Celebration

It had been a week now since Uncle Peter and Aunt Fran came to Allland. I had about as much interest in their time at the training center as I did my parent’s visit. Perhaps a very slight bit more, only because I had once fancied Uncle Peter the way Debbie did my father. But Nallen had brushed that interest aside. It was a bit disconcerting seeing them after their time at the center, Uncle Peter had always been a rather quiet taciturn man. But now he and Aunt Fran would stare into each other’s eyes, lost to the world, occasionally chuckling. Or a secretive smile would cross their lips. It was almost bizarre if you had known them on Earth.

Debbie had been granted her desire. She was so bubbly the next morning! She managed not to say anything about what happened but it was obviously all she could have hoped for. Debbie had started the experience of the training center the day after — I understand Mom was her guide there. The center seems to have been rough on her — no shock that — but she did recover, and more tightly bound than ever to my parents. Now you hardly ever saw any of those three alone.

I couldn’t be certain yet but I suspected that I was pregnant. Certainly my period should have begun by now — a couple days ago, I had been regular for years. The idea left me feeling very mixed, I loved Nallen — Aneeka too — of that I had no doubt but I had spent so many years cutting myself off from such thoughts I had never really considered being a mother. I knew Nallen desired children, he had told me that directly our first day together. Part of it was also how little time we had been together, I knew on Earth — at least in the US in professional circles — the tendency had been for couples to be together for years before considering children.

Mom finally couldn’t stand it anymore. She had left Daddy with Debbie back at the nice little house Nallen had arranged for their use before tracking me down in the Counsel library. She had such a weird look on her face, something like anger but I know that’s not quite right either.

“I need to see what Larurus did. You say execution was a just outcome, I need to understand.”

“Alright,” I sighed, “I’m just warning you, It’s ugly.”

This was actually the right place for this. All hearings were stored as part of a permanent record so that any citizen could come and see that the Counsel was operating in an open manner, not necessarily non-corrupt — it is possible to buy reprieves after all — but still open and transparent. I flicked through the various official visions stored within the viewing-stone — I was so glad I wouldn’t have to watch this again! — bringing up the sequence that had been shown at Larurus’ trial; Dalla’s memory of the attack, Likabee’s memory of finding Dalla, the acquaintance telling of how the man bragged afterward, Larurus’ own memories, they had even added material from his hearing — that even after being caught, after his guilt was determined that Larurus still didn’t care. At least they didn’t show the execution — though that was available in a different record.

I motioned Mom close, “Touch the stone, just like a call-plate.”

Watching her face, maybe next time Mom’ll believe me. All the blood drained out of her face; I believe I know when she got to the point of the stabbing, if I’m wrong it’s just the total weight that made such an impression.

Mom pushed away from the viewing-stone, her breathing labored, “That ... that was awful.”

“Warned you.”

“Sorry,” she mumbled before having to blow her nose.

Wanallee came by later with good news of her own.

“I’m pregnant!” the joy in her voice could not be mistaken.

Me? I had been trying not to think of that. I was already days passed when I should have started, had been regular for years before this. I hadn’t told Nallen for the simple reason that I knew he greatly desired children. I both didn’t want to get his hopes up and didn’t want to endure the increased fawning I knew would follow. It shouldn’t surprise me, he had taken me out of my old life at the very mid-point of my cycle. We had certainly done the deed enough to make sure the job got done!

Thaumaturgy is such a strange thing; The lessons from the teacher told me that while it is not common it is also not unheard of for a woman to bear a pair of children every couple decades for two centuries. And it’s not that she then becomes infertile, it is much more the case that even with a young body the desire to keep going eventually simply runs out. And it’s only that infrequent because Allland practice is to only have two children — even grown! — underfoot at one time. So long as the practitioner has even a modicum of power and the needed understanding it is possible to keep a body young indefinitely. Even if Wanallee somehow lacked the power herself — a remote possibility — that was not at all the case for Mern.

“I think I might be,” I whispered, afraid to admit it even to myself. I had refused to test myself, knowing that a positive answer would change my life much more than it already had been.

