P I and Magic Book II: The Gods Return
Copyright© 2005 by Volentrin
Chapter 25
After I got back from visiting Svedra, things went downhill fast. While my wife was ignoring me, I was not allowed to ignore her! She let me know her displeasure in many little ways. I was becoming very grim and angry, myself, over this.
I kept the pocket universe in my pocket. Ironic, I know. It was interesting to note that nether Fithian or Vostich were able to detect it. It seemed to be the perfect non-detectable hide out, and that was saying something, with magic users!
I made my way to Mirwanna's part of the palace, and set my jaw. I would not be put off or placed in a cue of some sort. I had to talk to someone about my wife, and it had to be Mirwanna.
I strode with a determination that I did not usually use in the relaxed atmosphere of the palace. I arrived at Mirwanna's day secretary, and told him I wanted to see my sister. He tried to put me off, but I leveled a glare at him, that told him I would not be put off.
A short time later I was in her official office, and I was waiting for her. After about ten minutes, I was getting ready to cast a location spell to find her, when she came striding in.
"Paul. I understand you have to see me? Actually, I am glad you're here. If I had to listen to one more pledge or promise that I knew was a lie, I was going to turn someone into sludge!" Mirwanna exclaimed angrily.
"Tough day at the office?" I asked with a grin.
She gave me that curious stare that she got, when I used sayings or euphemisms from Earth. I grinned even more at her expression.
"I know you didn't get me out of my meeting with the ambassador just to relate strange sayings from that other world. Tell me what you need, I'm very busy," she finished a bit abruptly.
So I unloaded on her. I vented. I got very angry, and insulted all of womanhood with some of my words. She got a grim look on her face, but I would have none of it. I interrupted her whenever it seemed she would try to speak. I let it all out. I finally wound down, and ground to a halt.
She looked at me. "Paul, I understand your anger. However, you must look at it from her side. She is young, married against her will. You are a good man, and a good match for her, and she understands this.
"She knows she has been very lucky, but she is feeling what all woman feel when they are pregnant. The end of freedom. It is worse for her, because she is a very powerful and highly ranked lady in two kingdoms," Mirwanna paused for breath.
"Soon, she will have to stop doing any magic at all. The baby, at this stage, is not affected much. But for some reason, babies during the last few months of pregnancy are badly affected by magical energies. There have been babies born with strange and horrible deformities from active magic users, who practiced magic up until birth. So woman who practice magic, now know not to do anything magical, after four months into the pregnancy," she said.
"While I understand what you are saying, this does not tell me why she is willing to expose our... my son to demons!" I nearly shouted.
"She loves you, Paul! Can't you see that? She came to us as a hostage for her father's good behavior, and she fell in love with you. With the enemy, so to speak. She has become fiercely loyal to you and to me.
"You have been busy. Your obligations are taking you away from her, more and more often. It is worse, now, because she is pregnant. It feels like your abandoning her. This is why she wants to go with you, when you go back to the demon's land. Oh, yes! You will be going, too!
"While the gate to the demon's world has been sealed, we have not destroyed it or deactivated it. Paul, this is just too important to ignore," she finished softly, looking at me intently.
I sighed. "I know how important this is. But I can't expose my wife to demons while she is pregnant. The things that can go wrong!" I exclaimed to her.
She smiled at me. "I am actually pleased to see you behaving this way," she said.
I stared at her. "Huh?" I asked, totally confused.
"It means you care for her, as much as she does for you. While you both entered this marriage reluctantly, to fulfill obligations, you both have come to love one another. Now you have to understand what people of our station, and married couples with children, have long understood.
"Your wife and child are a hostage to the future. As you are worried about your wife and this child; she, too, is worried about you. It's very sweet actually. You and your wife are better equipped to face the future than most of our people are, Paul," she said with finality.
I thought about it. It did make a sort of sense. Still, I did not have to like it.
"She has been acting like a first rate bitch, lately. I know it's because I will be leaving again. She wants to go, and I don't want her to," I said heavily.
"I see only two things that can happen here, Paul.
"One, you can forbid her to go with you. That will create very hard feelings on her part, which will in turn, cause you to react eventually with bad feelings towards her.
"Or, you can face the fact that she is a powerful magic user, with her family god's protection. She is married to a man who has become almost as powerful as Vostich, as near as I can tell. You should be able to protect her in all things, even if she goes into the land of demons with you," Mirwanna said.
I shook my head and said, "What about her obligations here? She is my heir and if I fall and die while in that land of demons, she will have to take charge of all that is mine, here. Does she not know her responsibilities and obligations here? She would endanger both of us, and my unborn child over a fit of childishness!"
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