Jun 13, 2019
Our connections with friends and family are what defines us.
How we handle making or stopping them defines who we are.
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Chapter 24
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(M/Br)aking Connections
Shelly sat in her
room, alone, trying to sort out her feelings. She’d hardly said a word since
Areth’s awakening, closing herself off from everyone.
She stood and started
pacing. Even though she’d wanted to be alone, now that she was, she regretted
it. Plagued with self-doubts, recriminations for her foolish impetuosity,
heartache for knowing that her actions were hurting Sonia but unable to put
Jessica in the past, and anger for having to carry the child of her rape.
The growing baby in
her stomach shifted, an odd sensation as though her tummy was doing flipflops.
Thanks to Gaia’s magic, the unborn child was growing faster than normal,
allowing her to take months of pregnancy down to a few days. Of course, that
also required her to drink from Gaia’s breasts in order to supply the nutrients
her body needed to sustain such a rapid growth.
She was still in
turmoil over the pregnancy. She didn’t want to be a mother. Especially not to
that monster Aecus’s child. Oh, she understood why she needed to carry the
child to term, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. As soon as the child
was born, she was going to hand it off to Gaia and leave.
A knock sounded at
her door. It was probably Sonia again, wanting to comfort her. Didn’t the android
understand that she didn’t deserve comforting? Sonia deserved better than
Shelly could give her. The best thing she could do for the synthetic lifeform
was to push her away.
But she was so
lonely. The last time she’d been alone was before running off from Angela’s
demesne. Before being nabbed by the Myrmidon, and then suffering… She shuddered
as flashes of her treatment under Aecus’s care crashed through her mind. She
couldn’t remember ever feeling such pain, or such intense pleasure, in her
life. Despite herself, despite all of her inner turmoil, there was a spark
inside her that craved that kind of bliss again. For a short period of time,
she was able to ignore the entire world and all her woes. She’d luxuriated in
that ecstasy, and part of her wanted it again. It wasn’t like the numbness
forced on her by the angel.
With a shudder, she
shoved the thoughts away as she opened her mouth to tell Sonia to go away. She
would lose her mind if she ever experienced anything like that again, and she
cherished her free will too much to give that up.
“I want company,” her
mouth betrayed her. “Come in.” The fact that she hadn’t said what she’d wanted
told her who was on the other side of the door.
Mandy walked in; her
upper arms folded across her chest as her other hands closed the door. Her
dirty blonde hair was mostly pulled back into a ponytail, but still managed to
frame her disapproving stare. Her brown eyes tried to pull Shelly into opening
up, but she managed to keep her mouth shut. It was impossible to lie around
Sheldon’s girlfriend, and Shelly couldn’t be sure of what she might say. She
didn’t know what the truth was, and was almost afraid of what she might find
out if she dug too hard.
The two adult women
regarded each other for a long moment, before the intruder surprised Shelly by
stepping forward and pulling her into a tight hug. Four sets of powerful arms
engulfed her, and something inside Shelly broke.
Tears welled and then
overflowed her eyes. A sob broke free from her chest, and her arms wrapped
around the other woman. Mandy was a bit taller than Shelly, and one of the
woman’s hands pressed her cheek into Mandy’s firm chest.
She didn’t know how
long she cried there, being comforted like a child, but she felt calmer after a
while and slipped out of the embrace. At some point they’d moved to a couch in
the room without letting go of one another. Neither one had spoken the whole
time.
“I never thanked you
for saving me. You must think I’m a terrible person,” Shelly said as she worked
to dry her cheeks. She couldn’t even lift her eyes to look at Mandy. “Among
other things,” she added without meaning to.
“You mean like
fucking my boyfriend, or running away, or… Shit, sorry. That’s not what I meant
to say,” Mandy soothed her tone. Shelly finally looked up at her, and noted
that her eyes were red and puffy as though she’d been crying as well. “Oh,
don’t give me that look because of my language,” Mandy cracked a small smile as
she attempted to lighten the mood. “Not everything was your fault, and even the
parts that were, turned out okay in the end.”
“Okay?!” Shelly
shouted and grabbed the sides of her belly. “How is this okay?”
One of Mandy’s right
hands reached forward and rested on her stomach. Shelly flinched at the
unwanted contact, but refused to back away.
“I know this is hard
for you—” Mandy started to say, but Shelly cut her off.
“You know this is hard for me?” she spat.
“How could you possibly know what I’m going through? Were you ever raped by a
creature that has actively worked for your family’s destruction? Have you ever
carried an unwanted child to term, just to ensure that the ecology of the world
could continue on? Or was that not what you meant? You’re an only child, so you
couldn’t have fucked your brother. Your dad perhaps? Or—” This time it was
Shelly that was cut short as Mandy’s other right hand slapped her. The woman
was stronger than she knew, and for a few moments, Shelly couldn’t focus on
anything other than the pain in her cheek.
“I know the pain of
carrying an unwanted child,” Mandy said through clenched cheeks. “No, it wasn’t
through rape, or anything like what you went through. And you know damned well
that my father was a good man. He never laid an inappropriate hand on me. I
know you’re hurting, Shelly, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat
others like they’re not hurting also.”
“Oh?” Shelly felt her
ire rising even higher. “And what do they have to be hurting about? Areth has
been restored, and my brother… My brother has you and Shlee to take care of his
every whim. Gaia will get the child she needs to keep both worlds healthy. What
do they possibly have to be hurting about?”
Mandy’s jaw clenched
as she worked to form her response. “You do realize that your brother is also
dealing with the fact that he had unwanted sex with his sister? Or that your
father has to deal with the fact that, while yes, he is happy to have Areth
back, finding out about Brock and Brooke, or you and Eldon, or that Jessica is
one of his lover’s children hidden from him for decades? Or that Shlee and I
have to worry about Gloria coming back into Eldon’s life? It’s very obvious to
everyone that he still loves her, so where will that leave us? Or… or…” she
seemed to run out of steam for a moment, before changing tactics. “And where do
you get off on berating Shlee or me for taking care of your brother? We love
him. Just like Sonia loves you, and would do anything for you. You know she is
a wreck of emotions out there, worried about you, and you shutting her out? Hell,
we should all be out there celebrating Areth’s return, but instead, you’re
hiding in here like a spoiled little brat, hurting those that love you because
life hasn’t exactly been kind lately. You don’t know how lucky you are!”
Shelly opened her
mouth to cut in, but Mandy didn’t give her a chance.
“You grew up with
parents that stayed together,” Mandy informed her, like she was a teacher
informing a little child the most basic of facts. In fact, both sets of arms
were folded, and the look on Mandy’s face was one of someone having to state
the obvious. “You have powers that don’t hurt those around you. Yes, you were
betrayed by someone you love, but at least the other person who loves you does
so because they want to. It wasn’t forced upon them by a spell.”
“You loved my brother
on your own, and not because of a spell,” Shelly managed cut in. “And Sonia
only loves me because it’s part of my soul inside her, allowing her to be
capable of love. Or perhaps I should say obsession?” Then something else Mandy
had said struck her. “Wait, when did you ever have an unwanted child?”
