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Morning begins to peak through the window as Eowyn wakes up. As she stretches her legs she can feel her love stir next to her, his grip on her waist tightening as he drifted back to sleep. She smiled softly to herself as she turned around, careful not to wake him. Qifrey slept soundly next to her, his chest slowly rising and falling. He had been up late last night although she could hardly say it was unusual. He was always pushing himself, maybe sometimes too hard. Eowyn slipped out of his grip and kissed his hair before putting on her robe and slipping out of the room.
She loved the atelier first thing in the mornings while everyone was still asleep. Qifrey and on a very rare occasion Olly would join her and it reminded her of when they were all still students themselves, sneaking around the Great Hall at odd hours of the morning and night.
Eowyn went out to the garden and picked a few vegetables to cook with their dinner tonight. She loved soup as the next person, but she was eager to try a recipe she had seen someone make in town and hoped adding something from the garden would add some nice flavor to it. As she came back through the door she could smell food being cooked in the kitchen. Time must have gotten away from her. She rounded the corner and her heart skipped a beat.
“Good morning darling,” Qifrey said as he cracked an egg into a pan. Eowyn set her basket of vegetables down and went over and kissed his cheek.
“Good morning my love.”
“You went out to the garden?”
“Yes,” she said warmly, leaning on the counter. “I thought I’d make something new for dinner.”
Qifrey smiled softly. “I’m sure the girls will appreciate the change in pace. I fear they’re growing tired of my cooking.”
Eowyn laughs, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I don’t think that’s true.”
Qifrey smiles down at her, wrapping his free hand around her shoulders. “You are distracting.”
“Sorry should I leave?”
“No.”
“No?” Qifrey leans over, their faces almost touching.
“No.” Qifrey kisses her before tearing his attention away back towards the pan of eggs he was working on. “Eggs are ok?”
“Hmm,” Eowyn frowned. “Truth be told, I am craving something…sweet.”
Qifrey’s eyebrows shot up as he looks at her. “Sweet breakfast? You?” He takes the eggs off the fire and put them to the side. “Now that’s not something you hear every day. What are you craving dear?
Qifrey wrapped his arms around her waist and Eowyn almost couldn’t help herself. She gripped his robes and looked into his eye with a smile. “Sweet bread?”
Qifrey laughs and Eowyn can feel her cheeks flush watching that smile of his. Married for almost two years and knowing each other for much of their childhood and he still made her feel like this.
“I think I can manage that,” he tells her. He brushes a piece of hair out of her eyes and lifts her chin up with his finger.
“Did you say sweet bread?” They turned their heads to see Tetia beaming from the stairs. Qifrey sighs and pulls away a little.
“I’ll make enough for everyone,” he says.
“Good morning Tetia,” Eowyn says with a smile. Living with four teen girls didn’t leave one with a lot of privacy, but Eowyn loved those girls. They made this atelier feel alive.
“Good morning Mistress Eowyn!” she beamed. Eowyn wasn’t really sure how someone could have so much energy first thing in the morning like Tetia usually did, but she appreciated that at least someone in the house was capable of it.
Some cooked eggs and sweet bread fresh out of the oven later, everyone had their fill of breakfast. As Eowyn was cleaning up in the kitchen, she couldn’t help but smile as she heard the usual flow of the start of the morning. The girls went upstairs to begin working on their studies, Qifrey not far behind them. They had been getting into some pretty advanced material, so it wasn’t unusual these days to hear something get knocked over, or a cry of frustration, or, like this morning, a rumble that shook the entire atelier. Eowyn furrowed her brow as she shook her head. She wondered if she should go up there and check on them. Before she could make up her mind, she hear the steady and familiar creak of someone coming down the stairs. Qifrey rounded the corner and gave her an apologetic glance as he grabbed a rag and a vapor bubble for some water.
“Sorry dear, this morning seems to come with its own set of messes.”
Eowyn put the last of the cups away. “As long as the atelier isn’t about to launch off into the sky.”
Qifrey laughed as he made his way up the stairs, glancing back at her with a warm smile. “I certainly hope not.”
Later that morning, Qifrey comes and finds her while she’s reading by a window.
“Going out somewhere?” Eowyn looks up at him, puzzled to see him wearing his cloak.
“Yes, just got a message Im receiving a new apprentice,” Qifrey says, sitting down next to her. Eowyn looks at him in surprise.
“Really?” He nods his head.
“Yes. Young boy, about ten years of age I believe. I’m leaving today to go observe his first test and finalize paperwork for him. I should hopefully be back by weeks end.”
Eowyn smiles and shakes her head as she rests her head on his shoulder.
