Sind was born very late in the night. It's been a long time since I've had a child come at such an hour. I was naturally tired from the late night and the labor. It was thankfully that the labor itself was relatively short. I was truly ecstatic to see Sind has at least inherited Paul's hair. Hopefully this means he'll have his pretty green eyes as well. Nevertheless, Sind seems so far to be a calm baby. It really is hard to determine his personality just yet though. He fell asleep quickly, and I fell asleep myself minutes after I got him settled.
The very next day was Delenmir's big birthday. Interestingly, he really doesn't look that much different even though he's an adult. He has even decided to wear the same style of clothing as he did before. What also hasn't changed is his desire to become an actor. Delenmir remained at home for a couple hours, but he used those couple hours talking to himself in the mirror. I believe he was building up his confidence before he finally left for his own apartment.
It must be because Tosha came over to care for her so often when she was an infant, but Renia has become incredibly attached to Tosha after she had her own birthday. The two often spend their afternoons going out and doing fun things like going to the beach to soak in the summer sun. They actually spend so much time together that Penn gets jealous every now and again. Renia does spend plenty of time with her father as well though.
My intention had been to become pregnant only a short time after Sind's birth. However, that idea was stalled by something I never could possibly imagine happening. Once again forgetting to get the mail in the morning, I went out in the later afternoon to grab the bills. I barely touched the mailbox when I heard a voice from behind greeting me. I knew who was there before I turned around. Rieldir smiled brightly back at me. It was so wonderful to see him again even if realizing how old he has gotten brought bittersweet thoughts to my mind. I couldn't help but to think of Cirabel. She should have gray hairs of her own if what happened hadn't happened.
I refused to dwell long on that thought. I embraced my son tightly.
Rieldir's visit was quite an unexpected visit. I asked why he was here, and if something was wrong. He told me something was kind of wrong. He explained he was at the tavern in Aurora Skies one night when he began to overheard a particular conversation. He secretly took out his camera to record the conversation when he realized just what was being discussed. Rieldir understood it was not an honest thing to do, but he felt I really need to see what he managed to catch on tape.
He asked me first who was home besides myself. It was just Sind. Linnatiel and Rorion were out at prom while Renia was with Penn. Rieldir was relieved. He said he could show me the video right away. He said I needed to hear the information alone first since he believed I was the only one who could decide what to do with that information.
We went inside where Rieldir pulled the two armchairs closer to the television. He connected his camera and began the video. I was thoroughly confused at first. Rieldir offered no explanation was to what I was watching. There were two slightly tipsy woman at the bar talking. I could only see the face of the one wearing yellow. It was when I started listening to their conversation that my heart constricted painfully since it suddenly hit me why the woman in yellow seemed so familiar. Sitting there and listening to the tale she told was difficult and heartbreaking.
The woman in yellow was none other than Rorion's birth mother. The story
she told her friend was completely different than what I was told in
the letter. What made listening harder was that the two took the story as
if it was some sort of joke.
The woman complained how she had ended up getting pregnant after she got really drunk at a party and slept with multiple men that night. She didn't know any of them. She didn't even know their names. The woman wanted to abort the brat right away, but her parents threatened to disown her if she did. It seemed they are the source of income for this woman's partying lifestyle. She went on to say her parents were satisfied with her decision to place the child up for adoption. However, when the woman realized how annoying and time-consuming the adoption process was she came up with her own plan.
She had heard of an elf woman who popped out baby after baby because she loved to raise them. Rumor had it the elf woman had moved to Sunset Valley. A couple days before the brat's birth, she went to Sunset Valley to find the elf woman for herself. Sure enough, the woman saw that I had a bunch of happy brats running around. When she gave birth she left the ugly thing on my doorstep with a fake letter to pull on my sympathies. She also wanted to make it so the brat never tried to come looking for her.
The woman returned home to Aurora Skies where her parents paid for her to have her tubes tied. Having to go through the whole experience was dreadful for her. She never wanted to be burdened again like that.
Rieldir paused the video. I sat there stunned. It hurt. It wasn't even because of what the woman thought of me or how she tricked me, but that she lied about loving Rorion. The only reason Rorion has been so able to be comfortable with his life and how he was left is because he believes his birth mother was willing to sacrifice the love in her heart for him in order to give him a good home. I can't imagine how he will be crushed if he finds out about this.
I stared at the woman's face as Rieldir asked me if I wanted to know her name. I didn't want to know. I turned the television off, took Rieldir's camera, and deleted everything he recorded. Rieldir smiled. That was what he thought I would do. He was satisfied.
