Note: Sensitive matters at the beginning. Just a natural biological process that happens to human women whether we like it or not.

The girl was right. Her period came on two days later and she retreated to the special tunnel in the catacombs. There was one female guard that the girl recruited to know where she was and to bring her supplies that she needed. This was just a female thing. It was better that SkekSil even stayed away while this went on.

Chamberlain told the emperor and the Scientist that the girl had a certain health condition that every unum, for seven days, she had to go away for some private time. It just had something to do with being a female. She wasn't allowed to work until the time was done.

"Fine. If it would interfere with our jobs here, then it would be best she goes away." The Emperor decreed.

SkekTek wasn't too bummed about the girl being away for a few days. He could handle most of the tasks himself. But he too, wanted to know of this health condition should he have to take care of her someday. He would talk to her as soon as she was back on duty to his chores.

….

For the girl, the first five days were pure torture for her. Heavy bleeding and cramps. Her moaning and crying about it. There was no medication she could take here as the creatures here were unfamiliar with this condition. Female Gelflings didn't have it either, but the one she had recruited for her food and clothing she had told and the Gelfling understood. But the last two days weren't too bad.

The girl wanted to be completely done bleeding before she left this room. It was going to get a door on it before the next time. Since she got her period this time, it was obvious that Sil wasn't able to get her pregnant.

After the seven days were over, the girl had cleaned herself up and left the tunnel. She could now resume her duties.

First, she went to the throne room to see if her mate was there. She wanted to see him first. Or he might be elsewhere in the castle. When she got there, Sil was in there talking to the emperor.

"Hey there." The girl waved and bowed.

The Skeksis turned to her. "Hi. Welcome back, Human. Are you back to resume your duties with the Scientist?" The Emperor asked.

"Yes, my Lord. It has now passed. I can work again." She replied. "I was just checking back in with you and my mate."

"Chamberlain happy to see Human too but working now. Human can go report to Scientist." Sil declared.

"I understand. Thank you. We'll catch up later." She said as she left the room.

As the two of them watched her leave, SkekSo eyed his advisor. "Were you happy to see her?" He asked.

"Yes. Just not liking interruption. Not same without her giving information to Chamberlain." Sil replied.

"And she gave you the information on why she has to go hide away for the last seven days?" So asked.

"Yes. Something gross her body does every unum, she says." Sil said. "Which is not coming into heat, though it smells like it to us."

"I don't need her distracting anyone. So yes, it is better that she goes there then when this is happening to her." So decreed. Sil nodded, agreeing.

….

The girl reported to Tek's headquarters where she got to work again, helping him. But he had to ask of her condition, and she explained the same thing to him as best she could what she told her mate.

"Hmm, I see why you did it then." Tek replied after hearing the explanation.

"Thank you. But I'm back and ready to do what you need me to do." She said.

She was allowed to work again.

Later in the day, when the girl was allowed to wander the castle, the female Gelfling she talked to that would aide her would be called Lucia. She was a Vapran Gelfling. She also told her about it and asked if female Gelflings had that issue.

"No, we don't." Lucia replied.

"You're lucky then." The girl complimented her kind.

"Why does this happen every unum?" Lucia asked.

"It's just something that happens to human females from the time we start being able to reproduce to a thing we call menopause. When our body gets too old to have babies anymore." She explained. "It usually takes place in our forties or fifties. My kind are lucky if we can even live to be one hundred trines old."

"Gelfling live longer, a few hundred trine and only start reproducing in our forties. We can go on having children a lot longer." Lucia explained.

"Nice."

"Are you going to try to have children with the Lord Chamberlain?" Lucia asked.

"I really doubt it can be done. I just prefer being with him. If a child came along, it would be a miracle."

"Yes, indeed." Lucia stated.

…..

Time passed and things went on in the castle like always. It had been seven months since the wedding.

The girl would go to her private tunnel every month for a week. And from what Sil knew, he tried hard to try to produce offspring with her. But there was nothing that would happen. It totally made sense. The Skeksis were sterile.

