I woke up to find myself all alone, sleeping peacefully while the men were gone.
Roe was packing something when she saw me getting up and smiled.
" We need to run. They must be back by now with the boat. We need to return. "
She said.
" Return? Wait what! Why? "
I hurriedly sat up.
" I don't know. Mother sent Xie a message with the hawk. She asked us to come back.
Immediately. "
" Is Aku alright? "
My heart started racing, completely forgetting about everything that our new mission was all .
" I don't know but I think it wouldn't have been my mother to send us the mail, had anything to our little star. You know, it would have been father or maybe the army.... "
She tried to joke. She had a point.
I tried to calm down as the wind took us back, faster than it had taken for us to reach that place.
I sprinted as fast as I could after getting down. My boy was right there, waiting for me and he at me, running and hugged me back.
Before I could ask him if he was alright, he broke down into a sob.
"Ssshhh! Aku, tell me. What happened? "
I asked.
" Aunt R... Ruby.... aunt Ruby is very sick...."
And he broke down again.
Xie ran inside and we did as well.
We went straight to the medical facility and there she was, lying on the bed. The Wolf queen feeding her something with a spoon, perhaps a medicine. It, in itself , was odd. She couldn't Ruby, let alone care for her in person.
Aunt Ruby smiled at Xie the moment she saw him. Her eyes lit up and she tried sitting up.
" Careful Ruby.... take it slow. " The Wolf queen said in a loud but affectionate voice.
Xie was puzzled as well.
" What happened to her? " he asked his mother.
" Come sit down Xie. She fell sick when she went to the mer-kingdom with this little devil ( she at my Aku) and her sister ( aunt Jade, that is). She was having trouble breathing under , so we had to rush out and bring her in....
" WHAT? "
My step mother was trying to tell something but our collection exclamation, made her refrain.
How could a mermaid have trouble breathing under water? She had been doing so ever since began breathing.
" I know. We had the exact same reaction. So I called our best doctors. After a thorough , we learned that your wife is pregnant. She is carrying your child"
She pointed at Xie.
We were dumb found.
And then Xie burst out into a frenzied yell.
He leaped over Ruby's bed and scooped her up.
He twirled around over and over again, till Ruby began vomiting, all of a sudden.
" Careful. Careful Xie. Put your wife back on the bed. She is carrying the mighty load of a wolf, a heir. Her frail marine body doesn't seem to be able to cope very well with all the . She needs absolute rest and we need to take good care of her till she gives birth to child. "
Her concern was filled with loopholes but Xie over looked it all and so did we.
We were all too thrilled to hear the news and got busy exchanging smiles and congratulating the .
Nobody thought that the event was nothing new.
My mother had been in the exact same situation when she was pregnant with me. To top it off, had nobody to take care of her, no friend or family. She was all alone. Not even my father when I was born.
It increased the respect I had for my mother a thousand fold. She was the greatest warrior I had seen or known, both in the battle field or off shore.
" Mamma, what is pregnant? "
Suddenly my little boy's hands brought me back to reality. He was confused when he watched rejoice as his aunt lay there on the bed.
I bent down to reach his level and then , with my hands in his, tried to explain,
" Pregnant means that your aunt Ruby and uncle Xie, are going to have a baby. You will soon an older brother. "
His eyes widened.
" From where will she get the baby? "
He asked, very excited.
" Ummm, from her belly. The baby will come from her belly. "
Suddenly, Aku let go of my hand and looked at Ruby in horror.
" What happened ,Aku? " I tried taking his hand back again. He shoved me away.
" Why is there a baby in her belly? Did she eat the baby? "
He cried out so loud that everyone turned towards him and they began to laugh hysterically.
It made matters worse and my boy took off.
I had no other option but to run after him.
He didn't stop, till he reached the sea shore.
" Aku, wait! "
I tried to yell to stop him from jumping but without warning he was gone.
I dived after him.
Thankfully, I found, aunt Jade was coming our way. She got hold of my baby and was already with him when I arrived.
We chit chatted a little, talked about Ruby and Xie, the Wolf queen and her changed demeanor then aunt Jade said, what I had been thinking.
" You mother had to go through something similar. I don't think she had become this fragile she was carrying you. Why is it so different with our Ruby? I don't know. Is it because pregnancy is different and every body has it's own pros and cons? Or does our Ruby any other medical condition? "
She wondered aloud and then sighed.
" By the way, why don't you send him underwater more often? He is a natural. And besides, he be accustomed with the mer-kingdom.
By the way Mia, I forgot to ask, did you all find anything fruitful in your last voyage? Could you the source of the new disturbances? "
She asked.