“That’s great, dear! Nallen will be so pleased,” Wanallee’s voice had gone very high, nearly squealing. “Want me to check?”

“Check what?” I had felt Nallen step out of a doorway behind me, Aneeka too. “Sorry, love, I couldn’t help feeling your distress.”

“She might be pregnant!” Wanallee was just about dancing around by this point, unable to hold still. “I am!”

“That ... that’s wonderful!” He rushed over, placing a hand low on my belly. His face slowly morphed from one of concern to one of unbridled happiness. His voice was a whisper, “You are.”

Suddenly I was wrapped in tight hugs from two sides — Nallen on one, Aneeka on the other.

“Oh, Mistress!”

Nallen froze, still hugging me but now staring over his shoulder at his mother, “Wait ... Did you mean to say you’re pregnant too?”

“Sure did.”

“That’s ... that’s just...”

“Wonderful?”

Aneeka let go, rushing over to their mother. “Oh, Momma! I’ll finally be a big sis! Does Papa know?”

“Of course he does, you don’t think I’d come tell Linda first do you?”

Dinner that night was at the same restaurant Nallen had taken me for our night alone, though this time they placed us in a private room — not nearly so dim as the balcony had been — on the main floor rather than the secluded balcony — absolutely needed with how many attended. Mern and Wanallee; my parents with Debbie; Nallen, Aneeka and myself — Uncle Peter and Aunt Fran didn’t attend, friends of second-level family just weren’t close enough. I also met Wanallee’s parents Jaquo and Ronna and also Mern’s mother Mareail for the first time that night — poor lady, Mern’s father was long deceased. Once again we ate feeding each other. Once again there were no menus — not even a description of what the courses would be. Even though our dresses weren’t quite as fancy for this visit we were still given full-body drapes rather than just bibs.

Mom and Daddy had both taken the news well. There was a gleam in Mom’s eye, I could just imagine I might finally be getting a little brother or sister myself. And Daddy, I suspect he was dreaming of holding a grandchild, a grandchild he could never have expected given how my life had been headed! Debbie had smiled but my being pregnant really didn’t affect her much.

I had taken Mom aside before the meal, before telling Daddy, so she wouldn’t be surprised.

“You weren’t protected?” she didn’t exactly sound put out but knew her attitude could quickly turn that way.

I shook my head, “I’d been clockwork regular for years, also worked hard to keep men out of mind ... was very much a virgin before meeting Nallen.” I chuckled, “Not that it matters much, I suspect Nallen could have made sure even the pill would fail even if I /had/ been on it.”

“Probably,” Mom still sounded a bit uncertain, “but how do you feel about it?”

“Excited, nervous. Not quite believing.”

“Heheh, that’s every first-time mother.”

I let out a sigh of relief, there was nothing Mom could do about this. I wanted her to at least be happy at the prospect of a little grandchild to spoil rotten then hand back. Nothing I could do either, even if I miscarried — unlikely, I knew, with a thaumaturgically re-enforced body — Nallen would quickly make sure I were once more in the family way.

Just like the first time Nallen brought me to this restaurant there was a pre-appetizer, this time two small crackers with some kind of spread for each of us — I saw that Mern and Wanallee actually received something different, this house catered to the numbers in each group! They had even provided different couches for Nallen and Daddy, made to hold three and not just two. The real appetizer were rolls with baked-in cherry jam. I felt more and more sorry for Mareail as the night went on having to see others feeding their still-living loves. Losing Aneeka — I didn’t dare even think of losing Nallen! — would be a devastating blow to my psyche. I wondered how Mareail managed to survive, I understand death of a broken heart to be a well-attested phenomenon all over Allland.

I tried refusing the wine, “The baby...” I still might not be fully adjusted to the idea but I wasn’t about to do anything to mess it up.

“Don’t worry, the alcohol’s been removed,” Nallen reassured.

“You certain?”

“Positive.”

“Okay.”

