Basically, being Rincewind's wife didn't change my life. I just noticed that the people of Ankh-Morpork started calling me "Roundworld-Madam" now. The only exception was Corporal Nobby Nobbs. Despite of my marriage, I was still a "Miss" to the small watchman.

My job didn't change, either. After a couple of days, William de Worde decided to give me a raise, and Rincewind surprised me with the message that Ridcully had decided to pay him, too. My husband didn't get much money but the Archchancellor had said that he had to care of me as well now. Besides, Rincewind was allowed now to take home some of the coal he was getting for his study.

We were happy for almost one month before another change was dawning. In the end of Sektober, which meant October on Discworld, the weather became much sunnier than usually, contrary to expectations.

Then, in one day of slight discomfort to me, the heat culminated in leaden sultriness, followed by a hot and kind of sticky night.

My husband and I tried to fall asleep but we failed completely.

"Ye gods, I can't stand this heat!" Rincewind moaned, pushing the blanket off, "I feel like melting!" He straightened up and wiped his forehead.

"Maybe we can get some rest with a cold drink," he said. I nodded and went for the fridge. I had made a pot of tea in the morning and had let it cool down during the day until I had put it into the fridge. I poured two glasses of it and added some of the ice cubes.

The cool drink made the wizard feel a lot better. He made himself comfortable on the kitchen bench and took a deep breath. I only sipped my drink. It concerned me that the discomfort wasn't completely gone yet.

"That's much better, don't you think?" my husband sighed and closed his eyes halfway. I uttered an agreeing sound. The wizard looked at me and frowned a bit.

"Is something wrong with you, Dear?" he asked, "You haven't said a dozen words tonight."

"I'm not sure," I said, "I don't do very well today."

"Did you throw up yet?" Rincewind looked worried. I shook my head.

"But you did eat enough, I do hope?"

"Yes, yes, I did."

Rincewind gave me a glance I hadn't seen in a long time. I had seen it a lot in the past, especially when the wizard had spent a good and pleasant moment with me. In secret, he was picturing the worst consequences already.

"Don't worry," I tried to soothe him, "I don't think it's something terrible."

Rincewind drank from his glass. I could almost hear him thinking.

"I want you to see a doctor tomorrow," he finally said. I looked at him in astonishment.

"I don't think it's that bad. That's nothing but a little bit of nausea," I said.

"Nevertheless," my husband insisted, "You haven't felt like this for a long time, and I want to make sure that everything is alright with you."

My relationship with medics hadn't been a good one so far. Mostly, they detected things I didn't want to know. So I hesitated. Rincewind took my hand and caressed it tenderly.

"Please," he said quietly, "Please do it for my sake."

"Alright, I'll do it," I agreed, knowing I couldn't beat that argument.

"Thank you, Dear," Rincewind smiled. He took me in his arms and kissed my temple and my cheek. Just in this moment, a flash of lighting ripped the night, followed by a loud thunderclap which made me wince hard.

"That's just a thunderstorm," whispered my husband, "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."

Suspiciously, I looked out of the window to see the first drops of rain coming down. The air was becoming chillier. I put my head against Rincewind's chest and closed my eyes.

On the following day, the weather seemed to remember the approaching end of year. When I went home, I hardly felt the cold wind or the rain as thoughts were whirling around in my head, colliding like billiard balls.

I had used my lunchtime break to go to a doctor. He had taken some blood from me and had checked my body. It hadn't taken long to find out the reason for my nausea.

I was to be in the family way, and I wasn't sure whether to be glad or not.

From one perspective, I didn't know if I would be a good mother. I didn't feel mature enough. But considered differently, there was also the fact that I might bear a wizard's son. The danger of a wizard in love wasn't the love itself but the sons resulting from it. The eighth son of an eighth son of a wizard would be a born wizard, his sons would be powerful wizards by birth, and his eighth son would be a sourcerer, a wizard squared and a source of magic himself. Those were the facts I had read about and Rincewind and Death had mentioned.

I opened the door and wondered how to tell my husband about my pregnancy. But I didn't get a change to start.

Rincewind was walking across our little house with long steps, murmuring excitedly under his breathe. I could hear him saying things like "Oh bugger!" and "I knew it!" and "Ha!" every now and then. An unpleasant guess crossed my mind.

