break it to him," Ambarys told her. "He knows deep down that you needed a man like Talvas, someone young and as adventurous and energetic as you, someone who can cater to your… appetites, someone who can travel with you and protect you. Revyn's a great guy, and no mistake, but he's past his prime, and he knows that. He's been coming to terms with your marriage over the last few months. I'm sure he expected that sooner or later you'd make a family. Although I don't think any of us thought it would happen quite this soon."
"Yeah, including us," Miranja said with a wry smile.
"Don't you worry, luv. I'll put the word out to everyone who's not here right now, and I'll break it gently to Revyn. And congratulations, beau'iful."
They started the usual circuit, from Windhelm to Darkwater Crossing, Ivarstead, Riften, and Falkreath. The big surprise came when they told Faendal and the rest of the household at Lakeview Manor. Camilla had discovered just days before that she, too, was with child. Faendal had sent a letter just in case Miranja wasn't able to come again this month, but she and Talvas must have missed it when they came to Skyrim, having been through several towns and cities before Lakeview. In any case, they were able to share the news now, and Miranja and Camilla were excited that their children would be born less than two months apart. Miranja was quite happy for them but still felt a slight twinge of remorse. She still carried a bit of a torch for Faendal, but she'd finally completely let him go in her heart – not when he and Camilla had married, but when she'd realized she was in love with Talvas.
They stayed an extra day at Lakeview, because Miranja had missed her little family there so much. Llewellyn, as usual, did most of the cooking, though Miranja and Camilla helped, and he entertained everyone after dinner while the women cleaned up. It warmed Miranja's heart to see Faendal and Talvas playing a card game together and joking and laughing. She had probably never felt so content. She actually teared up and started crying a little – pregnancy had made her extra emotional. Rayya and Camilla smiled and hugged her as she daubed at her eyes with the dish towel.
They visited Goldenglow and Markarth next; Miranja didn't have any particularly close friends in Markarth, but she did meet Kerah at the Silver-Blood Inn for lunch and to talk to her about motherhood, and she paid her respects to Calcelmo and Aicantar, Jarl Igmund, and Ondolemar at the Keep.
Speaking with Ondolemar, she mentioned in passing that she was considering selling Vlindrel Hall because she never spent time there anymore, and there wasn't even a housecarl to keep it up. Ondolemar offered to buy it from her; he'd grown tired of staying in one room at the Keep and wanted more space, but until now there hadn't been any available homes in Markarth. Additionally, he had some delicious, naughty memories in Vlindrel Hall. Miranja offered it for twelve thousand septims, since she'd paid eight thousand for it to begin with and then spent several thousand furnishing it, and all the furnishings would come with the place. Ondolemar paid her three thousand that day in good faith, promising to send her the rest in increments. Two years ago, she never would have suspected that she would be friendly enough with a Thalmor justiciar – or wealthy enough – to sell a house to him, but for all of Ondolemar's pomposity, he really wasn't so bad as Thalmor go. When she'd obtained Ogmund's Amulet of Talos, Ondolemar had kept it in his pocket and nothing bad ever had happened to Ogmund. It was as if he was merely keeping up appearances.
They wrote their sales contract and took it to sign it before Raerek, who put his seal on it as witness. She also let Igmund know that she was stepping down as Thane, since she would no longer own property in the Reach. It was a load off her mind, in all honesty; being Thane in all nine holds was too much to keep up with. She had too many properties and needed to decide which ones to keep.
From Markarth they moved on to Solitude, and they lingered an extra day there, for by now they had decided that Miranja should spend the end of her pregnancy there, where Angeline Morrard, who was a very capable midwife when not running her herbal shop, could assist her with the birth. Solitude was clean and safe, and Talvas preferred to have their child be born away from the ash storms and poisoned waters of Solstheim. They spent part of the first day adding baby supplies and a cradle at Proudspire Manor. Jordis, Lisette, Vivienne, and Erdi helped and chatted excitedly, and Fihada popped in to check out the changes and see how Talvas was faring in the houseful of women.
They had supper at the Skeever on the first night, and Miranja invited Lisette and Fihada for supper on the second night. She and Jordis did the shopping together, then Jordis prepared the meat while Miranja prepared dessert. They tackled the array of vegetables together, making sure there were plenty of grilled leeks because they were Miranja's favorite. And they made two snowberry crostatas because they had been Miranja's biggest craving so far since becoming pregnant. Sadly, there was no fish. Miranja had thought that maybe the fish aversion was because of the morning sickness, but it had stayed after the morning sickness had gone, to her dismay. She hoped she'd finally lose the aversion after the baby was born.
