Epilogue
“Quathaul, I’m so glad you could join me!” Catherina said as her dearest friend stepped out of the portal. Hulg and Quathaul were in the very first group of Waters and Fires to mate. They’d gone on to merge and have a child.
“I can’t believe how much Quinnla has grown since I saw her last!” Catherina said as the child looked around with wide eyes. “Come, I have so much to tell you!”
Quathaul was more beautiful than ever. Motherhood suited her and Catherina hoped she would do half as well. She led her friend to her private quarters.
“Can I have anything brought to you?”
Quathaul smiled at the thick hath fur pad on the floor. She placed Quinnla in the center. “No, Catherina. Tell me, what has you so excited?”
Catherina swallowed hard. “Excited… and scared.”
Quathaul smiled in that way she had, the one that said everything would be okay. “Catherina Hume, Lady of the Firaspatciti, the woman that killed two attackers with her own blade? What can frighten a woman such as this?”
Catherina swallowed hard. “Motherhood.”
Quathaul nodded. “When you are ready, it won’t frighten you.”
“But it does. I don’t know what to do.”
Quathaul stared at Catherina a moment, then beamed. “Are you with child?”
Catherina broke into a broad smile. “I am. Stevan and I confirmed it yesterday. I thought I was ready, but now I’m so afraid!”
Quathaul rose and pulled her friend into a hug and held her. “You have nothing to fear, Catherina. Your body will know what to do. I’m so excited for you!” she exclaimed as she released her. “You’ll make an excellent mother! Does anyone else know?”
Catherina shook her head. “No. Only Stevan, and now you. Tomorrow he will make the announcement, but I wanted to tell you in person, first.”
Quathaul lowered her head. “Thank you for the honor.”
Catherina glanced at Quinnla as she crawled around on the hath fur, talking to herself in her baby babble. “I hope I can be half as good a mother as you.”
“You give me too much credit. When I found out I was with child I was both elated and terrified. But women have been having children for millions of years. Your body knows what to do, and it will tell you. Listen to it above all others. It knows what is right and what it needs. Talk to your…” Quathaul’s face clouded and she took her friend's hands. “Oh, my dear Catherina, you have no mother to give you advice and support! No wonder you are so afraid!” She smiled. “I’m not your mother, but I am older than you, and I have the benefit of experience,” she said as she waved at her child. “Feel free to call upon me at any time.”
Catherina wanted to weep in gratitude. “You’re sure? You won’t mind?”
“I would consider it an honor.”
“Thank you, Quathaul! I’ll try not to bother you too much.”
“You have done so much for the Aquallians, for me, and for the rest of the universe. I never dreamed I could be as happy as I am with Hulg. You shouldn’t have to face this alone.” She smiled as she touched Catherina’s face gently. “Allow me the honor of doing you this small kindness.”
“You’re sure you don’t mind?”
“No. Contact me or come visit as often as you wish. My home and yours are very nearly on the same diurnal schedule. Hulg would love to see you again.”
Catherina smiled to hide her tears. “Be careful what you offer, Quathaul.”
“My home is your home.”
Before Catherina could answer, the door to their quarters opened. “Quathaul!” Stevan said in surprise. “I didn’t expect to see you here. How’s my favorite Aquallian?”
Quathaul dropped to a knee. “My Lord.”
Stevan smiled at Catherina. “Rise, Quathaul. You are my guest, and I’m not your Lord. Your offering isn’t required.”
Quathaul rose to her feet. “You may not be my Lord, but for what you have done for me and all off Aquallia, I still offer my thanks.”
Stevan smiled. “I’ve told you before, don’t downplay your role in this. If it weren’t for you, not only convincing Catherina to stay but also leading the way for the Aquallians, none of this would have happened. I should be thanking you.”
“You are too kind, my Lord.”
“Will you be staying for the evening meal? You and Quinnla, are welcome. I assume you’ve heard the news?”
“Yes. Catherina just told me. Congratulations. I think you both will make excellent parents.”
Stevan grinned. “I hope. Parenting experience is a little thin on Firaspatciti.”
Quathaul smiled. “As I told Catherina, you will know what to do. You should see Hulg with Quinnla. He dotes on her like a mother vulib.”
“So, will you join us for the evening meal?” Catherina asked. “You can show me how to feed Quinnla.”
“No, Catherina. I must go, and you two have much to discuss. You should conserve your strength, and rest now, for sleep will become a precious thing once your little one arrives.”
Catherina grinned. “So I understand. Babies must be the same everywhere.”
“Why wouldn’t they be?” Quathaul asked as she picked up Quinnla. “After all, weren’t you the one that taught us we are more alike than different… even on the far-off world of Earth?”
“A lesson the universe is beginning to learn,” Stevan said.
“Goodbye, Quinnla,” Catherina said, giving the child a gentle kiss on the cheek. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing a lot more of you over the next eight months.”
“Good,” Quathaul said. “I have been seeing too little of you of late.” She looked at Stevan. “Now that she is with child, make sure she stops working so hard… my Lord.”
Stevan grinned at Quathaul’s self-conscious expression. One doesn’t normally order the Lord of Firaspatciti, no matter how good the intentions.
“Don’t worry, Quathaul. I will see that she gets plenty of rest.” He grinned slyly. “We may even go to bed early tonight.”
“Then I must go.”
“Allow me. To your home?”
“Please.”
Stevan opened a portal, using his own portal device to bypass the palace dampening field so Quathaul wouldn’t have to return to the receiving room.
“Contact me, anytime,” Quathaul said, pausing at the entrance to the portal.
Catherina pulled her into a quick hug. “Thank you for the offer and for being such a good friend.”
Quathaul hugged her back, using only one arm as Quinnla was occupying the other. “And you, Catherina. Now we will haven even more in common, besides being mated to Firaspatciti, to talk about. By your leave, my Lord,” she said, then took a step forward. Catherina watched her through the portal until it closed.
“You still worried?” Stevan asked.
“Terrified.”
“Everything is going to be okay.”
“I know, but I still worry. How do I know I’ll be a good mother?”
Stevan stared at her a moment. “That’s what you're worried about?”
“Well, yes. What if I’m—”
He silenced her by taking her lips in a slow kiss. “You’re going to be a terrific mother,” he breathed as he slowly pulled back.
“How do you know? How can you possibly know?”
He smiled at her and touched her lips with a finger. “I know the woman I bonded with, and I know that anyone that cares as much about others as she does can’t be anything but a good mother.”
She watched his eyes, then smiled. “I hope you’re right.”
“You have Quathaul to advise you?”
“Yes.”
“And you think she’s a good mother?”
“Absolutely!”
“Then listen to what she says. If you do that, how can you be anything but a good mother?”
Her smile widened. “You’re right. I just worry.”
“It’s because you care that you worry.”
“You mentioned going to bed early?”
Now he smiled. “I did.”
“There won’t be as much of that after the baby is born. We’d better get as much of it done now as possible.”
He smiled as he picked her up to carry her to their bedchamber. “I couldn’t agree more.”