Editing Eternity (Warhammer High) (section)

=== Disrespectfully Pregnant ===

 
Crown Princess Venus settled down on the edge of the bed and went still.  Her husband, Jacob Seager, rested his ear on her stomach and listened.  The sound of her blood pulsing through her mingled with another, fainter sound…then a faint sense of pressure against his cheek made him grin from ear to ear.

He lifted his head up and beamed at her, overjoyed.  “I felt him.”

“Oof.  You should feel him on this end,” Venus said.  She ran a hand over her distended tummy and smiled as Jake stood.  “He’s kicking up a storm.  Hard to sleep, some nights.”

“Really?  Wow.  Anything I can do?” Jake asked.

“No, nothing, thanks,” Venus said wearily.  He sat down next to her and ran his hand over her bulge.  “The doctor said a glass of milk before bed and nothing else.”

Jake stared down at the lump over his wife’s usually trim stomach.  He squeezed his fingers slightly, a silly little smile on his face.  “…Baby.”

Venus slid her hand over his.  “Yep.”

“I think I like our idea, by the way,” Jake said, apropos of nothing.

“His name?” Venus asked.

Jake nodded.  “Yeah.  If he were growing up on Terra…I’d say no, too weird.  But on Nocturne?  It’s perfect.  And you know Vulkan will start tearing up.”

Venus chuckled.  “Sentimental old fart.  Yeah, he totally would.”

“N’bel…” Jake said.

“Grandpa’s name,” Venus said softly.  She gingerly stood.  “Ow.  Hard to believe he’s still seventy days off, he feels ready to go.”

“I bet he does,” Jake said.  “Stairs giving you trouble?”

“No, but I miss being able to swim, with a sack full of ground pork under my stomach,” Venus grumbled.

Jake frowned.  “Honey, it’s not nice to refer to our larva as a ‘sack,’” he scolded.

Venus snorted back a laugh.

Jake helped her out into the hallway and out to the balcony.  Venus leaned against the stone and stared out at the world below.  The mixing streets of Themis vanished into the tangle of buildings beyond, until they reached the massive walls of the city.  “I love that view,” Jake said.  He ran his hand over her shoulders and squeezed her gently, following her gaze out to the city.  “He will too, I’m sure.”

“I hope so,” Venus said.  She smiled into the blazing sun.  “You know…it’s the sensations I’m curious about.”

“How so?” Jake asked.

“Like…what does it feel like to hold a baby?  I’ve never done it.  Mizuki was born before we got married, and none of the others have kids.  And what does it feel like to have someone drink out of you?  That just blows my mind.  As a concept, you know.  And teaching someone two languages at once.  How will that work?” she asked.

“I expect you’ll manage,” Jake said.  “We, I mean.  I was wondering, though…do you think we’ll send him to Imperator?”

“I think we should,” Venus said.  “It’s such a good school.”

“Then we will.”  He squeezed her shoulder as she leaned against him.  “Personally, I’m looking forward to going back to Terra.  I want to show my parents their grandson.”