|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 7:08 pm
In the days after the waterfall a lethargy took over Cosine. When she managed to drag herself out of bed she made it about as far as the sofa or the couch in Ankou's work room where she curled up and watched him work. The strand of hair that his feathers were braided to turned grey and then white, when her energy returned she spent time with the Aoide, organising their rooms, especially the bedroom. The number goddess soon became almost obsessive about making sure that room in particular was tidy, clean and comfortable. She added extra quilts to the bed, more pillows making sure it was warm and cosy as possible.
Then, one night Cosine found it impossible to sleep, impossible to get comfortable. Restless would probably be the best word. She got up and wandered the apartment, she knew Ankou would be working but she didn't want to pester him so she went to get a book from her study and headed back to the bedroom.
The pain came later. As a goddess she could not remember physical pain, though she was sure that Lien must have gone through plenty of it. This seemed to come from deep within her and spread throughout her body. The goddess cried out, curled in a ball and wondering what was happening to her.
Her aoide came first, Zeta stayed with her and Zero went to fetch Ankou.
When it was over three perfect, white eggs lay next to an exhausted goddess.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 7:52 pm
Cosine's lethargy was worrying him. The change in hair colors was... strange, but they were gods. Appearances were, after all, a completely mutable thing for them. The lethargy was more worrying.
He was especially thankful for the aoidei right now, as they could keep an eye on her while he was away. Ankou was making sure not to leave for days at a time on purpose, but nonetheless he continued to work. It helped him ignore the worry for the time being.
He had, indeed, been away when Zero had come looking for him. He had been worlds away, but it had been easy enough for Hrist to call for his attention, and it was only seconds before he was there again, not even bothering to shift back to his normal form when he was physically there.
And then it hit him.
Cosine looked like crap.
But more than that...
Eggs.
If Cosine had not looked so tired, he would have been certain that this was all a practical joke. But sure enough, the three eggs were alive, and had a distinct feel of power to them.
"Are you alright, love ?" He moved to crouch near her, careful not the disturb the makeshift... nest. He leaned to run his hand through her hair, trying to soothe her.
But still. Eggs. He sure as hell had not seen it coming.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Wandering Esper Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 8:01 pm
Cosine looked up at Ankou and gave a half smile.
"Yes and No.". She did feel like crap, like she had been dragged to hell and back but it was worth it. Yes, there were eggs. She had not expected that either, though she supposed on some level it made sense. She patted the bed beside her, inviting him to join her.
"It worked." She was happy, very happy, exhausted, but these eggs would be their children. "We need to keep them warm. Zero, Zeta, get some more blankets."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 8:20 pm
"I can see that." Yup, the three eggs were a little hard to miss in the seemingly ever-shifting sea of colored blankets and pillows. "Is there anything I can get you ? Something to drink ?" Sure, the aoidei could have handled that, but he wanted to take care of her, personally.
For now, however, he took place next to her, peering at the three eggs with a rather wide-eyed look of wonder that was rarely seen on him. It really took a lot to truly surprise him, but this had done the task really. And three of them... He had not really expected three. Could he really handle three ?
A little too late to ponder that, really. He reached out carefully for one of them. They needed to stay warm, yes, but since he was wearing gloves, Ankou figured that his colder body temperature would not spread.
He paused then, blinking, reaching for the egg next to it with his other hand. "...This one is colder than the other..." Definitively alive, but... The temperature drop was noticeable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Wandering Esper Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 8:37 pm
Something to drink? Cosine shifted so she was sitting up and nodded.
"Some hot tea would be nice." Very welcome, her throat felt dry and sore. She watched him reach out to touch them and smiled, his words surprised her, though she supposed that they shouldn't have. He was cold after all.
"Maybe we shouldn't keep that one warm then." She suggested, looking up at him as she reached out to run her hand over each one in turn. "I wonder how long it will take for them to hatch."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 9:00 pm
He reached out for the third egg, once again comparing temperature in between the two. "This one is warmer, too." So two to keep warm, and one to cover a little less. Maybe.
It was not like he had any idea how eggs worked, really. Good thing Cosine seemed to know what to do, because Ankou was more or less in the dark.
"I am not too sure..." It could happen very quickly, or it could take some time. "Echo was hit by time dilatation... I have no idea how much it took in her case." But again, these were completely different situations. Could one even be used as comparison's sake ?
