Better Order More Cradles|Aegestrom, Maelstrom

[Kender Bard]

Angel paced briskly through the mansion halls, heading for the guest suite. She certainly hoped that she'd find the royal couple there, or at least one of them.

Something about the visiting princess seemed off to her. Compared to Lya, Angel had guessed that Locket was a few months ahead of her. But when questioned, Locket sounded to be on the same general schedule as Lya.

At first, Angel thought, with disapproval, that perhaps Locket had been using her pregnancy as an excuse to overeat. Some women did. But of course there were other theories... so after a trip in town to talk to the midwife, and gather more information on what to look for, she put what (admittedly little) she knew together and reached a new conclusion.

The Kazimirs were certainly in for a surprise if she was correct. Well, let's hope it's good news, she thought and knocked at their door. "Prince Kazimir? Princess?"

[Darastrix]

Nagi opened the door, blinking at Angel in mild confusion. He knew he hadn't requested her, and he was fairly sure Locket hadn't, either. "Yes?"

[Kender Bard]

Angel bowed her head to him. From the bed, Locket sat up with a curious look.

"I hope you don't mind the sudden intrusion," Angel began. "But I have some concerns regarding your wife. I was wondering if she wouldn't mind coming with me to see a colleague in my workroom."

"What's the matter?" Locket asked in growing worry, getting up.

"Nothing bad, I assure you, but you seem to be progressing surprisingly quickly in your pregnancy in comparison to most women at your stage," Angel said, trying to pick her words with some care. She didn't want to send the poor girl into a panic especially if she was proven unfounded. "So I thought it might be prudent to see a midwife acquaintance of mine."

[Darastrix]

Nagi frowned. There was a line between being helpful and sticking one's nose where it didn't belong, and he couldn't help but feel Angel was edging across it. She wasn't even a midwife herself. Even if she did think Locket was coming along more quickly, he thought Angel should have come to them first.

~It's up to you,~ he told Locket, ~But I'd almost say to put her off and see the midwife on your own time, in the midwife's own place. She never even asked, she just assumed, and from the sound of it, she went ahead and dragged the midwife here without knowing whether you'd even be available at the moment. She reminds me of one of those Thuothans who'd take a person or thing for their own studies without a care of what their 'subject' thought of the matter.~

[Kender Bard]

Locket glanced at Nagi. It's all right dear, she thought. I prefer to see it as... over-eagerly helpful. Besides, I'm concerned now. Waiting would just make me fret. She walked over to the door. "Aye, I'll go."

Angel smiled faintly at her. "This way." She strode off. Locket gave a one-shouldered shrug to Nagi. "I hope everything's okay," she murmured to her husband and trailed off after Angel. Will you come with me?

[Darastrix]

~I'll come,~ Nagi said and shut the door behind himself to follow.

He couldn't make himself see it as Angel being "over-eagerly helpful," as Locket put it. The Generous were "over-eagerly helpful." Angel didn't really come across as either to him. He'd seen more warmth from Crawford.

[Kender Bard]

"Here we are," Angel announced and showed Locket to the workroom.

Locket couldn't help but grin a little. "Doesn't look that much different from Filly's, really."

"Another healer?" Angel asked. Locket nodded. "Yes, well, that's not surprising. Now then, Princess Kazimir, allow me to introduce midwife Janna."

An older woman with mostly gray hair still bearing wisps of brown smiled and bowed to Locket. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady."

"And you," Locket returned. "So, is there anything wrong with me or the baby?"

"Let's find out," Janna said. Mostly, she asked questions though she did inspect Locket's ankles, legs, felt her stomach carefully, and other things. At the end of it all, she gave a small nod to Angel. "Hmm."

"Hmm?" Locket repeated.

Janna folded her hands. "It is my opinion, Princess, that you'll be having more than one baby."

Locket stared. "I...what?"

"Probably twins."

[Darastrix]

Nagi pressed his lips together and refused to look in Angel's direction. That was not something he wanted to find out about in Maelstrom. They would be home in a few more weeks, and something like that would have kept just fine until then. It wasn't an emergency, so the healer should have minded her own business, which did not include midwifery.

As for the news itself, he didn't know what to think. He'd just gotten used to the thought of having A child. Now they were having two? He moved closer to Locket and put an arm around her. Maybe they should just go home. At least there, the nosy people were actually their friends.

[Kender Bard]

Locket leaned against him a little, still stunned. "...Will that be dangerous?" she asked, voice light.

Janna's tone turned gentle. "No, no," she told Locket soothingly. "Your delivery won't even be that much longer. Everything will go fine, I'm sure. You look to be doing just fine, too, so keep up what you're doing. Remember not to push yourself if you're tired, especially so now."

Locket nodded slowly. "Is that all?"

"Unless you have more questions." She shook her head. "Then of course. Do call on me if you think of something to ask, though. I'm always happy to help."

"Thank you," Locket murmured to the two women. Nagi? She glanced at him, concerned. What was he thinking? "Let's go, dear."

[Darastrix]

~She shouldn't have taken it upon herself to call a midwife without even asking us first,~ Nagi said as he turned to guide Locket out the door. ~I would rather have found out from Filly, at home, not all the way out here.~

[Kender Bard]

It hardly matters now, she thought, a little annoyed too now, but mostly anxious. Once outside the workroom, she shut her eyes. "Twins," she murmured, her tone a little agonized. Soahc must hate me. It really didn't help that Nagi was in a poor mood now to boot. She knew he was upset with the healer, not with her, but still.

She turned and hugged him abruptly. "Are you going to be okay...?"

[Darastrix]

"I was just getting used to the idea of having one," he said, his voice a little desperate-sounding. How was he supposed to concentrate on his reason for being there in the first place now? He almost wished he were like Schuldig. Then he could fire a scathing comment to Angel, empty her shelves with a thought, and he wouldn't even feel bad about it.

But he wasn't like Schuldig, and he couldn't even think of a way to tell Angel--May she walk in ignorance--how upset he was with her actions without it sounding petty. It was so frustrating.

[Kender Bard]

I'm sorry, she thought desperately, but didn't say it aloud because it's not as though she could have done anything to prevent how things had turned out. She hugged him tighter instead.

Nagi had been so supportive when she'd told him the first news. It was her turn to return the favor while she was still... not-feeling the affects of the news. She didn't feel different. It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that anything had changed. "T-two's not so bad," she told him, smiling for him, albeit weakly. "This way, they'll never be lonely, right? And it's not like we weren't already going to have at least one servant looking after them, so it's no extra work for us. Just more to love... right?"

That's right. Think of the good side.

"Everything will be fine... This doesn't really change anything."

[Darastrix]

"You're right," Nagi whispered, resting his chin on Locket's shoulder. "You're right." He didn't quite believe Locket's words, but he was willing to try to convince himself of their truth if he could.

And maybe the midwife was wrong. She couldn't see the baby, so it wasn't as though it was a certainty.

[Kender Bard]

Locket let out her breath in a silent sigh of relief. The last thing she needed was for Nagi to panic. She rubbed his back soothingly, pressed her cheek against his. "I don't want anymore surprises like that," she murmured to him. "When we get home, can we ask Crawford to See as much about them as he can?"

She'd begun to grow curious at any rate, but now it would be a source of reassurance. All she needed now was some nasty surprise sprung on her in another month or two or, Soahc forbid, in labor.