Maeve
It was 7:00 in the morning, and the pale sunlight coming through the windows of the informal dining room off the kitchen was doing nothing to help illuminate the room.
I had woken to Troy readying the boys for the day. He was trying not to wake , but my sleep had been so shallow I had only been lingering on the edge of true sleep for several hours at that point. He was taking the boys to Ingra so I could rest, for which I was thankful, but the hour between 6:00 and 7:00 proved to be restless and lonely.
I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t been able to sleep. Gemma was seated across from at the round table, stirring sugar into her coffee. Ernest was using his finger to swipe a taste of oatal against George’s tongue, and to his left sat Rowan, and then Troy, who was talking in a low whisper over the sound of coffee being sipped and silverware scraping against bowls of oatal with honey and cream.
Hanna was seated next to , close enough that her shoulder brushed against mine as she reached for what would be her third bowl of oatal. She had color in her cheeks, and her hair was pulled away from her face in a tight ponytail. She looked rested, compared to the rest of us.
It was obvious no one wanted to talk about what had happened. But a stale silence lingered over the table. I slouched, looking down into my untouched breakfast, and wondered what the hell was going to happen next.
“If... theoretically, that is, you could shift into anything... not just a wolf,” Gemma began, her voice breaking through the blanket of awkward silence, “what would you be?”
“Like an animal, or... object?” Ernest replied, montarily taking his full attention from George, a spoon covered in oatal just inches from the baby’s face. George grabbed the spoon with his chubby fists and brought it to his mouth, giving a huge, oatal-covered grin as I t his eye. I couldn’t help but smile at how pleased he was with himself.
“An object?” Rowan eyed Ernest with suspicion, “Like what? A toaster?”
“You could make everyone a nice snack after battle–” Ernest quipped, which elicited a hearty laugh from Troy.
“Well, I think I’d be an eagle or an owl, for example. I’ve always liked owls,” Gemma said curtly, annoyed that the n were ruining her ga.
“I’d still be a wolf,” Rowan interjected, looking slightly peeved.
“Well, that’s no fun, Rowan. You wouldn’t want to be sothing like a bear or a mountain lion?” Gemma brought her coffee to her lips, arching her brow at him.
“Who would win in a fight? That is the question. A wolf or a mountain lion?” Ernest was fighting to wipe oatal from George’s face.
“Oh, a lion, for sure,” Hanna quipped, but the sound of her voice sent a hush over the table. None of us had heard her speak since what happened in the caves.
An awkward few seconds passed, and I felt heat prickling against my cheeks. Why could no one talk about what happened? Even the “family eting” led by Dad the night before had been silent, awkward. Everyone was too tired or too stunned to add anything to the conversation.
“I’d be a beaver,” Troy said, pouring himself another cup of coffee. Rowan looked shocked.
“A beaver? Why on earth–”
“Because I’ve had too dam... much of this conversation this morning.”
Everyone looked at him. Troy’s eyes were shining with mirth as he waited for the group to catch on to his silly joke. Ernest sputtered with laughter, and Gemma rolled her eyes. It took Rowan a mont too long to realize Troy’s ridiculous play on words, and the group imdiately turned on him, saying he was the toaster of the group now.
I settled back against my chair, holding my mug of coffee in my hands as I watched the conversation take on a new air of ease. I caught Troy’s eye and smiled softly at him, hoping he caught the silent look of gratitude in my eyes.
The conversation went on without . After several minutes, Hanna leaned into , whispering softly in my ear.
“We need to talk,” she whispered. All I could do was nod.
Yes, yes we did.
***
The atrium was quiet, humid, and misty like usual. I was carrying Oliver in a wide circle, holding him against my shoulder. The other boys were sleeping upstairs with Troy, who had retired from breakfast with his heart set on a long nap, but Oli had been wide awake.
So, when I went down to et up with Hanna, I took him with .
He was wide-eyed as we walked around the atrium. He hadn’t yet gotten the hang of his hands, but occasionally reached out to place a shaky fist on a monstera leaf, often startled by the warm and dampness of its leaves. I watched him in awe, thanking the Goddess for his life, and mine.