There were few things Miranja found more comforting than to spend a day or two living like a normal woman, shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating the house, tending livestock, tending crops. Goldenhills Plantation, although bigger, reminded her of her parent's acreage, and she enjoyed spending time there. She hadn't forgotten where she'd come from; it was more that her life had turned out differently than she had planned, and she was too busy to keep up with the day-to-day of owning a home, much less a dozen of them. Being pregnant had forced her to slow down a bit. She and Talvas had made their way around Skyrim by boat and carriage this time, because she had found herself becoming fatigued more easily.
Dinner was a delight. They chatted about anything that came to mind, flitting this way and that like the wind, and the wine and mead flowed freely. Lisette thought it was incredibly sweet that Talvas had been wearing his armor and guarding her like a housecarl while they'd been on the road, and Fihada insisted that Miranja was more beautiful than ever. She demurred graciously; with the morning sickness and the weight she'd lost in the last month, making her look bony, she felt more unattractive than she ever had. Lisette shared that Jorn had finished his lessons at the Bards College and joined the Legion, and Jordis shared that her boyfriend would be in the next batch of graduating bards and had already started sending out letters to petition jarls and innkeepers alike for a paid position.
"I know it's a long way off yet," Miranja began, addressing Lisette and Fihada, "but do you guys think you'd still want to play with me and Talvas after the baby is born?"
Jordis rose and started clearing the table. This turn of the conversation was not going to involve her, so she decided to otherwise occupy herself.
"I can't think of a single good reason why not," Fihada said lightly, but he looked at her with serious eyes. "Becoming a mother won't make you any less attractive in my eyes, tidbit. I will always see you the way you looked the day you first came to seduce me in my shop." He paused with a thoughtful expression. "I can't believe it's been over a year and a half already."
"Me, neither," Lisette agreed. "And I'm with Fihada: I think I speak for both of us when I say that we love you not only for your physical beauty but for the beautiful person you are in your heart. I will continue to play with you both until such time as one or more of us decides they don't want to anymore. And that time is not now."
Fihada had been nodding along as Lisette spoke. "And Talvas, I'm sure I speak for both Lisette and myself when I say thank you for not being the jealous husband and keeping her all to yourself after marriage, but if you ever decide you don't want to share anymore, we'll completely understand."
Miranja cleared her throat with one eyebrow lifted, and Lisette added, "And thank you, Miranja, for sharing Talvas. He's delicious."
"Don't I know it," Miranja smiled, taking Talvas' hand.
"If either of you settle into an exclusive relationship, and you don't want to play with us anymore, we'll understand that, as well," Talvas told them. "But it's been a lot of fun so far." He looked meaningfully at Lisette as he finished speaking, and Lisette gave him a naughty smile.
"I'm going to help Jordis do the washing up," Miranja announced. Lisette joined her, and they spent the rest of the evening grouped into male and female until it was time for Miranja and Talvas to head to bed, and for Lisette and Fihada to head home. Warm, physically affectionate good nights were exchanged, and Lisette and Fihada said they would accompany Miranja and Talvas to the stable in the morning to see them off until next month.
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14 Sun's Dawn, 4E 204
The baby was due sometime within the next few weeks. Miranja arranged a vase full of flowers on the bureau and Talvas sat reading in the spacious bedroom at Proudspire.
"Vivienne says Sorex is still giving her wine and other gifts – think he'll ever give it up and look for a different girl?"
"Mmm hmm…" Talvas hummed in agreement.
"And Erdi says she wants to fly away to Masser and marry a dragon and bake crostatas with liver and onions."
"Mmm hmm…" Talvas hummed again.
"You're not really listening to me, are you?" Miranja smiled, and finally he looked up at her, brows knit together.
She tried to get him to smile back at her, but he seemed troubled. She became concerned and walked over to his chair, urging him to let her sit on his lap.
"What's the matter, love?" she asked gently, one arm around his shoulders and the other hand touching his soft gray cheek as she sat sideways across his legs, her own legs draped over the arm of the chair.
"I'm just worried that I won't be a good father," Talvas said, a note of pain in his voice.