Rincewind spotted me, hurried towards me and hugged me tight. I felt his hands shaking which was almost never a good sign. So I forgot about my pregnancy. There seemed to be a real catastrophe going on.

"What happened, Dear?" I asked. Rincewind drew a deep breathe before he sighed and started reporting. My eyes were widening while I was listening.

Mustrum Ridcully had called my husband into his office and had told him about a new mission Rincewind had to attend to. There were things in disorder on the Counterweight Continent. And being Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography, it was Rincewind's duty to look after this, the Archchancellor had said.

Of course, Rincewind had protested. But then, the Archchancellor had used his trump card: he had threatened my husband to ban him from Unseen University in the case of disobedience.

Apart from me, wizardry was the most important thing in Rincewind's life. He had told me once that he wouldn't dare to risk his position in the faculty. So there was no way of not obeying the Archchancellor's order. Rincewind had to go.

The wizard bowed his head and sighed again. I felt trepidation rising when I had understood completely. I swallowed hard and made a decision.

"Take me with you," I said. My husband's head jerked upwards.

"What?" he whispered, looking stunned.

"If you really have to go, I want to come with you," I said. Rincewind turned pale. His jaws dropped.

"No!" he protested, shaking his head, "I can't do that! No, I can't take you with me! This... good grief... this might be dangerous! I... I can't let that happen!"

"I don't care about the danger!" I objected, feeling tears running down my face, "I promised to take care of you when we got married, and I can't stand being separated from you."

"And I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt!" was the enraged reply. Rincewind blinked and took a deep breathe.

"I mean, I couldn't forgive myself if you might get hurt," he said then, "Please... I mean... you're the first woman who was always nice to me, you see. You took me serious, and you never laughed at me." He took a deep breathe. I could see his lips trembling.

"I made a promise as well at our wedding," he almost whispered, "I promised to protect you from any harm. I... I... I couldn't stand if... "

He couldn't finish the sentence. A tear trickled down his cheek.

"I almost had lost you once," he sobbed, "Barbara, I... I... I couldn't go through this again!"

"I just don't know how..." I said, "I mean, I love you, and I don't want you to face that all alone!"

Crying, we held onto each other. After a while, Rincewind got a grip again. He took a deep breathe and wiped his eyes. I still held on to his waist while I felt the urge to cry fading.

"Do you feel better now?" I heard him whisper. I nodded and stroke his shirt. It was soaked with my tears.

I was aware that Rincewind had a great talent of surviving. He had come back from every of his adventures so far. Yet I was anxious. Suddenly, I remembered my duty as a housewife.

"Aren't you hungry?" I asked. My husband looked at me in astonishment before he smiled and shook his head. He caressed my face and kissed my forehead before he took my hands and lead me towards the bed. He kissed me and unbuttoned my blouse. I closed my eyes and felt the wizard's touch on my skin. Slowly, I calmed down.

I was aware that I couldn't do anything against this journey of the wizard. But he would have to go tomorrow, and tomorrow seemed to be very far now.

When the light of the new day crept into the room, the wizard and I had made love. I opened my eyes and caressed his back and neck. The wizard smiled at me and straightened up on his elbows.

I realized how much I loved him and feared this thought all the same.

"Can you promise me something?" I asked.

"What?"

"Please take good care of yourself. And please come back in one piece."

"Certainly will," the wizard said, putting his long arms around my waist, "On one condition."

"On what condition?" I wondered.

"I'd like to take a souvenir with me. One of your beautiful smiles." I tried to smile but I failed. Rincewind shook his head in disapprobation.

"Do you really call this a smile?" He gave me a disbelieving glance.

"You must be kidding, Dear!" he sighed, "I think I have to help it." His fingertips move across my ribs and sides, hardly touching my skin. I tried to wriggle out of the clinch of his long arms, giggling and laughing and finally begging for mercy.

After a while, Rincewind took his hand off me. He stretched himself out, straightened up on his left elbow and rested his chin on his hand. I recovered my breath and gave him a kind of reprehensive glance.

"That was a mean one," I complained.

"I know. I'm sorry," The wizard gave me a kind of bashful grin. I kept my critical face until I couldn't help smiling.

I knew my husband enjoyed tickling me. He liked to make me laugh that way, and he liked to be superior to someone else without hurting or laying violent hands on that other person. That was quite new to the wizard because he wasn't very strong or a good fighter.

Rincewind caressed my cheek and kissed my face very tenderly. I felt Sleep overwhelming me and closed my eyes.

