Sachihiro

All of my most recent children have been born into the world now and a weight has been lifted off my shoulders but another has replaced it. My first born son Morpheus is walking and running like a cat on all fours around the house; like a cat exploring everything. Didi thought to bring him a playmate in the form of actual cat. His form seems to indicate beastmen heritage of sorts but none of his mothers are ready to hear that or let him be seen yet, nor am I really. It’s one thing for your kids to be a beastman in your own household, another when it’s a thing known by the world.

It is inevitable though but we all want him to have as much love and reassurance as we can impart 'cause he clearly understands what’s going on in the world as he explores it, his sisters always keeping an eye out for him. I’m not sure why they all decided that he is theirs but the little ones always seem to want to play with him. Nowadays Morpheus only comes to our bed when he wants to sleep or breastfeed, the adorable little beast is only a few months old but already so active.

I follow him with the corner of my eye as he plays with his sisters Nikita and Hannah. There is a bit of a turf war before Morpheus is allowed to escape his sisters to be coddled instead by one of his mothers, he smiles knowingly as he's taken up tenderly by Mira who grins smugly as the little guys snuggles into her embrace.

I’m lying on my back on the soft carpeted floor of the Family Room in a kilt and nothing else with a fast asleep naked little girl lying on my chest with her little hands grasping at my chest hairs. Little Rayna is completely pale with luminous skin and red hair, a true combination of Shea and Mira and one of the most adorable little things I have ever seen. Her name was a little bit more difficult to find but I really think finding names may be a talent of mine, can you believe some Barbarian children go ten-days or months without names as the parents try to find one?

Ingwe is sitting on the lounging chair with baby Lysandra suckling loudly and happily at the rich milk that only the children are allowed to have now. There are so many, and all are fed by the now at peace and happy Ingwe who has bonded deeply with all six of the most recent arrivals.

In fact everyone has bonded deeply with the babies and the Family Room is now the busiest room in the Keep as we all hang around the warm room waiting for our turn with a baby.

The arrival of the six little ones was the last piece in fulfilling my dream of making this house I’m building a home. The ambience is one of peace and safety as we all lounge about free from care about the outside world immersed in the warmth of family and love.

Kiera, Om's first mate is sitting with Nikita and Hiro helping them solve an old puzzle or it could be that Nikita is helping Kiera and Hiro solve the puzzle. Da is talking to Aunt Helen by the hearth sitting on a stool against the wall at the periphery of the room, they are watching everyone as they speak.

Our eyes kiss. I smile to myself as I remember da telling me he was proud of me for everything I have achieved. I'm at peace, content.

When you are leading a life especially a life on a deadline you always rush through everything, you always want to achieve this or that goal before time runs out or obstacles get in the way of dreams and visions. You travel so far so hard but you sometimes forget to look back and admire the view, admire the work your presence on Gaia is leaving behind and da telling me he was proud of me was just another weight lifted off my shoulders. One I didn’t even know I was carrying even.

Now I look back at my life with the perspective that some 20 years ago I had none of this, none. Nor did I ever foresee myself having this, now my family is gathered around me in the Family Room on the second floor of the massive Deep Keep and there are over thirty of us living together happily in the same house. Deep Keep is turning into a sort of hub for friends and family to always have a place of refuge and safety as it is visited often by those we consider our friends.

The main house above ground is currently just a shack still in comparison to the rest of the Keep but the first, second and third floors down have been semi furnished, enchanted and warded. The entire family could fit in the first floor alone but that floor has the two kitchens the Baking Room and the Cooking Room, then there is a casual lounging area to accommodate friends, the Meeting Room which is extensively warded against scrying and other forms of eavesdropping, very expensive process. The main Dining Area has enough room to accommodate 72 people with the extra two tables added, several latrine rooms, a couple of wash rooms and three guest apartments each with two bedrooms and a sitting area.

Basically everything communal excluding the bedchambers is on the first

The second floor is where most of the individual suites are, very big and very comfortable rooms each with it’s own latrine chamber and sitting area like the apartments above. Deep Keep isn’t a square structure built going down into the ground but actually a pentagonal structure built going down into the ground. The shape itself promoting stability and strength before even taking into consideration the materials used and the expertise of Master Kree's team in the construction of what has become a passion project for her.

The third floor is occupied mostly by my children, by all our children and no one else. They have their own essentials so that if they didn’t want to come upstairs they don’t have to but the Family Room is on the second floor, all the babies are on the second floor so of course they all come up here and hang out with us though they don’t want to take the unoccupied rooms up here.

I look at my everything I've gained with a heart laden with love.

Shea has given birth to two healthy twin babies, a boy and a girl I have named Orochi and Serenity, both pink skinned, white haired adorable little things. Identical for all intents and purposes in all things except their genitals but Shea says their blood is the identical irrespective of them being different genders.

Kuyoki has given birth to little Kira, she cries a lot more than the rest so far if she is taken away from Ingwe, Kuyoki or Aurora. No child cries whilst being carried by Aurora, it’s a wonder to see her little siblings fall in love with her every time she holds them but it’s probably not very healthy for them to imprint her so readily.

Mira has given birth to little Rayna the sleepy one, always drowsy after a feeding now dosing on my chest. She's the smallest baby after Morpheus who is now under some pillows hiding from Thandeka pretending not to be able to find him. Cicilia has birthed Lysandra, a beautiful baby girl with blond hair and blue eyes, nothing like my brown eyes and dark hair but so much like her mother.

I now have twelve children in Saya, Dishna, Aurora, Ikigai, Hannah, Nikita, Morpheus, Rayna, Lysandra, Kira, Serenity and Orochi. Shravathna who I met in my travels may also be with child if Shea's nose it to be believed. Shrava is the only point of contention within the house, none of my mates have been welcoming to her, I shouldn't have pushed my luck with another woman but what's done is done.

We will stay here two more years as Om undergoes his training whilst staying close to his family, but after two years we are heading back home. Most of us are anyways, da and ma might go towards Tiba before going bact to the Tundra, Uncle Brian will be staying here as he is a teacher of children at the Academy, Saya might stay because of her work and so is Eldritch with his new Alderman mate Ntokozo. Not sure about Aunt Helen yet, she isn’t sure either, neither is Dishna but she may be getting mated soon as well so we will see.

'I'm happy, I'm proud of my life too da,' I think to myself.

No life is without difficulty and no home is without drama, but overall I'm happy.