|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:56 pm
She was pregnant, not very far along yet but she knew it. She also knew who the father was, and it wasn't what everybody would think. Yareha Afaer was the most obvious candidate, and so it would seem to anybody who assumed he was the only possibility. Her relationship with him was near enough for it to be possible but far enough she knew the truth. A fling with Badiri, a lion with a mate, family and reputation, was the truth. And she had yet to accept that it was in the best interest of all of them to keep that truth a secret.
Her parents were not at home but Laelia had finally returned to their den after spending so long sulking and then hiding away from them. She was pacing out in the open before their den, waiting for them to return, hoping they would have reassuring words for her.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:02 pm
Horatio was thrilled that he didn't have a tag along with him today. It was nice to be on his own here and there, but he was looking forward to returning to his den, hoping Amalthea was home and he would be able to spend some nice, quiet time with her. Between reassuring mixed anxieties of fellow low-class members and dealing with an emotionally confused daughter, he just wanted a break! A vacation was out of the question, but a stay-cation....that would have been nice. What he saw when he was nearly home, however, was not what he was expecting. Laelia was back, and not looking too thrilled. Concerned, he quickened his pace to reach her sooner than if he had walked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:08 pm
Lost in thought and panic, she might have missed her father approaching entirely if she hadn't been pacing around. When she spotted him headed her way, she stopped and stared at him as he got closer and closer and the painful reality of having to tell him what was going on came with him.
Her breathing and her heart rate jumped as she began to panic, telling someone else meant really facing her mistake and she didn't think she could do it. Looking on the verge of tears, she did the only thing she could think of. She hurried up to her father and buried her face in his white mane.
"Daddy.."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:13 pm
To say that there was a look of shock on Horatio's face would be an understatement. He didn't understand what was wrong, but was learning how better to handle his adult daughters. You couldn't treat them the same way when they were cubs. He sat himself down, being careful to let her keep her face buried. Had that stupid foolish boy done something else to ruin Laelia's heart even more? He wished to the Great Lion so much that he could lash out in some way, knowing how foolish that request was. It was so painful to see her so upset.
Stretching out a forearm, he pulled her close, giving her time to gather herself up. "I'm here, it's ok. You were waiting for me or your mother, weren't you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:25 pm
Laelia stayed silently buried in her father's mane even when he sat down, pulled her close and began to reassure her. It took her a very long minute to calm down again but she couldn't let herself keep getting worked up, the longer she stood here without explaining, the more her father would worry.. but worrying about a mystery might be better than dealing with what she had to tell him.
She didn't realize just how truly upset she was until he showed up, though.
When she finally was ready, she sat herself down- with a touch more awkwardness than usual- and while she removed her face, her forehead stayed pressed against her father and she stared down at their paws.
"Daddy," she repeated again, this time more quietly and with a shorter pause before continuing, "I'm pregnant."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:34 pm
Horatio waited patiently, though inside it felt like forever. What had happened? It was the only question going through his mind while he tried to calm his daughter down. It was hard to think of her as an adult, being in middle class...comforting her like this was helpful to him. Glad that she had been in a better position. But what had happened to upset her so much? Horatio only wished for her to be happy.
And then he heard it. She was pregnant.
It felt like the world was pulled out from under him. But...Laelia...how? She wasn't even married yet! Yes, it was possible, but....his mind spun, and he tried really hard to hang on. He only help onto Laelia, unsure as what to say unless he said the wrong thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:58 pm
She didn't know what to make of his silence, her stomach twisting, feeling certain he was angry and disappointed, only unable to say it to her. She stubbornly kept her eyes to the ground, trying to keep herself held together. Her mind was racing and she was overwhelmed by so many different emotions. And there would be no relief, she couldn't tell anybody the whole truth.
"Don't be mad," she said finally after a long silence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:10 pm
Horatio was a bit disappointed that she didn't meet him eye to eye, but perhaps she was ashamed in a way? It seemed like it, like she was more mad at herself than he could ever be.
"I'm not mad," he said quietly. "I'm worried about you. I always have been, since Yareha Afaer......did what he did." Was he saying too much?? It felt like Amalthea would do a better job at this, but....he wanted to be part of Laelia's life, and her decision making.
He hoped that she didn't get mad at him. He really wasn't ready for that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:21 pm
Laelia felt a surprising wave of relief wash over her when he mentioned Yareha. She was so sure he would be the assumed father but part of her was worried someone would think differently, would catch her- but worst of all, catch Badiri.
And she was relieved he wasn't mad.
"What do I do now?" she asked sadly, not knowing where she was supposed to go from here. Eventually her pregnancy would be too obvious to hide, how far along would she get before she had to acknowledge it openly? What would happen when Yareha spotted her? What would happen if Badiri spotted her?
"I don't know what to do."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:41 pm
"Don't stress too much, Laelia," Horatio started out with. "That's only going to make things worse than they are, no matter how you might think it can't get worse. The last thing we need is worrying over your health on top of everything else." He wanted to see her blue eyes look at his, but...he wasn't going to push his luck.
"We'll be here for you, don't worry. You should stay with us for now, talk to your mother, get her advice." Plus, Horatio wanted her close, to protect her. He didn't know what to protect her from, but he was ready for it. Close enough to say 'class be damned', but he wasn't that foolish. If only.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:46 pm
She sighed, finally lifting her head up from his neck and looking at him sadly. He was right, it could be worse, so much worse.. but that didn't make the current circumstances feel any less miserable.
"Thank you," she murmured, happy to have him say that she could stay with them, it was where she wanted to be. Carefully, she repositioned herself so she was seated at his side, leaning on him.
"What do you think the chances are it'll just be one cub and it'll look just like me so I don't have to deal with the father?" she asked, deliberately leaving out a name. Laelia wasn't particularly keen on having either find out about all of this, even though she knew it would happen. If it looked like her, she could deny any possible father.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:49 pm
Laelia's comments made him instantly think it was Yareha. If only because he assumed that she never wanted anything to do with him again, and having his cubs...would make that so much harder.
"Do what Aysu did," Horatio offered, happy to have Laelia leaning on him, literally and figuratively. It was amazing how much the two looked alike, if someone saw them from the back.
"Its not like anyone can pry it out of you....except maybe the Queen, but I don't know if she'd feel the need to settle this out. Its not the first time this has happened, and I doubt it will be the last."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:53 pm
Oh, Aysu. Yareha's sister, a favorite person of his, she was sure. She wasn't sure Aysu was protecting anybody specific by refusing to talk about the father, though she did recall seeing a fellow with markings very similar to the cubs around somewhere.. but she hadn't given it much thought.
"Do you really think that would work?" she asked, "Would he just leave me alone?"
He had so far, that had stung enough.. would she feel more relief at not having to deal with Yareha because he refused to acknowledge the possibility she was having his cubs or would she be more hurt that he still stayed away?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:58 pm
"I don't know," Horatio answered honestly. "I don't know him that well." He wasn't even certain if Yareha was still following her around, but Laelia would know best how to judge it, at least in the beginning. He wasn't sure what would happen once the...cubs...were here.
Wow, he was going to be a grandfather. And Laelia was crying about it. Hard to be excited when you see your daughter so upset.
"If you want it to work, I'm sure you can make it work, Laelia."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:03 pm
Laelia sighed, feeling significantly less panicked than before. Perhaps she could get away with this without directly involving Yareha, without blaming the real father. Perhaps he would be content being so busy being a single father, he would let her be a single mother, even thinking they were his.
"Will you stay here with me until mom gets home?" she asked quietly, not sure she could do this all over again by herself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