"I love you," I could hear the wizard whisper, "And I promise to come back in one piece."

When I woke up again, I was alone in bed. My husband seemed to have gone already, together with the Luggage. On the pillow I saw a little bag containing five gold coins and one of Rincewind's shirts.

I took the roughly woven shirt and sniffed it. The scent of my husband made me sigh. I dug my nose deep into the cloth of the shirt when I suddenly remembered something.

I had completely forgotten to tell Rincewind about my pregnancy. Now it was too late. I had to face it all alone.

It took me almost three month to stop wincing at little every sound from the door and hoping for seeing my husband stand there.

The third month ended with another stormy night and a fast-paced morning afterwards. I woke up at dawn to run into the bathroom to throw up a thin streak of liquid. I washed my face and cleaned my teeth. When I was sure I would be able to keep it inside, I ate a small slice of bread with butter and a cup of tea.

When I got dressed, I realized with surprised that I had gained some weight over night. My dress had fit properly the day before, and today it was tighter. The fourth month had started, and soon my belly would really be big. Fortunately, my work dress was cut broader so nobody would notice today. But there was no way of putting on my corset anymore. So I had to go and see a tailor.

When I came home, I carried two parcels. One contained two dresses in dark blue and dark red. They were different from my other dresses because of their waistline which was sitting right underneath the bosom. The other parcel contained three special corsets which held my bosom but wouldn't squeeze my belly.

After I had eaten supper, I looked at my new acquisitions. Then I took off my clothes and looked at my belly and smiled happily. If I should have had any doubts about the pregnancy, they were gone now. I could tell by the cut of the dresses and the little curve of my belly.

I would give birth to my first child. And somehow I was glad that things like the colour of the skin were less important on Discworld than on Roundworld. Even if my child should become a lot darker than me, he or she wouldn't be hostiled.

While my belly continued to grow, I was surprised by the Ankh-Morporkians once again with the care. Of course, the news of my pregnancy had spread in no time.

Almost every day, Cut-My-Own-Throat Dibbler called me over and handed me a couple of bags when I went to work. There were pieces of apples, pears, bananas and other fruits from the other vendors. Every day, there were undamaged pieces left from the goods they couldn't sell anymore. So they had decided to give me the pieces which were too good to throw away.

On some evenings, there was a knock at the door. Usually, it was Nobby Nobbs. Sometimes he was on his own, sometimes another watchman was with him. Mostly, he was carrying a box with some baby stuff inside from some caring citizen. Therefore, I owned a couple of baby clothes and diapers by now, a big crib with cover and pillow, several toys and a small sheet-metal trough. Nobby Nobbs asked about the whereabouts of my husband as well and promised me to look after me until Rincewind would come back.

After a while I realized that the baby had to have a place to sleep. I took a closer look at my house and saw that an addition could be made easily. There was enough room between my house and the building behind it.

I heard someone clearing his throat and turned around to face Death who was leaning on his scythe and looking me up and down.

"Hello, Death," I said, "Nice to see you. How are you?" I hadn't seen the Grim Reaper in a while.

"I AM FINE, THANK YOU. YOU SEEMED TO BE DOING GOOD AS WELL, AS I CAN SEE."

"Yes, I am. Unfortunately, I hadn't got word from Rincewind in a while."

"DON'T WORRY," the Grim Reaper said, shaking his head, "I HAVEN'T SEEN HIM A WHILE, TOO."

I was relieved. All wizards, even the failed ones, will be taken by Death himself when their time had come. If the Grim Reaper hadn't run into my husband, he was still alive.

"BESIDES, I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOUR PREGNANCY," Death continued.

"I'm thinking about adding a room to my house. The baby must have an own room. Can you recommend a good craftsman?"

"THE CRAFTSMAN WHO BUILT YOUR HOUSE IS VERY GOOD," Death nodded, "WE CAN GO TO HIM RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LIKE."

"That sounds good," I agreed.

The craftsman introduced himself as Jason Balinsson. He had a stout, short figure. His helmet was near my hips. Black hair fell all down his back. A black beard fell down to his belt.

Jason Balinsson looked at Death and agreed to add a room to my house. Not to mention he agreed to take one of the gold coins.

"How long it will take?" I wondered. The dwarf looked at Death once more and said, "It might take a week or two to make it all." And as I noticed, he was true to his word.