“What?” he laughs.
“Nothing. Nice to see you’re seeing to it that our atelier will never lack having children in it.”
Qifrey rotates to face her and wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her towards him. He trails kisses up her neck before stopping at her lips.
“Do you not enjoy them?” He says in between kisses. Eowyn wraps her arms around his neck, running a hand through his hair.
“Of course I do. I also like having my husband to myself.”
“Ah,” Qifrey says softly, touching her head to his as he cups her cheek in his hand. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy recently darling. I promise I’ll make it up to you soon.”
“Promise?” Eowyn asks, a hand slowly drifting down his chest, a twinkle in her eye. He catches her hand and tightens his grip on her waist.
“Behave,” he scolded, but the way his face reddened gave his true feelings away. She grinned and he sighed. “I do have to get going.”
Eowyn walked with him to the window way, reluctant to let him out of her grasp just yet.
“Keep the atelier in one piece for me,” he asked, grabbing a bag to take with him. Eowyn straitened out and smoothed his cloak.
“Of course love.” She pulled him down and pecked his lips.
“For safe travels,” she says before kissing him again. “And for luck.”
When Eowyn pulled back, she saw Qifrey gazing down at her softly, like he was trying to take in every feature on her face. She felt her face flush and she looked down, gripping his cloak, her heart inexplicably swimming with emotions. Qifrey left, as did she on occasion for that matter, out of the atelier for business all the time. Why did this feel different? Eowyn’s lip trembled with emotion before she looked back up and kissed Qifrey again deeply, hoping he could feel every ounce of what she felt behind it. He embraced her tightly, and as they pulled back, he smiled at her.
“What was that one for?” he asked, humor behind his bright blue eye.
“For love,” she said, blushing. He kisses the top of her head before pulling away and opening the window way.
“Then I’ll hold onto that one the tightest,” He said barely above a whisper. “I’ll see you and the girls soon.”
Eowyn couldn’t put her finger on it, but everything just felt a little bit… off the next day. The girls, diligent as ever, worked on their studies, occasionally asking her for their help. The weather outside was a perfectly pleasant spring day. Olruggio came in later that afternoon back from business, giving her a play by play of the idiot who almost ruined his commission. He seemed pleased to hear that Qifrey was getting another student, something about ‘keeping him out of trouble.’ As Eowyn sat outside reading, she thought of her husband. Trouble had a habit of finding him, she doubted any number of apprentices would make that go away. If the rumble of the atelier was any indication, the more he had, the more trouble and mischief he would find.
Eowyn smiled to herself and put her book down. Still though, he was a brilliant teacher. The best she had ever seen. Certainly better than her rotten master back at the Great Hall. The cool breeze blew through her hair and she sighed contented. She was happy with this life they had built for themselves here. She had had Qifrey, Olly, the girls, any new students that came into the atelier she supposed. Life felt…. Full. Eowyn didn’t need anything else out of it. It could stay exactly this way and she would be quite happy.
The off-ness Eowyn had felt came into focus late that evening after dinner, when she found herself emptying her stomach into their void toilet. That’s what it had been then. She had come down with something. She tried to think what might have done her in this time. The only new food they had recently was the recipe she had made the other night, but no one else had complained of an upset stomach. As her stomach twisted and she wretched again, she wished she had paid closer attention to what she had been eating the past several days. But like many things you wish for in retrospect, you can’t have it just because you now realize you needed it.
The next few days brought no reprieve from her stomach flu. Anything she tried to eat would come right back up a little while later. Trapped to being in her and Qifrey’s room near the toilet, the girls had begun to notice she was unwell. It was nearing midday when she heard a quiet rasp on the door, with Coco and a hot bowl of soup in her hands.
“Mistress Eowyn,” she said, coming in quietly. “Can I come in?”
“Coco, hi,” she replied, sitting up in bed, hoping she looked at least somewhat better than she felt. “I’m sorry, don’t come too close, I don’t want to give you whatever it is I have.”
Coco gently set the soup on the table next to her. “Don’t worry, Im used to it,” Coco said. Coco gave her a warm rag to clean her face with, which Eowyn took gratefully.
“When it was just me and my mom, we had to take care of each other when we were sick. So I know a few things,” she said, her voice growing softer. Eowyn looked at her gently, thinking how she was still working on a solution to un-petrify her mom.
“Then I’m very fortunate, to have such a wonderful young witch whose mother taught her how to care for others so well,” she said, taking a sip of soup. “When I get to meet her, I’ll be thanking her.”
Coco perked up, confused. “For what?”