Mandy grimaced and
shook her head. “It was after Eldon and I broke up. I made a mistake. I was
hurting after we split… Because of my ability, compounded by your brother’s,
hundreds died. I was devastated. I jumped into the first set of arms that
welcomed me. I got foolish, and allowed myself to get pregnant. When I told
him, he left me.”
Shelly regarded the
other woman in silence for a bit. It wasn’t the same as her, but it was still
bad. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Mandy and Sheldon had killed so many
by accident. The incident was covered up, of course, which was why they could
come and go in Gaia’s city, but the two never forgot. And at least Mandy had
wanted the child at one point, or she wouldn’t have been able to get pregnant…
“What happened to the
child?” Shelly asked, her curiosity overcoming her anger enough to keep her
tone level.
Fresh tears appeared
in Mandy’s dark eyes, but they didn’t fall. “I came to Gaia, and she determined
that the child would be dangerous. A-at least, that’s what she told me. I’ve
always wondered if she told me that to make it easier for me, or something
else.”
“No one can lie
around you,” Shelly reminded her.
“No, but Gaia has
been around me enough to know how to speak the truth and still mislead,” Mandy
said. “Perhaps the child would have been safe enough, except that the pain it
caused me was dangerous, or something else. I don’t know.”
Shelly mulled over
everything Mandy had revealed. Not just about the child, but about everyone
else. Was she being a spoiled child? She didn’t want to believe it, but how
else could she describe the tantrum she threw when she’d left the Pillar of
Fire’s volcano home? She wasn’t acting like the cool, level-headed woman she
pictured herself as. True, she was suffering from what was done to her, but she
wasn’t the only one. Her family had suffered as well.
“Eldon doesn’t
deserve you,” Shelly said in a small voice, admitting defeat. “You’re too smart
for him.”
“I think that’s the
first time I’ve ever heard you call him Eldon,” Mandy cracked a smile and wiped
the unshed tears from her eyes. “And I think he knows he doesn’t deserve me, or
Shlee for that matter. But he tries his best for us.”
“How…” Shelly paused
as she tried to consider her words and how to ask something she’d wondered for
a while. “How do you and Shlee get along? Don’t you get jealous?”
“That’s a weird
question, coming from anyone in your family,” Mandy replied. “With your father,
I thought that would be obvious.”
“But you weren’t
raised like us,” Shelly countered. “And from what little I know about Shlee,
neither was she.”
Mandy took a moment
to consider her answer. “We all grew up together. , Well, not Shlee, but your
family and mine. I knew when I started dating Eldon that there was a chance
that other women may become involved, despite his protestations that he only
wanted one woman. In fact, I kind of welcomed it. I knew early on that I was
bisexual. Actually, I lean a little more towards women than I do men, but don’t
tell your brother that. I would have asked you out first when we were younger,
but your brother stole my first kiss, and with it, my heart. I love Shlee as
much as I do Eldon, and want both of them to be happy.”
Shelly mulled that
over for a bit. Mandy had been interested in her? She hadn’t a clue. Mandy was
a beautiful woman, but she’d been with Sheldon for so long that Shelly couldn’t
picture herself with the four-armed woman.
Shelly got to her
feet and gestured for Mandy to do the same. As soon as the other woman stood,
Shelly pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry for what I said,” she apologized. “I
said some horrible things, and I didn’t know what you’d been through.”
“You spoke what you
thought was the truth,” Mandy replied, returning the hug in kind. “But I’ll
forgive you if you’ll forgive me for being so harsh.”
“I needed it,” Shelly
said and pulled away. She scrubbed at her eyes one last time, and rubbed her
cheeks. She probably looked terrible, but she refused to check. She needed to
apologize to everyone else for her behavior, including how she’d acted after
Amenadiel tore out part of her soul.
She hesitated before
opening her door and stepping out, Mandy on her heels.
“Shelly…” Sonia said,
pain and longing thick in her voice. Shelly stepped to her and pulled her into
a hug.
“I’m so sorry,” she
said as she fought back a new set of tears. “Can you ever forgive me?”
Before Sonia could
respond, Shelly felt more arms engulf her and the android. She looked up to see
her family, and even Shlee and Areth as part of the embrace. It finally
occurred to her that no matter what happened, this was her family. They loved
her, and she loved them. For this moment at least, everything would be all
right.
They spent a short
time celebrating and commiserating with each other. Shelly noted that her
brother no longer glowed, and he admitted that his body was no longer
permanent.
“I’m going to miss
that perma-boner,” Shlee commented, then covered her mouth as her face turned
nearly as red as her hair. Everyone chuckled as Shlee glared at Mandy.
“What’s our next
move?” Shelly asked, hoping they would make a move on Jessica, and yet also
fearful.
The mood shifted and
no one spoke for a moment. Gaia formed herself out of the ground then, drawing
all of their attention.
“Lyden Snow, I’m
afraid you’re needed in the other realm,” the Pillar of Earth said, making it
obvious that she was aware of everything in the room before her entrance. “The
Palladonic Knights have launched legislature in multiple countries that
threaten us. You need to fulfill your role as ambassador and make sure it
fails.”
“They’re listed as a
terrorist entity,” Shlee cut in. “How could they do anything like that?”
“They still have
allies in most governments that can act on their behalf,” Gaia said. “It’s
through them that they’re trying to enforce a registry of any creature that is
not wholly human.”
“The X-men showed how
bad of an idea that is,” Shlee said. Shelly had no idea who the X-men were, but
she could see how that was a terrible idea. As soon as any magical creature was
put on a list, they would become a target.
“How long has passed
on Earth since I came here?” Lyden asked.
“Just shy of one
month,” Gaia answered. “The Knights have been busy, working in the background
since their failure to assassinate the President of the United States.”
They hadn’t been in here
for that long, but with the time differentiation between worlds, Shelly knew
that they had fallen behind. The Palladonic Knights weren’t her main concern,
however. Her father could deal with their shenanigans, while Sheldon and her
looked for Jessica.
Sheldon opened his
mouth to say something, then glanced at his girlfriends and closed his mouth.
Mandy must have picked up on his thoughts though, and asked for him, “What
about Gloria? She helped restore Areth. Could she be back under her own
control?”
“Her own control?”
Shelly whispered to Sonia.
The android had been
welcoming when Shelly came out of her room, but had backed off shortly
afterwards. She wasn’t exactly cold, but she wasn’t warm either. Shelly knew
she would have to earn that forgiveness. It was Gaia that answered, though.
“I’m not yet entirely
certain that she’s broken free of Jessica’s control. I placed a clone of myself
before her, and she didn’t attack it, but I can’t be sure she doesn’t have
secondary commands, should her initial mission fail. Megan is talking to her
now, and I’m observing that conversation as we speak.”
Shelly had forgotten
about the new redhead. She glanced at her brother, wondering if he’d picked up
yet another girlfriend, or not. Megan was all hot and ready for Sheldon while
in the Pillar of Darkness’s demesne, but had seemed to cool off after he’d
taken her virginity.
“Do you know where
Jessica is?” Shelly cut in. She noticed Sonia wince, but the android had to
understand that stopping Jessica was a priority. If she succeeded, they could
all die. Her father had filled her in on what he’d learned while she was… Well,
while she wasn’t herself.
