Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

ELIA

Elia rolled over in the bed and for a moment she smiled. She was laying on fur. Reth's scent was strong, and though only one lantern was lit, she could see clearly, her Anima-sharpened eyes not needing even that small light to—

She'd stretched out a hand and begun to roll back, to reach for Reth, but he wasn't there. The furs were cold where he should have been, and when she rolled all the way over, there was no sign of him at all. No leathers tossed over the dresser, no drawers left open, no little note or gift on the pillow.

It was as if he'd never been there.

Elia sucked in a breath. "Reth?" she whispered. Then again, louder. "Reth?!"

Hands shaking and heart pounding, Elia threw the furs back and scooted herself awkwardly to the edge of the sleeping platform.. Internally, her mind screamed.

He's not here.

He's not here.

HE'S NOT HERE.

Her teeth chattered, not from cold, but from fear. It was a dream. She was back in the dream and when she woke up she was going to find out that all of this—being back in Anima, being herself again, loving with Reth that morning, even the risk to Elreth—had been a dream. She was still in the human world—back in her beast trapped, unable to speak or explain anything to anyone. 

She was a prisoner in that place, a prisoner watching herself slowly lose her mind.

Her feet, softened again by months on carpet and shoes, ached on the cold stone of the bedchamber. Then she stepped on a small pebble that had obviously caught in someone's clothing and been dragged into the room. She hissed a curse and almost fell, gripping her stomach instinctively to protect Elreth as she stumbled across the floor towards the door.

Still naked—not that that mattered in the dream—she took hold of the door handle and turned, throwing it wide so she could see if any nightmares waited for her on the other side.

She sucked in a huge breath to scream when a white face and long hair were right there—but it was Aymora.

It was Aymora.

She hadn't breathed out yet, but her adoptive mother hurried inside, her eyes surprised and unhappy. "You aren't supposed to be out of bed unless you need the—"

"Where's Reth?" she gulped, holding Aymora's arms.

Aymora paused, holding her arms back. "He's in the Great Room. He's meeting with the Security Council. He asked me to stay with you. I just went to get a cup of Kaf—I didn't get enough sleep last night. Elia, you need to get back in bed. Being on your feet might start your contractions again."

"I need to see Reth." It was irrational, but something told her if she could just see him, touch him, she'd know he was real. That she was really here. That it wasn't a bad dream, but—

"Well, unless you want to walk naked into the Great Room and greet Behryn, Brant, and the rest of the Security Council naked, I'd suggest you get back into the bed and let me bring you a drink. Reth will come as soon as he'd done. I assure you, he left very reluctantly," Aymora said, with a dry smile.

"But—"

"Elia…" Aymora's voice was gentle but firm. She rubbed Elia's arms and held her gaze. "I'm here because I love you. Reth's here and he loves you so much it's a little bit sickening. But he is the King, and our people have been at war. He cannot spend all of this day holding you. I'm sorry, but you need to get back in bed. And let him comfort you later."

Elia's heart pounded, racing, her head beginning to thump. She opened her mouth to argue—she was supposed to be getting past this human fear of nakedness anyway, right? None of the Anima cared. If she walked out—then her stomach gave a sickening lurch and a tiny pain began at her side, just in front of her hip.

She blinked and let go of Aymora to hold Elreth.

"Now," Aymora said sharply. "Lay down this moment, Elia."

Fighting tears, but knowing the woman was only trying to help her, Elia nodded and turned, slowly crawled back up onto the bed, and laid down on her side.

At first, Aymora didn't speak. She picked up a long, thin cone that looked as if it had started life as a seashell, and a small bottle and spoon from the top of the dresser, then she joined Elia at the bed.

A few minutes later she declared Elia safe, for now. "You need to stay as relaxed as possible. We need to keep your body from believing there's a reason you need to deliver. 

"I know," she said quietly, rubbing her hard belly. "I'll do as you say. I'm just… I'm just tense, Aymora."

"I know," the older woman sighed. She returned the items she'd held to the dresser then came back to the side of the sleeping platform. "So, what do you need right now. Other than Reth, what can I get for you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," Elia said quickly, and even she could hear how hollow her voice sounded.

Aymora sighed and picked up Elia's hand from the furs and lifted it, showing it to Elia, one eyebrow raised to make her point. 

Elia was clenching her hand so tightly, her knuckles were white. 

Elia swallowed and took her hand back, cradling it to her chest. "I just… the only thing I want is Reth," she said weakly.

Aymora shook her head. "That isn't true. It's just how it feels," she said quietly. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then suddenly climbed up on the sleeping platform and lay down next to Elia on her back, staring at the ceiling, her hands on her stomach.

Elia watched her, uncertain what to say. 

Slowly, Aymora took her hand, then once their fingers were entwined, began to speak.

******

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