Rifiuto: Non Miriena
A/N: Written: 2012. Rewritten: 2014. Found: 2018.- Licia
Four Months Later
Great Mother deems when new life shall enter the world, just as Death deems when old life shall pass into the next.
Elphaba, having gone through such before, knew the signs, even if she ignored them at first. She knew that her husband had filled her with his seeds that day; it would not surprise her had one of his seeds joined with one of her eggs, for she had not experienced a bleed in two months. At first, she thought it due to re-assimilating back into the tribe, but that had been fairly simple. Then, she considered it had to do with the piercing she'd received not long after returning- the small gem in the dip between her upper lip and nose, signifying her status as Fiyero's chieftess. But that had been minor compared to her tattoos.
Mulhama's tattoos- twelve beautiful green diamonds, each in clusters of six upon the inside of her wrists, signifying her position as the wife of the future medicine man- had been added not long after her sister returned to the tribe, and before she'd received the gem. Life had gone on as it always had, though Elphaba found herself getting used to being back in the tribe, while her sister seemed to thrive within it.
And then, three months ago, Mulhama had come to her in tears. She'd been fixing a moccasin in the tent, settled by the fire, as the children played outside; she hadn't been feeling well, and had asked Fiyero to leave her be for a while, to apologize to the elders, for she would not make it to counsel that day; it was custom for the chieftess to join her husband at counsel meetings, had been for centuries, because women were seen the voice of reason for they kept the lines going. Concerned, he'd offered to fetch Sarima, but she'd waved him away, insisting she was just tired, and he'd kissed her before leaving.
Her sister had shown up not long after. Elphaba had pulled her inside and sat her down, talking to her softly to get her to calm down; once calm, the young woman had admitted that had missed her monthly bleed for the last three months. The chieftess had covered her mouth with her hand to keep from chuckling, but her sister had noticed, demanding to know what was so funny, but all Elphaba had done was suggest she fetch Sarima.
She'd been right in doing so, for the medicine woman had informed her daughter-in-law that a child grew within her. The news had startled the younger woman, who had gone speechless, but Elphaba had done the math in her head, coming to the same conclusion Sarima had, without saying anything. Though she had noticed that she'd become the object of Sarima's blue gaze, and quickly averted her own, forcing herself to keep from caressing her midsection.
But Sarima could sense it; she knew the older woman could.
After Mulhama had left to inform her husband of the news, the medicine woman turned to the young chieftess, taking a seat across from her. "Conosce la tua ragazza da due mesi, Chieftess, vero? Eppure lei non ha detto nulla al capo..."
She'd turned to meet the older woman's gaze. "Quel giorno mi riempì dei suoi semi, Sarima. Non ho iniziato a sentire gli effetti del bambino fino a due settimane più tardi. Non sono venuto da te perché conosco il mio corpo; So che un bambino cresce dentro di me." She had then reached down to caress her womb, something she'd tried to avoid doing for two months. "E so che arriva la primavera, sarò molto rotondo e pesante, e verrà, che esplode dal mio corpo come avevano gli altri miei figli, e ci sarà dolore, sangue e amore. Non ho bisogno che tu o Tibbett mi dite che porto con me un bambino. Amo Mulhama, ma non sono mia sorella."
Sarima had chuckled; her daughter-in-law was young still, and new to the tribe and their way of life, unlike her sister who had grown up in the tribe and their ways from thirteen moons on. "Lo so, capo tess. Sei più forte nei modi della nostra tribù di lei. Lei è ancora giovane, devi perdonarle la sua innocenza. Una volta eri innocente anche per le vie della tribù."
She'd then reached out and gently patted the young woman's hair, before excusing herself. Once gone, Elphaba had turned back to her body, rubbing her hands along her buckskin dress, over her womb where her child resided. "Crescere, piccola. Crescere grande e forte e sano dentro di me. Coltivate in modo che vi mostriate presto a papà, perché non sa ancora che esisti dentro di me, anche se venite dai suoi semi."
Now though, she lay within the furs of their bed, her husband sound asleep beside her, their children tucked within their beds. The fire crackled softly, warming the tent, and after a moment, she pushed the furs away and lifted her dress. She had started to show in the early weeks of her pregnancy, though she'd been able to hide it well, or so she'd thought. And then her husband had come back from a hunt one day; she'd undressed and was rubbing salve upon her skin when her husband's voice had caused her to turn, forgetting that she wore not a stitch of clothing.
His blue gaze had latched onto the swell before her- neatly round and good sized, and he'd gone to her, dropping to his knees beside her, tears in his eyes as he met her gaze. "Fabala..." Though he couldn't find the words, the meaning was clear. Why didn't you tell me? You are swelling with our child, and yet... you say nothing...
She'd blushed, embarrassed for having hid it, but she'd felt it was her secret to share. Especially in the first fragile weeks, when she'd thought she'd lost it. But it had been false, and she had known to stay down and relax until the pain subsided. She'd kept quiet after because she feared it would not happen, but when she began to swell and felt the first flutterings of movement within, then she knew it was safe.
Fiyero had not spoken to her for weeks after, but eventually he'd gotten over it, and now he watched his wife like a hawk when he had the chance. She reached for her sleeping husband's hand, resting it upon her belly. He shifted closer, pulling her into his arms, fingers splaying over her skin. She laced their fingers, settling into his arms as sleep slowly began to claim her.