Nobby Nobbs showed up again a few days after the craftsman had finished. This time, he was on his own and without a parcel.

"Evening, Miss," he said and gave me a smile.

"Evening, Nobby." I returned the smile and took the kettle. The small watchman put out his half-smoked cigarette and sat down.

"Would you like some tea?" I asked.

"Let me give you a hand," said Nobby, "You look a bit tired, if I may say so. Might be better to take some rest, Miss." His small eyes looked at my huge belly.

Thankful, I sat down. Nobby was right, the pregnancy was exhausting. Nobby put a cup in front of me, a loaf of bread, butter and some cheese.

While we were having supper, the small watchman told me about the news in town. This time, I was really sure about hearing news. Nobby was always one of the first persons to hear, mostly because he belonged to the City Watch.

"Oh, by the way, I was told to give you a hello," he said when he left.

"Who told you so?" I wondered.

"Nanny Ogg did. She'll come over herself in a few days, she says." The watchman touched his helmet and disappeared into the night.

The Lancre Witch dropped by during the next day. Greebo looked me over and allowed me to give him a bowl of milk. Nanny Ogg hugged me before she looked me over carefully.

"This seems to be almost time for the bearing," she said. I nodded and served tea and cake.

"And they seem to be in well condition," she continued while she poured herself some tea and added sugar.

"Are you talking about twin babies here?" I wondered, frowning a bit. The witch nodded.

"Do you know if... I mean..." I looked at her. Nanny Ogg shook her head.

"I don't know if you'll have sons or not," she said. I looked crestfallen at this.

"Give me your hand," Nanny Ogg said, "I'm not as good as Esme with those things. But maybe I can see something."

The witch took my right hand and studied the palm. She touched the hand everywhere, looked at the fingernails and the wrist, splayed the fingers and peered between every pair.

"I don't think you'll have to worry," she finally said, "There's no sign of it."

The witch and her tomcat left with the sunset. If I might need her, she said she would be in the house of the Seamstresses' Guild.

"How long will you be here in Ankh-Morpork?" I asked. The Lancre Witch smiled at me.

"Witches don't live on schedule, you know. Right now, I don't have to meet my deadlines," she said, "And besides, I haven't been in Ankh-Morpork for a while."

June started with sunshine. Due to the fact that I didn't have to work, the remaining months had past in no time. Nanny Ogg had convinced William de Worde to release me from work until I had given birth and could work careless again.

In the evening hour, I noticed a dove sitting on the windowsill. It was wearing a small head-collar and a small saddle. A small figure wearing a tiny helmet was sitting on the dove. It had a badge of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch tied onto his back. The tiny figure slid off the dove when it noticed me watching it.

"Good Day," a squeaky voice said.

"Good Day," I replied in puzzlement, "And whom do I have the pleasure with?"

"Corporal Buggy Swires reports for duty," the tiny man introduced himself, saluting at me. Carefully, I extended my index finger. The Corporal shook it right smart.

"Pleased to meet you," I said, "Would you like to have a drink? Maybe a cup of tea or something else?"

"No, thank you, I'm on duty right now," the tiny watchman replied. He frowned and squared his shoulders.

"What is it?" he said, "Haven't you seen a gnome before?"

"I'm sorry," I said, noticing I was still eyeing him in astonishment, "I didn't mean to stare at you. But you're really the first gnome I meet."

"Nobby Nobbs told me to look after you every now and then," the gnome said, "If you should need something."

"That's very kind of you. Please tell him I sent my regards." I looked at the pigeon.

"Is this yours?" I asked.

"This one and some other birds," the Corporal agreed.

"Has it got a name?"

"No," the gnome said before he went towards the bird and climbed onto the saddle.

"I'll look after you once in a while," he said, touched his helmet, drew the reins and took to the skies.

As Nanny Ogg came to have supper every evening, I took much care of the cooking. The Lancre Witch was an experienced cook. So I was anxious to hear her opinion.

Nanny Ogg told me some anecdotes about her own 15 children and their grandchildren. Every now and then, she felt my belly, and according to the witch's words, everything went according to plan.

And then, on a sunny yet cool Monday at the end of June, my child was born. I had decided to change the bed linens when I felt some liquid running down my leg. Puzzled, I looked down onto the liquid before I realized it was my amniotic liquor.

