Expecting

Bard felt like he was going to get caught as his wife pinned him against the wall.

“Just what have you been hiding,” She demanded, and Bard gritted his teeth. Knowing she was carrying their child had influenced his recent actions, despite Amir and Elwood’s warnings.

“Hiding? Can’t I be worried about you?” he shot back. That was the other thing. She had become far more confrontational lately. He had asked Elvira how to navigate these things, as even the things he had learned from Communication and Emotion weren’t able to resolve the growing tension. Though it didn’t help that he couldn’t talk about the main problem.

“Worried. This goes beyond worry. I’m fine. Just want some time in the woods and with my uncle. Why can’t you understand that?” She cried out, her hand clenching. She also stood nearly eye level with him, having experienced a growth spurt over the last few months. Amir’s take was that it was just her age. It was about the time most Dryads got their last growth spurt, and unrelated to the pregnancy. Taking a hold of that tangent, Bard thrust it into their conversation.

“But the other day you ran into the counter, and you keep stubbing your toes. You’re not used to your new height yet. I’m worried what could happen to you in the forest. I grew up in one!”

Sen frowned, her eyes narrowing. He felt like he was grasping at straws.

“So. Did. I.” She said slowly and Bard tried to frown back. She had a point.

“So even you two get in a lover’s spat,” Jamil said as he knocked on the door. Bard’s eyes flew to him, relieved for a lifeline. He hated arguing with her. Sen turned with a furry, her hair stinging his cheek. She was definitely mad.

“What brings you here, Jamil?” Bard asked, trying to be cordial.

“Can’t it wait?” Sen griped and Jamil’s eyes widened a bit. Bard gave an apologetic look. Bard shifted from the wall and came in front of Sen.

“Sen. We’ll talk about this tonight. I promise,” he said, taking her hands and begging her to go along with it this once. She looked unconvinced until he heard her wearily sigh.

“Fine,” she mumbled, before she turned again and walked out, most likely heading to the woods. As she passed Jamil, he stiffened, surprising Bard, as he wasn’t aware that she had that sort of influence. Once she was out of earshot, Jamil walked in, looking a bit concerned.

“I don’t know what you two got into, but you better make up with her fast. I don’t know if I have enough lives saved up to handle her fury,” he commented, a bit lighthearted, a bit serious. Bard sighed as he motioned for them to sit in the living room. Kai was off to be groomed again. Which left them plenty of space.

“Do I even…” Jamil muttered with a playful tune.

“No. I don’t need your trinkets to say I’m sorry. This is a different matter,” Bard said with a deadpan expression. Jamil chuckled, his tail moving around so he could groom it. Bard had picked up on this behavior. It meant Jamil felt like he had been caught. “Needless to say, it’s not something I want you sticking your ears or tail in.” His warning was acknowledged and Jamil got on with what he had come to talk about. The pavers were finally in stock and that was the next main project to be done. However, since it meant mud and dirt, the catfolk weren’t as eager, and the work was slow. He wanted to hire some human help on this, maybe a few dryads.

“Sure. But why bring this up to me?” Bard asked. This was strictly merchant work, so why seek his permission.

“Well, I’m also asking if we can borrow Kai. The work could be done more swiftly with his help,” Jamil said. Bard’s understanding dawned, and he agreed. He did wish that his friend had just asked straight away instead of spending all that time explaining the details. But perhaps that was in consideration of him. He had asked to learn about things and how business ran.

Jamil’s expression lit up, and Bard gave him a furious frown.

“Just stay out of what is going on in my home,” he gave one final warning, and Jamil gave a loose bow.

“As you say, Chief. I shall not utter a word of what I saw, and neither will the others who happened to be nearby. I will make sure of that.”

Bard nearly slunk at that revelation. Sen sure had chosen a bad spot and bad time to do that.

“Fine.” Bard said.

Jamil left, and Bard began to scheme what sort of things to say to Sen. However, she didn’t return, despite it getting dark out. Bard waited by the door, and then he walked back in and grabbed a flute. Thinking twice, he wrote on a wax tablet and left it on the table. Kai returned while he did this, but Bard asked him to stay and direct Sen if she got home while he was out.

With a determined step, he walked out in search of her.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

The forest was alive, its music comforting. He hadn’t been in here for a bit and he could feel it. His eyes clouded with tears, and he wiped them away, lamenting his busy schedule, but also proud that Sal Shefa could somewhat thrive. He didn’t want to imagine what it would be like against the shades without everyone’s support.

As he walked, he listened to the strange harmony and then put the flute to his lips. He played and joined, listening. The trees seemed to point him in a direction. What was there, he didn’t know, but he followed it. Perhaps he would find an Elder and ask them for specifics. His chances were far higher than any other forest, so it wasn’t an idle hope, but it still was a hope.

The song began to soften, and the direction was less clear. He paused and played again, seeking out the path. He did this multiple times and found himself climbing up the mountain side, almost in the direction of the spot he had pegged for their anniversary those many months ago. When it looped towards there, he stopped playing and just crossed the last distance there.

Sen wasn’t here, dashing his hopes. But Keith and sparring tree were.

“Chief!” Keith greeted, looking relieved.

“Keith?” Bard asked, as those two came to him. “Where’s Sen?” Sparring tree stopped short and then shifted around.

“She’s up there,” Keith answered. “She won’t come down.” Bard looked up the mountainside and saw the cliffs over the water’s edge and a tall tree that stuck out. In its branches, Sen sat atop, her back to them. Bard growled as he made his way over. Keith stayed nearby.

“Just what happened between you two?” he asked, curious. There was little note of condemning with that curiosity, and Bard couldn’t blame him. Keith and her had gotten close.