Gaia regarded her for
a long moment before she spoke. “Jessica is not within my realm. Until your
child is born, there is little I can do to look beyond that.”
Shelly rubbed her
distended stomach. The search for Jessica had to wait until she gave birth…
birth to a child she didn’t want. As if the thing could sense her thoughts, she
felt it kick within her. Her emotions were on a roller-coaster, and she
couldn’t wait to be done with this.
For a moment, her
mind wondered over what it would be like to be a mother. She didn’t think she
was ready for that responsibility, but the thought of holding a baby—her
baby—in her arms, suckling it… Having it rely completely on her…
She shook her head to
rid it of such dangerous thoughts. This child was the product of rape. It was
not created out of love. She glanced at her parents. Her mother stood next to
her father. Even though Sheila Lance often took on the role of slave, or
servant, to Lyden Snow, there was never any doubt in their children’s mind that
the relationship was filled with love and mutual respect. Just as there was
love between Brooke and her father, or Areth, or… Shelly trailed off, realizing
that other than Angela, that was all her father had left. Lisa was killed by
the PK’s before she was born, and Becky by the same group not long ago.
She realized that the
conversation had moved on while she was lost in thought, and started paying
attention again.
“One to two more
days?” her mother asked, sounding quite surprised. “Hell, I’d have had more
kids and gladly sucked on your tits to shorten pregnancy by that much!”
“There is a reason
pregnancies last as long as they do,” Gaia replied. “Shortening it like I have
with your daughter runs great risks to both the mother and the child. Not only
do I have to supply an extreme amount of nutrients to Shelly, in order to make
sure that she doesn’t become anemic, or severely malnourished, but I also have
to ensure that the fetus develops properly, and without deformities. The
process is taxing on my powers in the best of circumstances… And these are not
the best of circumstances.”
Shelly realized they
were still talking about her. Or rather, her unborn child. One to two more days
and she’d be rid of this burden. The child moved within her again, making her
stomach flutter, and reminding her that she was carrying a living being within
her body. Not just any living being, either, but one that would be partially
responsible for the ecosystems in both worlds. That was a lot of responsibility.
And a lot of power.
She shook her head,
trying again to focus on the conversation. If only she wasn’t so hungry! She
used to laugh when she heard of pregnant women craving weird things, but right
then, what she wouldn’t give for some fish and blueberries.
“It’s decided, then,”
Lyden spoke up, his voice cutting through Shelly’s mental fog. “Sheldon and
Shlee will come with me, and we’ll work to thwart the Paladonic Knights. Shelly
will stay here until after she gives birth, then help Gaia and Mandy track down
Jessica, and stop whatever her next move is.”
What? Shelly thought. Shouldn’t she get a say in this? She vaguely recalled nodding along
as the others spoke, and wondered if she’d agreed to anything else while she
was lost in thought.
“My last orders were
to keep you safe, Ambassador Snow,” Sonia spoke up, and very pointedly did not
look at Shelly. “I may have been terminated from my previous job, but I still
take my duties seriously.”
Shelly didn’t miss
the pitying looks she received from some in the room, but the worst one was
from her father as he considered the android’s words.
So, Sonia was done
with her, huh? Shelly wanted to tell her good riddance, but her heart caught in
her throat, and she couldn’t speak. Why was everything getting so blurry? She
wasn’t crying, but her eyes were watering. There must be something in the air.
She didn’t normally suffer from allergies, but perhaps that was one more thing
this pregnancy was doing to her.
“I appreciate your
offer, Sonia, and I have no doubt that you are capable of keeping me safe, but
my task will require more subtlety, and hopefully no violence.” Lyden spoke with
calm deliberation. “I’d feel a lot better, knowing that you’re looking after Sheila
and Shelly. I know Gaia is very capable of protecting her realm, but I think
they will need your skills more than I will. Besides, I’ll have Brooke and
Brock with me, if it comes down to a fight.”
“And me!” Oberon
piped in, cheering. “King of the Fairies, Keeper of the Cup, Lover of my
beloved, and—”
Bridget snatched
Oberon from the air and kissed him, cutting him off.
Shelly wasn’t sure
how to feel. Her emotions were going on another roller coaster ride, and she
did her best to hold on as a laugh tried to burble up from her throat. Did she
want Sonia around? Yes, because the woman was a great comfort to her, but also
no because she cared for Shelly in a way that Shelly didn’t think she could
return. She knew it wasn’t fair to Sonia, but that was how she felt.
“It’s not very
likely,” Mei spoke up, her draconic, golden eyes flashing with determination, “but
my siblings and I will fly across the six domains and see if we can spot
anything.”
Blue roared behind
her, as though to agree.
Mei and Gokan chuckled
before Mei added, “And mom says that she’ll get other dragons to help, but you
fleshy creatures look a lot alike. She promises not to eat anyone unless they
deserve it, or look really tasty.”
Lyden grimaced. “I
know Jessica seems like the enemy—”
“She is,” Alloria cut
in, joining the group and the conversation.
Lyden continued as
though he hadn’t heard her, making the last elf glare daggers. “But please
remember that she is also the Pillar of Fire’s daughter. She is not the enemy,
but the creature that lives inside her is.”
After that, the
conversation turned to logistics, and Shelly decided she was too hungry to take
part in that. Her current logistics consisted of finding something to eat.
She went to the room
assigned to her, and was surprised to find Gaia already inside.
“I figured from the
way your stomach was growling, that it was time for another feeding,” the
Pillar of Earth declared. “Feeding you doesn’t take up much mental capacity,
just power, so I can continue to work with them out there while you eat.”
Shelly realized that
this was just a clone of Mother Earth, and started to shake her head. She
understood the need to accept her breast milk, but didn’t enjoy the process. It
wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t know that her father had sucked on those same
breasts just a bit earlier, or if she were emotionally attracted to Gaia.
Then she caught the
scent of blueberries and her mouth started to water. Unbidden, her legs
propelled her forward even as Gaia stripped off her robe, revealing dark brown
breasts, full and already leaking her rich life-sustaining milk.
Gaia’s hand snaked to
the back of Shelly’s head, guiding her towards one stiff nipple. Shelly found
the scent filling her nose came from the milk just before her lips latched on.
Using her tongue and lips, she suckled from the teat, filling her mouth with
the nutrient dense liquid. It was warm and sweet as it slid down her throat,
satiating her hunger.
Every time Shelly fed
from the Pillar of Earth, the flavor was different. Somehow the powerful woman
always knew what she was craving, and could adjust her milk to compensate.
Shelly was glad that despite her craving for fish, she didn’t taste any as she
continued to drink. Once the one breast was drained, Gaia guided her to the
other stiff nipple.
For a brief moment,
she wondered what would happen if Sheldon drank any of this milk. He’d
immediately transform into a carbon copy of the Pillar of Earth, complete with
all of her powers. Would that help the Pillar with her duties and relieve some
of the strain, or would their abilities conflict with one another. Or worse,
amplify, like it had the time he’d accidently turned into Mandy?
“I’d hate to
interrupt such a touching scene,” Sonia’s voice broke her from her thoughts,
“but Ambassador Snow has requested his daughter’s presence as we talk to Gloria
before he departs.”