I tried to push the whole thing out of my mind, but of course I couldn't stop dwelling on it. Rieldir helped me to forget somewhat. He was so excited to see and hold Sind. He looked like a proud grandfather. I had to smile as he so eagerly took care of everything his youngest brother needed.
Then Renia came home. She and Rieldir have spoken on the phone a couple times, but obviously this is the first they have ever met in person. Rieldir treated her both like an older brother and a grandfather. Rorion has never really teased her too much so she wasn't used to Rieldir lovingly bullying her. Renia tried to be a trooper though. I laughed loudly when Rieldir finally went full-on grandpa and pinched her cheeks constantly.
Linnatiel and Rorion returned from prom shortly after Renia went to bed. They were beaming because they won prom king and prom queen. They were thoroughly confused to see Rieldir. It was hard for me to look Rorion in the eye knowing what I know now. I truly do hope he never finds out on his own. I was glad when Sind began crying for I could leave Rieldir, Linnatiel, and Rorion to entertain themselves together until the three of them went to bed themselves.
Ms. Vajjer knew and understood my reservations for not wanting to have a child with their race. However, she promised me things could be really no different than if I was carrying a normal child. The aliens would not treat him or her like an experiment. They have the capacity to monitor the child from above without any interference on what happens. It will be like when Eloril and I were raising Anondil. Ms. Vajjer pointed out we never even knew they were watching until it was pointed out. She also promised that they could use their technology and powers to keep the human governments and military completely oblivious. If I could just have one child then their older brother race would be satisfied, and would leave the elves alone.
What could I do? Everything Ms Vajjer told me could be nothing more than a huge lie. I didn't know her, and with everything that had happened that day I wasn't prone to trusting so easily. However, was I willing to take the risk? What if everything she was saying was indeed true? What if some of my friends were taken? Goddess forbid, what is naneth was taken? In the end, there was no choice. I could handle having the one child the aliens wanted in order to prevent such a disaster from falling onto my people. The Goddess will just have to understand.
The rest of that night was lost to me. Ms. Vajjer walked with me outside, my memory becomes blank, and then I remember standing outside my front door completely alone.
Breakfast that morning what a horrible affair for me. It was still hard to look Rorion in the eye. Then I struggled on how in the world I was going to let my family know what kind of child I was carrying. It's not like any of them have met Anondil. The aliens haven't been a presence in their lives like the aliens were when Anondil came along. I've barely told my children about them at all. I'm pretty sure they think I'm just making the stories up.
Rieldir could tell something else was going on, but thankfully for that moment my other children were oblivious to my worries.
Rieldir celebrated Sind's birthday with me after Linnatiel, Rorion, and Renia left for school. His birthday is perhaps what helped me to finally brighten up my attitude. Sind is truly precious. He made me remember back all the way to when I gave birth to Elrunamir. I wasn't sure when I was pregnant with him if I would love him or not. I was so focused on the half that was human that it took me until his birth to realize I had been blinding myself to him as a person and as a living thing.
This half alien child I'm carrying is not any different. I saw I needed to stop being so hesitant, and admit I will fall in love with him or her much like I fell in love with Elrunamir. I should have already learned a long time ago that my love will never be defined or limited by race.
Besides that though, I was also very happy since Sind did get those pale green eyes of Paul's.
Unfortunately, Rieldir had to leave to catch his flight to Aurora Skies before the other children got back from school. It was hard to say goodbye since he hadn't even been around for a day. I don't know if or when I'll get the chance to see him again. Rieldir is, after all, the last of my children alive in Aurora Skies. The storm continues to follow me, and it will reach me here before too long. Elioviel is getting along in years herself. I feel as if I've only been in Sunset Valley for such a short time, yet it's actually been quite a while.
Before Rieldir left I gathered my courage and told him what happened with the aliens. He was shocked to say the least. Rieldir did believe me though, and say the past 24 hours have only reconfirmed his belief that I am strong enough to handle something even such as this. I'll be the victor once again. I thanked my son for everything, and gave him a tight, long hug before I watched him get in a taxi and leave.
I hesitated a bit more in telling Linnatiel, Rorion, and Renia. However, I managed to sit them down and explain everything before dinner. Dumbfounded is a good word to describe their expressions. I don't think they fully believed me either. I suppose they'll have to accept the full truth when the child is born. They were accepting overall though.
I didn't blame them in their hesitancy of accepting my words. I still drifted in and out of believing whether what happened that night was reality or if it was merely a dream. However, then there was no ignoring it any longer. The definite signs of pregnancy showed themselves though I have not slept with any man since sleeping with Paul. I was definitely carrying an alien baby. It was time to face the truth......
