I walked toward him, closing the gap in between us. Every nerve in my body reaching out to him before we touched. “What if he comes back today or what if he’s already here?”
Marren’s gaze fell over the scenery out of the window. His jaw clenched a few times, then let out a long aggravated sigh. Immediately, I wished I hadn’t brought it up. I tried to form an apology, but the words stuck in my throat, swollen shut by an onslaught of tears. I backed away, turning to leave the room before they fell. My heart ached for him. All of him. Yet, the only thing I seem to be doing was pushing him farther away from me.
I reached the table before he pulled me back into him, covering my face with his chest. “Why do you cry, uwoduhi?”
I pulled back, confused because he didn’t know. “Because I’ve upset you.”
He smoothed the hair from my face, tucking a few loose strands behind my ears. “Nothing you’ve said upset me. It’s him. I’m going mad thinking about Jiren.”
“Stop thinking about him and start thinking about the ceremony.” Which was to be the following night, and I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Okelo kept herself busy with Serid, the ceremony and other minor errands Marren thought of to keep her busy.
A burst of warmth filled me. Marren was happy about that. Even excited when he let himself think of it. “Yes, the ceremony.”
He couldn’t hide the smile if he tried.
“Reschedule the meeting. Insist that the others stay for the celebration and do the meeting afterward. You’ve barely eaten, and you aren’t sleeping well.”
I wanted to go further, but someone stepped into the room, forcing Marren to stiffen and me to back away from him. I was too late. The meeting would happen anyway.
I left the room immediately, wanting time to think and be alone. I walked to the cliff that gave a glimpse of the realm—most of the realm anyway. Much smaller than the mortal one, I discovered, but immortals didn’t have desires or needs as much as humans, nor the greed. And this was only meant as a temporary basis. I wondered if I would recognize the mortal realm and if this realm would still exist once every creature crossed over. Would we wait until we had the baby, or would we wait for Jiren to start something again?
All those questions and more filled my mind, a swirling chaos that made me dizzy and nauseated. It was hard enough to eat before I got sick but even harder to keep the food down. Two weeks prior, I experienced the fluttering of the child within me for the first time. Now, it seemed my belly swelled to the point I needed to wear loose fitting pants and long baggy shirts. And the child protested every crouch or movement that would limit its space. I let out a shuddering sigh as the nausea continued on.
Grass grew over much of the rocky ground. I stood in a thick, lush patch. It appeared soft, cool, and comfortable. I decided to lie down on it and watch the clouds drift by in their weightless, floating motions. The grass was all I expected and more. It was a soft pillow, matched by the softness of the clouds. The cool breezes came over me, softly cooing me into a light slumber, light enough to still hear the soft sounds of footsteps approach. I tried to open my eyes, but they were so heavy and unwilling to move. But I didn’t need my eyes opened to see who it was. I felt him, breathed him in, and tasted him in the air. My body immediately gravitated toward him and his warmth.
What happened to the meeting? I asked as my body relaxed and sank further into the grass.
There was a shuffle and I heard him lay beside me. His arm overlapped me with his hand lying over mine, hugging my fingers to his. I told them the meeting was canceled until after the ceremony.
A burst of warmth and excitement came from my body’s center. I opened my eyes and straddled Marren’s waist with too much speed. Having forgotten the reason I laid down to begin with. It all came back to me as the sensation of me continuing to move to the other side of Marren, yet my body stood still. I laid my head down on his chest with a miserable groan. He rubbed my back gently while the child protested being squished by two bodies.
Let’s go get you something to eat and a little rest.
Just as soon as I can move, I said and slowly half rolled and half slid to his side. Marren’s arm made the perfect spot for my head. The curve of his arm wrapped around me in a tight and comfortable embrace.
“Nothing is more important to me than you, Relena. I’m sorry I made you believe otherwise.”
I played with a leather lace on his vest, twirling the material between my fingers while he did the same with a strand of my hair. “I understand. Believe me, I want Jiren’s head on a platter as much as—if not more than—everyone else. Mine just happens to come with a little more of a personal grudge.”
“You, hold a grudge?”
It was meant as a joke but struck something within me. I clutched the lace I played with in my fist and pressed my lips together so tightly I thought I would cut them with my teeth.
“Did I say something wrong?” Marren asked.