Since You're Curious...

Bound to my seat, right beside you after being captured by the halflings of the jungle, I slowly pant. We'd been finishing a mission that wasn't going right despite the ease it should've been. The halflings don't speak common strangely, but I'd been able to translate and communicate what I could hear outside the room we were held in. Our weapons and your shield were on a table across the room, far out of our bound reach. I'd been aching all day, but nothing that I hadn't been feeling considering I was 9 months swollen. These aches were getting familiar though as I'd already experienced it two years before with Ana.

You look over at me from your chair and ask, "My love, are you okay?" I look over and see the concern in your eyes and brow. For the moment to answer, I allow the pain I feel to show on my face as I shake my head at you. I see your resolve to get us out of here strengthen. I watch you struggle against your ropes and your strength roll prevails. Right as you get free and start to help me, we hear them rushing back. I whisper asking for my crystal and you rush to get it and put it in my hand just in time for me to cast an illusion around us, making it look like we've already escaped. As they appear and frantically speak outside the door about how could we have gotten away and they needed to search for us, I suddenly look at you with my eyes wide, but thankfully not losing the concentration on the spell. Using our connection, I say in your head, "Duke... my waters... we need to get out now!"

The cross of panic and determination wash over your face and I start to grit my teeth and focus on the spell and not making a sound despite the pain I feel getting stronger. Our son has moved low and I know that he's getting ready for his debut in the near future. You rush for your sword and shield, lighting it quickly, and making a surprise attack on the halflings outside the doorway. I finally let the groan I've been holding back out before my body relaxes and I find my concentration and casting blasts to assist you the best I can. In mere moments, you've taken them all out and rush back to release me and help me up. I get one step in before I feel Chip shift more and I freeze for a moment. I vaguely note your rushed encouragements for us to keep moving before you just pick me up and rush me out.

At moments, you set me on my feet and keep the path clear of the few halflings that we encounter on the way out. I do my best to cast spells to help despite the increasingly tough time I'm having concentrating past my extremely uncomfortable pain that's getting worse. Twice on the way out, you have to wait as I groan and whine through a contraction. The first time, you tried to pick me up anyways and the low growl from my lips that said "Don't you dare touch me..." kept you from putting me through more pain. The second time, you rubbed my hair and whispered encouragement despite keeping your head on the swivel for more enemies.

Finally, we make it out after nearly an hour of fighting, contractions, and getting unlost in the maze the structure was. By this point, the pain has drastically gotten worse and I know we're severely running out of time. Your shoulder, where I've been holding onto you at as my arms are wrapped around you as you cradle me in your arms, surely hurts by now as the last few waves of tension through my belly have been so intense that I've clinched onto you as if my life depended on it, digging my nails in deeper than I ever would. As you carry me through the jungle, far out of sight of the place we'd been prisoners in, an unmistakable feeling sets in. "Love, the baby... I need..." My body tenses as I curl up around myself in your arms. Your medicinal knowledge tells you instantly what's happening and you find the most covered spot to put me down. Once I release my grip around you, I feel it even more. The undeniable fullness of the head moving lower and lower. I remember Ana's, together we'd been able to play and screw and tease the whole time, making it a painfully pleasurable experience. But with the tension of the events, that hadn't been possible, and despite the enjoyment of the feeling from my son entering my canal, it's highly more painful and scary than Ana's had been. Never the less, you are the epitome of calm and encouraging through it all.

I am curious, as well you would know. I want to know what you were feeling right now, this instant. I may have planted the seed, but you carried it as our son grew attached to you, feeding directly from your body. You are such a woman! Now, he was coming out the same way that I had gone in with my cock and planted my seed in you. The moans of that moment are carried forth into this one. Damn! I am so excited! You are giving birth! To our son! Your body is providing what our hearts desired most, an expression of our emotions of love. As you cry out, I feel your pain as well as the joy of his progression through you. I cry out with you, asking that you have the strength and will power to see this through. Oh Glory! While I am ever aware of the dangers around us, I keep my focus on you. I am your protector and this is your moment to experience this in all the intimacy I can give you. This is our dance that we share only a few times in our entire lives. I want it to be a good memory, even while women often forget the details of this experience as it is too painful. Let us remember it all. It started that morning with the first pains that we knew were not false pains. We knew it was our time. I remember...