For now, however, he simply nodded at his lover's request and left to brew her some tea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Wandering Esper Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 9:13 pm
Whilst she waited for him to return Cosine made sure the two warmer eggs were covered and shifted closer to them so that her body heat would help. It would be a case of waiting now. Keeping them comfortable and waiting.
Still, the goddess was excited. They were immortal, what was a bit of time to them? She curled around the three of them and waited for Ankou to return.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 9:26 pm
Ankou was not gone long - he simply picked one of the blends Anima kept around for guests, lacking the knowledge to create something himself. He returned with both teapot and teacup and brought a side table closer to her so that she could reach both without having to actually get up, and then took place with her again on the bed.
He found himself wondering what was hiding behind those three thick shells. Sons ? Daughters ? Probably a mix of both. Three of the same gender seemed unlikely, at least. Ankou was... well, happy, yes, but a little dismayed. He really had no idea how to deal with eggs. Lifeflames, yes, he could have dealed with that just fine. But eggs ?
He could barely bring himself to touch them beyond the lightest brush, scared that he might break them, or harm them somehow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Wandering Esper Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 9:43 pm
"Thank you." Cosine was getting some of her strength back, she watched Ankou, his awkward, almost nervous posture.
"It's okay Kou." She spoke softly, reaching for his hand. "They're strong. I can feel it. Healthy. I will stay with them, make sure they stay that way." Eggs were strange, though having observed the crows she knew they needed to keep them warm and watch them. "Though, in the bird world the mother and father share egg guarding duties."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 9:59 pm
"It is just... strange." He admitted. Not that he had known what to expect, really, but... this certainly had not been it, of that he was certain.
Well, he was certain of one thing, through, and he shook his head lightly. "They are as much mine as they are yours." He pointed out. It would not be her sole job to watch over them until they hatched, no. He might need pointers, really, but there was no way he would let her have the sole burden of their care.
He certainly was at a loss, through. Should he talk to them ? Sing to them ? Would they instinctively know who he was ? He knew, more or less, how to deal with young children, thanks to his nephews and niece, but while they were in this state ?
"...You might just have to tell me what to do." He admitted, a nervous smile on his face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Wandering Esper Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 10:05 pm
Cosine brought his hand to her lips and kissed it gently.
"I have just about as much knowlegde as you do. I'm just following instinct I suppose. I'll help you, though just do what you feel. What you think is right. I'm sure it will be the best thing to do." She smiled warmly. "We should start thinking of names whilst we wait. Pick a few for each gender perhaps."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 10:20 pm
"There you go, being all logical and making sense again." He said, amused. His hand reached to run through her hairs after it had been kissed.
Then he found himself reaching for the colder egg again. Really, if there was one he was unlikely to harm by contact, it was this one. All three looked so identical at first glance, through with time he started to notice tiny little differences in between them.
"I wonder what influence they hold..." He pondered out loud. Would they know when they hatched ? Echo had seemed to know, at least. "Do you think they can hear us ?"
Names... Right. They would need names, would they not ? The first names those tiny godlings would come to know and hold, so they needed to be carefully chosen. "Kyrie for a girl, maybe ?" He was not sure where he had heard it, but it stood out in his mind, for some reason. Really, he heard plenty of things and names as he passed through various worlds...
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Wandering Esper Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 10:49 pm
"I think they can. As for their influences i have no idea. I think perhaps this one might be close to yours." She said, reaching out to touch the cooler of the eggs. "Kyrie, I like that. It's pretty. How about Caelia for another girl's name? I read a book once with a character called that in it. It's pretty too. Maybe when I am rested I can see if I can sense genders, maybe influences."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 11:43 pm
"Hmm." That was true. Maybe she could get hints of what was to come through her cards... However, she certainly needed to recover first. "That is possible... Through perhaps it simply takes from me physically." It was hard to tell. He reached for another egg then, feeling the soft, smooth shell. He could have sworn he felt something move, just a bit, within...
"Watch them all be boys, since all we seem to be thinking about are female names." He grinned, amused. "For a boy... Aenas ?" Hm. He was not sure he liked that, and that was evident in his expression.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Wandering Esper Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 11:50 pm
Cosine laughed at his expression and shook her head.
"No, I don't like that one. Hmm, oh, another name I have read before Isidore. I like it. It can be a girl's name too. Isidora. I also like the name Kyriakos. Though it is very similar to the girls names."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
