by Robin Roseau
“More quartz. That’s all.”
“I think we can handle that.”
“I want something else, too.”
“What’s that?”
“Take me to bed.”
“I think we can handle that, too,” she said with a grin.
* * * *
It was the next morning when I tried to pull on one of my dresses. “I’m getting fat.”
“What was that?” Alyidil asked.
I turned to her. “This dress doesn’t fit. I’m getting fat.”
“It’s your indulgent lifestyle,” she replied. “You’re not waiting tables sixteen hours a day. Should we work you harder?”
“You seem to think this is funny.”
“You’re right. I do.”
I balled up the dress and threw it at her. “I’m getting fat! I don’t have anything to wear.”
“I’ll help you,” she said. And then she put me into a blouse and skirt. I’d been wearing their colorful dresses for months, and it was the first time I’d worn a blouse and skirt in all that time.
“This isn’t mine.”
“It’s one of Lal Keshia’s,” Alyidil said. “The sleeves are a little long.”
“You think this is funny!”
“We’ve already determined that.”
“Why do you think it’s funny?”
“I tell you what, my love,” she said. “I’ll answer that over breakfast.”
“I’m not talking about how fat I’m getting in front of everyone else.”
“Okay.” And she flounced out of the room. Flounced! I say.
“Alyidil!”
She poked her head back in. “You’re not getting fat. Come downstairs.”
“I feel fat.”
“I know,” she said gently. “If you come downstairs, I won’t tease you anymore. Would you like help putting on some sandals?”
“Yes.”
I was kidding, but she did them for me anyway, then bent down and kissed my bare toes. I giggled. She took my hand and led us from our bedroom.
Everyone else was already waiting. Alyidil led me to my place at the table, got me settled, and then moved to stand behind me. “Jeraya has an announcement.”
“I do not!”
“Yes, you do,” she said. “Jeraya is with child.”
I froze. I played the words through my head. Twice. “I’m WHAT?”
“She means you’re pregnant,” Jessine translated.
“I know what it means. I can’t be pregnant.”
“Why not?” Lal Keshia asked.
“Because I haven’t done the sorts of things that are required for pregnancy.”
“I believe you,” she said. “I also believe that Shi`nual told you she played a little trick on you, and while you didn’t do the things required for pregnancy, she may have.”
“What?” I screamed. “She did what?”
“She may have engaged in certain activities.”
“She didn’t!” Yes. I screamed.
“All right. You’re not with child. You just have been gaining weight in a fashion that looks like a baby bump.”
“I don’t have a baby bump!”
“Pregnant women shouldn’t get so excited,” Jessine said. “It’s bad for the baby.”
I waved a finger at her. “I’m fairly sure you weren’t there.”
She held up her hands defensively. “I’m only saying…”
“You’re only saying what?”
“That you have a baby bump, and Lal Keshia won’t let you near my workshop, and it’s been five months since your goddess left, and the math all adds up. I noticed it weeks ago, but I was waiting for you to say something.”
“What does all that have to do with each other?”
“Well, baby bump and five months should be self-explanatory, and maybe my new apprentice doesn’t know this, but some of the processes used in jewelry making can be bad for expectant mothers. I figured it out after Lal Keshia said to keep you out of my shop.”
“She got me pregnant?”
“Yes, darling,” Lal Keshia said. “She got you pregnant.”
“And you’re just telling me now?”
“She said to consult with a midwife in, oh, another week or two, so I suppose I’d have to tell you soon.”
“She told you?”
“Of course. Congratulations, darling. You’re going to be a fabulous mother.”
“You think this is funny.” I waved my finger around. “You all think this is funny. I think I should feel violated.”
“Darling,” Lal Keshia said gently. “You knew she was having interesting experiences with your body.”
“I didn’t know she was having that kind of interesting experiences.”
“I’m not sure that’s any more outrageous than what you and I did,” Jessine said.
My pointing finger moved to her. I waved it at her. “What things?”
“If you’re this upset, I’m not sure I should tell you.”
“I think you’re just trying to tease me.”
“Too easy,” she replied. “I’m serious. What’s the first thing you remember from being with me?”
“Waking up and seeing the three of you. We were in your room.”
“Three of us, not just you and me.”
“Three of us, and then she made me sleep, but when I woke up again, it was just you and me.”
“Well, if it were my body, I think I’d be more upset about what happened when you weren’t paying attention than what seems to have happened to give you a baby bump.”
“You’re serious.”
“If it were my body.”
I turned back to Lal Keshia. “Do you know about this?”
“Not these exact details.”
“You said she was tame with me.”
“She was. She really can be quite outrageous. I told you: you’re kind of innocent, darling.”
“Apparently not as innocent as I thought.”
“Darling.”
“Do you think calling me that is going to calm me down?”
“Darling,” she said. “She asked if you were willing to help me. She told you that you are the only person on this world who can help me. You told her, if that was the case, that you’d help.”
“What has that to do with getting me pregnant.”