The sun was rising and starting to shine through the window of the Skulker. I'm waking up, turned away from you, cuddled up to a pillow I've laid along side me. The unfortunate part of growing a big belly full of our son is that our favorite position to go to sleep is temporarily uncomfortable, and as such, you're cuddled up to my back with your arm wrapped over me, hand over your child like the loving, protective father you are. I shift and make my best attempt to get up without waking you, and surprisingly succeed. You must be exhausted from our round of love making the night before. I pull a robe around myself and snuck out and down to the mess hall. It's empty still as the cook hasn't come in to make the crew breakfast yet, but I made sure there was a stash of fruits for me there for when a craving hit and no one was awake to make my bleu cheese stuffed roasted jalapenos. As I'm chowing down on some of the local fruits of the jungle, I start thinking over the situation we were in.

We've been sent to sail as part of our trading company. A client came into Quezalici claiming that they needed someone to pick up a shipment of crates and bring them back to be transported up near Nezal. Building supplies, no problem, we both know that the city is still recovering from the events that happened there. The job is simple enough... We accepted and I stated that I was going. You tried to protest as I was so far along and even put your foot down, but if there was one thing I'd gained from the pregnancy hormones, it was stubbornness. Much to your dismay, I wasn't inclined to agree and declared anyways that I'd be joining you on the voyage. I wanted some time out of the home before our son arrived, and come hell or high waters, I'd get it. I chuckle at myself remembering the cross between resignation and love on your face when you finally agreed that we'd take the voyage together. We left Ana with my parents and set sail. The journey went well and we had started our voyage back home again. We were at least two days sailing from any port as the thicks of the jungle didn't allow for many settlements outside of the Green Folk and the halflings we'd been warned to avoid.

I'd been experiencing false pains for around a month already, so when my belly tightened after I'd gotten up from finishing my snack, it was natural for me to just place my hands on the table in front of me and slowly exhale as I swayed my hips back and forth through it. I ached naturally by this point in the pregnancy, so the pains didn't read differently than false ones to me at first. I look up as I hear the door open and see you enter.

As I enter the mess, I see you gripping the table and letting out a slow exhale. "Still false pains? I keep hoping for something else. I am really very excited again to see you have our child. Is that me being a voyeurs, love?" You grin as the pain passes quickly.

I am gentle with my touch, not always knowing if you want it or that it distracts you from your concentration. You showed me some of your colorful sailor background when I touched you incorrectly during our birth of Ana. Thank goodness you never learned to injure with viscous mockery like the bards do. Seeing you relax, I sit down opposite at the table from you and take your white knuckled hands in mine.

"How are you feeling, love? We should stay rested. Come back to bed with me, Captain. Hungry? Are you as excited as I am?"

I smile and babble on a bit, unusually so, which speaks volumes about how excited I am for today for I can sense that true contractions have started. I am usually direct and to the point, like a good Paladin who sees his oath and his goddess with absolute purity. We are in no rush. There is plenty of time to carry on with our day with only the anticipation of the birth. Knowing ourselves and our children, they will be active at night and it will be only after midnight when the pull of the moon and the whisper of Eha in the sails or our home palm trees, will call our child forth from your loins. I say to you, my wife, "I look to you to tell your story today. You moan and groan with your contractions and then pickup your conversations about our future, our breakfast, or your most pleasant memories. I enjoyed your nesting last time during the contractions. I think you made a dozen cobbler's pies and knitted a four legged sleeping outfit. Were you really expecting a puppy? You just kept yourself focused and occupied while the contractions reduced in time. I also remember how horney you were and it took all of me to satisfy you. Once, you did a contraction while I was still inside you, and I thought I might lose my cock. You squeezes as if you wanted to keep me inside you, or rip it off of me, I never knew which. I'm not sure that was what the midwife meant when she had told us that I should share in your rhythms. Nevertheless, I was there for you then, and I will be there for you now, Kitty. I know you trust me. I am glad of that and will not let you down, ever! We are going to have a wonderful day today!"

