|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 4:28 pm
After eight months of pregnancy Ujana had come to one very simple conclusion.
Pregnancy sucked.
In the beginning her symptoms had been light enough that they didn't hinder her day to day activities. Of course she didn't partake in anything to risque, but she was still able to get out with Ariya, even going as far as to visit Jauhar from time to time. Little trips around Tale with Odhren were even pleasant, as he made preparations on his end for the upcoming birth.
Then she got bigger and bigger and bigger. The growth of her breasts wasn't entirely unpleasant, but her stomach was so large now that she couldn't even see her toes, much less bend over to touch them. Her ankles were swollen constantly, she craved weird foods and at random times she wanted to nap so badly she became something of a cranky kinfa.
She tried to stay active, really she did, but with a kid that kicked like hers even that was becoming a chore.
These days she didn't even try setting up business deals or looking for spots to open her tavern; she just relaxed as much as she could, soaking up the presence of her girlfriend for as long as she could.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 4:47 pm
Ariya had left her daughter in Jauhar with her "Uncle" so that she might learn something about cooking. Or at least that was her hope. It also gave her the time to spend with Ujana. Not that they did much more than lounge around these days. The temptress had gotten chubbier as the months went by and crankier too. It was also weird that her belly moved from time to time. The alkidike had put her hand on it once and that had been enough. Knowing there was a youngling in there made her worry. How was it supposed to get out? "Are you feeling any better?" Ariya worried about her girlfriend endlessly. There were too many things about this earthling pregnancy that she didn't know and it made her think up things she prayed to Aisha weren't possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 4:52 pm
Honestly, the highlight of her pregnancy thus far had been Ariya's reactions to the simplest of things. She didn't think the alkidike had had much interaction with earthling pregnancy before, and she was about to get a crash course...
"A little tired, but restless? Do you want to go for a walk? I don't like sitting around this much." She'd been cooped up in the inn for a while now, and at first, it seemed like a grand idea. Kicking back, putting her feet up...but now Ujana was just plan itching to get out.
Even though she'd posed the idea like a question she was already wobbling her way up to stand, putting a hand out on reflex to her stomach.
"Stop worrying so much; your hair will turn grey."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 5:10 pm
She could only imagine the restlessness that Ujana felt. Moving with such a large belly couldn't be easy. Ariya wasn't a twig by any means but her leafling had surpassed her months ago. When the question arose of a walk she didn't have time to think about it since her glowing and cranky woman was already trying to get up. "Grey hair is an honor, Ujana." She said as she rolled her eyes and moved to help the woman stand. As an Alkidike she viewed grey hair as an honor. It meant she had lived long enough for it and that she was ready to become an elder. Besides, it looked kinda neat. Holding her hand out she waited for Ujana to take it. "Where to, lovely?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 5:16 pm
Even after Ariya had helped her to get up, Ujana didn't move far away. Instead she stepped close and took the alkidike's hand, giving it a little squeeze with her free hand before tugging her along towards the outdoors. "Okay, I guess you're right, but - Well, if I can dye my hair green I can keep it from turning grey, can't I?"
Speaking of dyes her father had advised against dying hers until after the babe was born and there were just enough roots visible now that she was starting to get irritated with it all.
"You can try it out if you want, but not me." She smirked. "How about a little walk to the grasses and back?" She knew of a patch of tall grass not far from the inn, and it was nice enough to have a shady patch in case they needed a pit stop. Or rather, if she needed one.
"I want to talk to you about something."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 5:24 pm
A chuckle left her as she heard the proclamation about dying her hair to keep the grey at bay. "If that's what you want." When there was a destination mentioned she nodded her head and started to lead the way. Ariya had to walk slower than usual though since she had a waddling temptress with her. Not that it bothered her any. In fact she found it kinda cute that she had to waddle. A thought she kept well to herself after being punched the first time she had mentioned it. "I stand firm on allowing the one youngling. Sharing was difficult enough." She leveled her gaze at Ujana hoping that that wasn't what her girlfriend really wanted. If it was then she was powerless to say no but it bothered her that she had had to share for so long with the earthling male.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 5:31 pm
Ujana kept pace as best as she could, under circumstances. She was tall with a long stride, but not nearly as tall as her girlfriend and with this belly...well, she ended up just swaying back and forth, like a mammu on a stroll.
Even her hair moved back and forth like a trunk-
Stop thinking about that.
"One young-? What?" Ujana sputtered and popped out with a snickering laugh. "Calm down, ya goof. One pregnancy is enough for me, thank you." She couldn't imagine doing this again. Sure, the kid would be well beyond worth it, but this experience was for the birds.
"I was just wondering what you thought of me setting up shop here, in Tale. We've never really talked about it much, and I'm going to have to start building soon."
The implications were there. Once her business was built there would be more time and distance between them. "You won't ever leave Jauhar, will you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 5:42 pm
She eyed her girlfriend as though she had lost her mind when she sputtered the laughed. However, the words that followed were comforting. So Ariya nodded her head in agreement. "Good." As they walked she made sure that she didn't rush Ujana. She also made sure there was nothing in her way since the woman couldn't see her feet. The alkidike went from looking ahead to looking at the leafling beside her. "I would prefer that you set up in Jauhar.." There was no point in trying to lie. It was well known that she liked being in the denser forest. Plus it was closer to the Isles. As a guardian, or almost, she needed and wanted to be close to home. There was a deep breath that came out slowly before she continued. "I don't want to leave Jauhar, Ujana, but if you asked me.... I would." And that was both a blessing and a curse to her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 5:53 pm
"I thought you might say that." She scrunched up her nose with a little sigh. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought about it from time to time, but everything always came back to her own family. Her father and sister who had been so excited when she said she was going to set up shop here.