She sounds so formal, Shelly realized as she broke from the nipple with a pop. A little
milk leaked from the corner of her mouth, and Shelly wipe it with the back of
her hand. She stared at the liquid for a moment, before licking it off. If this
was helping her develop the baby faster and getting it out of her, then she
might as well accept all that she could.
But did Sonia have to
give her such a dirty look? It’s not like she wanted to suck on the other woman’s breast!
“You go ahead,” Gaia
said, even as she melted into the floor. “I’m already down there.”
“Can we talk?” Shelly
asked as they walked out of her room.
“There’s no law that
says you can’t,” Sonia stated, her tone level and yet distant.
Shelly ground her
teeth in frustration, but did her best to keep her own voice even. “I owe you a
huge apology, and my gratitude.” Sonia remained silent, only giving a nod to
acknowledge what was said. Shelly decided to push on, despite her emotions
starting to well back up inside her. “I know it’s not much, and I owe you a
lot. I can’t apologize enough for my behavior.”
“You weren’t
yourself,” Sonia cut in. Shelly waited, hoping she would say more, but the
android remained silent.
“No,” Shelly agreed
after a moment, “I wasn’t. But even before that. You’ve been at my side,
helping me… caring for me, and I want you to know that I really appreciate it.
Appreciate you.”
Shelly saw her
companion mouth the word, ‘appreciate’ with a grimace, but otherwise remain
silent. They walked without saying anything for a bit, Shelly feeling more
alone than she had in some time.
“You’ve been through
a lot lately,” Sonia finally spoke, breaking the silence and the building
tension. “You’ve had some really shitty stuff happen to you. You’ve been
kidnapped, abused, raped, manipulated, and more. I don’t envy you what you’re
suffering. I learned a long time ago that the true worth of a person comes out
when they are under pressure. Ignoring your behavior while a portion of your
soul was missing, you have been childish, immature, and shown a poor ability to
make sound judgements.”
When Sonia started
talking, Shelly had hope that they could work things out and move forward. But
as she continued, it became clear that Sonia was breaking up with her. Each
statement felt like a nail, driving straight into her damaged heart.
She didn’t know she’d
stopped walking until Sonia turned to face her. The woman’s face was calm and
dispassionate as she drove the last nail in.
“But hey, sorry for
being so blunt and honest with you. I appreciate you as a person.”
The world shimmered
as tears sprung to Shelly’s eyes. She tried to shove down her emotions, and not
show herself to be the immature woman she was just accused of. She knew she
deserved the treatment, but it didn’t lessen the pain. She wanted to run away
and hide. The deepest darkest hole wouldn’t be enough to hide from the shame
she felt right then.
But she was
determined to no longer be that person. She didn’t want to, but she admitted to
herself that she was immature. On more than one occasion, she had acted in the
worst way possible, either running away, or making choices that showed she was
childish, or self-centered.
Well, she wasn’t
going to be that little girl anymore.
“You’re right,”
Shelly said, trying to keep from sobbing as she spoke. “I treated you poorly.
You deserve better. If you’ll give me another chance, I’ll be better. I
promise.”
She couldn’t see the
look on Sonia’s face through her watery eyes, but she waited patiently for a
response.
“My current
assignment is to keep you safe,” Sonia said after some deliberation.
Considering how fast the android could think, she must have put a lot of
thought into her answer. “I think it would be best if I weren’t emotionally
attached. It’ll allow me to be more level-headed in my decision making.”
It took all of
Shelly’s willpower not to run away. She hadn’t loved Sonia, true, but her heart
still broke at losing this connection. Still, she was determined to be more
mature, and show that she wasn’t the same person as before. If only she could
get these damned tears to stop!
She didn’t trust
herself to speak, so instead, she nodded and started walking again. She could
just make out the walls of Gaia’s Mountain home, and the large blob that she
could see of Sonia as she passed by. She heard the other woman fall in step
next to her.
She did her best to
wipe at her eyes and clear them before they reached where Gloria was being
held, but knew there was no mistaking the fact that she’d recently cried.
Once again, instead
of hiding herself, she chose to step freely and walked into the room with her
head held high. No more running.
Her dad saw her
first, and Shelly saw his eyes flick to Sonia before grimacing, but kept silent
on what his thoughts were.
Of course, Sheldon
wasn’t so tactful. “Shelly? What happ—oof! What was that for, Shlee?”
Shelly ignored the
couple as she looked at the captured succubus. Gloria was encased in solid
diamond from her wrists and hips on down. Despite that, she had a calm expression
on her beautiful features. Her bright blue eyes took them all in with a
considering gaze, until they landed on Sheldon. They softened slightly, as
Sheldon and Shlee whispered back and forth. Gloria’s blonde hair fell about her
face in perfect curls, as though she were getting ready to go out on the town,
and not a prisoner.
She remembered that
Gloria was one of the Firsts. One of the original chaos creatures that were
sucked into the growing bubble of order that formed within the chaos, and became
used to this reality. It was still hard for her to grasp what Gaia revealed to
her father, and then he relayed to her. There was no reason for the Pillar of
Earth to lie to them about that, and so she accepted it was true, without truly
understanding it.
“Shelly,” the
one-time goddess of love addressed her, “I haven’t had the opportunity to talk
to you and apologize what happened.”
“There seems to be a
lot of apologies going around today,” Sonia muttered behind her.
Shelly ignored the
robot and stepped closer to Gloria. “My memory is a little fuzzy about what
happened. Why did you make us do that?”
For a moment,
confusion shown in her eyes before understanding dawned on her face. Shelly
understood immediately that the captive had read her mind and saw her memories.
That also told Shelly that Gloria’s powers were not being cancelled. Gaia must
trust Gloria to some extent. How hard would it be for the Greek Goddess of
love, Aphrodite, or even the ancient original temptress, Lilith, to convert
them to her bidding? Gloria had a long history as other personas. Personas that
also had a long history of manipulating people.
“I don’t blame you
for distrusting me,” Gloria said, still following her thoughts. “I didn’t have
anything to do with causing the orgy in the Orange Bubble. That was already
underway when I returned after fighting off Poseidon, and then killing Varun.
Yes, his death was at my hands, but not my choice. Jessica had already taken
control of me before we went into Varun’s demesne. I had no choice but to do as
I was commanded. And it was at Jessica’s command that I made everyone forget
what the Nameless One inside Jessica made you all do. I’m all for open sex, and
sexual expression, as well as some good old debauchery, but forcing all of you
into that was a perversion that I’m not into.”
“And yet you forced
me to fall in love with Eldon,” Shlee cut in, apparently ending her discussion
with Shelly’s brother.
Speaking of the man,
he’d stepped up close to Shelly and whispered to her, “I didn’t mean to be
insensitive. Shlee informed me that I was being rude, and I’m sorry.”
Didn’t he understand
that he was being just as rude by bringing her tears back up? “Don’t worry
about it,” she snapped at him. She felt the lump returning to her throat, and
couldn’t stop her eyes from shifting to where Sonia stood in the back of the
room. Gloria spoke, and Shelly pushed the android to the back of her mind, if
not the back of her heart.