I rub the palms of your hands to calm you and lean across the table to kiss you. You do not lean as Chip is imposing his will and his mass on your body at all times now. During the kiss, I touch your belly and feel his movements inside you. He has been dropped for a week now and you have had to waddle to make it across the shortest room. I have had to go in your sweet pussy from behind now a days and do so whatever time you need me. Those demands have been plentiful recently. I comply with joy, especially since I know it will be long after birth that you cannot take me, until such time that you are healed and so lonely for my cock that you once again will grind your hips against me as we three sleep in our bed. All this I know. You have done this once and know the wonder of it, but you seem to forget the hardest parts and look forward to a day like this with even more joy and less trepidation than before. I glory in your strength and determination despite the anxiety. I will do everything today in my power to protect my mama cat while she has her kitten. I will defend our intimacy and privacy with you. The midwife is a bit ghoulish, but she seems to respect life even more than the living. We have gotten to know her in battle and then in birth. Its funny to think we ignore her presence as if her undeath prevents her from being a live audience of our event. We seem to be alone with our birth, even as we rely on her for such clerical help if we have need of it. We have done everything we can to make this birth safe and comfortable. Our trade is done and we will be back in Quezalici before the Chip is even close to ready to open your hips wide and slide down your canal. Though we brought the midwife with us and kept her packed away in her own cabin away from the living sailors, we look forward to having Chip in our own house and pool that we had made specifically for this event.

"We are sailing home and will reach our nest before nightfall. The away crew is still on shore gathering fruit from the jungle for the market and will be back before lunch. There is time to go take a walk on solid land for a bit? Shall we walk on the sandy beach and find a grove of palms to sit under this morning and enjoy the sea breeze coming ashore again? Poca has made the long canoes quite stable to cross the waves to shore."

I look to you for any desire. I would do anything for you, especially today. This is our day.

I giggle at your onslaught of questions and statements. You are for sure excited, but while I feel more annoyance that he hasn’t arrived yet and was making me uncomfortable, I still revel in your cheerful mood. You so rarely ever do so much talking without prompting, I listen and hang on your every word. I laugh internally at the reminder of having Ana. I’d been so sensitive having not experienced the process before and I’d been harsher with you than ever before. I was both proud that I never revealed that I actually can use vicious mockery and apologetic for having been not quite myself. You answered my every whim and I appreciated it more than I could express.

I mull all the options over for a moment before settling on, "Yes love, I would love to take a walk on solid land. Let’s do that! Besides, it would be lovely to pick some of our own fruits because I’m going to start devouring into stock if I can’t get these cravings and hungers under control." I move to get up and you’re at my side helping me before I can even ask you to; which I appreciate as standing has become extremely difficult on my own with this babe low where he is. You help me slowly make our way back to the cabin. You dress as I take a moment to rest sitting on the bed. Once you’re done, you come over and help me get my clothing and armor on before putting your plate on. As you lean in to assist me, I take advantage of the near moment and kiss you passionately. I truly can’t ever get enough of you.

I respond to your kiss like my life depended upon it. I wonder why you waited until our armor is on! But I understand being affectionate without sex, so enjoy the moment. "Pretty soon, we will be measuring our day in minutes. I give you my undivided attention and touches. You are the most wonderful woman I could ever have fallen in love with and share a life with. And today, I am your husband and father of your child for every second. Nothing will stand between you and me today. Let's go walking. It will make you feel so much better getting off this ship for a bit." I escort you to a canoe and help you into it along with a basket of meat and crackers to go with the fruit. We get to shore and I take the basket and your arm and we stroll in the sun on the waves the opposite direction that the away party took, so we can go into the jungle for our own pleasure. Surely my sword and shield will be enough to protect my wife and the mother of my child?

It’s all so blissful. The longboats are surely more stable than they usually are, but the rocking I do feel is comforting. You weren’t wrong at all, my feet in the sand and the sun on my face helps me feel less of the cabin fever I didn’t realize that I had. Just a ways down the shoreline and I feel the cramping again as I had just earlier. You let me hold onto your forearms as I breathed through it, apologizing of course the moment it’s over as I know I didn’t grip gently on you. We go a little ways before heading into the jungle. We don’t have to go terribly far before we find more of the fruits. Indulging on the first one you picked, I direct you with a mouth full to make sure to grab a few ripe ones for this evening, already knowing I’ll be wanting more of it.

