Page 49 of Boundless
Daega nodded, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "Aye. Since he was a wee thing. The elf healers were able to get him stable, keep him from being in mortal danger, but he still has some struggles."
Granny's look softened into relief. "So he's no’ in danger, then?"
"No. And don't think I haven't noticed you've not answered my question, you old bat."
Granny waved her hand dismissively, checking Len's pulse and breathing while he fluttered near unconsciousness. "Weel, Daega," she singsonged as she kept checking Len's vitals, "y’see, when a cock finds its way into a cunt an’ gets reeeeal excited—"
"Enough with that, please, Granny...H-how? Everyone told us we'd not be able to conceive, and I've not been unfaithful, so I—" she swallowed, holding Len tighter. "Is the babe going to be...alright?"
"Wan crisis at a time, lass," Granny said gently, pulling Len's fluttering eyelids open to check his color. Len's hand came up to swat at her weakly, making both women chuckle.
"There you are, love," Daega murmured into his hair, glad she was no longer alone in all this.
"Sorry 'bout that..." he slurred, sitting up a little straighter and trying to pull away. But Daega wanted him right where he was, tightening her arm around him with a growl. He chuckled and relaxed back against her, threading his fingers through hers.
"Noo tha’ evry’wan's here an’ hale, let's talk aboot th’ impossible bundle o’ joy baking away in yer oven, hm?" Granny dragged the chair over and sank into it with a sigh, rubbing at where her stump slotted into her prosthetic leg. "So—it wis supposed t’be impossible, but it's happening, so ‘twould seem it’s no’ impossible after all. Ma immediate guess is ‘at perhaps Istarii Drakan an’ elves arenae so dissimilar on th’ inside ‘at oor blood canae mix. We made some assumptions based on th’ look o’ things, but we've been wrong aboot a lot when it comes tae oor people." The older woman twisted her mouth in thought, rocking her head side to side as she considered. "Cuid also be latent magicks in th’ blood. Oor people come from another realm an’ absorbed quite a lot o’ magic in th’ transfer from ‘at plane t’ this’n. No’ enough t’keep oor ability t’ do spellwork across th’ board, but enough t’ change oor bodies t’better fit ‘is place an’ let some o’ us do some magecraft. An’ then o’ course thir's th’elfmagic. It's no’ quite as strong as their fae cousins', but it might no’ take much t’mek yer seed take root..."
"I d-didn't do anything like that on p-purpose, Iswear, Dae—"
"I know, sweetling. You'd never have been able to hide something like that from me. You'd not have had time, with how hard I work you—" she cut herself off, knowing Len disliked others knowing too much about what they got up to in bed. "That is to say, I know it wasn't something you did without my consent. That you wouldn't do such a thing."
"E-Exactly. Yes, Ineverwould." He raised their interlocked hands and kissed the back of hers.
"Nae wan here was accusing anyone o’ any such thing!" Granny snapped, scowling at them. "A swear, how Mal put up wi’ yer antics this last month A'll never ken..." She sighed, raking her braids back from her face by shoving them between her horns. "Passivemagic wuid hev done it, ye daft things. Nature taking its course by another path, if ye will. Noo, as t’ th’ health o’ th’ child..."
Granny stood again, walking stiffly to Daega's side and gesturing that Len should hop off the table now. He did, though perhaps a little reluctantly, and Granny had her lie back before carefully prodding her abdomen. Which Daegahadnoticed was a little distended, but with the gas, she'd thought it was something to do with her guts.
Granny retrieved a strange conical device from her shelves and held it to Daega's slightly rounded stomach, listening intently for several seconds.
When she straightened it was with a smile. "Far as A can tell th’ babe is healthy. A'd say yer aboot four weeks along, from th’ size o’ yer tum an’ th’ strength o’ th’ heartbeat. Hev ye had any bleeding or cramping?"
Daega shook her head, her hands cupping her exposed midriff in awe. "They're...you can hear the heartbeat?"
Granny nodded. "Aye. Hevny got a way fur ye t’ hear it, sadly, but if ye want t’ hev a listen, Lenlethael, ye can hev a go."
Len took the odd device eagerly, pressing his ear to it and holding his breath while he listened. All at once he gasped, his hand clamping to his mouth as tears filled his green eyes. "I-I-I hear it..." he choked, looking up at Daega. "Our—ourbaby. I c-can hear them."
Daega was crying right along with him, as much out of happiness and wonder as jealousy that he should be able to hear such an incredible and significant thing while she couldn't—but then, the babe was growing in her, so she supposed she could forgive his getting to have this experience.
"Noo, A daenae think this'll be something yer interested in, but ma status as healer compels me t’ tell ye both ‘at shuid ye no’ want t’ carry this child t’ term, ye have th’ option t’ terminate. But th’ window is fast closing, wi’ th’ due date jus’ 9 mair weeks away."
Daega looked at Len's scandalized expression and chuckled. "No Gran, we're keeping this one. Aye?" Len nodded vehemently. "But thank you for informing us of our options."
"O’ course. Noo, A'd lek t’ go over nutrition—"
"Wait. Wait, I'm s-sorry but did...did you say9 weeks?"
"Aye. Istariin gestation is jus’ over three months. How is it fur elves?"
"S-Sweet Delenaa," Len swore, sagging against the bed. "We carry for a year."
One of Granny's white eyebrows arched. "Oh, aye? Weel then mibbe ye'll have a bit longer than tha’. But these symptoms ur consistent wi’ th’ four-week mark, so A'd think there's no’ much deviation from whit's standard fur oor kind."
"I can't believe it," Len breathed, turning to her with a damp but beaming smile. "In a little over two months, I'm g-going to be a f-father. I—" he swallowed, swiping at his tears. "I d-didn't think I'd get to be one."
"You'll be such a good da, too," Daega sniffled. "So much better than your own."
Len smiled, but as something occurred to him that smile slipped away, his complexion paling again. "F-fuck, my father. Dae—what are we going to do about—abouthim?"