Hanna was also walking around, no doubt gathering her thoughts. When we finally t in the center of the atrium, I placed Oli in her hands, watching as she instinctively gathered him to her chest. He cooed, snuggling close against the soft fabric of the sweater she was wearing, and promptly fell asleep.
“Maeve I think... I believe I could be pregnant,” Hanna whispered, her eyes downcast to the sleeping baby in her arms. I swallowed, nodding as I took a seat in one of the wicker chairs.
“We could get you a test–”
She shook her head, a whisper of a smile touching the corner of her mouth as she looked down at .
“No, it’s early still.”
“What makes you think that you are? Is this because of what Tasia said?”
“Yes, and she was right. I’ve t her, our daughter. I have every reason to believe that what the old woman from Lycenna, my great aunt, said is true... about the prophecy, about what this child will beco. I just don’t know what that will look like, exactly. I’m scared, Maeve. She... when I saw her in my dream, when I was in the crystal cavern with Tasia, she was scared too. I’ve seen her twice, Maeve. The first ti...”
She proceeded to tell about the dream she had the night she slept with Rowan. She had finally reached the temple she had been dreaming about for years, standing on the shore just outside of its entrance. It was not the temple of the White Queens, nor any temple familiar to either of us.
And she had seen Rowan, but he was much older.
“He was wearing my ring,” she said, holding up her hand to show the band of jade on her ring finger, “on his pinky. I didn’t have it yet, when I had the dream. But now...” She sat down on the couch opposite my chair, tilting her head as she looked down at Oli.
“Why was he wearing it?” I asked, an uneasy feeling wrapping itself around my heart.
“I die, Maeve, at so point during our daughter’s childhood. I don’t know how, or why. But when I saw them... when I saw our daughter inside the temple, she was crying. It was a funeral. Oliver was there, but I didn’t know it at the ti. He hadn’t been born yet in reality. But his eyes... and his hair... oh Goddess, he will be the perfect mix of you both, Maeve. He was beautiful, and he will be close with my daughter in the future, I believe. He was comforting her.”
Her words hit like a brick wall. I felt sowhat sick to my stomach as I fought against the feelings of dread bubbling through my system. “Have you told anyone else?”
“No, I haven’t.”
A silence passed between us. I eventually looked over at her, seeing her face expressionless, blank, as though she had already accepted this as truth long ago.
She described the girl from her dreams, who had been a young teenager in both visions. Long, straight white hair. Silver eyes flaked with the sa color blue Rowan and I shared and lined with white lashes. When I asked her if she thought the girl was a White Queen already, at such a young age, she shook her head.
“The vision I saw of you and Troy makes think otherwise. You hadn’t yet beco the White Queen, Maeve, and you ntioned the boys were nearing twenty-one. I truly believe Rosalie will grow into old age, and you as well. This girl, my daughter... she is what the old woman said she would be. The Moon Goddess. She will be born that way.”
I swallowed against the absurdity of it but couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that Hanna was right.
“Did she know who she was?”
“When I was in the cavern with Tasia, before I brought the whole place down on her I... I dream danced, hoping I’d see the girl again. She was there, and she was very upset. She told I had to fight, and I comforted her. I knew her na, Maeve, and she said she had never heard it said out loud before. She told to rember it, and that’s when I knew what she was to .
“I think... when she’s born, she’ll have no mory of these visions. I hope she does not. I want her to grow up, be a child, play, and run, and laugh and not be burdened by the circumstances of her birth, of her future.
“When I brought the cavern down, I knew there was a chance I would die. But she hadn’t been born yet, so I thought I couldn’t die then, and then there was that shred of hope I held, that I’d know her one day...”
Hanna began to cry. I cried as well, my stomach in knots. Hanna had saved us all. We were free of the turmoil of the last year, but not her. Hanna’s trials had just begun.
“We’ll love her, Hanna–”
“I know. I know she will be loved. But how am I— she’ll be like , Maeve. And so, so much more. What am I supposed to do?”
It was a question I couldn’t answer, and she knew it. She rocked Oli gently, his weight giving her comfort. My heart squeezed to see it.
