Hello again. This story draws to a close quickly, only one more chapter after this one and a short epilogue… well it's not a revolutionary re-writing of the plot, but it's not either a conventional run-through-the-game type of story. So I hope I am contributing something original that you enjoy. (special thanks to my only reviewer this chapter… I dedicate this chapter to you, FunnyBunnyWarrior, eheh, since you're the only one keeping me going on this story right now :-))

Chapter 4. The aftermath

Imoen and Sarevok were pushed out of Amousca's room without resistance. Anomen was also expulsed without mercy. As soon as the door closed, Sarevok began to grin openly, as Minsc, Keldorn, Ryan and a few others came closer to hear the news.

"What is it?", an exhausted and tense Anomen shot to his wife's brother.

"She is so arrogant that her newborn don't even cry!", Sarevok laughed. "She won't sleep, she'll just plainly pass out!"

Imoen disappeared into the grey shadows of dawn, and backstabbed Sarevok with her bare fists. The warrior, who was terribly tough and did expect that turn of events, still had to bend in half to take back his breath.

"We don't even know if she'll just pass out or die!", Imoen said with a shaky voice. "How dare you laugh in a moment like this?"

She punched her big brother again, hard. Sarevok still couldn't speak. Anomen cut in:

"The restoration spells will help her greatly. The delivery was easy after the birth; there are very good chances she will be fine. She will be very weak because of the blood loss, but she will survive."

"Boo said so!", Minsc boomed. "Boo and Minsc also thought that the Ioun stone might help her."

They gave the Perly white ioun stone to the priest by the door, who would not let Anomen, or anyone else, for that matter, in. Even if he was a cleric, he was considered a nuisance to the recovery of Amousca, because his presence could agitate her, and she needed to rest. He understood, but it still felt cruel.

Sarevok, Imoen, Minsc and Keldorn accompanied him to his family estate in the Government district. When he was disinherited by his father, he had lost all rights about the house, but when his father died without heir, the house had been on sale by the city council. Sir Ryan Trawl had managed to buy the house before the Faradh did, and sold it back to Anomen when he had the money to pay – which was not long after, since they were a successful adventuring party, and that Anomen had his share of their profits. Anomen was really grateful to Ryan that he allowed him to keep his family estate despite his father's foolishness. He often had a thought for the paladin when he crossed his own house's threshold, because he owned much of it to him. In fact, he owned much to Ryan, back to his apprenticeship and nomination as a squire.

Keldorn returned quickly to his estate not far away, saying he had to immediately reassure Maria about his safety and Amousca's health. Sarevok, Imoen and Minsc stayed just a few minutes, taking a little tea prepared by the new butler, Guillaume. Sarevok and Imoen returned to the Five Flagons, where they were staying at the moment, while Minsc went back to the temple.

Before Anomen went to bed, he asked his butler to wake him in four hours, no more. Just before he fell asleep, he remembered to ask Guillaume to get a smith for the horse, that would need is foot fixed. Guillaume assured it would be done and repeated he would wake him in four hours, but that he needed to sleep. Anomen didn't argue. He immediately fell sound asleep, absolutely needing to recuperate from his twenty-four hours awake, his wild ride back to the city, the restoration he had cast and his worries.

ooooo

Guillaume had trouble waking him the next morning, so deep in dream he was. He didn't take the time to change, and almost went running back to the temple. He bumped in a confused student in the temple, who was wondering why the teacher of Demons and others was not there this morning. Anomen stared at the seventeen-years-old boy with surprise.

"Did no one told you she gave birth last night?", the knight asked.

"She did?", the student smiled. "That's wonderful news!"

The student, Romasso, must have remembered something when he saw the serious look on Anomen's face, because he hesitated, and finally asked:

"But… wasn't her child supposed to wait for a few more weeks?"

"Yes," Anomen answered, feeling his worries come running back. "I am going to fetch news right now."

Anomen started to go round the boy to walk towards the back rooms, but Romasso caught his arm, rather familiarly.

"Excuse me, sir… You are the knight Anomen Delryn, her husband? Would you mind if I come with you? I would like to know if she is alright."

Anomen was about to dismiss the boy, but then he remembered his wife cared about her work, and would probably be pleased that her students cared about her. The knight smiled, and beckoned Romasso to follow him.

"I am lady Amousca's assistant with her class about demons," the young apprentice explained, once he told his name.

Anomen didn't answer, but nodded. When they came to the door of her room, a priest was standing guard. Minsc was sleeping and snoring, still wearing the black dragon scale, Liliarcor within reach, on the floor on the opposite side of the corridor, faithful bodyguard as always. It slightly bothered Anomen, to think that another man had promised and vowed to protect his wife to his dying breath, but he knew Minsc's loyalty but absolute lack of interest in Amousca's charms. At least, she had been able to convince the ranger he didn't have to sleep on her floor when she was in bed with her husband… Minsc had understood that, thank the gods. Romasso gave a startled and slightly scared look at the huge man sleeping in armour on the floor of the temple, but since Anomen just gave him a look, and didn't care to ask who he was or what he was doing there, the student followed the knight who went to speak with the priest guarding the door.

"She is stable, and not awake yet," the priest repeated twice. "You should yourself get some rest."

Finally, Anomen lost his temper; he was wise and his temper was pretty much under control since his Test, but running across more than half of Amn to come to the bedside of his wife, who nearly died giving birth to his children, and not being able to hear about her health was more than a certain cleric lacking sleep could bear.

"Well," Anomen began threateningly, "it is perfect that she is not awake, because I would like it if she saw me when she wakes, instead of another unknown priest. Are her babies at least kept in the same room, or will she have to worry that she does not see them when she wakes?"