“A coven is twelve. Magic is very rare here. If she’s going to continue to help, we have to find more women with red hair and violet eyes.” She pointed at me. “One,” she said. Then she pointed to my stomach. “Two, three.”
“I’m pregnant with twins?” I screeched. She shrugged. “I’m supposed to have twelve kids?”
“Oh, can you imagine?” she asked. “Of course not. They’ll grow up and have several each, too. And when they’re each old enough, we’ll invite Shi`nual to visit, and she’ll leave a little magic behind.”
“You’re talking 30 or 40 years,” I said. “Maybe longer.”
“Yes. Probably longer, as they’ll need to learn magic afterwards.” She shrugged. “Who knows, though. Maybe I’ll decide I’d rather stay here, especially if I become a grandmother.”
I stared. No one spoke. Finally, I said, “That’s the plan.”
“That’s the current plan.” She dropped her gaze to my stomach. “Please, Jeraya, do you think you’ll let them call me Mother?”
I started crying, from one moment to the next, I was bawling my eyes out. Then Alyidil and Lal Keshia were both there. I bawled but said, “Three mothers. They have three mothers, and a whole house full of aunts. That’s the deal.”
“That’s the deal,” Lal Keshia said.
“And cousins!” I said. I lifted my head. “Cousins. And more sisters.” I poked Alyidil. “You think this is so funny? I can hardly wait for you to get pregnant.”
“Hey, I’m not inviting any random goddesses to get me knocked up.”
I turned to Lal Keshia. “And when she comes next time, we’re asking her how to get you pregnant,
too.”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Promise me.”
“Promise.”
“All right then.”
Four Years
Four more years have passed.
I had twin girls, both with red hair and violet eyes. They were perfect, absolutely perfect. We named them Neomeris and Ilaria. They were very good babies, and grew well. I had nearly overwhelming support raising them, as the entire household stepped in.
Once I was no longer nursing, Jessine began teaching me in earnest. I will never be a gifted jeweler, and that may limit the spells I can infuse into jewelry, but I’ve surpassed Lal Keshia’s abilities with jewelry and charms.
I had her teach me the bracelet spell after all, but only so that I understood how it works. And then it took time, but I made two pairs of bracelets that I call my ‘daughter, where are you?’ bracelets. I wear one of each pair; Neomeris and Ilaria each wear the other half of a pair, and at any time, I simply think about them, and I know exactly where they are.
Jessine and I have both become rather wealthy. I charm everything she makes, with the agreement I’ll refresh the charm twice a year for ten years. They sell for twice the normal price, and people tend to buy more than one, as they do not care to be without the charms, but there is travel time to ship them back and forth to be recharmed. Jessine’s mother acts as our agent in Rosegrove and has begun to establish a broader network. I haven’t made any of the infused jewelry for anyone else yet, but it is only a matter of time.
As for relationships: we were all happy, exquisitely happy. Alyidil and Lal Keshia are perfect for me and with each other, and we couldn’t be more in love. Mayolin, Filfoyss, Burquiri, and Jessine have formed their own convoluted relationships, but from what I can tell, they are all in mutual love, as well, taking into consideration that two of them are cousins.
The entire household is quite strange, but what part of my story isn’t strange? I was a reluctant host to a goddess from another world.
* * * *
I didn’t notice when The Others began to clean and decorate the house. I was deeply focused on my own studies, after all, and the work all seemed to happen while I was occupied. And so, while I perhaps noticed the house looked nice, it was in passing, and I’m actually ashamed I didn’t notice sooner.
And then Lal Keshia and Alyidil declared it was a day for the three of us, and it began with breakfast followed by pampering in the tub. I should have begun to put things together, but I didn’t.
I didn’t the second day, either.
I started to grow suspicious the third day, when The Others became involved, including Jessine, and the lot of them pampered me.
But it wasn’t until the fourth day that I asked, “What is going on?” They laughed and didn’t answer.
It took me a week. It took me a week! “I’m an idiot,” I said. It was the silver lip paint that did it.
“Pretty much, yep,” Alyidil said. “Don’t fuss. You’ll smudge.”
“Stop,” I said. “Stop. This is my body. Now stop.”
They all froze. I looked between them, my gaze settling on Lal Keshia. “When were you going to tell me we were inviting Shi`nual?”
“I was a little surprised you didn’t figure it out the first day,” she said. “I knew you’d figure it out eventually.”
“I might have figured it out the first day if it had started with all of you.”
“I doubt it,” Alyidil declared.
I waved a finger at her, then at all of them. “This is my body.”
“That is confirmed,” agreed Lal Keshia.
“I’m a mother now, and I’m not going on some wild sex rampage all over the country.”
“Of course not.”
“You’re being awfully agreeable.”
“I’m letting you work it all out of your system,” she said. “You tend to rant, and then you do whatever we want.”
“I do not!”
“And you deny it when we suggest it.”
“I do not!” I repeated. I waved my finger at her. “You expect her to get me pregnant, probably with triplets this time.”