Pain struck my belly so hard I had to sit down. When the pain had stopped, I went towards the window and looked up to the sky. Several birds were cruising up there, and I hoped that Buddy Swires was among them.

I waved a white piece of cloth and hoped that someone would notice it. Luck was on my side: Buddy Swires landed on the windowsill.

"Please... Nanny Ogg... now..." That was all I could say before the next wave of pain struck me. The Corporal nodded and flew away.

I went back to the bed and sat down. The intervals were becoming shorter and shorter, and I hoped that I would be able to cope it until Nanny Ogg would be here.

When the witch came, she didn't say much. She searched my wardrobe for clean sheets, heated water and felt my belly. She gave me a long look and a ball of cloth I recognized as my husbands shirt. Then her gaze fell upon Buddy Swires.

"I think you can go now!" she said in a stern voice. The gnome nodded.

The labour pains were coming to a highpoint. Nanny Ogg put a small piece of ice in my mouth. I gave her a desperate look and murmured, "I don't know if..."

"Don't you dare!" the witch interrupted. She stood there with her hands on her hips and gave me a rather angry look.

"You have been able to face all kinds of difficulties, and I tell you that you will see this through," she said, "You're a strong and very brave woman. I have seen a lot of labour and birth, Miss Barbara, and I have seen a lot of things. I know that you have all the strength you need."

I took another deep breathe and closed my eyes. The only things I really could feel was Rincewind's shirt and Nanny Ogg's voice. Sweat was running down my face but I kept my eyes closed. Only once, when a really strong wave of labour pains hit me, I came close to a scream. But I didn't. I didn't have the strength to scream.

Suddenly, the strongest wave made me jump and jerk forward a bit and made me utter a little shrieking sound. A few seconds later I heard another sound: the crying of a baby.

I wiped my forehead with trembling hands and even managed to smile when I asked, "Is my child alright?" But before the witch could answer me, the next labour pain announced the second baby. However, this time the labour didn't take that long.

"Everything is alright, Roundworld-Madam. You have given birth to two girls as fit at a fiddle." Nanny Ogg sounded as serene as always when she handed me two little bundles wrapped in white cloth.

A few fine strands of hair covered the little round head of the left bundle, and the small fragile body had a colour of bronze, slightly lighter than my own skin.

The right bundle's skin was white and delicate like porcelain. The peach fuzz on top of the head was bright auburn.

"Two girls?" I whispered. The witch nodded, "Didn't I tell you that you wouldn't need to worry? The darker one was first."

"My first girl," I said, caressing the baby's head, "She looks like me." Nanny Ogg nodded and put the baby into the crib.

"My second girl," I said to the light-skinned girl, "She is really a chip off the old block." The witch nodded again, took the other baby and put it into the crib as well. Then she came to me and smoothed my blanket.

"Take some rest," she said, "I'll take care of your babies."

"I'm way to excited to sleep," I said. But my eyes belied me at once when I fell asleep a short time later.

During the next days Nanny Ogg stayed to keep an eye on me and the girls. I allowed myself to stay in bed for one day before I started to fulfil my duty as a mother.

Among other things, I had to find names for my daughters. I remembered an African language I had heard once on Roundworld. This language gave special names to twin girls. The first twin was named Taiwo which meant "life-tasting twin". The second twin was named Kehinde which meant "following twin". These I thought to be suitable names for my daughters.

When I got up to get dressed, Nanny Ogg gave me a hand. I was startled when I realized that I couldn't close my corset as tight as before. I had gained weight from the pregnancy.

Nanny Ogg kept a jealous watch over me to see if I could handle everything. When she was convince that I was doing alright, she and Greebo went back to Lancre.

During the following days, I tried my best to handle the housekeeping and the caring of the two girls. But it was hard and tiring for me. So I went to bed very early on the third day.

It was the middle of the night when I awoke again. The candle I had lit had burned down to a little stud. Its light showed me my little girls sleeping peacefully. I arose to smooth their blanket and wanted to change for bed when I heard a quiet sound from the door.

I opened the door a crack and peered into the dark. Didn't something move back there? I opened the door a bit wider and lifted the candle to see more.

Steps were coming closer. I could see a very skinny, very tall and very human figure approaching. So this couldn't be Buddy Swires.

Given the height of the figure, I was thinking of Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson or Commander Samuel Vimes when I noticed that the figure was too skinny. I was thinking of Nobby Nobbs as well but the figure was way too tall. So it had to be someone else.

