Episode 176 May the Stars Shine
May the Stars Shine
Rominy watches helplessly as Rafelis sprints toward the river while the fleeing elf crosses to the other side.
Taliel barks orders to the four elven warriors assigned to Jonas’s command, and two of them follow Grandmera up the slight rise toward a massive oak building, one hurries back toward Windhaven, and the last of the four rushes after Elowyn as she races for the river with Taliel on her heels.
Stars above.
“Come on,” Jonas mutters as he tugs Rominy forward. “Do not run off, or I will clobber you myself.”
Rominy shakes his head as he stumbles along beside Jonas.
As Rafelis takes a running leap toward the water, Elowyn calls his name. “Run. I’ve got you!”
He glances her way and nods. When his foot hits the surface, he pushes off as if he’s sprinting across solid ground rather than a rushing river.
Rominy looks from Elowyn to Rafelis and back again.
She is absolutely amazing.
“Gawk from over here.” Jonas pushes Rominy between himself and the wall of the restaurant.
“But Elowyn is out in the open,” Rominy says. “Unprotected.”
“And I will be able to protect her better without worrying about you, too. Let me do my job.”
Rominy swallows his protests and stays where Jonas shoved him as Jonas scans their surroundings with his rifle at the ready.
Rafelis is halfway across the river now, and he sinks to his knees before Elowyn catches him.
“Sorry!” she calls, but he picks himself up and keeps going.
A twang nearby makes Rominy jump. An arrow whizzes past Rafelis, who nearly stumbles as he glances back at Taliel and her bow.
“Whistling wind, Tal! I felt that one!” he yells, but Taliel stands frozen in place as if she’s listening to something.
Then she nods. “I believe I incapacitated our fugitive.”
That’s right. She aims with her ears.
She stows her bow on her back and starts toward the river before Jonas grabs her, too.
“Jonas!”
“I need you to stay here.”
She glances from Jonas to Rominy and back again. “Forgive me. I forgot I can’t leave you.”
“I know. Protect Elowyn while she gets Rafelis across the river. Please.”
Taliel nods, and relief fills Rominy when she hurries into a defensive position at Elowyn’s back.
“That may have been the hardest order I’ve ever given,” Jonas says quietly. “I should have told her to stay here with you.”
“We married warrior elves in leather,” Rominy says. “I suppose this is the hard part.”
“I suppose so.”
“You’ve got their backs, though, right?”
“No one’s getting past me today.”
Rominy nods. Then he frowns. “Why is there no bridge over this river?”
“There is. It’s back near Windhaven and the barracks.”
“What kind of magic do the elves Rafelis assigned to you have?”
“I don’t remember who had what. There was fire and plant magic. One may have been a soil wielder. I’m not sure what the other one had. Life magic, maybe? I think there was a scout.”
“This one seems to have plant magic. He’s swinging across on vines.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Jonas keeps surveying their surroundings. “Where’s Rafelis?”
“Almost across the river on Elowyn’s water magic.” Rominy watches as Elowyn licks her lips. “Jonas, she’s fading. She needs water.”
Jonas swings his gaze toward Elowyn as he works his jaw. “Come on. You stay beside me. Do you understand? She needs water? To drink?”
“Probably. She gets thirsty. I could take her in the river—”
“I can’t easily protect you in the river. Is that oak tree the healing center?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“Taliel will know. Let’s go.”
Rominy stays at Jonas’s side, and Elowyn staggers as Rafelis makes it across the river and disappears into the trees.
“Rominy,” she whispers, and he braces her against his chest before sweeping her into his arms.
“You did well. I’ve got you, love.”
“The healing center?” Jonas says, and Taliel gestures to the oak tree.
“This way, though I have no idea what we’ll find if there’s been an altercation.”
Jonas hesitates.
“Tharios,” Elowyn says as she clings to Rominy. “We need to help him. Please.”
Finally, Jonas nods, and with him and Taliel flanking Rominy and Elowyn, Rominy carries Elowyn up the hill toward whatever awaits them within the healing center.
Elfling? Did Healer Sorisa say elfling?
“Forgive me, my prince,” Healer Sorisa says to Tharios. “I assumed you were aware.”
He looks down at Viala sleeping peacefully in his arms, and his lungs refuse to fill.
“Let’s get her to a patient room,” Healer Sorisa says. “Then we’ll speak privately. Unless you wish for word to be all over Darlei in a matter of hours.”
No. He definitely doesn’t want that.
He resists the urge to reach out with his own magic to sense what Healer Sorisa noticed and he somehow missed. Instead, he lifts Viala and carries her to an empty overnight patient room nearby before gently laying her on the bed.
He attempts to examine Viala with his magic, but his thoughts are so scattered that he struggles to think straight.
“My hands are shaking,” he says with a laugh that doesn’t sound natural.
“The adrenaline, my prince. You’ve had quite the shock. Several of them.”
Healer Sorisa offers him a soft smile, and he nods.
Shock is right.
“I can’t get my magic to cooperate. Tell me. Please.”
“About the elfling?”
