Chapter XXXVIII

“You want to chase after the Nihilites?”

“Not exactly,” Sarahi said. “I just know they're going to try to get to the capital. If they lay siege to it I want to be there to join the defense.”

“But isn't part of the reason why Hadar sent us away in the first place to keep you safe?” Milo asked, “You said yourself, you know you're pregnant now, shouldn't you be avoiding those kinds of risks?”

“Helping in the defense doesn't mean I'd be fighting directly. I can help strategize. You know Hadar needs help with that sort of thing.”

“How are you doing, though, with...the baby?”

“I'm healthy. Except for no longer having a flow period and some nausea in the morning little has changed so far. Looks like I got lucky. I can ride to the capital just fine.”

“The symptoms will get stronger over time,” Milo said. When he was a child he'd watched enough mothers go through the stages of pregnancy, he remembered, even young as he was, the complaints they made. “But that's not what I meant. I mean...how are you handling...knowing you'll be a mother soon?”

This was something that had been on Sarahi's mind for a long time. In fact, it had been on her mind since long before she found out she was pregnant, back when she was first told she'd be marrying Hadar and would have to bear the heir to the throne or the kingdom would fall into ruin. As a girl, she always saw herself growing up to be a mother someday, partially because she wanted it, but also because she had been told that she'd be placed into an arranged marriage eventually. Still, there was a difference between seeing motherhood as some far off, distant dream, something that would happen in the far future, and knowing it was close at hand. The responsibilities of raising a child all just seemed so daunting, she felt as though she wasn't ready, that no one could ever be ready to take on such a burden. This was a little life that was forming inside of her, one that would someday leave her womb and grow up. She almost felt that when speaking of herself she needed to say “we” instead of simply “I” at times. Then there was the issue of the pain she'd go through. She had heard all sorts of horror stories, especially from midwives and some of the healers at Caelum who had attended child-births, of the pain a mother goes through while giving birth. True, even since then there had been some medical advances, drugs had been invented that could somewhat dull the pain, and with healers nearby she certainly wouldn't die in childbirth, but this only comforted her fears a little. In truth, she was terrified of the idea.

“I've come to terms with it,” she said.

“Liar,” Milo said, shaking his head and chuckling a little.

“What do you want me to say? I'm scared out of my wits, Milo! The only comfort I have in this is that you and Hadar will both be with me. But I can't let that get in the way of being there for Hadar. He needs us, both of us, by his side when things get as bad as they're going to get. And...well, as I said I want him there with me too. I love you, Milo, but having my loving husband and my best friend both with me when I...birth this child...it'd make it so much easier.”

“Alright, alright, if you feel that strongly about it we'll ride to the capital, but we have to choose our route carefully, we have to avoid the Nihilite army at all costs.”

“They'll need a large mountain pass to move their troops through,” Sarahi said. “I've already thought about this. I know a few, much narrower passes that we can go through, since it's just the two of us.”

“And you think we can arrive there before they do?”

“Without a doubt. With any luck they'll never get to the capital at all, but if they do I want to be there when it happens.”

Milo laughed. “Only paladins would willingly disobey a king's direct orders and ride TOWARDS a place where an enemy army that large is headed...”

The two of them gathered up all of their things, and Sarahi spent some time saying goodbye to both of her sisters, before they departed. They rode west-south-west, going through the County of Yian, which would take them straight to the capital province in short time. Milo was constantly trying to get Sarahi to slow down, thinking of their baby, but she protested that she wanted to get there before the Nihilites did, and if she rode any slower they might not make it.

. . .

Therion and Deidra's wedding had quite the turn-out. People from all over Nihilus came to attend the big event, all bringing gifts of all sorts for the couple who already had all they'd ever need. Kalvyn had even managed to slip in a few of his agents amongst the guests, so that they could get some idea of the layout of the inside of the castle before the impending siege.

In Nihilus the traditional wedding gowns appeared white on a first glance, but woven under the white threads were many other, shimmering, multi-colored threads that were only visible when the wearer moved. Deidra watched herself walk back and forth in the mirror many times, watching the sparkles in the dress with giggling delight, before Boanne finally walked up and stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder. “The wedding's about to start. You should be waiting on your cue.”

“The wedding? Oh, right! That's important!” Deidra said. “Sorry, just realized I was wearing the prettiest distraction ever.”

“Therion probably considers you the prettiest distraction ever...”

“What?”

“Well, you do distract Therion from his duties, you know. Since you've come to the castle he's barely been seeing to his kingdom. He'd originally intended to go to Arx with his generals, but with you here he chose to stay instead.”

“This is where he needs to be,” Deidra said. “It's also where this vessel needs to be. This wedding will legitimize the pair.”

“Legitimize the pair? What are you talking about...do you even know?”

“The pair won't be called bastards because Beastyman and I will be wed. Never-mind that we made the pair before getting married.”

“Deidra...are you...are you pregnant?”

“Twins are in the oven, just starting to bake,” Deidra said, smiling at Boanne.

“Does Therion know?”

“Nope.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

“After the wedding, and before I leave.”

“Before you leave?”

“I need to leave, Therion needs to stay. Sacrifices must be made for the twins to fulfill their destiny.”

“Sacrifices? Deidra, what are you talking about?”

“Nihilus is going to see some dark times, but out of that blackness the daemons shall rise!”