Miranja smiled at him with love and sympathy in her emerald eyes. "Sweetheart, you'll do fine," she encouraged. "Just the very fact that you are worried about being a good father tells me that you will be a good father." Her eyes shone and crinkled at the corners as she grinned wider at him. "The way you get so excited when you feel the baby move tells me that you're already loving this child at least as much as I am.
"Besides, look at me, Talvas. Having a child and becoming a mother was never a dream of mine. I wanted to have my life to myself and go out and explore the world and do all the things I wanted to do before I ever thought about settling down. I thought by that time I'd be too old to bear children, anyway. But then you came along, and I started toying with the idea. Creating a new life together, a unique little person, half human, half Dunmer. With our combined good looks, we'd surely make a beautiful child," she teased, but only half joking. Then she grew rather somber herself.
"But I do have to wonder: will our child have a human lifespan, an Elven lifespan, or somewhere in between? We've already established that I will surely die long before you do, if we're able to live our whole natural lives without anything cutting us short, and probably even if you can use Neloth's life-extending magic on me. I believe it's just inevitable, and that alone is hard enough. But what if our child grows old and dies long before you do? These are the things that worry me, and of course, they're the kinds of things that you just have to take as they come. Sometimes I wish we'd thought of it before we conceived. I guess we were rather careless, but there's no changing the past. We can only go forward from here and see where the future takes us."
Now it was Talvas' turn to offer comfort to Miranja. "My love, I knew when I fell in love with you that I was utterly screwed, and I mean that in the most loving way, of course. I knew I'd have to say goodbye to you, I knew that all too soon I'd have my heart ripped out by losing you. But I'd rather lose you to death than to your falling in love with someone else. I'm still so madly in love with you, I am honored beyond words that you chose me to spend the rest of your life with. We've made so many fantastic memories already, and we're sure to make many more, different kinds of memories than we have in the past. Family memories. Domestic, married life memories. And probably still more adventures, as well. Who knows? Maybe we'll eventually go adventuring as a family – taking out bandits or pirates, thinning out the wolves or the sabre cats in the Rift or the Reach, ridding Solstheim of werebears, discovering as-yet-undiscovered treasure troves. We're not even limited to Skyrim. All of Tamriel – all of Nirn – is out there waiting for us, if we feel energetic enough to explore it. Ever wonder what might still be on Atmora or Akavir? What if the Dwemer are still on Nirn, and they just magically teleported themselves to another continent?" He adopted a sinister tone and inclined his head downward, looking up at her through his lashes. "What if they're plotting to come back and take over the world?"
Miranja rolled her eyes, shook her head, and pushed against his shoulder. "Get out of here," she smiled. "Congratulations. You've completely changed the subject."
Talvas embraced her and pulled her snugly against him, lowering his face into her bosom and kissing her between her breasts, which had already grown fuller as her pregnancy had progressed. Miranja stroked his soft, shiny, raven hair, her heart full to bursting with love for him.
The baby chose that moment to kick so hard at the side of her belly that both she and Talvas felt it, as if to say, "Break it up and give me some space, you guys!" They looked at each other and laughed, and this time Talvas kissed her hard and long on the mouth.
When he broke the kiss, leaving Miranja breathless, he held her face in his hands, stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, and looked seriously into her eyes. "As if all the things you already are weren't amazing enough, now you're carrying a life inside of you, incubating and providing for it with your own body. And as common as that is in nature, it's still awe-inspiring to me. When our baby is born, your body will produce milk to feed it. Mothers are magical and underrated, for sure."
Miranja teared up at his words of adoration. When a tear slipped down her cheek, Talvas thumbed it away and kissed her again, tenderly, melting Miranja's heart and firing up her libido.
"Can we go to bed early?" she asked breathily. "I really want to get naked with you right now."
"Of course, anything you want, love of my life." Talvas was enjoying her always having to be on top now that her beautiful earth mother belly was too big for missionary. When she sat astride him, he could feast his eyes on her glowing beauty and squeeze and suckle her fuller, heavier breasts. He tended to think that she was more beautiful pregnant than she had been before, if only because she was enduring changes to her very body in order to bring his – their – child into the world. It pleased his masculinity that his seed had taken root in her, and his bloodline would be continued. Also, in this position he could watch her as she came, which never failed to turn him on. He loved being the one to bring her to ecstasy. He still reminded himself regularly that he – the young, inexperienced apprentice – had beaten out Master Neloth, even Revyn Sadri, to spend the rest of her life with her. The Divines surely smiled upon him. He hooked his arm under her knees and stood up with her to carry her to the bed.