One night, she sat down on the bed next to the Chamberlain. He had a forlorn look on his face. "What's wrong, Sil?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He glanced at her. "No matter what Chamberlain does to mate you, still you go to tunnel."

"I just don't think producing an offspring is going to happen." She said.

"Emperor said he be willing to let Chamberlain produce offspring because of having mate." Sil stated.

"That's nice of him."

"Yes, hmmmm. Chamberlain wants something new in relationship with Human." Sil admitted.

"It would be wonderful to have some new life here. But it just isn't going to happen that way most likely. But I do have a favor to ask." She declared.

"Hm?"

"Would you be willing to consider adoption?" she asked of him.

"Adoption?"

"You know? Getting a baby of another species and raising it like your own. That kind of adoption. Like the Gelfling do with Fizzgig, sort of. But I'm not talking about Fizzgig."

"Then what you talk of Lady Sil?" This was an affectionate nickname for her from him.

"What about raising a baby Gelfling here in the castle? An orphan. He or she could have a special role when it gets older."

"Gelfling be raised like Gelfling." Sil stated.

"It could still be raised alongside other Gelfling, yes, but he or she could have a more special role than all the others combined." The human explained. "That it would define its role differently from other Gelfling. Instead of a guard, what about a messenger, or one in the court that could order other Gelfling? A leader of the diplomatic roles here in the castle, but still raised by you and me. And the other Skeksis too. But it would be our adopted child. It would have higher rank than any other Gelfling and special privileges that perhaps other Gelflings don't get."

As he listened to her, it did sound intriguing. Raising a Gelfling child like his own. That held promise. He knew that the General was more in charge of the army and guards that served here in the castle. He would be happy to raise a different kind of Gelfling. One that could serve a diplomatic role one day.

"Yes, perhaps it is time to get a diplomatic Gelfling serving castle again." Sil realized. "Yes. But must find one from one of clans."

"Maybe if we go together and let the clans know we are searching for a baby that would be raised here in the castle to serve us one day, maybe one of them might be willing to give us their child." The girl proclaimed.

"Gelfling always submit to Skeksis lords." Sil declared.

"Then so it shall be. But we need to run it by our emperor too." She stated.

"Yes. Agree with Human." Sil said.

They went to bed shortly after they were finished talking that night. But it was something to look forward to. It was a start.

….

The girl did want to be a mother to a child of Chamberlain's, but it wasn't going to happen. But if he could make himself be like a father to an adopted Gelfling childling, that was the best she could offer.

They ran the idea by the emperor in the morning. All the Skeksis were in there too.

"Could be special role of adopted Gelfling childling when it gets older." Sil declared. "It will still serve like any Gelfling."

"And I noticed that there are no young Gelfling in the castle. This one would be ours to raise, your Highness." The girl added.

"Ah! It does hold promise, Human. But you will raise it to respect Skeksis rules and ways." SkekSo decreed.

"Yes. I promise that my lord." She replied.

"Very well. You can go around to the clans that serve us here in the castle and ask for a young Gelfling to be your child." The Emperor decreed.

"Thank you, Sire." She said. "Or what if we send a messenger?"

"Fine." So agreed.

Sil and his girl got one of the guards a scroll of decree from the Scroll Keeper that was written in Gelfling would be taken to the Vapra Clan. Sil had also decreed one thing for himself, that he wanted one of the cultured clan. It would be taken to the All-Maudra.

Considering that female Gelflings had more of the higher roles in their societies, perhaps it was better if it was a female child. Only other Gelfling females though would have to teach her how to fly when she got old enough.

The girl said she wanted a female childling to be requested. The guard got that too. Then he was off on a Landstrider to the city of Ha'rar.

"I hope he comes through." The girl said.

"Yes and may take time for child to come about." Sil added. "Or could return with one."

"It makes it well worth waiting for, just as waiting for a pregnancy to go full term."