5. Full Moon Rising

Last chapter…

Things sunk pretty far south for Sima-Mighdall with a string of unfortunate events that nearly culminated in the premature death of poor Kadhi.

Emil fished.  Bastet fretted.  Aten toddlerfied.

Onward!

It was the wee hours before dawn, and Queen Bastet could not sleep…

…for the well being of her tribe weighed heavily on her mind.

Bastet decided that she was being tested, and that Athena was right to do so, for how does one become a good queen if one is never given the chance to prove oneself?

Perhaps trying to shed all the trappings of priestesshood had not been the wisest course, for a priestess was truly a servant, and a good queen too, at her core, was also a servant.

Leadership was her burden of service…and Lead she must.

Emil was the first issue to feel the sting of his queen’s Leadership.

Bastet: “I don’t know what’s crawled up your plumhole lately, Slave, but snap the plum out of it, or else!”

Emil: 😦

Bastet: “I don’t know what the ‘else’ is, but you can be plumming certain you won’t like it one bit!”

Emil: “I’m sorry Majesty!  I’ve just been so bummed out that I didn’t give you the princess you deserve!”

Bastet: “Well build a bridge and get over it!  We’ve got a beautiful son, and I am commanding you to take care of him from here on out.”

Deeply chagrined, Emil went immediately to see the child.

Aten was playing with his blocks in the slave’s quarters; stacking them carefully into a tall tower.

Emil studied the child that so resembled him; the little boy seemed dexterous and had good focus…he might one day be an excellent fisherman.

Perhaps a son was not such a terrible thing?  The tribe could make use of another good provider, like himself.

Emil: “Do you like fish little one?”

Aten: *babbles and gesticulates wildly*

Emil: “We’re going to have to work on your communication skills, son.”

Slowly Emil began to adjust to the responsibilities of childcare, though he found himself frequently going to Kadhi for advice.

Emil: “How much can be submerge in the water at once?  Like, half?”

Kadhi did not know what was responsible for the other man’s change of demeanour, but he was greatly pleased to have his friend back once again.

Emil, for his part, was delighted with the rewards of caring for his son; who knew that raising a child could bring such satisfaction and purpose to his life?

(This is extra sweet because Aten just refused a hug from Kadhi; he knows who his daddy is!  *all my feels*)

One morning, after fertilizing her favourite woohoo bush, Bastet comes to know that she is again with child.

Bastet: “This one is definitely Kadhi’s!”

The young queen takes it as a sign from the Goddess that she is on the right path.

Kadhi is overcome with joy, and is very attentive to his Queen and unborn Princess during the pregnancy.

Emil: “You’re going to be a big brother, Aten!”

Aten: *does not like*

The Golden Prince is not pleased by the notion of having a sibling, however.

When her belly has grown ponderous, and the urge to rise at night to eat returns, the Queen of Sima-Mighdall knows that her time is near.

Late one evening after one of her impromptu salad raids, Bastet begins to feel some distress…

…which turns out to not be digestion related!

Welcome to the Tribe, Pili of Al Simhara!

Bastet: “This one looks like me!”

As dark as his brother is fair, Pili is not the princess that Sima-Mighdall was hoping for, and yet his mother feels her heart quicken with pride once more.

Emil is quick to congratulate Kadhi on the birth of his son.

There is no doubt or sadness in the dark-haired slave’s mind; a healthy child is always a blessing and a good omen.

The slaves explain to their Prince that he now has a little brother, and that he must always do his best to be kind and set a good example.

Though still young, Aten is on the cusp of childhood, and wants very much to please his family; he insists on sitting with the tribe during the next meeting, and even manages to stay still for a few moments while the adults converse around him.

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Footnotes:

Aten and Pili are like the sun and the moon; Aten was even born in the morning, and Pili at night…such different colouring!  Smashing ‘Rebuilding Worlds’ genetic variation.

I’ve had to fudge the required genetic pairings a bit, of course, but we’re going to try to hit as many of the markers as possible.

Of course now Bastet is greatly outnumbered by males; I think it’s time to add a bit more Amazon flavour to her life…

Mysterious Stranger: “Happy Simming!”