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"His name is Tavri, he's of the Tribe... If he finds me again, I'll be taken back and they'll take this child when it's born."
Emma took Danielle's hand as she was helped to her feet and they were walking back to the castle grounds, relieved she'd be able to stay there. The Tribe were hesitant to mess with anyone residing there after losing Adrien, and they were not looking for a war over one pregnant woman. "Thank you." She said gently, smiling a bit still. "Do you know if Arturo's returned?" She asked again after a moment, sure she hadn't gotten a reply earlier due to the shock Danielle had been in at seeing her. |
Danielle shook her head. "I'm afraid he hasn't returned yet. It's a little unusual for him to be gone this long. But," she gazed at her great belly, "I can see why he was gone." She smiled. "How far along are you?"
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Emma frowned at that. "That's strange... he left before me..." She was worried about the mage now. He hadn't gotten too much of a headstart on them, but surely he wouldn't have taken so long to get to Caer Elise after docking. Had he made it through that storm? Perhaps he'd made some detours, she was sure he was fine.
"Mm? Let's see... I suppose I'm about five months now." She replied with some thought. Time passed so quickly it seemed, though she'd spent it all in two places while she was pregnant. |
"May I?" Danielle asked, gesturing to gain permission to touch her stomach. "Five months. My goodness. You're getting close to having him or her. Are you still getting ill in the mornings?"
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Emma nodded a bit at Danielle, moving her hands away from her stomach so her friend could feel, the child was being fairly active too, it fascinated her. "No, I stopped that a few weeks ago on the way here."
The child gave a good few kicks when Danielle touched her stomach, and Emma sighed. She could feel those little feet dig into her ribs from time to time, it wasn't very pleasant! "Did Danny kick this much?" She asked after a moment, taking in a slow, deep breath. |
Danielle laughed as she felt over Emma's stomach. "Yes, Danny was a big kicker. There were days I had to stay in bed, because he was so active." She gently rubbed over her stomach, imaging the girl to be in a great deal of pain with how much this child was moving.
"If you'd like to be alone for awhile, I'll go ask and see if anyone heard anything from Arturo." |
"I can imagine so! The trip here was a little rough." She was looking forward to a cozy bed again to rest in and the friendly company of Danielle and Danny.
"I'd like that, Danielle." Emma replied gently, she really did want to know if anyone had heard from the ice mage. She could honestly use another nap, still tired since she'd been woken up when they got there. |
Danielle tucked in Emma, making sure the pillow was fluffed before having her head lay in it. Once she figured she was comfortable, she herded the little boy away quickly. Danny squealed and tried to escape her until the promises of a sweet treat were made.
"Have a good rest, Emma." Danielle closed the door. |
Emma smiled with a chuckle at Danny's behaviour, still the same as it was nearly half a year ago now. She settled in bed a bit more, resting on her side again as she allowed herself to fall asleep, knowing she was now safe.
When she woke, she wanted to get up and walk around, but her body immediately refused as she felt the pain in her back and then her ribs as the child shifted within her. She sighed out and shifted her pillows so she could lounge more comfortably in her room. |
Danielle arrived, finally finding her awake. She brought in some food and sat upon the girl's bedside. "Is it bad?" she murmured, feeling through the girl's hair.
"From what I've heard, no one's heard any word from Arturo. They've sent a few scouts around the area." |
Emma looked at Danielle curiously, glad to see food, she was so hungry! "Yes... " She'd felt worse, but the strain on her back--she didn't think walking around today would be a good idea.
"I'm worried about him... I'm pretty sure he left the coast by boat, and there was a horrible storm--I saw something that looked like it might have been wreckage the day after, but I didn't see anyone... I hope he's alright." Emma furrowed her brow and moved to slowly sit herself up to eat. |
"By the coast?" Danielle thought this over. "Well, I'll let them know about the shipwreck." She began fixing her hair, moving it behind her ear. She decided not to speak out about her concerns about the mage.