“That was very
selfish of me,” Gloria said. “I didn’t know that you had a fiancée, and
wouldn’t have done it, had I known.”
“But you were willing
to force it on me?” Shlee continued. Shelly could see that this line of
conversation was hurting her brother, and she wanted to speak up in his
defense. She felt his hand on her arm as she stepped forward, and held her
tongue instead. Given that second to think, Shelly realized that her brother
probably needed the answer to that question as much as the werewolf.
Gloria took a moment
to formulate her answer. “Everyone thinks that I can make any two people fall
in love. I can only grow and nurture something that already has a seed. I
didn’t take anything from you. You had the choice to leave and go your own way
at any time. You’d already cared for Sheldon before I left. I’m not saying you
would have cheated on your betrothed with him without my intervention. I am
saying that your decision to stay with Sheldon, despite already being engaged
was your decision.”
“I don’t understand
how that was being selfish of you,” Sheldon spoke up next. She could hear the
pain in his voice, but suspected that only those who knew him well enough
could.
“I didn’t lie to you
when I told you that I love you.” Her eyes flickered to Mandy, standing close
to Shlee. “I also didn’t lie when I told you that any man I’ve loved has
suffered for it. I want you to be happy, Eldon. You are a good person, and you
deserve to be happy. I could see in Shlee that she was also a good person at
heart, and already cared some for you. I also didn’t miss the flirting she’d
done with you. I, however, didn’t see
that she was already taken. Somehow, she kept that buried deep in her mind. I’m
truly sorry for the pain my actions have caused you.”
“Did you—?” Mandy
started to ask, but Gloria shook her head.
“No, I didn’t do
anything to your heart. “You never stopped loving him, though you tried to hide
that from yourself.”
Silence fell for a
moment, broken by a heavy sigh from Gloria.
“You’re right, Mr.
Snow,” she said to Lyden, though no one else had heard him speak. “Your
children’s happiness is important to you, but so is finding out where Jessica
is and stopping her. We must stop
her. I might not be a Pillar, but I can feel the veil between the two worlds
thinning. Had I succeeded in killing Gaia, I fear that reality would have soon
crumbled. Since I failed, she will likely enact another plan, but she didn’t
make me privy to what that might be. She’s smart, but she’s also naive. Sending
me after Gaia was probably the worst choice she could make. I might weaken her,
but it would take forever to try and kill the Pillar of Earth.”
“True,” Gaia spoke
for herself. “Besides the fact that I can manifest in multiple places at once,
there are other reasons that I won’t go into as to why killing me is nearly
impossible. Which makes me wonder why she chose to send you after me.”
Gloria gave a
self-deprecating smile before she answered. “Because I advised her to do so. I
know of some of your defenses, and knew that I couldn’t succeed. Of course, I
didn’t know that any of the rest of you would be here, or how spectacularly I
would fail. I wish I would have known that the key to breaking free from her
control was loving someone.”
Shelly wanted to take
a moment to absorb that knowledge, but the conversation was continuing, and she
didn’t want to miss anything to do with Jessica.
“Love helps you
resist the Outsider’s control,” her father was saying, “but I’m not sure about
breaking free. How do we know that the second she gives you a new command, you
won’t be compelled to obey?”
Gloria’s demeanor
drooped at those words. “I wish I could assure you that I wouldn’t, but I can’t
be sure. All I can say for certain is that I am currently not under her
command.”
“Shouldn’t the fact
that our living lie-detector is here be able to confirm it?” Megan asked. She’d
been so quiet and unobtrusive that Shelly hadn’t noticed the redhead in the
room. She should have stayed quiet, though, and Shelly was more than happy to
let some of her frustrations out on the woman.
“Mandy’s power only
compels a person to speak what they believe is true,” Shelly informed the
woman. She tried to keep her voice informative, but even she heard the strong
note of condescension. “The stronger they try to lie, the more the truth comes
out. It won’t make them speak a truth they don’t know.”
“Sheesh, sorry I
asked,” Megan grumbled.
Shelly didn’t know
what it was about the other woman that rubbed her the wrong way, but she knew
she didn’t like this girl who’d decided to stalk her brother.
“I’ve heard all I
need to hear for now,” Lyden said. “Unless there is something else you’d like
to say, Gloria?”
The succubus looked
grateful for the opportunity. “Jessica is cautious, and always moving, but she
rarely ever goes to Earth. She stays in this world for the most part. She
spends most of her time in the Pillar of Fire’s lands, but avoids any open
flames to keep her mother from spying on her. There is only one place where she
went to more than once while I was with her. A hot spring here in Gaia’s
domain, frequented by fairies, and known for its restorative properties.”
Shelly’s breath
caught in her chest. She knew what hot spring Gloria was talking about. Why did
Jessica keep returning to that place? She wanted to believe it was because she
actually cared about Shelly, but a dark corner of her heart said that couldn’t
be the truth. Did she require constant healing for something?
“Thank you. Anything
else?” Lyden asked before Shelly could ask her own question.
“Only that I truly am
sorry for the pain I’ve caused your family,” Gloria said, her head drooping.
Shelly almost—almost—felt sorry for her. She had no
doubt that Gloria regretted what she had done. And She understood what it was
like to be forced to do something against her will. But Gloria was also an
all-powerful goddess, ancient in her power and knowledge. And while she may, or
may not, be completely free from Jessica’s control, she was outside of the of
the woman’s reach. Gloria wouldn’t be giving birth to the child of a monster, the
product of rape. There was little left in Shelly to give for pity to other people.
“Ambassador Snow,”
Gaia cut in, “If you and your wives and partners would see me back upstairs?
There are some last-minute things to be arranged before you leave.” Without
waiting for a response, she walked towards one wall, and melted into it.
For some reason,
Shelly’s father looked unhappy about meeting with the Pillar of Fire.
Shelly was anxious to
go and visit the hot spring, but as she turned to leave the room, she lost her
balance. Sonia was right there to catch her, one strong arm helping her stay on
her feet. With one hand, Shelly rubbed her distended stomach, and cursed
inwardly. She wasn’t going anywhere until this baby was gone. She wondered at
losing her balance like that, until it occurred to her that her stomach had
grown faster than her muscle memory. She’d been lucky that she hadn’t had an
issue until now.
She wished she could
just be done with this burden and get on with her life. She wasn’t ready to be
a mother, much less one to this monster child.
How had her mother
managed to carry twins; and to full term, no less? Shelly couldn’t imagine
having to carry this burden for nine months. Though, she had to admit that it
probably helped that Sheila loved their father.
Love was a powerful
feeling. It could make people do unimaginable things, both good and bad. It
allowed a person to endure more than they could otherwise, and sometimes even
do the seemingly impossible.
Like break free from
the control of an Outsider…
Why was Gloria
looking at her like that? The captive woman’s face held a look of something
sad, but also one of longing. Was she jealous of Shelly?
She found her hands
holding her distended stomach, almost protectively. Sheldon’s ex-girlfriend was
making her nervous, and she decided to leave before she said or did something
she might regret.
A nagging voice in
the back of her mind reminded her that she’d helped set Sheldon and the
succubus up. Of course, she didn’t know about Gloria’s long and sordid history,
and had only been trying to get him over Jessica.