She set her hands on my shoulders. “Jeraya, do you want us to stop?”
“No,” I muttered.
“Are you angry with us?”
“No.”
“Do you want more daughters?”
“I think she should get you pregnant. Wait. She said she never comes for the same person twice.”
“She’s coming for me,” Alyidil said.
“I bet she doesn’t typically visit the same host twice.”
“And she may decline,” Lal Keshia said. “But this was the plan, Jeraya. We even discussed it, all of us, nearly five years ago.”
“I suppose we did.” I thought about it. “All right.”
“Yes?” she asked.
“Yes.”
She kissed me, very sweetly. And then they went to town on me.
* * * *
I lifted my hand. “No scarves this time,” I said. “Where are the darlings?”
“Long asleep,” Lal Keshia replied.
“Oh, of course. I’ll see them in the morning. Jeraya, did you like my surprise?”
“It was startling,” I said. “But you have to know I love our daughters.”
Alyidil moved in front of me. “Shi`nual, thank you for accepting our invitation.”
“Alyidil,” I said. I lifted my hand and caressed her cheek. “Are you happy?”
“I am. I have my three questions. I am not yet asking them, but I thought I would tell you what they will be.”
“Interesting. Of course.”
“Will you help Lal Keshia to become pregnant? Will you help me? And will you review Jeraya’s magic and teach her what Lal Keshia is unable to teach.”
I paused then nodded. “I wish to speak directly to Jeraya.” And then the world faded, and we were in the grey world. I walked towards myself, both of me smiling. “Those are terrible questions.”
“Why are they terrible questions?”
“Alyidil does not need my help to become pregnant.”
“She does if she wishes her daughters to closely resemble her, and we do not wish to undertake dangerous travel to find a father.”
“Perhaps,” she said.
“What’s wrong with the other two questions?”
“They aren’t questions. They are direct requests for my assistance. Jeraya, I answer questions. My powers are very limited.”
“Oh,” I said.
“I can help you, my host,” she continued. Then she smiled. “You have more power here than I do.”
“I do?”
“Other than seeing to the health of my host, I cannot act except through you. How was your delivery?”
“The midwife was rather impressed with the ease, although my perspective was somewhat different.”
She gave me a sweet kiss. “I can’t tell you what questions she should ask.” She offered another sweet kiss. “I am not staying so long this time. It’s very brief, actually. Four days.”
“Four days?” I think she heard my despair.
“I wanted to see you,” she said. “I wanted to know what choices you made. Or I wouldn’t have come.”
“Lal Keshia said this was the plan.”
“Yes, well, you don’t need me if she chooses to continue her plan. Your daughters and granddaughters need me, and they are not remotely old enough.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“No, Jeraya. I told you. I wanted to see what choices you made. I am pleased, and I’m happy to be back here with you, even if it is only briefly. Now, invite me to stay.”
“Please, Shi`nual, I would love if you would stay, for as long as you choose.”
“Do you freely offer use of your body, Jeraya? I think you have a better idea how I might use it.”
“Freely,” I said. “Are you going to jump into the ocean again?”
“That was unpleasant,” she
said. “I’m going to look for a snake.”
“No snakes,” I said. “Well, none big enough to eat me.”
“Pity,” she said with a smirk.
“Why did we talk about poor questions if I can’t offer suggestions?”
“Maybe I’ll take a nap,” she said. “Be quick.”
And then I was looking through my own eyes, Alyidil immediately in front of me. I lifted my hands. Yes, I lifted my hands. I set them on her shoulders. “I’m Jeraya for a minute. Maybe more than a minute. Listen. She’s unimpressed with your questions. Lal Keshia, work on this, but I think you should ask what magic she could teach me so I can do what Alyidil asked.”
Then I shuddered, and my hands dropped. “Oh, dear. Did I nap? How unlike me.” I could hear the difference in my voice. “I do hope you didn’t discuss anything really important.” I looked around for a moment. “I remember you. Jessine. The jeweler. How is your apprentice?”
“Nearly, but not quite hopeless.”
“I thought she might be,” I said. “If anyone wants to make love to a goddess, come with me.”
* * * *
She packed a lot into four days. Oh, did she pack a lot into four days.
But in between, she taught me some interesting magic.
About the Author
A writer by avocation, Robin has a renaissance interest in many areas. A bit of a gypsy, Robin has called a few places home and has traveled widely. A love of the outdoors, animals in general and experimenting with world cuisines, Robin and partner share their home with a menagerie of pets and guests, although sometimes it is difficult to discern who is whom.
Robin can be reached via email as [email protected]. Robin's web site is http://www.robin-roseau.com.
Works by Robin Roseau
The Madison Wolves Series
Fox Run
Fox Play
Fox Mate
Fox Afield
Fox Revenge
Fox Dish
Fox Lost
Wolf Watch
Wolf Ways
Wolf Women
Fox Fate
Jaguar
Omega Born
Omega Life
Omega Choice (coming soon)
Fox Short Stories