Tharios nods.
“It’s early days, but I sensed the blood marker easily. In another week or so, you may be able to detect a heartbeat.”
“So it’s very early.” No wonder he missed it. He wasn’t looking for it. Perhaps he should have been.
“Early, indeed, my prince. But the blood marker is strong. That’s a good sign of a healthy pregnancy.”
He knows that, of course. Hearing Healer Sorisa say it is reassuring, nonetheless. Especially since midwifery is her specialty.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Healer Sorisa says, “was this a planned conception, my prince?”
Tharios rubs his forehead. “It was, though I thought it would take longer. A lot longer.”
Healer Sorisa smiles. “The Lothlesi are as fertile as the humans when the timing is right.”
“The timing is just not right as frequently,” Tharios finishes for her. “It seems we timed it right.”
“Would you like me to do a more thorough examination, my prince?”
Tharios steps aside. “Please.”
Healer Sorisa rests a hand over Viala’s womb and another over Viala’s forehead. She closes her eyes, concentrating for a few minutes before saying anything. “The minor changes of early pregnancy are exactly as I’d expect. Her hormone levels are within range. Everything looks as it should.”
Relief fills Tharios. “Thank you.”
Healer Sorisa inclines her head. “Of course, my prince. I recommend close monitoring for the next few days, but I have no reason to suspect the magic-induced sleep will lead to any complications.”
Tharios knows that in his head. Viala is hardly the first pregnant woman to endure such a sleep. But the worry in his heart is difficult to rationalize away.
“You know a lot about Lothlesi reproduction,” Tharios says.
“It seemed prudent since the heir of the Crown Prince of Lostariel will have a Lothlesi princess for a mother. I have corresponded with the princess’s own mother extensively on the topic. She was happy to tell me everything I wished to know. It’s a good thing she’s fluent in written Elvish.”
Tharios looks at Healer Sorisa in surprise. “You’re in communication with Queen Calise?”
“I am. I take my patients’ care very seriously. The queen was relieved to know her daughter is in good hands, though she expressed hope that any offspring resulting from your union would be delivered in New Valderi.”
“Every heir to the Lostarien throne has been born in Darlei,” Tharios says.
It’s expected.
“You don’t need to decide today, my prince. Especially since your binding partner should be the one to make this decision for herself, should she not?”
Tharios looks down at Viala where she slumbers. “Of course. It will be her choice.”
“I’ll give you space to process this, my prince. I need to check on your guard who fell. May the stars shine ever on this gift of new life.”
The air refuses to fill Tharios’s lungs again as Healer Sorisa bestows the traditional Lostarien blessing for all new parents...on him.
Pera. He’s going to be a pera.
“Are you all right, my prince?” Healer Sorisa asks with her hand on the open door. “You would not be the first man in your position to lose your footing at such news.”
“I’m fine. Just in shock still.”
Before Healer Sorisa can respond, Grandmera appears in the doorway with Cerian behind her. Arisanna must be there, too.
Grandmera looks from Tharios to Viala and back again, fear and dread filling her eyes.
“She sleeps,” Tharios pushes out. “A magic-induced sleep. An attack on Viala to keep me here. But she is...she’s well.”
Grandmera sags against the doorframe. “Oh, thank the fates. The look in your eyes made me believe something terrible had happened.”
“Forgive me. It’s been quite the day.”
Grandmera studies him, her brows puckering. Then she turns to Cerian. “Guard the door. I would have a private word with Tharios.”
Cerian nods, and Healer Sorisa takes her leave, closing the door behind Grandmera.
“I’ve seen that look before,” Grandmera says quietly once they’re alone. “You carry your worry as your grandfather did. Wrapped up in those gray eyes he gave you.”
Gray eyes. Will their elfling have Grandfather’s eyes? Or bright blue pools of light like Viala’s?
“Tharios?”
“Forgive me. As I said, it’s been quite the day.”
Should he tell her? When Viala doesn’t even know?
He could use some of Grandmera’s steadiness right now.
And she won’t tell a soul.
“She’s pregnant,” Tharios whispers so Cerian won’t hear through the door. “I didn’t know. We didn’t know.”
Grandmera’s expression softens, and she wraps her arms around Tharios.
“I thought it would take longer,” he continues.
“So did your mother when it was her turn, yet here you are, one of the brightest lights in all of our night skies. May the stars shine ever on this gift of new life, Tharios. How lucky this elfling will be to have you for his or her pera.”
Tharios clings to Grandmera.
“What are you feeling, my elfling?” she asks softly.
“Overwhelmed. Not ready.”
“You could wait a century and still feel unready. And overwhelm is a very natural response. I hope there’s some happiness in there, too.”
“There is.” Tharios smiles as she lets him go. “Very much so. When I’m not busy being terrified.”
Grandmera laughs. “That may be the most natural of all responses to such news. Now, before we celebrate too much and forget why we’re here, tell me what led to Rafelis chasing an elf across the Waters of Pendarra.”
Tharios stiffens.
Whistling wind. He forgot all about Rafelis.