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It was a funny thing, Aerie mused as she cradled her lower belly in her hands. Here she was, with access to both divine and arcane magic, but all those powers could tell her now was something her body already knew.
She had known in the odd stabbing pains and cramps lately. She had known in how tender her abdomen had become. She had probably known in how tired she was, and how just about anything could bring her to tears. She certainly had known, but hadn't wanted to admit it, in how queasy she was in the mornings, and in how none of her food tasted quite right.
She didn't know what to do.
She -
"Hey, are you all right?"
With a startled gasp, Aerie turned around to face Imoen. How lost in thought had she been to never even notice her entering? "I... I'm fine!" she stammered.
"You sure? You didn't seem well at breakfast, and..." Imoen's gaze, which always seemed to catch absolutely everything, went to Aerie's hands where they still rested against her belly.
Aerie froze.
Imoen's eyes widened. "Are you -"
"Don't say it!!"
"Oh!" Imoen's face lit up. "Does Harron know?"
Aerie shook her head. "You can't tell him," she pleaded.
"Why not?" Imoen frowned. "He'll be delighted, you know that! Or, do you not..."
"No, no, it's not that!"
"Then what is it?"
"It's just..." Aerie sighed. "What if he'll want me to stay behind, for the baby's sake? I-I know he doesn't need me in battle. He has you, he has Anomen, he could get by without my magic... but I want to help, however I can! I want to be there! I..." She struggled to hold back a sudden burst of tears. She could see it now: he would find a comfortable little house, have it set up perfectly, and she'd be trapped in it, with every day the same, just like before, with nothing new to see, nothing new to do, and always wondering if today would be the day when her being there would have made all the difference -
"Hey," Imoen said softly, and wrapped her arms around her in a gentle hug. "Take it easy. You know him! Sure, he'll want you safe, but he'd never leave you behind like that. No way."
"But he will be worried," Aerie murmured into Imoen's shoulder. "And he worries so much already! I... I just can't, not yet! But..."
"But what?"
"I won't be able to hide it, will I? I... I'm so tired already, and the food... Even though it won't show for months, he'll have to notice that something's changed..."
Imoen grasped Aerie's shoulders and held her at arm's length, and looked intently at her. "You know what? I've had a bit of a rough time lately, and I think it's starting to catch up with me. Maybe I'd sleep better if I could rest just a bit longer in the mornings. What do you think?
Aerie stared at her. "What are you -"
"And the food here? I don't think it's agreeing with me," Imoen continued. "It's too heavy and spicy! I'd like to have some lighter stuff to eat - maybe you could help me find that?"
"Oh," Aerie breathed.
Imoen smiled. "I'll help you keep it quiet until you're ready to tell him, all right?" she said, and her smile broadened to a wide grin. "Imagine the look on his face if you just suddenly hand him a baby!"
Aerie giggled. "I hope it won't take me *that* long!"
Maybe, just maybe, things would be all right after all.