“For you of course. Thank you for coming to take care of me. I hardly ever get sick, I’m not sure what’s come over me.” Coco smiled gently.
“Get some rest Mistress. I don’t want Master Qifrey to come home and worry about you.”
“I promise I will Coco.”
Despite Eowyn’s best efforts, she felt worse then she did even a few days before. At Olruggio’s insistence, Eowyn made her way into Kalhn to see the doctors there with some reluctance. It’s not that she didn’t appreciate everything modern medicine had to offer, but well, there was something so invasive about it. And invasive it was. After discussing the nausea, the vomiting, the doctor insisted on a physical examination. As Eowyn set back and the doctor gently examined her pelvis, she wondered why on earth this would be necessary to diagnose an upset stomach. She had assumed she would come in and get something that could settle her stomach long enough to keep food down, and once she could keep the food down, she would feel better.
“You’re going to feel my fingers for a moment,” the doctor said, setting a tool to the side. Eowyn nodded her head. While the examination carried on, she looked at the light filtering through the window and wondered what Qifrey was doing at that particular moment. She hoped his new student’s test had gone well. And that he would be back from the Great Hall soon. She knew he hated his trips there. She did too. Eowyn sighed as the doctor finished.
“I apologize that it took so long miss witch,” she said, her aged face forming a knowing smile. “As you know, there can be many causes to nausea, and I wanted to do my due diligence.”
Eowyn sat up and nodded at the doctor. “Of course.”
“There can be no mistaking it of course,” the doctor said, washing her hands. “I believe congraduations are in order.”
Eowyn stared at the doctor, confused. “Sorry, I’m not sure I follow.”
“Well, you’re pregnant of course, my dear. If I had to guess, you’re several months along by now, at least two or three.”
Eowyn’s mind stopped working for several moments. “What?”
“I’ve seen you around with your husband and his apprentices haven’t I?” she continued, not noticing Eowyn’s stunned silence. “You’ll need to come back regularly for checkups, you should bring him along.”
The doctor continues to talk at her but it all seems to fade into the background. Pregnant? Now? Eowyn has to steady herself as the world feels like it’s spinning. What were they going to do? What was she going to do? As the doctor sends her out with some medicines to help with the nausea, panic begins to set in and Eowyn runs around the corner to throw up. They weren’t ready for children were they? The thought of having children hadn’t even crossed her mind since they had gotten married. She had been a maternal figure to the girls since arriving sure, but she hadn’t really thought about blood family up until this very moment. She put a hand over her stomach, thinking about the life growing inside, and then tried to not throw up again. She needed to get back home and take that medicine. And then she needed to clear her head before Qifrey came home.
Even though she could have taken the window way back home, Eowyn felt the desperate need to walk back to the atelier. She was craving fresh air after being holed up in her room for so many days, at least that was what she was telling herself as she walked through the fields that led back to their home. They had never discussed having children, which for a married couple that often found it hard to keep their hands off of each other when they were alone, Eowyn realized now that this was a mistake. Her thoughts drifted towards her husband and her face flushed. Eyes welling with tears, her mind dwelled on how poor the timing of this news would be for him. He had four apprentices, and was bringing a fifth one into the atelier within days. Three adults and five children to keep track of; he was already overworked as it was. Eowyn slumped to the ground in self-pity, tears flowing down her cheeks. She knew this was a little ridiculous, and it was probably the pregnancy hormones, but still she allowed herself to cry into the grass below her for several moments all the same. This was going to be a big change in their lives, and while it was just her secret she deserved a little wallowing.
Another soul to share her husband with. But someone that had a piece of both of them. Eowyn was sure she was being terribly selfish about this. She stood up and dusted the grass off her robes. She rubbed a hand over her stomach as she began walking again, wondering to herself what their child would look like, who they would grow up to be. After a few miles, Eowyn noticed the sun beginning to lower in the sky, and she decided she needed to fly the rest of the way. What she had not decided was how she was going to tell her husband the news.
As she arrived at the steps of the atelier, she could hear ruckus on the other side. She opened the door to see the beginnings of dinner being served.
“Just in time,” Olruggio said, crossing his arms. “It certainly took you long enough to get back. Thought I’d have to send a search party after you.”
Eowyn set down her medicine on the counter, taking off her robe, suddenly feeling hyper-aware of her own body. She knew she didn’t look any different then she did when she left this morning, but still she wondered about the changes in her body. Could they tell she had been crying most of the way home? Was she even showing yet? Eowyn suddenly wasn’t sure. “Sorry to sorry you. I decided to walk home after. I wanted some fresh air.”