Who she’d fallen in
love with afterwards? What a twisted series of events. Thinking back on how
events led to this moment, Shelly saw where she’d made mistakes, and where
she’d made good choices, but other circumstances conspired to turn her
intentions to shit.
She glanced at Sonia
as they walked from the room. The android still held that cold expression in
her gaze as she met the glance. No matter what else had happened, befriending
Sonia had not been a mistake. But keeping her at arm’s length had been. Shelly
was done running from her fears and concerns. It was time to take her life back
under her control.
“Sonia, I—” Shelly
started to say, but the other woman cut her short.
“Don’t.” Sonia’s
voice was firm and final. “I’ve seen that look a hundred times before. It’s too
late.”
Shelly closed her
mouth, swallowing the lump that threatened to form in her throat. Sonia may not
want her to say it, but she would act in such a way that showed the woman that
she was sincere in trying to make things better.
No more running away!
A sudden squeal ahead
of them, down the corridor, almost set Shelly into a run. After the second
step, she had to stop and brace herself against the wall. Her stomach didn’t
move in the right way when she tried to run, and threw her balance off again.
Sonia moved past her, prepared for whatever enemy might be there.
Had that been Mandy’s
scream? Who could have penetrated this far into Gaia’s domain to attack them?
With one arm bracing
herself against the wall, Shelly walked as fast as she could, trying to
coordinate her belly with her faster steps. She wasn’t prepared for what she
saw when she rounded a corner.
Mandy’s upper set of
hands covered her mouth as she stared down at Sheldon. Shelly’s brother was on
the ground, looking up at both of his girlfriends. Shlee’s jaw hung open as she
shook her head back and forth.
It took Shelly a
moment to realize that Sheldon wasn’t hurt, but down on one knee. Both hands
were raised, and she saw something sparkle in each hand. He was offering them
something.
He was proposing.
Idiot! she thought as she continued to waddle
towards them. It might not be a bad idea if it’d only been Mandy, but Shlee was
still recovering from the betrayal from her last fiancée. What was he thinking?
Sure enough, Mandy
snatched up the ring and placed it on her finger, bending down and hugging
Sheldon. She was a strong woman, and easily lifted him onto his feet as all
four arms squeezed him tight.
“I talked to Gaia
after I woke up, and realized that I never wanted to be without you both in my
heart,” he was telling them as Mandy let him down.
Shlee was still
shaking her head, and backed away a bit. Her eyes were filled with fear and
tears.
“Eldon,” she started
to say, then had to swallow and try again. “Eldon, I love you. I truly do. I
won’t deny that, but… but I don’t think I can agree to marry you right now. Not
after…”
“I know I can’t fill
the hole that Dimitri tore in your heart,” Sheldon said. Well, it appeared he
wasn’t a complete moron, at least. “I’m not asking to, either. What he did to
you… It was inexcusable. But I would love to have the opportunity to spend
every opportunity possible making you forget him.”
“I… I know,” Shlee
said, but still didn’t move to the proffered ring.
Mandy stepped forward
then, and placed a hand on Shlee’s shoulder. “Shlee, I can’t say that I
understand fully how you feel, but I want you to know that I love you also.”
Mandy’s voice was soothing as she spoke.
Shelly realized that
she was in the middle of watching something that should be private, but she
couldn’t force herself to leave.
“If you’d rather,”
Sheldon spoke in, “we can hold off the wedding. It doesn’t have to be right
away. I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me.”
Tears streamed down
the werewolf’s cheeks as she regarded the other two people. “I just need some
time,” she said after a few moments had passed. “I’m very happy for you two,
and I don’t think you should wait. Mandy, I love you also. I love you both so
very much. And Eldon, I know you will make a great husband.”
“But…” Sheldon said.
Shelly heard the note of hurt in his voice, though she suspected he’d tried to
hide it.
“But I need some more
time,” Shlee finished. “I… I wish you would have waited a little bit. Mandy
will be staying here to help Gaia, and you and I will be going to help your
dad. I don’t want things to be awkward between—oomph!”
Sheldon cut her off,
stepping forward and kissing her while pulling her tight into a hug.
Shelly couldn’t
imagine a worse thing to do to a woman who was asking you to back off a little.
“I love you, Shlee,”
Sheldon stated when he finally pulled back for some air. “If time is what you
want, then I will give you time. I will wait forever for you, if I need to.”
“Both of us will,”
Mandy said, joining the embrace.
Shelly was surprised
to see tears of happiness replacing the sadness on Shlee’s face. Maybe her
brother understood his girlfriends better than she thought.
“I’m serious about
you two getting married right away,” Shlee told them. “Mandy, your mom is here,
and so is both of Eldon’s parents. You should see if Gaia will marry you before
we leave.”
A sheepish look
crossed Sheldon’s strong features. “I already talked to her, when I got her help
with the rings,” he confessed. “She said she would marry us as soon as we were
ready. And, um, Mandy?” He waited for her to give him a curious look before
moving on. “Your mom already has a few gowns ready for you to pick from.”
“You already talked to
my mom?” Mandy asked, shocked and swatting Sheldon’s chest in disbelief. He
grunted at the impact, but grinned anyway. “I’m surprised she didn’t try to
kill you when you did.”
“I believe her exact
words were, ‘Eh, she could do much worse.’” The three laughed for a moment,
before Shlee pulled herself out of the group hug.
“When I agree to
marry you, Eldon, I would like my family to be there as well,” the werewolf
said. Shelly heard the note of discomfort in the woman’s voice, and understood.
Sheldon had spoken to Mandy’s mother, but not Shlee’s parents? Granted, the
timing wasn’t that great, but apparently that wasn’t her brother’s strong suit.
But then again, when did he have the time to get the rings, and talk with
Alloria, much less the ever-busy-Pillar-of-Earth anyway?
“Gaia had one of her
agents contact your aunt,” Sheldon said. “And your father was already in the
city. He had some choice words for me, but the fact that I am Lyden Snow’s son
seemed to calm him down a bit… At least, he was almost human when Gaia ended
the illusion call between us.”
“My dad knows?” Shlee
demanded, horror crossing her face. She backed away from Mandy and Sheldon as
she started to visibly shake. “Does he know about…”
“I didn’t say
anything about Dimitri,” Sheldon said, holding his arms out to placate her fears.
“I think it’s about
time we left them alone, don’t you?” Sonia whispered to Shelly.
Shelly jumped at the
other woman’s words, having completely forgotten her. Feeling her cheeks burn,
she realized again that she should have given them their moment a long time
ago. With a nod, they backed down the corridor, and looked for another route
back to their rooms. Thankfully, Gaia’s domain was a warren of hallways through
her mountain home, and they soon found another path.
The wedding took
place a few hours later. Between Sheila’s managerial skills, and Gaia efficient
domain, the wedding was setup in record time.
Shelly suffered
another feeding from Gaia as everyone else rushed around and prepared. Shelly
feared that she looked horrendous as she stood next to Shlee. Her stomach
stretched out, looking like she’d swallowed a massive ball, and her feet ached.
She was dressed in a soft brown gown that did nothing to hide her situation.
