Steel Butterfly

26

Kalia's POV

After a few rounds of bed tumbling (if you know what I mean) and a bath, we decided to go back to see Raena and the others back in Aetnara's house. Lizin was with her husband and children. Aetnara looked disappointingly at Raena who was in a fetal position and rocking herself in a corner.

"What's wrong?" Ronan asked Raena.

"Your mother has something important to tell you." Aetnara shook her head.

"What is it, Mom?" Ronan asked her. Raena took a deep breath.

"I'm sure this is not what a twenty six year old wants to hear." Raena sighed, looking at him. "But I'm expecting another child."

Ronan's face went from pale to straight up green.

"What?" He asked in a tone that sounded like he was about to throw up.

"I am pregnant with the Beast King's child again." She spoke, taking a deep breath.

"So...I'm going to be a big brother. And now my father will have another reason to hunt us down." Ronan sighed. "Well, shit."

"I have so many regrets right now." Raena put her hand on her forehead.

"Well, we can assist with that." Aetnara crossed her arms. "We have tansy and pennyroyal tea."

"I'm not taking that!" Raena spoke.

"Well, you're pregnant with a dangerous fetus with an equally dangerous father!" Aetnara spoke.

"Well, I don't want to take it because my baby isn't harmful! Look at Ronan!" Raena motioned to her adult son.

"Ronan turned out well because he stayed away from that monster. If he gets his hand on this one, he or she could really be a copy of him!" Aetnara spoke. "So you can drink the damn tea or figure out how else to get rid of it!"

"Enough!" Elder Matthias shouted. "I know this is a very precarious situation but trying to force an abortion on someone who clearly doesn't want to do it will not solve anything."

"Elder, she is actively endangering us! We don't have the men to fight his forces again if they show up!" Aetnara shouted.

"Aetnara, come with me." Sigrid spoke in a harsh tone.

"I hope you're happy with what you've done, Raena." Aetnara leaves with Sigrid as they head outside.

"You can't make me get rid of my child!" Raena told Elder Matthias.

"It would be in everyone's best interest if that pregnancy was not carried to term." Another Elder spoke. "If the Beast King finds out about this.."

"I know that. I know what he is capable of. But we cannot force a woman to do something she does not want to do when we don't even know what the outcome will be." Elder Matthias crossed his arms. "The Beast King could try to harm the village if he believed we had something to do with his unborn child's death. Or he could harm us anyway for keeping Raena away from him."

"And he is perfectly capable of doing either of those things." Ronan sighed, shaking his head. "Why did you sleep with him again, you know he isn't shit."

"It's hard to explain." Raena took a deep breath. I didn't understand either but it's not my business.

"Either way, I would like for two people to guard Raena at all times." Elder Matthias spoke. "So we can at least have a head start on the Beast King if he tries anything of sorts."

"Fair enough." Raena told him.

Aetnara and Sigrid return.

"I'm sorry, Raena. What I said was a bit out of pocket." Aetnara took a deep breath.