Isabel.
I meander around the house, trying to think of things to do. I'm limited on cleaning, since I have a pretty large bump now at 8 months, and I think I've dusted every reachable shelf already. All the rooms are spotless, and I've made the bed about a hundred times. To put it lightly, I think I'm going insane.
I sit on the sofa and close my eyes, splaying my hands across my stomach. I have felt her growing, and I feel that she knows I'm so aware of her, too. She. My little girl. I can't wait for her to arrive. I already know she will be perfect. But until then, I have to try and save some sanity. It's not that anyone has told me to slow down in my work for the Guard, it just seems to have happened – and I suspect it is a combined effort from Arkarian and Matt that have done it. I haven't even realised until I'm basically sat at home. I get a lot of visitors, but the lack of activity has me restless, and I'm not sleeping very well.
"Hello, love," I didn't even hear him come in, I was so focused on feeling our baby. I open my eyes and smile at him. Pregnancy has agreed with me up until now – I've been the definition of a glowing pregnant woman – although healing myself has helped a lot, as I can remove pain and inflammation immediately.
"I didn't hear you come in." I don't look so good today, though. I know my eyes look tired, and all of me feels it, as well. He frowns at me, taking my hands and kneeling in front of me.
"You look tired, Isabel. Why don;t you get some sleep while I cook dinner?" He tries to tug me to my feet, but I shake my head. I'm comfortable here – and besides, I wouldn't be able to sleep even if I tried.
"I'm not sleeping well, Arkarian, so there's no point. I'll get over it soon, I'm sure. I'm just bored all day and then can't sleep at night. It's an endless cycle of boring." I sigh, looking up at him, knowing I sound pathetic. "If you'd just let me come and help you at the Guard, I'm sure I'd feel better. Staying home is driving me crazy. I've still got 2 months to go, I'll be insane by then!"
He shakes his head and takes a seat next to me. "I just worry, Isabel. I don't want you, or our little one, getting hurt."
I feel a flare of anger. "I'm pregnant, Arkarian, not injured or sick. You can't make that decision for me You always said that you would never let your feelings change our working relationship. I know you guys are doing a lot without me, clearing Lathenia's palace, and I want to help."
He squeezes my hands, and I meet his eyes. "It wouldn't be safe to take you there."
I know he's right. I sigh dejectedly. "I know. I'm just grouchy and tired. Sorry, love." I awkwardly lean over to press a kiss to his lips. "I've always been active. I'm struggling to keep myself entertained. She's getting bored, too," I gesture to my stomach, and then freeze. This is the first time I have referred to her as 'she'.
Arkarian's sudden grin is infectious. "She?" He pulls me to my feet and presses a long, hard kiss to my lips. I laugh as he draws away. "Are you sure?" He says.
"I'm sure. And she loves us already. I can feel it." I put his hands on my large stomach, and place mine on top of his. I open my thoughts and visualise, as though healing, but just observing. I have done this a few times now, to let him see her, but every time it catches his breath in his throat. I feel her kick under his fingers, too.
"Just a couple more months, little girl." His fingers move over my stomach, and I feel the calming sensation that is his trademark. In my womb, she settles. "Then you'll be with us."
Arkarian.
A girl. A little girl. I imagine she will look like Isabel – beautiful, but maybe with some of my features, too. We stand for a while, with my hands on her stomach. Then Isabel leans up to me and kisses me, snaking her hands around my neck and pulling me close. She runs her hands through my hair and moves to kiss my neck. She tugs my earlobe, gently in her teeth. I gulp and feel familiar stirrings. If there was one thing that surprised me with the pregnancy, it's that Isabel became insatiable in the sex department. I try to be gentle with her, but she tells me off. Her bump is large now, and does make it tricky, but we work around it.
I can't say I'm complaining. What sane man would? I'm lucky, she reminds me after with a smile. We lay on our bed, breathing hard. I curl up to her and pull the sheets over us. Some women lose all drive when they are pregnant. And some, like her, just can't get enough. She waggles her eyebrows at me on the last sentence and I burst out laughing.
"You know I don't mind, love. I wouldn't have minded." She nods – she knows. One thing I pride myself on is my self control. I wrap my arms around her from behind, resting my fingers lightly on her stomach.
"I know. To be honest, I probably wouldn't feel up to it if I wasn't a healer. I haven't really had many negative symptoms because of that. I can stop my nausea, I can get rid of inflammation on my joints – really, I feel normal, just big." She puts her hands over mine and shuts her eyes, yawning. "The only thing I've struggled with big time is sleeping. And this helps." I feel her snuggle down, yawning once more before drifting away into sleep. I stay awake a while longer, marvelling at my beautiful wife, carrying our daughter. If someone had told me a couple of hundred years ago that I would be a a husband and a father, I probably would have laughed them out the room. But here I am. And it feels so, so right.