Shlee was also
dressed in a matching gown, but it looked much better on her, complimenting her
strawberry blonde hair, curled and done up in intricate ringlets. Shlee was the
Maid of Honor, and she looked stunning.
They stood near the
cliff edge on an outcropping. Gaia’s reception room was transformed with
ribbons and various decorations in brown and blue, the wedding’s colors.
Sheldon stood tall
and proud, smiling at an equally smiling Shlee. They must have made up enough
to be smiling that openly. He had on a deep blue tuxedo that fit his strong
frame perfectly. Behind him, acting as the best man, was Brock. His upper half
was in a blue blazer, but his fish tail was free in the water that resided in
the bowl that was attached to his mechanical legs. Behind him stood Gokan,
looking very uncomfortable in his tailored blue tuxedo.
Despite Shlee not
getting married this day, somehow both her aunt and father had managed to get there
in time. They sat close to Alloria who was doing her best to look stoic, but
Shlee could see the tale-tell signs that she was on the verge of tears.
Shelly’s parents were
in the front row as well, and her mother was doing nothing to hide the happy tears
streaming down her cheeks. Even her dad, always the rock, looked like he was
either getting ready to stand and cheer, or break into his own sobs.
Every living family
member that Shelly knew was there, including Blue, who was ecstatic about her
color being part of the wedding, (an event that she didn’t understand, but knew
that it was important to the weak fleshy creatures). She was on another
outcropping, to the side of the room’s opening. Torches lined the walls, and
Shelly noted Angela’s face wreathed in flames as she observed the proceedings.
The gathering was
marred by one notable absence though. Gloria was denied attendance. Not due to
any argument from Sheldon, but by Gaia’s decree. Weddings were an event of
love, and Gloria would have become ever more powerful during this occasion. If
there was a chance that Gloria wasn’t free from Jessica’s ghost’s influence,
that would be the perfect time to attack.
Shelly felt another
lump form in her throat when she looked at where Sonia stood in the back of the
large room. The android looked exquisite in a long flowing black gown that
showed off her smooth shoulders and a bit of cleavage. She knew that if she
started crying, everyone would assume they were tears of joy for her brother,
or hormones from the pregnancy, but she held herself in check. She hadn’t
realized how much she relied on Sonia being there for her, until she wasn’t.
After this wedding,
she wouldn’t even have her brother, as he was leaving with their dad to stop
the Paladonic Knights. It felt like everyone was abandoning her. She knew it
was irrational, but that didn’t stop her from having to swallow her emotions.
She noticed that
Sheldon was looking at her, a look of concern on his face. The idiot! Today was
his day. He shouldn’t be worried about her. She forced a smile on her face and
gave him a nod. The gullible fool smiled back, relieved.
The music changed,
and everyone who wasn’t already standing got to their feet. All eyes turned to
the entrance. Gasps sounded all around as Mandy stepped into view. While she
was stunning in her lacy white dress, sapphire earrings, and her dirty blonde
hair done up in extravagant braids, the gasps weren’t all for her.
Emmet, Mandy’s
deceased father, walked her down the aisle. He wasn’t a zombie, or even a
ghost. Shelly had never heard of the dead being resurrected in any other way,
and she didn’t understand how he could be here, until she heard Shlee tell
Sheldon.
“Gaia contacted the
angel Amenadiel, and told him that he owed your family for what he did to your
sister.” Shlee’s voice was soft, and Shelly had to strain to hear her over the
music. “Gaia formed him a body, and his spirit is inhabiting it. He has to
return after the wedding.”
A sob pulled Shelly’s
attention back to the audience, where she was surprised to see Alloria smiling
at her late… He wasn’t her husband, and by all accounts she knew, Alloria hated
Emmet. They both loved their daughter, though. And when Emmet’s eyes fell on
the last living elf, Shelly saw kindness and warmth aimed at the woman. Perhaps
there wasn’t as much vitriol as she was led to believe between the two.
Emmet brought his
daughter up to Sheldon, and the two men shook hands. “Take good care of my
daughter, young man, or death won’t be enough to stop me from taking care of
you.”
Sheldon smiled in
return before replying. “Sir, if I don’t take good care of her, I’m sure your
daughter is more than capable of fixing that. You raised a very capable woman.”
Emmet seemed to
appreciate the response and they released hands. The bald man turned and saw
that there was a spot next to Alloria. The elf nodded to him, and with the
exception of an occasional glance between the two, they ignored each other.
Gaia rose up out of
the floor between the couple, and the music stopped. The Pillar of Earth wore a
flowing green and brown gown that was lighter than her skin, that strongly
reflected her connection with nature. Around her head she wore a wreath of
flowers.
She opened with the
usual words of greeting and gratitude to those who had arrived, and what
brought them all together today. Then she turned to the couple before her. “I
understand that you have prepared your own vows.”
Sheldon nodded, then
reached out and took all four of Mandy’s hands in his two. “Mandy…” he paused
as his voice cracked, and there were a few titters from the audience. He gave a
visible swallow before trying again, his eyes already shimmering with unshed
tears. “Mandy, we have been friends since childhood. In that time, we have had
our differences, have fought together and apart, but you have always been in my
heart. I promise to always be open and honest with you, regardless of any
inability to do otherwise when you’re around.”
He paused as though
expecting someone to laugh at his joke, but no one did. Instead, it reminded
everyone that there was no subterfuge in his words, and that he truly meant
everything he was saying. He could only speak the truth.
“I will never try to
hide anything from you. Though there will be times when we are apart, you will
never be far from my thoughts. I promise to never take you for granted, to
always work towards a common goal, and to one day raise our children to cherish
you as much as I do.”
Mandy pulled back one
of her right hands to wipe at her eyes before gripping Sheldon’s again.
“Sheldon Lance,”
Mandy started, her voice full of emotion but coming out smoother than Sheldon’s
had. “When we were kids, you once tried to bully me. My mother told me that all
men were like that, and I should put you in your place. My dad told me that it meant
you liked me. I’m so glad I took both of their advice. After I picked you back
up off the ground, I remember our first kiss. Every kiss since then has led up
until this moment. Every day we have been together is one I’ve cherished,
though some have been hard. In the coming years we may have our differences,
but I will always work with you—” she paused and turned to Shlee, holding out
one hand, “—and all those within our hearts to make them the best days that we
can.” Shlee took the hand, and Shelly heard her give a small sob and nod,
appreciating the gesture.
“It’s not too late to
add you in,” Gaia whispered to the werewolf.
Shlee looked to the
couple getting married, then to her family, before shaking her head. “This day
is theirs,” was all she said before giving Mandy’s hand back to Sheldon.
“Then by my own
authority, I now pronounce them married,” Gaia said in a strong voice. “May
this day, and every day after bring you closer together. You may now—” She cut
off as the two were already caught in a powerful embrace, lips locked firmly
together. “Just like both of your fathers. Never waiting for the right moment,”
she finished in a quieter tone and a rueful shake of her head.
Shelly moved to
congratulate her brother and new sister-in-law, but a sudden shift in her
abdomen, and a gush of liquid down her legs stopped her.
Her water just broke.
Shelly screamed as
pain rent her body. She was in a sterile room, her legs spread wide as Gaia,
Sonia, and a female goblin doctor worked together to help her deliver her
child.