“It’s not me you’re gonna have to apologize to,” Olruggio said, pouring himself a bowl of soup. Just then, she saw the unfamiliar face of a young boy come down the stairs, his moppy blond hair covering his eyes. Right behind him, Qifrey followed, explaining something to him. Eowyn paused, feeling like she couldn’t move, her stomach doing backflips. She thought shed have at least a little more time, maybe another day. Qifrey looked up and saw her, his gaze softening as he walked over to her. The young boy noticed her and hid behind him, which made him laugh.
Eowyn hesitated before smiling down at the boy, greeting him. For as long as they’ve known each other, she knows she was not fast enough to cover her shock to avoid his notice, but he says nothing as he pulls the child out from behind him with a smile.
“This is Moa, my new apprentice,” he says, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Moa, this is my wife, Eowyn.”
Moa looks up at her with big brown eyes, trying to hide again behind Qifrey. “Im afraid he’s a little shy,” Qifrey says apologetically.
“It’s ok,” Eowyn says. “It’s nice to meet you Moa. Why don’t you go sit down with the others for a meal.”
Moa looks up at her for a beat before hurrying away for a bowl of dinner. As he runs off, Qifrey studies her and frowns, reaching for her arm. “Olly mentioned that you’ve been ill while Ive been away. I was starting to worry when he said you had gone to the doctor’s earlier and the sun was starting to set.”
“Im sorry dear,” she said sincerely. “I decided to walk back for a while, I wanted some fresh air.”
“They gave you some medicine?” He asked looking at the bottle on the counter. Nerves shoot up through her body. Shes not ready to tell him- not here in front of everyone.
“They did,” she said quickly, walking away grabbing some more bowls from the shelf. Qifrey’s expression is unreadable, before he walks over and cuts bread for everyone, still looking over her way.
Eowyn tried her best to eat something, and she did manage to eat some bread, but her nerves had twisted her stomach into knots. The entire dinner the girls spent talking and asking Moa questions, she had looked up to see Qifrey looking at her with concern, which only made her more anxious, more guilty. After the food was eaten and the students had all gone upstairs for the evening, Eowyn had busied herself with cleaning up. Anything to keep her and her hands busy while she thought how she was going to tell Qifrey.
Qifrey came up quietly behind her and put his hands on her hips. “You really didn’t have to take care of the cleaning if you’re not well darling.”
Eowyn stiffened, having been so absorbed in her thoughts she hadn’t heard him walk up. “I didn’t hear you come in. I’m feeling alright at the moment.”
He took the cup she was drying out of her hand and set it down, turning her around to face him. “Is there anything I can make you? You hardly ate dinner.” He said, looking at her carefully.
“Tempting, but let me see if I keep down what I did eat for dinner.” Qifrey frowns and she grabs his hand and squeezes it. “I’ll be ok my love, I promise.”
Qifrey wraps her in an embrace, kissing her gently. Even with her nerves, she melted into his arms. “I thought of you the entire time I was away,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here to take care of you while you’ve been ill.”
“Its ok, the girls have been watching over me.” Qifrey smiles softly.
“I’m glad you had them then. What did the doctor have to say today?” He asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Eowyn bit her lip, looking down nervously.
“Well…”
“Nothing serious I hope,” he said with concern, cupping her head with his hand. Eowyn grabbed his arm, looking down as she felt her face blush. “Darling whatever it is you can-”
“I’m pregnant,” she said looking up at him. Standing in their kitchen late at night after Qifrey had brought in a new apprentice and she had spent the week being sick and blurting it out wasn’t how she thought she was going to tell him, but it was. His eye widened, and he looked at her stunned, the words hanging between them for several moments.
“What?” he managed quietly after several moments.
“I’m pregn-” Qifrey cut her off with a passionate kiss, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Qifrey burries his head in her neck, and she can feel hot tears stain her robe. Eowyn wraps her arms around him, stroking his hair. “Qifrey?”
“I am so happy…my love,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. He pulls back and places a hand reverently on her stomach. “We’re really going to have a baby?”
Eowyn nods her head, trying to not tear up herself. “Im sorry, the timing..”
“What on earth is there to be sorry for? Darling this life we have together… it’s a gift to me I never thought I’d have. I embrace every part of it, wholeheartedly.” He holds her hands, kissing them. It all clicked into place in the moment for her. Of course. This child inside her, their atelier full of students, the life they had all built together. It was special. Something to embrace. Eowyn smiles, squeezing his hands. It was a gift.
Eowyn feels tears welling in her eyes and she goes to wipe them. “You really think you can handle five apprentices and our child?”
Qifrey cups her face with his hands. “Darling I’ll handle as many children as I need to if it means I get to do it with you.”