Iughed and stroked my stomach, It was a fitting analogy, I thought for a moment. I was big, fat, and


    swollen: a literal whale. Thank goodness for no mirrors. I’d hate to see how hideous I looked right now.


    The mens’ violent disagreement quickly dissuaded me of that idea.


    “She is part of us,” Christof said stroking a hand down my side and looking at his Brothers. “You are


    part of us also,” he directed to me. “You are not ugly to us. This is more family, we are Lucky men.”


    The little girl inside me pressed against the ce Christof had been touching. Noticing it, he stroked


    her with loving fingers for several moments. His thoughts continued on the same lines as he touched


    me. Inside of me was something amazing.


    Damien and the rest murmured agreement. My stomach and its contents were something we all were


    d for. Hannah was wonderful and more family was wee.


    “I would Like to see my feet, though,” I said sipping the frothy drink and wiggling my toes.


    ninjanovel


    When I looked down as we walked now I saw belly and very little else. It made walking to and from the


    eating area slightly precarious for me. Long ago I’d taken to holding someone’s arm or hand to help


    steady me.


    “It is foolish to walk the way you do,” Evan said grabbing a second helping of meat and passing the


    tter to Kein. “You should look up.”


    Damien and Bane agreed. I really should look up when I walked. My eyes should observe anything I


    wished them to. No one should walk around looking at the floor.


    “No,” I answered them calmly, “I am only safe-“


    Damien cut me off. “You will be safe if you walk with your head up. No man in this mountain would


    survive our wrath. Do you doubt us?” he asked incredulously.


    I was stuck as I stared at him across the table. Obviously I couldn’t doubt him. No one in the family


    doubted Damien’s strength or ability. If the man said he could defend me, he could.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    It wasn‘t an option anymore. As we left the dining hall my eyes were up. I tried to stare at the far wall to


    avoid eye contact, but Bane wouldn’t have that. We met the eyes of men as we passed them and


    acknowledged them. Everyone in the family did that, I would, too.


    Two families started to fight Damien over his ve’s behavior, but were rapidly subdued. The other


    men looked at us with a mixture of open curiosity or animosity. I couldn’t count which opinion seemed


    to be winning and no one else cared.


    “Let them think what they want,” Bane shrugged, “makes no difference.”


    We made our way out of the dining hall and into the near empty caves. The sun was still up, so we’d


    get glimpses of Late afternoon Light here and there. It cast the interior of the caverns in an almost


    warming glow.


    Threading my arm under Bane’s I enjoyed the quiet evening as we walked. This after dinner time was


    my favorite time of day. None of us had responsibilities and we could just rx together. Tonight we


    were headed for a chuke game.


    Chuke was still my mens’ favorite thing to do, next to me. Since I was indisposed in my current


    condition, they yed a lot more chuke. Bane had even brought afortable chair and foot rest to the


    field for me. I could sit and knit while they showed the men in the mountains how it was done.


    The game was very good tonight and I was enjoying it as the first ripple cut across my back and into


    my belly. Shifting in my chair, I sought a morefortable position as the cramp ended. Just as I


    refocused on the game it came back.


    Evan was scooping me up before another could hit. We’d made it back to our quarters before the fifth


    one tore through my body. Nu-reeh arrived before number fifteen.


    The Labor this time took longer. I imagined Hannah’s violent entrance into the world would have been


    calmer if I had not been assaulted. This little girl came in her own good time. It was the middle of the


    night when my second daughter’s screeching cries first echoed in the cave.


    Laying on the warm stone I watched with abject terror as Nu-reeh inspected my child. I feared what Nu-


    reeh would do if the girl was not what she wanted. Tears leaked down my face because I knew I


    couldn’t stop that horror if it happened.