Romasso just noticed the plural when sir Anomen mentioned the children. He blushed; it was not really of his business, he was just her assistant.

"We thought it would be better if she was not interrupted in her rest by their cries," the priest answered, lacking assurance.

Anomen's muscled corpulence and angry expression would have been enough to intimidate more than one man.

"Well, you should deafen her!", Anomen exploded. "Don't you have a cantrip or a power word? I will not allow her to be worried by their absence when she gave so much of herself for their birth!"

Anomen pushed the priest aside with one hand, and silently opened the door. Romasso didn't move to get a better angle to look into the room. He stayed outside with the priest, who shifted from foot to foot for a few seconds before going down the corridor in search of someone or something.

The room was gently darkened by heavy blue curtains, the colour of Helm, that coloured everything in the room. It was clear enough to see clearly, but dark enough to permit a deep sleep. Anomen silently crossed the room, resisting an urge to go to Amousca and kiss her forehead. He opened the back door of the room, and found himself in the nursery. An aged female acolyte was there, an half-elf who was giving the bottle to one of the children. She was startled when she saw Anomen in the doorway, but she kept silence until he closed the door.

"Milord, you are not supposed to be here," she said, putting down the baby who started to protest with little cries.

It was the first son, saw Anomen with a certain amazement and lifting in his heart.

"I did not wake her, and do not intend to disturb her rest, but I want to make her waking as easy as possible."

The priestess was more reasonable than the priest at the door, because she helped him to move a long chair next to Amousca's bed. David barely opened the door to see what was happening, but since everything was quiet, he silently closed the door again. Anomen sat, then leaned on the chair, and sleep rapidly claimed him.

ooooo

Amousca finally woke. She didn't remember the moment she drifted from unconsciousness to consciousness, but here she was, back into this world. Her eyes were open, staring at the blue ceiling, with the unsleeping eye of Helm over the door in front of her.

She was so sore she thought she could not move. But her head scratched, and it was going to drive her insane if she didn't do something about it soon. She lifted her hand and arm slowly, grimacing from the pain of the simple movement, then scratched her head, and let her arm fall back on the pillow next to her. She had to take a few breaths to recuperate form this huge effort, not yet ready to laugh at herself. Then she remembered the night before, the pain and waning strength and she thought she remembered a baby crying loudly and Anomen speaking about a daughter, but it was so misty, she wasn't sure if she remembered right, and she was sure she didn't remember everything.

She tried to turn her head, but made too quick a movement and was left dizzy for a few seconds. There was nothing but the wall and window to her left, nothing but the wall and the door to her feet, and there was Anomen to her right. She looked upon him for a whole minute, watching him in his sleep. He was so touching when he slept; his face was relaxed so he looked younger, and less arrogant. Further to her right, there was the little table, with her clothes on it. Babies, nowhere to be seen.

"Anomen," she called weakly.

She tried to extend her hand towards him, but could not reach him.

"Anomen," she called again, almost weeping.

He still slept, flopped into the long chair, not moving. She called his name once more, and he didn't hear her. She started to cry, almost silently, scared and weak and she wanted to know what had happened! She had sobbed only twice when suddenly Anomen startled, coming to a sitting position immediately, then turned to her, and jumped next to her bed. He stopped just before crashing down upon her to hug her; he wanted to hug her, but she probably wouldn't be able to breathe if he did that.

"My love?", he said, panicked. "Are you awake? Amousca?"

He didn't know if she cried awake or if she was hallucinating some horrible fate he could not imagine. She looked at him, and he had to lower his ear closer to her so he could hear what she was saying.

"I called to you and you wouldn't wake," she was murmuring. "I didn't see… the babies… Our children… are they alright? Tell me, Anomen, may I see them now?"

Their was unmistakable supplication in her eyes. Nevertheless, he had to discuss it with a physician.

"They are perfectly healthy, my lady," he answered with a few tears in his voice. "The nurse thinks they are a little small, but it is absolutely normal since they are half-elves, and she is used to see infant humans. There is a girl and two boys. You are very weak and still very tired, and I will ask David if he thinks it is better for you to rest a little more before you see them."

"No, no," she said.

She extended her hand, and tried to catch his hand to prevent him from going, but she missed his hand. He felt like he just had been flayed, to see her weakness was so great. He knelt beside her bed, and gently took her hand in his. It was so weak and cold, it was near lifeless. Anomen held her hand for a moment, letting his hands warm hers, and she calmed down.

"I will be back shortly, my love, with your babies if possible."

She would have cried again, she wanted to cry and she was so tired she couldn't stop it, but she just didn't have the strength. She nodded once, and Anomen went out of her room. She leaned her head back on the pillow, trying to rest and regain some forces while he was not there. Even if he was only out for a few minutes, she had to fight back sleep to open her eyes when he came back in. He was with David, who looked like he just had been pulled out of bed. She was angry at him for forbidding her to see her babies, but at the same time she was anxious not to let him see her weakness, so he would change his mind.

They didn't say a word, but disappeared behind her, where she could not turn to see. It was not long before Anomen, David and a female half-elf came back into her view, each carrying carefully a little packet of white blankets. She thought she could weep, but again her forces abandoned her, and she took a few breaths not to pass out from the emotion.

Gently, Anomen lowered the baby he was carrying as though she was holding her in her arms, but still he supported the weight of the little being. Her hand came up and pulled a little at the towel, uncovering the chin and the two little fists of the baby. She caressed the half-round half-pointed ear of her daughter, then touched one little hand. The baby seized one finger and pulled, easily winning the strength contest. Anomen gently liberated his wife's hand and took a step back, letting David, then the nurse present the two boys to his wife.

Then they quietly left the room, as Amousca was leaning back on her bed, eyes closed, smiling.