"I can't ask you to do that, Ariya, and you know I can't. I know how much Aisha means to you, and Subira...she would either have to leave everything or be away from her mom and I'm not going to be that person." Because this wasn't just about her wants and needs; no, now it was about so many others that it made her head spin.
"My father is traveling more now, and so is my sister, so even if I stayed here there's no guarantee they would. So...I don't really see why I couldn't set up in Jauhar" She looked up into her girlfriend's dark eyes, actual worry in her own. "So long as you promise to visit more. I won't be that far away anymore." And she didn't know about staying on her own with a baby. That bit was pretty intimidating.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:07 pm
The chubby alk paused for a moment. Hearing everything that Ujana said made her tilt her head a little so that her antennae slouched to one side. "You wouldn't be that person, Ujana." Ariya had already talked with her daughter at length about the whole situation. There was more understanding in her child than she thought possible. Still she didn't divulge that to her leafling. "Ujana.. Subira and I have talked about moving to Jauhar permanently. She likes it better than the small Isles and its close enough to Aisha for the both of us." In all if Ujana set up in the deeper forest then she would have Ariya and Subira with her. At all times more than likely. "I can't promise I won't have to spend some time in Chibale but I can say that I will be on the mainland more." Ariya wasn't going to outright ask Ujana to move either, though she wanted to.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:17 pm
"Oh. You have?" She quirked a brow and looked at the alk, her hip cocking to the side in a move that may have once been sexy, but was just comical now. There was no definitive hip line now; there was only belly.
"Are you sure you're okay with that? That Subira is?" She knew what it was like to move away from friends and a familiar home for something knew. Sure, Subira wouldn't be going far, but it was still a change.
"I'm not going to lie, the prospect of moving closer to you both has me pretty excited. " She moved from foot to foot, a little grin taking over her face. "And having a home for once - an actual home that's mine - do you know I haven't had one since I was ten? I've been bouncing around from place to place. I mean, I shacked up with Medina in Oba, but that wasn't really my place."
She squeezed Ariya's hand. "I'll do it. It feels like the right time to try something new, don't you think?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:26 pm
A shadow of a smile appeared at the funny image of Ujana trying to move her hip out. The woman's hips were overshadowed by the big belly. So Ariya moved and placed her hands on the disappearing hips of her girlfriend. "Subira is the one that mentioned it first. She uh... learned something about my mother that she didn't like." If it could be seen then it would be apparent that the taller woman was looking to the side rather than right at her partner. "As of late she's been spending more time with her Uncle on the mainland so.. she has friends and is familiar with the place." Though Ariya would admit she had been surprised to hear that Niesh had let slip her distaste for hybrids and earthlings. Especially since it meant losing Subira from her life. Leaning forward she pressed her forehead against Ujana's. "Something new sounds good. Subira will love it too." The alkidike was about to lean in farther to give the woman a kiss when she thought she felt a movement in the over sized belly and instantly pulled her hands away. "Sweet Aisha did it move!? Is it okay!?" No matter how many times she was near the moving belly she never got used to it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:33 pm
Even as big and bloated as she knew she was, Ujana still felt pretty when Ariya treated her like that. She stepped a little closer, as close as she could get anyway, and put her hands over top her girlfriend's.
She winced, not out of any actual pain but out of sympathy for Subira. "Was it that bad?" What in the world was she looking at? Ujana tried to turn her head and follow, but it was hard to know exactly what the alkidike was actually staring at thanks to those pupiless eyes.
The sudden shift from sweet, loving moment to outright shock was enough to make Ujana laugh again. Her laugh though was cut off by a grunt, and a hand moving to her stomach. "Oh yeah, it's fine alright. More than fine if it's healthy enough to beat me up like that." She moved her hand away long enough to see what looked like a foot - at least she assumed - or a hand push against her skin before disappearing back into her stomach.
"Come here, come here, put your hand back on it. I want to see if the baby knows you're there."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:53 pm
Healthy. Right. Because earthling babes were considered so if they moved around a lot. Ariya was staring, wide eyed, at the foot or hand or whatever it was that was poking out. It was like something Ujana had eaten was fighting back. "What? No! It KNOWS things?" The alkidike seemed to c**k her head to the side and stare a bit more before hesitantly putting her hand out. She wasn't quite there yet and seemed to hover. It looked like she might need some extra encouragement to touch the moving belly again. "Ujana.. you better know how much I love you. This is strange.." Earthlings were so weird.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 9:11 am
"Maybe? I'm not really sure, but this old woman at the inn seems to think so. She's probably someone's grandma, so I'm sure she knows." Seeing the alkidike guardian hesitate was priceless. Ujana just watched for a moment, keen on making that moment last, and when she couldn't take it any longer she gently coaxed Ariya's hand to her stomach. "Just pretend I'm a tree." Ujana was mid turn, ready to flash a teasing grin up at her girlfriend when it happened again.
And this time Ujana gave a little jerk, scrunching her nose against the uncomfortable sensation. Sometimes when her little one moved it felt oddly good, a strange, heart warming bonding moment and then other times....Well, she was afraid her kid would come out punching.
"She said that when the baby gets active like this it means they're ready to come out, so it shouldn't be long now."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