“That’s great,” the
doctor said in a soothing voice that rubbed against her nerves. “Keep pushing
with the contractions.”
She wanted to tell her
where he could shove her advice, but another contraction cramped inside her, and
it was all she could do to try and push as it felt like something was trying to
claw out her insides. What kind of damage was this demon spawn of a child going
to do to her?
Sonia squeezed her
hand, trying to reassure her. Why was the woman even here? Hadn’t she made it
clear that she was done with Shelly? At first, when her water broke, she
couldn’t believe she was in labor. She hadn’t felt any contractions. Sonia,
despite being in the back of the room, had been one of the first to her side as
she was carried into an antechamber. She’d reassured Shelly that sometimes that
happened, and been by her side ever since.
As the next wave of
contractions overcame her, Shelly found herself alternating between being
thankful that Sonia had killed Aecus, and cursing the Android for doing so. She
wanted to inflict as much pain and suffering on the creature as she could for
inflicting this suffering on her.
“Almost there,” the
doctor said, her hands spreading her most sensitive parts even wider.
She felt like she was
being torn wide open. The pain was unimaginable. She was never having sex
again. She didn’t even know if she could
have sex again after the damage she knew was being done to her nether regions
“Almost…” the doctor
droned as though her words were anything other than an annoyance. “Just a
little bit more…”
The pain was
excruciating and Shelly wished that she could just pass out. How did women ever
go through with this? She’d asked for pain killers, or a spell, or anything in
the beginning, and was told that it was already too late. She hated everyone.
Hated that she had to go through with this. Hated everything. If she survived
this—which she was beginning to doubt any woman could suffer so much pain and
live—she was going to have some serious words with Gaia and the other original
Pillars about how much agony this caused.
She felt a sudden
relief. There was still a lot of pain, but the feeling of being split apart was
gone. A moment later she heard a crack and a high pitched, though quiet wail.
“Congratulations,”
the doctor stood, carrying a bundle to her. The goblin was short, even for her
species, and her head barely came up to the edge of the bed. “You have a
healthy baby… child.”
She lifted the bundle
up to Shelly. She wanted to shy away from the thing. To push it away and
scream. She wanted to curl into a ball, wallow in her pain, and ignore the rest
of the world until she slowly died.
No more running, the thought flit through her
mind. Grinding her teeth, and with an effort of will, she accepted the small
bundle from the doctor.
It was so light. So
fragile. Even in Shelly’s weakened state the baby weighed so little. She could
throw it across the room, ending King Aecus’s terrible legacy forever.
Except that she
couldn’t be that cruel. This child wasn’t to blame for its father’s actions. It
didn’t matter to her that killing it would doom both worlds to slowly die as
every ant colony went extinct. She was fundamentally incapable of causing harm
to something so small. So innocent. So fragile. So… cute?
She pulled back a
small bit of cloth coving the baby’s face. It was almost bald, except for a
light covering of fuzz across its head. Its eyes were scrunched up as it
wiggled the tiniest bit in her arms. It looked human as far as she could tell.
It gave a soft coo,
lips moving just a tiny bit as it seemed to try and cuddle in closer to her.
If this child were
raised properly, it would never become the terror that King Aecus became. This
child could be raised properly, raised with love and care. Hadn’t she thought
earlier about how love was one of the strongest forces in the universe? Could
she do that, though? Could she push away the memories of how this child was
created, and be a mother? And Gaia had promised that it wouldn’t be evil like
its father.
Thinking of the mad,
deceased monster, she wondered what gender the baby was. She remembered the way
the doctor had avoided saying what it was. She opened the swaddling cloth a
little bit, half afraid of what she would find.
King Aecus was a
hermaphrodite. And so was his progeny.
“Shelly…” Sonia’s
gasped use of her name brought her attention to the android, standing next to
the bed. The android was looking at the floor in shock.
“They have come to
pay homage to their new queen,” Gaia said before Shelly could see what the fuss
was about. “Don’t hurt them. They mean no harm for their queen, or the queen’s
mother.”
Shelly still wasn’t
sure what they were talking about. She knew she should be bothered being
referred to as the queen’s mother, but she was too tired to care.
Shelly felt her eyes
starting to drift closed, but movement forced her to focus and look around.
Sonia was shifting away from the bed, her eyes wide as she looked around.
Shelly realized she
was still holding the child, and thought she should hand her—him?—off before
she fell asleep. Oddly, her arms moved to re-wrap the child and hold her closer
to her breast.
More movement caught
her eyes before she could drift off, and this time she came wide awake.
Ants. Hundreds, if
not thousands or more, of ants crawled onto the bed with her. Shelly had a
flashback to her time in King Aecus’s bed chamber, and she opened her mouth to
scream. Instead, her throat closed off, cutting short her shriek of terror. She
couldn’t let them get her. Not again. She wouldn’t let them have her, or her
baby.
Her baby…
Shelly looked down at
the bundle clutched tightly in her arms, and gasped, her throat relaxing as she
met her child’s eyes.
Her child’s
multi-colored, shifting hued eyes. There were no whites to its eyes, and even
as she watched, the colors shifted in a hypnotic patern. The baby’s lips curled
up into a smile as she cooed again, blowing a small saliva bubble.
“She’s so beautiful,”
Shelly murmured.
====================
From the Author
====================
The next chapter is written, but needs edits. I'll post it once it's past the polished turds of my of my chapters. ;)
I said this last time, but it bears repeating. I know some of you are upset with what has happened to Shelly... There is no worse situation I can think of to put onto someone. She doesn't deserve it. All I will say is to be patient. She has a story arc in the works that she will come out stronger on the other side. Unfortunately, pain is often required for growth. And she is set to suffer.
I know this chapter was light in the erotic arena, but the next is not. As before, the story comes first,and the fun stuff (plentiful as it is in my writing) is second priority.
For now, please leave a comment below, telling me how I'm doing. Even if it is to critique my choices, or writing style, or tell me any ideas you have for the final book in this series. I read all comments, and reply where warranted, but I do read and appreciate them all.
The next chapter is written, but needs edits. I'll post it once it's past the polished turds of my of my chapters. ;)
I said this last time, but it bears repeating. I know some of you are upset with what has happened to Shelly... There is no worse situation I can think of to put onto someone. She doesn't deserve it. All I will say is to be patient. She has a story arc in the works that she will come out stronger on the other side. Unfortunately, pain is often required for growth. And she is set to suffer.
I know this chapter was light in the erotic arena, but the next is not. As before, the story comes first,and the fun stuff (plentiful as it is in my writing) is second priority.
For now, please leave a comment below, telling me how I'm doing. Even if it is to critique my choices, or writing style, or tell me any ideas you have for the final book in this series. I read all comments, and reply where warranted, but I do read and appreciate them all.
Posts
amazing as always! damn this story is and always has been awesome. The babies eyes are multi-coloured? Is that an Ant thing or an Otherworlder thing? Cant wait to see where you take this :)
ReplyDelete-Ghost.
DeleteActually it just occurred to me, the baby is to replace a first. so therefore it is a half breed, human and one of them hence the eyes. Hopefully this will be a good one.
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