“She…” Bard quickly lowered his voice. “She is starting to realize that we’ve been hiding the fact that she is expecting. She confronted me, but Jamil came in, and I took to talking with him too easily. She’s mad and thinks I’m hiding something,” Bard answered.

“Well. It's true,” Keith commented quietly. “But until she starts showing… there’s not much we can do.”

“I’m not sure. Father mentioned it won’t be the same, but it can’t hurt to be cautious. Right?,” Bard grumbled, moving to a large rock and then hoisting himself up. Keith followed.

They climbed up, but Sen started to sing, and the tree began to move. Bard started to wish he had brought Kai as he saw roots come at him. Keith and Sparring tree moved to protect him, but he stepped past them, his feet being caught by the roots of the tree.

His gaze cast up. He could see her fury, hear it even. The roots shot up, snagging more of him. Her song wanted him to stay away, and Bard’s mouth clamped shut. Then her song directed at Keith and Sparring Tree moved to her command. Keith panicked and began to counter sing against her orders.

“Sen! Leave them out of this. It’s between you and me. Let them go!” he shouted. She didn’t stop, but eventually her song changed to focus on him and Keith took back control.

“Get out of here,” Bard said softly, and Keith left. Sen didn’t try to stop him, so Bard sighed in relief. His heart thumped in anticipation. Sen wasn’t behaving normal, and her emotions were stronger, swinging more. He doubted she would kill him, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t hurt by his actions of late. The tree she was on didn’t move after that, though her song made the roots tighten around his legs. He stifled a yelp at the pain and tried to keep his voice calm and loud.

“Sen! Come down, please. Can we talk this out?” after another tightening, he tried again. “Please, Sen. I’m sorry. I was hiding something from you. Just. Please? Can we talk this out?” The roots quickly tightened as he admitted. He barely was able to finish his words before being forced to stop so he didn’t shout at the pain.

Time passed. Her song changed, and the tree moved, lowering her gracefully to the ground. As she stepped on the soil, the roots loosened a bit, to where it wasn’t painful, but at her words, they snaked up and bound him up to his neck. He coughed as they tightened on him, feeling a bit afraid. Sen walked towards him, a dark frown on her face.

“I’m not stupid,” she said, her singing stopping.

“No. You’re quite smart,” Bard complimented. The roots tightened and Sen told them to loosen. He breathed a bit easier and she stepped closer.

“So. What were you hiding?” she asked, eyes narrow, no smile to hint that this was a playful or teasing question.

Bard shifted his flute to point at her stomach, and she cocked her head in question.

“The flute?” she asked, incredulously. Bard could roll with it, but he felt that would cause friction later. A rock and a hard place.

“No. It would help if I wasn’t bound?” he encouraged, and she eyed him before letting out a sigh. Her command had him released, but not at the feet. As he felt at his neck and arms, he realized a single tear forming in her eye and grew curious. Was this a bluster to call him out?

He let out a weary sigh and pointed at his feet. Reluctantly, she released him, and he rubbed at his sore ankles, sitting down and pulling off his boots. They were red, probably bruised. Sen seemed to react at that, and she gingerly got her knees and began to look them over.

Bard chuckled. “You can be pretty intense when you’re mad.” Her frown deepened, but her eyes held an apology.

“Sorry. I got carried away,” she muttered.

“Better here,” he said, indicating the ankles. “Than here.” His hands moved to his neck and she gave a wan smile.

“So, what are you hiding?” she asked, shifting. Bard reached out his hand and she took it. He then pulled her close. She was startled, but didn’t resist as he drew her into his embrace and then looked out across the cliff, grateful they weren’t closer to its edge.

“You’ve been so distant,” he started. “Always taking off to the woods. I grew worried.”

“I think it’s because I haven’t been in them for a while before that,” she hummed, and Bard smirked. She was still ignorant to what lay in store for them. “Besides, it’s not weird. Most of the dryads are in the woods. I live with you.”

“Your dad just might kill me at this rate,” he hummed to himself.

“Father? What. Why?” she asked, turning to look him in the eyes.

“He’s the one who told me to keep quiet,” Bard answered honestly.

“He did! Why- I ought to-”

“Now, now. He had his reasons. And if I didn’t agree with them, I wouldn’t have stayed quiet.”

Sen grew quiet. “Bard… I don’t understand.”

Bard held her close and breathed in the smell of the forest. “I know. But… could you trust me? For just a bit longer? I want you to be safe.”

“If it means that you are in danger, then please… don’t leave me in the dark. I can help,” she countered. Bard found it a bit cute.

“I won’t leave you to be shaded,” he teased. “And I’m not in danger. I promise. I really am sorry I caused you worry,” he said as her hand came to his cheek. He grabbed it and leaned into that gentle touch. “If you’re so bent on spending so much time in the forest, then I’ll come to you instead.”

Sen stiffened.

“Was it really that much?” she asked.

“Well. I have been cleaning and cooking for a while now...” He gently pointed out.

“I wondered why everything was still clean. I thought it was just because we aren’t home a lot.”

“And Kai’s fur?” he asked, and she opened her mouth and then closed it. “When it’s time… I’ll reveal all of it. Or maybe you’ll figure it out ahead of time.”

“O. Let’s make it a game. I’ll try to figure it out before you tell me.”

“Were we not playing that already?” he teased, and she slapped his arm playfully.

“I wasn’t in on it. That’s why I got mad.” She countered.

“Fair enough,” He laughed and Sen pouted, just like normal.

The stars came out as they talked, but Bard was glad she dropped the questions about the secret. If it really could be life-threatening, he wasn’t sure he could handle that. And that thought alone overshadowed his excitement.