“You said we'd win the war with Arx!”

“Did I?” Deidra giggled, her demeanor suddenly very different from her usual, childishly cheerful self. It was like she had changed, transformed into a twisted, cruel old woman who was arrogant about all she knew. “Or did you take it that way? I always spoke truth, but it was veiled in mist. But whether or not Nihilus wins the war with Arx does not matter, that war is but a battle in the far greater war between Enlil and us.”

“Who is Enlil?”

“The one the idolaters call 'God,' and you call 'Saklas.' A traitor to our kind.”

“Our kind? Oh...you don't mean you and me, do you?”

Deidra laughed again. “No, silly girl.”

Boanne understood now what was going on, somewhere in that conversation the daemons had completely taken over Deidra and were speaking through her like a megaphone, or a hand-puppet. It was eerie to think of just how direct they were being now when they had been so vague and mysterious when delivering all of the other prophecies. If they could speak in such clear terms like this, in spite of that whole bit that Therion said about “their wisdom is infinite and Deidra's is limited,” then perhaps this whole thing was some kind of game to them. Or perhaps Boanne's hunch about Deidra being a fake was true, and she was just really good at faking it.

“There's this vessel's cue,” Deidra said. “Stay here and ponder all that we have said. If you try to tell Therion this vessel is leaving you will fail, and then we will kill you.”

The ringing of dozens of tiny bells was the cue for the bride to arrive in the sanctuary, and so Deidra did, walking into the room with surprising grace for someone who spent all of her time running or skipping around the castle and knocking things over. Therion, who was already at the altar with the Grand Warlock, was worried that Deidra would be, well, less than graceful, and was surprised to see her advance up the aisle with such dignity. She looked every bit the queen she was about to become.

When she stood at Therion's side the guests were shocked to see just how much bigger than Deidra Therion really was. Therion was very tall, and his shoulders were broader than most men's, given how strong he was. Deidra was short, and very lithe. The dress that hugged her figure revealed to the crowd just how tiny this girl was, with almost no bust and hips just a bit wider than her waist. Deidra made Therion look like a giant by comparison, and Therion almost made Deidra look like a child, though in age they were only a year apart.

“Daemons of the Void,” the Grand Warlock began. “Bless this union that these two lovers form today. It was you, Prunikos, who taught us that every spirit has a mate, a counterpart. Were it not for the corruption of this world we would know who that counterpart was from the moment we were born. But with your guidance we can often find our spirit's mate. This, I truly believe, is what these two have done. And so, just as the feminine spirit of Prunikos was the first being to come into existence, so the bride shall be asked first if she will take the vows of marriage. Deidra, do you take Therion to be your husband, your own, your mate for life? Do you truly love him, and do you swear to always do so?”

“I do,” Deidra said.

“So let it be.” The Grand Warlock turned to Therion next. “Do you, King Therion, take Deidra as your wife and your queen, to let her rule beside you, but also to be loyal to only her? Do you truly love her, and do you swear to love her always?”

“I do,” Therion said.

The Grand Warlock picked up two lit candles and handed them both to Therion and Deidra. Again, Therion was worried that Deidra would do something crazy and start a fire, but she just stood there in silence. It was a bit spooky just how well-behaved and calm she was.

The Grand Warlock placed a new, unlit candle, upon the altar. “These candles represent the stars that presided over your births. Our astrologers teach us that each of us has a star just for us, our link to the Void, our true home. But we share this star with our spirit mates. Both of you, together, light the center candle in unison and then blow out the candles I gave you, to signify that you recognize that the two of you have but one star.”

Both of them held the flames of their individual candles to the candle in the center, until the wick was lit. Deidra then blew hers out, but Therion's burned out on its own just as he was pulling his away from the center candle.

“And so it is, may the two of you, now husband and wife, be together for the rest of this life as you shall be in eternity.”

Therion and Deidra kissed deeply and the guests all cheered for this newlywed couple, though not all cheers were sincere. Many of the more devout Nihilites amongst the guests had heard that Deidra was a soothsayer, and thought that for a mere king to claim a soothsayer as his wife was true blasphemy, arrogance beyond measure.

Boanne just watched the whole proceeding with confusion and fear. Deidra truly wasn't herself during that whole ceremony, but as soon as it was over she returned to her usual, giggly, silly self. Everything she'd said to Boanne just before the ceremony began swam in Boanne's head. What dark times would befall Nihilus? What sacrifices had to be made? Why did Deidra have to leave while Therion had to stay?

Once Deidra and Therion reached the honeymoon suite, Deidra said, “Beastyman, I have to tell you something very important.”

“Yes, Deidra? What is it?” Therion wasn't really one for pet-names like “honey,” “darling,” or “my love.”

“We're gonna have babies!”

“That's the plan,” Therion said, smiling and starting to move in to kiss her.

“No, I mean, for sure,” Deidra said. “We're already growing two right now.”

“What? Deidra, you're pregnant?”

“Yup. My little wedding present to you,” Deidra said.

“That's great!” Therion said. He knew the implications of this, the children of a soothsayer would be born Aeons, daemons clad in human flesh. Nothing could possibly more legitimize Therion's bloodline than that.

Deidra practically tackled Therion, smothering him with kisses, and the two of them rolled around in the bed, kissing and touching each other. Soon they made love yet again, but for the first time as King and Queen.