Empress Unborn se-7
Page 21
But Julia was too alert. “Father,” she said, “we have so much to tell you-adventures, new friends. But right now, my little sister is trying to get born. So I’m going to go be with Mother till you get here!”
A few hours later, Lilith laid her newborn daughter in Aradia’s arms. With Adept help, the birth had been easy, and she smiled as she touched the baby’s incredibly soft skin, felt the tiny fingers curl around hers.
And then-the baby opened her eyes.
Violet eyes, like Aradia’s own, like her father’s-and nothing in them but newborn innocence. Her heart seemed to overflow with love at the sight.
By evening Aradia’s husband and her brother were there to greet the new arrival and present her with an unexpected bonus: Wulfston had found a wife in Africa! Aradia liked Tadisha at once, although she was too tired to do much more than rest in Lenardo’s arms and listen, half asleep, to their adventures-all, indeed, brought on by Portia’s desire to separate them as she tried to take over the Savage Empire. It was she who had inspired the witch-queen Z’Nelia to the deeds that had sent Sukuru to seek Wulfston, and to kidnap Lenardo to force Wulfston to come to Africa.
“But all Portia did in the long run,” Julia said, “was to bring us even closer together.”
The next day, after a night of healing sleep, Aradia was able to attend Master Clement’s funeral. Not only was the entire city there, but people had flocked in from many miles distant to pay their respects. Even Zendi’s huge forum could not hold them all, and so they trooped out of the city, to the area where the summer fair was held.
Hundreds of people came forward to speak for the beloved old Master-but like Aradia, everyone who had known him well felt peace and joy, not sorrow, at his passing. Even her own father might have achieved much more had he lived longer; no one felt that Master Clement had left anything undone.
Readers from all over the Savage Empire were there in spirit if they could not come in person, creating such a massive group-mind that Aradia suspected even nonReaders could feel their presence.
Afterward, they shared a feast with family and friends, old and new. Lenardo and Aradia, Julia, Wulfston and Tadisha, Lilith, Decius, Pyrrhus and Wicket, all gathered around the table in the dining hall in Lenardo and Aradia’s villa for the traditional celebration of life.
Wulfston’s entourage had caught up with the three who had ridden on ahead, bringing with it another unexpected addition to the family: a rather vague young man named Norgu, who was some sort of relative to Wulfston. Aradia determined to get the story straight as soon as possible, remembering something about a battle by a volcano on another plane of existence from the stories she had listened to so sleepily last night.
Norgu appeared to be a victim of that Adept/Reader battle, healed in body now but badly scarred in mind. But if anyone could help him find himself, she was certain Wulfston could. In the meantime she welcomed the boy to the family, and gave him a place at the table.
There were people missing-not only Master Clement, but Astra, too, was dead. Zanos had stayed in Africa. She wondered if Torio would ever come back, or Melissa.
But if their circle had lost some members, it had gained others, and this was a time for celebration. “Lord Pyrrhus,” Aradia announced, “I promised you property here in Zendi. And Wicket… Lenardo, we must think of some appropriate title for people who may not be either Lords Adept or Master Readers, but who join both powers. Meanwhile, Wicket, you also will have your reward, for both of you risked more than your lives to protect our daughters.”
After the toast had been drunk to Pyrrhus and Wicket, Lenardo rose as Devasin brought their infant daughter in. “Aradia and I have thought long about what we should name our child,” he said. “Today we decided. In honor of the renewal and growth of our circle, we vow again our dedication to peace and cooperation throughout the Savage Empire. And in remembrance of that sacred pledge, we name our daughter Arlana.”
And the toast rang out: “To Arlana, daughter to Lenardo and Aradia, sister to Julia, and sacred pledge to the unity of our Savage Empire!”
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