Just like when Nallen brought me here I soon lost track of the various dishes. Also just like that other visit there was nothing I found less than delicious! Whoever the chef in charge was, they certainly knew their business. Partway through the meal I had an idle thought wondering if the chef somehow used thaumaturgy to make the dishes more appealing. It would not surprise me, they were that good. Magical, one might say.

I was so stuffed I almost refused the dessert. It was some kind of chocolate-layer cookie. There was a chocolate cookie on bottom, a layer of soft chocolate spread over it, a thinner layer of some incredibly sweet chocolate sauce all topped with mint-chocolate chips. The thing was nearly an inch thick! Good thing the entire cookie was no more than three-quarters of an inch by four.

“Mmm,” Aneeka just about orgasmed from her first bite of the confection — not really but it was a very sexual sound. “You ... you’ve got to try this, Mistress.”

“Okay ... okay,” I relented — not that I had tried especially hard to refuse.

Nallen cut off a small piece for me, perhaps a half inch long. Just the smell as he lifted it to my lips, I fully understood Aneeka’s reaction. He placed it sauce-side down on my tongue. I couldn’t help closing my eyes as it melted across my taste buds. So many different tastes! A rich medley of sweet chocolate goodness. I also couldn’t help panting, doing as much as I could to extract every iota of flavor from that small morsel.

Aneeka and I traded back and forth until there was only one slice left. Nallen moved to do something with it but I stopped him. I smiled over at Aneeka before turning and cutting it down the middle.

“Go ahead, I know you want to,” I offered to our lover.

Aneeka chose one of the resulting pieces, gracefully lifting it to Nallen’s lips. He didn’t seem to appreciate it nearly the way Aneeka or I did but did play along, even licking a bit of sauce off her fingertips.

It felt almost criminal feeding the last piece to someone who didn’t covet it. I know Nallen greatly enjoyed the pudding dessert our first visit. I picked up the last small portion, instead of Nallen I pressed it to Aneeka’s lips.

Her eyes flew open. I saw that Nallen had a tolerant smile out the corner of my eye. She leaned closer, taking the last piece of dessert between just her lips. And then she leaned even closer! Our lips met, she fed me part of that last bit of cookie by direct mouth-to-mouth transfer. Our tongues wrestled, each trying to make the other take more. In the end we were both winners.

I was blushing when we finally broke apart, very glad to be in the private room. It had been a hot enough kiss that we would have drawn applause if we had been in public. It was a hot enough kiss that I could feel Nallen’s reaction pressed against my hip!

Aneeka’s eyes were downcast, her own cheeks lit up. Nallen kissed us each on a cheek, I saw Aneeka’s blush deepen even as my own burned hotter.

Nallen drew us over to where his grandmother Mareail stood a little apart, it was almost unbelievable realizing she had to have seen two centuries. He held her bony hands in both of his, “Thanks for coming, Grandma.”

“Of course, silly boy. A child is a wonderful thing, two even better!”

She turned her still-sharp gaze on Aneeka, “Tsk ... tsk, I’m not sure what the world’s coming to, girl, a sister throwing herself at her brother.”

“I love him, Grandma ... love them both. It was meant to be. Had to be.”

“Oh, I know that. Don’t mind this tottering old bird.” She leaned close, “we were never close like you three but there was this lovely young thing ... She asked your grandfather Nicko to be her Guide. She was laying above me ‘girlfriends’ when he did the deed. There were other times with her, but they never went anywhere,” Mareail’s voice was soft, wistful at the end. “Like I said, it was fun but not love.”

It was more than eerie, for a moment I could see Mareail as a vibrant young woman. A young woman bringing another to her husband — actually I’m not sure they were married yet — as a very special gift. She remained an ancient crone but overlaid over that was a glowing image of youth. A youth remembering a very special time. And then the image was gone. Not just gone, Mareail seemed to be having trouble breathing. Nallen led her over to a nearby chair.

“Will you be okay, Grandma?”

“Don’t mind me, boy. I’m just old ... old and worn out.”

We watched her for a few moments but she seemed to be as good as her word, shaking her cane at us to move along.