“What do you think Oli will beco?” I asked, deciding for Hanna’s comfort I should steer the conversation away from her theoretical daughter, despite the selfishness I felt.
She smiled down at the baby, sighing deeply. “A king. I think they’ll all be kings.”
“All of these children will inherit empires, Hanna. I can’t... I don’t want any more children. If things had been different with their birth, maybe I’d consider it. But your child will be my heir.
“She’ll inherit the North, as the White Queen, when her ti cos. She’ll be the daughter of the King of the East, Hanna. She’ll be a princess. She’ll be the grandchild of Queen Rosalie, and King Ethan, unless my Dad is serious about retiring so soon....
“She’ll be loved, and wanted. Who knows what her future will hold. But just know that we will love her, and love you, Hanna.”
Hanna looked up at , tears glimring in her eyes.
“You’ll take care of her–when I’m gone? Both of them, Rowan–”
“I promise.” My voice cracked as I fought to form the words. We locked eyes, the oath passing between us, silently signed and filed away in the recesses of our minds.
“Hanna, the worst is over. Of that I’m certain. Tasia is gone. Lycenna has broken up. Carl is missing, and I don’t believe he’ll cause us any more issues. Your father is the King of the West, and ally. It’s the dawn of a new era, and our children won’t know war... not like our parents did.
“We prevented a war ourselves, Hanna. You guided and kept safe while I found the stones. You protected my mother when I couldn’t. You bring Rowan so much happiness. I can’t... I won’t think of a ti, I refuse to think of it, when I don’t have you, when we don’t have you here with us. I won’t. It’s peace ti, Hanna. You’re the Luna of Drogomor now. We have to let the rest go.”
She nodded, reaching up to wipe her eyes.
“What’re you guys doing?” Rowan said, startling us both. He was sliding the door to the atrium closed as he entered, noticing the forlorn expressions on our face. “Are you okay?”
I couldn’t help but smile as I glanced at Hanna. Her cheeks pinkened, a silent smile twitching on her own mouth.
“I’m going to take Oliver upstairs and check on Troy. I have a sneaking suspicion he’s not getting the nap he was hoping for with Will and Charlie in the room,” I said with a little laugh, blinking away my own tears.
Hanna rose, carefully setting Oli in my arms.
I left them alone, knowing full well that Hanna was going to tell him about their daughter.
And I knew with my entire heart that Rowan was going to be nothing but the happiest he had ever been upon hearing the news.
***
Troy was leaning over the side of the bed, dark circles under his eyes as he had a hand on Will’s belly while he tried to change Charlie’s diaper with the other. Will was fussing, struggling against Troy’s touch.
“Need so help?” I quipped, closing the door behind with my foot as I entered our bedroom. Oli opened one eye, vexed by his brother’s fussing that had just woken him up.
Troy gave a look, his eyes slightly red from lack of sleep.
“How about I take the kids down to see Ingra for a while so we can both get so sleep?” I offered. Troy sighed, nodding his head.
“We’re taking her with us to Avondale. I already talked to her about it.”
“Hmm... you’ll have to fight Ernest and Rowan for her, I think.”
“Rowan? What use does he have for a nanny?” Troy narrowed his eyes at .
“Hanna’s pregnant, but you can’t say anything yet!”
“Are you even supposed to be telling this?” He laughed, unable to hide the glee in his voice. I shrugged, setting Oli down on the bed and making a funny face at him.
“I’m sure she knows I can’t keep a secret to save my life.”
“Four grandchildren within... what, a year and a half? Your poor father,” Troy shook his head, smiling with mirth.
“Well, hopefully, the news breaks Dad out of the foul mood he’s been in the past two days.”
I sat on the edge of the bed, reaching over to pull Charlie toward so I could finish buttoning up his onesie.
“What do you want to do now, Maeve?” Troy asked.
It was an odd question, and I found myself unable to answer. When was the last ti we did sothing that wasn’t planned out, or necessary for our survival?
“I think I’m ready to go to Avondale,” I answered, looking over at him. “It’s ti for our next adventure, don’t you think?”
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