"Don't worry your head over him. He's the head Elemental for a reason." |
Emma nodded slowly and gave a small sigh. "I know..." She just hoped she did not lose another friend. Denzell was still missing, and she couldn't be certain she'd get to see him again, though she prayed she would.
Quietly now, she ate, the child settling down finally. What a relief, she hoped the baby would give her a chance to nap that day, she was quite fatigued. |
Danielle received the word from the scouts. After hearing what they had to say, she decided to avoid telling Emma. Instead, she played with Danny for awhile till he fell asleep. Trying to think of what could possibly distract her, she went and gathered some flowers from the gardens to lighten up the room with.
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Emma continued to rest in bed, unable to bring her body to take her out of the room to see if anyone had heard news of her mage friend. She wanted so badly to find out if he was alright or not as the day drew on. She'd told Danielle she wouldn't worry, but she couldn't help it. She'd lost so many friends already, she couldn't bear to lose another.
She settled in the bed after attempting to walk around her room slowly, just to stretch her legs and then she was back in bed, sighing out quietly. |
Danielle rapped upon the door and entered, declaring that it was she. "How are you feeling?" She set the flowers upon the table by the bed and sat down on the girl's bed to feel if the child had given Emma any relief.
Knowing what was on the girl's mind, especially since all of the horseback scouts had returned, making quite a ruckus in the stables, she knew she couldn't avoid the subject. "I'm afraid no one's heard or seen him since he bought that boat." |
Emma smiled a bit at the flowers, they were pretty and welcoming to the rather plain room. "Sore, but the child seems to have settled down a bit." She said in a relieved voice.
She was quiet a few moments at the news. "Nothing? Do you know... if they found the wreckage? I don't know, maybe it wasn't even... It could have just been wood.." She didn't like this, however. |
"They found it," she said hesitantly. "But they didn't find him anywhere." She sighed. "Considering some things of his they found on the ground by the wreckage, he's around...but the question is...where is he?"
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Emma frowned a bit, but it was good news... in a way. It was probably for the best he hadn't taken her along, she doubted she would have survived the storm if she'd not been on the boat with the Elites.
"I'm sure he's somewhere.." She said slowly, and she seemed in slightly better spirits with this news. She looked to the closed window curiously, she should have opened it when she'd gotten up earlier, but she hadn't thought about it. "Danielle? Would you open the window? It feels kind of stuffy in here." Some fresh air sounded wonderful. |
Danielle obliged and opened the window wide. She peered out curiously, raising a brow as a form flew toward the window and landed upon the sill. The hawk turned his head this way and that before gazing at the two young women.
"Ah, you have a visitor. I guess Aidan has him flying about to let him know what's going on." |
Emma smiled as she saw the hawk land there. "He's Aidan's?" She rose a brow curiously, she was pretty sure that was the same hawk she'd seen on the boat. She wished she could get up and pet those feather's again, but even trying to sit up ached at the moment, so she just remained in her slightly elevated laying position, her hair a bit of a mess of curls around her face against the bed and pillows.
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"Mhmm," Danielle confirmed. She smiled warmly. "It's strange. Just one day this hawk came flying around and decided to hang around him. And he claimed...he claimed he could see."
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It didn't surprise Emma any, she simply smiled. "Before I left... Aidan had discovered a spell that allowed him to see, it was so brief then." She wondered why his hawk had come to her on the boat, though.
"How is Aidan doing?" SHe hadn't had a chance to look for him, though it very well might have been for the best. Aidan would be getting closer to the age she'd met him at 5 years ago, when she was still Theodore. He would look just like he did back then... She didn't think she could very well look at him without remembering their past and longing for it all back. |
"He's doing alright. It's a little bizarre watching him age so. He acts a lot like........himself...but at the same time..." She bowed her head. "It's just strange." She reached out and ruffled the hawk's feathers. He brushed his head against her hand and gazed at her with his sharp eyes.
"Would you like to see him?" |
Emma chuckled a bit as she watched Danielle ruffle the hawk's feathers, and she shifted carefully. "Yes, I'd like to see him." She replied, rubbing her stomach as she felt a faint kick, but it didn't get worse, thankfully.
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