I thought it might be Death when the figure came close to the door and I noticed a hat sitting on its head. Once, this hat might have been pointy. But now the tip was snapped off and hung at the hat's side.

The candlestick holder slipped from my trembling hands. I clasped my hands over my mouth and widened my eyes.

Rincewind moved into the light of the candle, picked up the holder and kept it in one hand. The wizard's clothes were nothing but rags and tatters. The trousers and the cloak were torn heavily. The coat was shredded up to the waist, and one of his boots was missing.

I looked upwards and noticed that my husband's hair had grown. It hung in untidy strands down to his shoulders. The beard had grown as well and hung down to his collar.

I heard a whining sound before I noticed it had been my own. I felt the sting of tears when I reached out for my husband and scarcely audible whispered his name. The wizard stepped up to me, put the candle aside and hugged me wordlessly. His emaciated body was trembling. I closed my eyes and allowed free rein to my tears.

On Roundworld it had been one of my hobbies to watch TV. My favourites had been pre-1900 western movies like "Gone with the Wind". Most of these movies had shown women who were separated from their lovers or husbands on cause of war or similar. When they had been reunited after a long time, the women had cried their hearts out.

Sometimes I had wondered what these women might have thought and felt when they had seen their loved ones again.

Now I knew.

When the first rays of sun crept into our house, my husband was feeling a lot better. He was sitting next to me at the kitchen table, smiling happily.

A big part of his happiness came from the fact that he was clean again. When I had managed to let go of Rincewind, I had poured him a bath, had scrubbed his back and had washed and trimmed his hair and beard carefully.

Another big part of his cheerfulness came from the fact that he was full. Before I had put my husband into the tub, I had put a big pot of potatoes on the stove. Later I had melted butter and cut bacon in small bits. This was a meal both of us were very fond of.

Finally, his good mood came from the fact that I had born him two daughters. This was a circumstance the wizard was very happy with.

"We really have two daughters?" he asked for the third time. I nodded, "Yes, we have two beautiful healthy daughters. I have named them Taiwo and Kehinde."

"What's the meaning of those names?" Rincewind asked and watched me nursing Taiwo. I told him about the language and explained the meaning to him. My husband nodded, "They're pretty names."

"They really are." I said.

"And which one is that?" he asked.

"This is Taiwo, our first born girl."

Rincewind gave the little girl a curious and tender glance. When the little baby was fed and had burped, he asked, "Do you mind if I'll take her once?"

I nodded and put the little girl carefully into his arms.

"Put the head on your elbow," I advised him and got up to take up Kehinde and feed her, too.

Silently, my husband was looking at the baby in his arms before he sighed.

"What is it?" I wondered.

"She's so tiny," my husband said quietly, "I still can't believe that she... and her sister, I mean... that those two girls are really my children."

I gave Rincewind a smile which the wizard returned. He bent towards me and kissed my mouth.

"Taiwo is really beautiful," he said and uttered a small laugh, "Well, that's really no surprise for me."

"Why?"

"Because she is looking like you," the wizard said smiling, "And you're the most beautiful thing to me."

"Thank you."

"Kehinde is pretty, too," my husband said after a short silence, "But I hope she won't be too much like me."

"I'm sure she'll inherit only your best characteristics," I said smiling. Rincewind nodded and yawned suddenly.

"We should go to bed," he suggested.

"Go ahead," I said, getting tired as well, "I'll tuck the babies in bed." Rincewind gave me a thankful grin when he went towards the bed and started undressing himself.

I put our daughters into their crib and watch them yawning and closing their eyes. Steps were coming closer. I turned to see the Luggage standing there. The chest rose up on its tiptoes and peered into the crib.

"Hello, Luggage," I said and touched the lid, "Meet Taiwo and Kehinde, our daughters. They are part of our family now as well."

The chest turned to face me. The look from its lock was thoughtfully. Then it sat down next to the crib as if to watch it. I carefully caressed my daughters and went to lie down myself.

The wizard was already asleep. When I crept under the blanket, he lifted up his head once and snuggled close to me. Carefully, I put an arm under his neck and kissed him on the forehead. Without opening his eyes, the wizard put his arms around my waist, put his nose tight against my neck and was asleep again.

It took me a few minutes to fall asleep. After a long while I enjoyed having him close to me. I kissed his forehead once again before I entered never-never land myself.