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Post by thedreamerlady on Nov 5, 2007 20:58:31 GMT -5
Enald stood at the courtyard, listening to the near silence.
Of course it wasn't quiet, with the bustle that was always part of Telgar, even in the dead of winter. But their was less of the usual noises. The yelling of old Aunties, the squalling of little children- it was missing.
Oh yes, there were children still moving about, but they were pale, and thin. They weren't yelling and laughing, they were doing their chores so they could move back into a warm room, and try and chase the chill from their bones.
The aftermath of the illness had seemingly been swept away, graves dug elsewhere, the smell of sickness chased away, but it was still there, and Enald had no idea how to prevent it from coming back again.
It was his Hold, and yet he couldn't protect it. And it was driving him crazy.
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Post by kayla on Nov 5, 2007 21:10:20 GMT -5
During the sickness, Lesh had been the one preoccupied with it. She had been the one to spend hours and days with the sick, but she knew that Enald did care. At night, he had been the one to hold her and reassure her that it would be all right, that she was making a difference, and that they'd get through it. So while she had been the public face of them caring, they had borne it together.
She watched him for a moment from the doorway, where she stood with a cloak wrapped around her shoulders to keep her warm. Other pregnant women tended to get hot, but she still felt the cold distinctly. There was something about the way he stood there, watching, caring, that touched Leshya deeply.
The young Lady Holder moved to her husband and wrapped her arms around, resting her head against his back. "We will recover, Enald. We are recovering."
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Post by thedreamerlady on Nov 5, 2007 21:16:37 GMT -5
Enald shrugged restlessly.
"We recover, and maybe we get hit again." He shook his head slightly. "Next time we loose more, or maybe different ages. But there isn't anything we can do to stop it."
He reached out to hug her close, knowing how cold she got. He was never cold- and disliked warm temperatures. The turn he'd spent at Igen had been enough to make sure he would never go somewhere that warm ever again. Unless he had too.
"I wish there was something we could do." Sure, Enald made sure that no one was starving, and that everyone had a Healer close by, and a few good midwives in every Hold, but he wished he could do more. Far more.
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Post by kayla on Nov 5, 2007 21:36:04 GMT -5
She sighed softly as she snuggled against him, holding closely to him. "You're doing a lot more than some other Lords would do, Enald." Though she knew that might not really make him feel much better since there were some Lords who didn't do much to take care of their people beyond the very basics.
"I wish there was something we could do too, Enald. I really do."
For a moment she stood there silently with him, when she felt the baby kick pretty hard, because of leaning against Enald - which was hard to do without her tummy touching him in its enlarged pregnant state - he would most likely feel it as well.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Nov 5, 2007 21:53:56 GMT -5
Enald made a noncommittal noise to her encouragement. Yes, he did a lot, but that didn't mean it was enough.
That was when the baby kicked. Enald twitched, slightly startled. He was unsure about how to deal with this. He knew the baby kicked sometimes, Leshya had told him so. That didn't he'd had yet to experience.
"Our child is very strong." He said, sliding his arm down to feel her enlarged stomach. And to hope the baby would move again. He was very careful not to think of it as a male or female. His mother had nearly slapped him after he'd refereed to the child as a "Him". She told him to baby, child, and even "it" before using male or female pronouns. And he'd agreed, knowing that in this area, she knew a lot more than him.
"Does this really happen often?"
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Post by kayla on Nov 5, 2007 22:04:55 GMT -5
She giggled softly and put her hand over his on her stomach, "Yes. Sometimes it can be slightly painful. Though I prefer the kicks and punches to the grabbing. The grabbing can be very ... uncomfortable." She chuckled a bit, "But definitely strong."
And rarely was there an isolated kick, he would feel a few more, some lighter than others, one good one that caused a slight whimper from Leshya. "Ow."
She smiled at him, "I'd rather the discomfort than wondering why the baby's not moving though. Its kind of a ... good pain, if that makes sense."
Leshya couldn't help but beam, "I think the pregnancy became the most real when I started feeling the baby. I mean... the other stuff... it was real... but, the kicking and grasping... that's our baby."
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Post by thedreamerlady on Nov 5, 2007 22:24:39 GMT -5
Enald chuckled, and felt the kids with a big grin on his face. At the sound of Leshya's gasp, he looked up, his face dark with concern. He moved his body again, to cradle her, and rub her back smoothly in large circles.
"Are- do you need anything?" Enald questioned, concern foremost for his wife. "A back rub, something warm to drink?"
He didn't want this child to tire her out to much. There was to much for her to do, he knew that, and he knew that Leshya wouldn't slow down just because she was pregnant.
And that just meant he'd have to spoil her completely.
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Post by kayla on Nov 5, 2007 22:32:10 GMT -5
She was more tired than she was normally, and Leshya had even given up some of Hold issues she'd assumed in addition to the basic Lady ones, but not many, and she'd made it clear to Enald that she'd take them back after the birth of the child, and it was not a lot. She did however, let the Headwoman - with close consultation and a developing trust - take care of some of the early morning stuff.
"Hmm... a warm drink and a back rub both sound good." She did not at all mind the pampering. They had been close before the pregnancy, but the lack of conception had been the one thing hanging over their head, and the pampering was... well, kind of nice, though Enald had always been attentive.
"I was kind of hoping we could both stop early today. We could use a break."
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Post by thedreamerlady on Nov 5, 2007 23:42:12 GMT -5
Enald smiled at Lesh, a slightly devious idea creeping into his head.
"Well, if that's all it takes to make you feel better." Enald said carefully. "I think it'll be easy enough for me to help you out. And to make sure you don't stress yourself out anymore, I'll take care of transportation."
Enald gave his wife a wink, and swept her up into his arms.
"And now for a nice cup of something warm." He said with a smile, former musings forgotten, as he turned to carry Leshya off to the kitchen.
(End)
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