Maia came up from the water and took a deep breath of the chilled night air. Even after she had finished bathing, she always wanted to linger here. The spring reminded her so much of her family. But she had to check on Liu. She waded towards the bank nearest the house and reaching for her robe; but it wasn't there. She reached further, padding the damp ground.

"Looking for this?"

She looked up to find the same general standing just out of reach, dangling her robe on one finger. She wanted to shout at him, but knowing he had stayed the day before made her falter. "You again?" she said finally. She leaned her elbows against the high bank of the spring, grateful that the rocks gave her cover. "Give me my robe."

He smiled. "I will, but first, there are some things I would like to know."

"And," she said, reaching farther until the robe was right out of her reach. "There are some things I am not going to tell you." He smirked and pulled it away.

"Fine," she said, "But is it anything I can't tell you while…clothed?"

He handed her the robe, and just stood there. She cleared her throat loudly. He smirked again, and turned around. She scrambled out of the water and wrapped the robe around her. She saw a flash a few feet away, and suddenly a fire was sparked in the pit next to the house. He walked in a half circle and sat on a fallen log. He motioned across the fire to another log. She sat slowly, and watched him for a moment.

"So Liu tells me you're some kind of folk hero. High General Deri, is it?"

He nodded and stared into the fire.

"You're younger then I thought."

"Forget about me for a second. Who are you?"

She hesitated, and met his eyes for a moment. "I already told you, my name is Maia."

"No, I mean, how did you—?"

"How did I wind up with a Wraith child?" she said defensively.

"Is she—yours?"

Maia tensed and fell silent for a long moment. "I—I've never discussed this with anyone, not even Liu." She met his soft green eyes though the flames.

"Then maybe it's time."

"It was the last Wraith uprising."

"Eight years ago." He said, "I remember."

"It happed so fast; we didn't even realize they were here. We heard weapons fire. I ran to the children and into the house, but by then there was a single Wraith solider at the door. He shot me with his weapon, in the shoulder—" Her hand went to her shoulder blade, but she didn't take her eyes from him. There was a kindness in his eyes that she didn't expect, something urging her onward. "As I watched, he gorged himself on my husband and two young children." Her voice broke and her hands flew to her face. She sobbed silently, but after a few long moments, she forced herself to slow her breathing. She looked up suddenly, finding his intense green eyes once again. "After that, he went after something else."

Maia stood up abruptly, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her robe. "It's time for you to go." She turned and walked towards the house.

There was the faintest rustle of leaves underfoot, and then suddenly Deri had a hold on her wrist. "Maia, I—"

A scream cut through the air, and she tore out of his grasp. "Liu!" She ran a few steps before Liu came running out. Maia gathered the little child in her arms. "Darling, what happened?"

Liu was trembling and sobbing. "Mother—the Wraith—" she took a deep breath, "The Wraith are coming!" Her voice seemed to still the air around them.

"Liu, it was just a bad dream." She stood up, holding her daughter close.

"No, it wasn't a dream mother! I hear them. They whisper."

"No more of this talk Liu." Maia said, glancing at Deri. "The people in Atlantis work very hard to keep us safe from the Wraith."

That seemed to appease her, and she sighed and laid her head on her mother's shoulder.

"I'm going to bed now; perhaps you should leave." She strode into the house and let the door shut behind her. She lay with Liu on the bed and stroked Liu's hair until the little girl fell asleep.

It was nearly an hour before the fire went out. Only a few moments later, the door creaked open, and he was standing in the doorway. She only glanced up at him, but she saw that the bright, easy humor was gone from his face and his clouded green eyes. He stood there for a long time, watching the little girl on the bed. "She is truly beautiful." He whispered, and he took a step into the room.

"Yes, and she's so much more than that." Maia replied, not taking her eyes off Liu. "She is a gift."

"I wanted to know something. When she was born," he hesitated, "Why didn't you just—just—"

"Why didn't I just let her starve to death?"

"I didn't mean to imply—"

She shut him down with a look. "My pregnancy was difficult, to say the least. I've heard that the Wraith ordinarily lay eggs, but with me it was…different. I carried her as I did my other children. I nearly died a few times, I knew that the child was feeding off of my energy in order to survive and grow. I was afraid of her…terrified…but I couldn't bring myself to hate her. The night before she was born I had a dream." She closed her eyes. "She was playing in the garden with my other children. There were all so happy, and even as she looks now, it was like she wasn't wraith at all." She moved her fingers from Liu's hair and stroked down her arms to her fingertips. "I delivered her myself, because I was too afraid to let the midwifes see her. Afterwards, I held her in my arms. She looked up at me with those beautiful eyes, and she smiled." Maia smiled too. "I saw something in her face that I never thought I would see in a Wraith. Love." She looked up at him, and found him puzzled. "I don't expect you to understand."

"Maia, if you keep feeding her, you're going to die."

Her smile was sadder this time, but it was filled with love. "And her life is a fair trade for mine? If it takes my life to save hers, then I will do it gladly."

"Fine. Suit yourself."

"It's only a few hours until dawn. If you wish, you may rest in Liu's room."

Deri straitened up and bowed very slightly. Without another word, he went into the other room. The next morning, he awoke to the sun streaming though the window. He stood, straitened his uniform and ran his fingers though his hair. He walked into the sun-drenched room to find Maia asleep in the bed and Liu sitting cross-legged in the garden. As he approached, he could see that she was painting on a large canvas on the wall. It was a picture of two children, a boy of about six and a girl, he guessed about three. "You're quite the artist, Liu."

She stopped painting for a moment. "It's my big brother and sister." She said. "I've always known what they looked like."

"How can you know that?"

"Mother shows me, when I—" she dropped her gaze to her lap. "I wish they were alive." She whispered. "But then I wouldn't be alive."

"I know you feel badly about what happened," he said, "But maybe there's something you can do to help now."

"How? How could I help?" She turned to him, and her pale blue eyes caught the light, making them sparkle.

He sat next to her and brought his voice very low. "If you came with me to the city, you could tell the people there all that you know. And just maybe, we can find something else for you to—eat."

"And mother would get well again?" She heard Maia stir, and she dropped her voice low. "I will talk to her." She whispered to Deri.

Maia stepped into the doorway, wrapped in her long robe. "Sleep well?"

She nodded feverishly. "Yes mother, how are you feeling?"

"I'll be fine, like always."

"Okay." She said, "I picked some Jengi fruit. They say it gives you energy." Maia was halfway to the kitchen when there was a loud knock at the door. Maia jumped and Liu froze, but it was Deri who went to the door. It was one of Deri's soldiers, and he glanced at the woman in the house before he spoke. "High General, the council wants you back in the city right away. There is a…situation."

"Fine." He said, and then turned back to Maia. He bowed deeply and formally before turning on his heel and walking out.