Rieldir's coming and the news he brought effectively ruined my chances that day of me trying for a child. I thought the next day would be the perfect opportunity. Rieldir could catch Sind for me while I went out. Things should have been easy. However, Ms. Vajjer came back to ruin my chances for having a proper child for this task for a long while now. I was strongly tempted not to let her in, but I did. Ms. Vajjer had gone to talk with her race's council. She hadn't been able to tell me what I wanted to know before since it was against the law to reveal such matters to an inhabitant of a world not a part of the Universe Collaboration Alliance. Her race had decided it was worth the risk to break the law to let me know what was happening.
As I know, Ms. Vajjer began, there are many different kinds of alien races out there in the universe. Some are friendly. Some not so much. Her race, the only one I've had contact with, is the youngest sibling of a very large, powerful, and unmerciful aliens. They have made it Ms. Vajjer's race's duty to handle the mixing of bloods between them and those of other planets. The older race doesn't like how they've gotten subjects of alien and human, but not alien and elf. They planned to start kidnapping elves to achieve their goals.
Unless a volunteer stepped forward.
Ms. Vajjer knew and understood my reservations for not wanting to have a child with their race. However, she promised me things could be really no different than if I was carrying a normal child. The aliens would not treat him or her like an experiment. They have the capacity to monitor the child from above without any interference on what happens. It will be like when Eloril and I were raising Anondil. Ms. Vajjer pointed out we never even knew they were watching until it was pointed out. She also promised that they could use their technology and powers to keep the human governments and military completely oblivious. If I could just have one child then their older brother race would be satisfied, and would leave the elves alone.
What could I do? Everything Ms Vajjer told me could be nothing more than a huge lie. I didn't know her, and with everything that had happened that day I wasn't prone to trusting so easily. However, was I willing to take the risk? What if everything she was saying was indeed true? What if some of my friends were taken? Goddess forbid, what is naneth was taken? In the end, there was no choice. I could handle having the one child the aliens wanted in order to prevent such a disaster from falling onto my people. The Goddess will just have to understand.
The rest of that night was lost to me. Ms. Vajjer walked with me outside, my memory becomes blank, and then I remember standing outside my front door completely alone.
Breakfast that morning what a horrible affair for me. It was still hard to look Rorion in the eye. Then I struggled on how in the world I was going to let my family know what kind of child I was carrying. It's not like any of them have met Anondil. The aliens haven't been a presence in their lives like the aliens were when Anondil came along. I've barely told my children about them at all. I'm pretty sure they think I'm just making the stories up.
Rieldir could tell something else was going on, but thankfully for that moment my other children were oblivious to my worries.
Rieldir celebrated Sind's birthday with me after Linnatiel, Rorion, and Renia left for school. His birthday is perhaps what helped me to finally brighten up my attitude. Sind is truly precious. He made me remember back all the way to when I gave birth to Elrunamir. I wasn't sure when I was pregnant with him if I would love him or not. I was so focused on the half that was human that it took me until his birth to realize I had been blinding myself to him as a person and as a living thing.
This half alien child I'm carrying is not any different. I saw I needed to stop being so hesitant, and admit I will fall in love with him or her much like I fell in love with Elrunamir. I should have already learned a long time ago that my love will never be defined or limited by race.
Besides that though, I was also very happy since Sind did get those pale green eyes of Paul's.
Unfortunately, Rieldir had to leave to catch his flight to Aurora Skies before the other children got back from school. It was hard to say goodbye since he hadn't even been around for a day. I don't know if or when I'll get the chance to see him again. Rieldir is, after all, the last of my children alive in Aurora Skies. The storm continues to follow me, and it will reach me here before too long. Elioviel is getting along in years herself. I feel as if I've only been in Sunset Valley for such a short time, yet it's actually been quite a while.
Before Rieldir left I gathered my courage and told him what happened with the aliens. He was shocked to say the least. Rieldir did believe me though, and say the past 24 hours have only reconfirmed his belief that I am strong enough to handle something even such as this. I'll be the victor once again. I thanked my son for everything, and gave him a tight, long hug before I watched him get in a taxi and leave.
I hesitated a bit more in telling Linnatiel, Rorion, and Renia. However, I managed to sit them down and explain everything before dinner. Dumbfounded is a good word to describe their expressions. I don't think they fully believed me either. I suppose they'll have to accept the full truth when the child is born. They were accepting overall though.
I didn't blame them in their hesitancy of accepting my words. I still drifted in and out of believing whether what happened that night was reality or if it was merely a dream. However, then there was no ignoring it any longer. The definite signs of pregnancy showed themselves though I have not slept with any man since sleeping with Paul. I was definitely carrying an alien baby. It was time to face the truth......
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