We have a lovely picnic amongst the fruit trees, both of us excitedly talking about our upcoming arrival. We both agree that he is going to be a handful. As we enjoy our food and conversation, you place your hand on my belly just feeling your son moving about as if he’s just as excited as you are. Relaxing and just being us together on the blanket, we're grinning and laughing together when I gasp and grimace. I grip the blanket and breathe through the feeling. Your intuition can be as good as my own, for instead of easing off, the contractions are starting to get stronger. I relay this to you and watch you get excited. This is starting to happen. You put your hand over mine to comfort me in the only way you feel is physically okay to do so. My sweet husband and father of our children. My heart fills with joy as we share this moment together, feeling your doting and caring affection. We stay a bit longer, talking about the events about to transpire and how happy I'd been for your insistence to bring our midwife with us. As we realize late morning is upon us, we decide to get up and head back so that we can arrive back with the away party.

Before we can get up though, a whoosh is heard just as I gasp. I look at you as I see your mouth open to speak, but I'm out instantly. You keep me from hitting my head or belly as I fall over unconscious. Before you can do more, another whoosh and you feel a prick in the back of your neck. Just as instantly, you're out as well.

I wake and see around me and immediately focus on strategy. There is no time for desperation. I whisper to you to see if you are truly unconscious but start summoning Spirit in the form of a mastiff, while I listen for guards and their movements. When Spirit appears, I tell him to fetch one of your daggers so I can untie my hands and feet.

I give Spirit a good scratching in reward for his good behavior. I tell him to start licking Kitty's cheeks. I look at the door. Can the guard pacing see in the cell? I slash and pull at my binds and then cut yours and retrieve my gear.

We regear. I light my sword and kiss you on the lips to avoid the dog slobber all over your cheeks. I whisper to you, "Love! Thank Kiltzi you are ok. This is Spirit. He can carry you on his saddle. We have to get out of here. There is no time. We probably can't go out the window at this height. There is one guard pacing outside the door and at least two others. Probably Halfling. Can you understand them? I can try to Command one, but I would need to see him. Can you cast any illusion out there without seeing the spot?"

I look around for a second before I focus on you and what you're saying. Quickly, I process the situation and begin to pet Spirit as I respond using our rings for added secrecy, "I should be able to cast my Silent Images without sight, at least, I think so. What would you like for me to create? Wait, what's happening? Umm... yes, I can understand them." I listen intently and share with you what I can hear. "They're talking about the Skulker, one of them is explaining that they saw us walking away from the ship. Seems one of them hasn't heard the situation yet. Oh... something about a deal gone wrong in the past..." I listen and confusion crosses my face as I do. "They think that we work for Elena, I guess she screwed them over at some point before we met? Seems a caster is coming to interrogate us, they want to know if she's here too." My face, which has been obviously concentrating on listening, contorts into one of severe anger. "They're taking bets on whether or not the metal armored one is the 'fat bitch's' guard or not! Move, I'm going to string them up by their fucking toes!! Let them see what this 'fat bitch' can do!!!" I make my best effort to shoo you and Spirit out of the way from in front of me so I can stand.

"Well, usually talking our way out is your way, but if taking them down is your plan, I'm all in! Cast a mind flayer coming after them and maybe one of them will open our door to get in away from it. The wild halflings fear the mindflayers in these parts."

I get you to help me stand and immediately cast the image just beyond the wall of a mindfrayer. I make it move in the direction of the doorway, causing the halflings outside to panic. Only two of the three burst into the room as we hear the frantic steps of the third rushing down the hallway.

Init

As soon as the first person enters the room, I drop the illusion and throw a cast at them. The shock of the situation causes him to be unable to fight against it and finds himself instantly paralyzed. "I have the first one my love, take the other!"

I cast Command on the third halfling fleeing, "Approach!"