Becoming.
It’s a word Cutch found most fitting to describe Seregrian, his amazing bride. Her Elven grace, beauty, and vigor had inexorably drawn him to Her from his first glimpse. His devotion to Her steadily rose as She became his betrothed, then his wife, and now expectant mother of their first child. She broke the news to him before the welcoming hearth in the salon, glasses of wine, Duilliond Black, poured and held in preparation for Her lovingly arranged announcement. Neither the words they shared, although joyous, nor the heady effect of the rare wine, although powerful, lifted their hearts to the heights they found by virtue of the simple new fact.
They were to be parents.
He had wrapped his arms around Her, just below the hips, lifted Her into his adoring up-turned gaze, both tears and impossibly broad smile on his face, and slowly turned circles with Her as Her laughter, full and rich from the heart, echoed throughout the manor, gracing its walls and halls with a joy never before loosed upon them.
The rest of the evening they spent in delightful speculation of their near future, now to be filled with the three of them. One of the things about the newborn was certain; it would be a girl. Seregrian knew unswervingly She would have a daughter, for powerful Elves can see such things. They had already discussed having children, as early as the first days of the betrothal, and already had a girl’s name chosen.
Bainiel.
Beautiful daughter, as he understood the name’s meaning in Her tongue, and in his own certainty he accepted the truth of that prophecy, for how could the girl be otherwise with such a glorious mother?
The other thing Seregrian had determined was the precise day of the child’s conception and, thus, the likely date of the birth; the twenty second day of next September.
The revelry of the announcement calmed into the late night, and they rose together to the bedchamber, equally desirous to celebrate with a “renewal of their vows”, as She would suggest with a sultry whisper. He had noticed lately that the intensity and joy in their conjugal bliss had risen to new and unexpected heights, Her scent and the taste of Her kisses now laced with something new and wonderful, and with the evenings announcement he understood why. She carried within Her, now, the miraculous result of their love, the conclusion of their physical, emotional, and spiritual joining. She had blossomed from bride, and was becoming a mother, and Her countenance was shining with a greater glow as each day of their daughter’s becoming passed.
He laid awake in the late watches, uncharacteristically, while She slept, nestled against him, Her head resting in the crook of his shoulder, Her arm draped along his torso and Her fingers lightly entwined in the hair on his chest. Her breath was slow and deep. She had been sleeping more lately, and now he could guess why; She was sleeping for two.
In nights before, he was laying with an amazing bride. Becoming now a father, “adar” as She had named, he was laying with the mother of his daughter, and the seemingly impossible happened.
He was becoming yet more in love with Her.
