Destined Path

Chapter Fourteen: Like Sigyn in Jotunheim; Part Two

She was awake then, staring sleepily at me as I slid into the bed, my son between us and Shyama asleep behind my wife. He was slumbering so deeply, so much at peace. Cradled so close to her, trustful of her, it was hard to see. He loved her so much it made me jealous. Of the fact that he loved her or the fact that she loved him, I wasn't sure which.

"Do you want me to show you how to sleep with him?" That quiet voice asked, stroking the small child's back soothingly. I nodded, "Here," She said, shifting up. "Lie down on your side, get comfortable. Aye, just like that." She placed a rolled up blanket to me and gently slid my son to my side, curling him about me so we were both facing the same way. She placed another rolled up blanket by his side, framing him. "You have to wall them off so they don't turn over or injure themselves. And so you don't roll on them." I nodded at her instructions, carefully resting my head down on my pillow, placing a cautious hand over my son. "He sleeps very well, such a good boy." She smiled tenderly, my heart warmed at the praise. "He'd be very hungry when he wakes, you'll have to find one of the girls to nurse him. Or his mother. But that shouldn't be for hours." I nodded once more, wordless. She lay down, watching us passively. I bent down to kiss my child's head, inhaling his scent into my lungs. Stroking his back as soothing as I'd seen her do so, careful to mimic everything she did. "You're a wonderful father, husband." She whispered.

I looked up at her, wide eyed. She avoided my gaze brokenly, and bit her lip as she looked down at the covers under her. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what she wanted me to say. My silence lengthened, and with a soft sound escaping her lips she rolled over, turning her back to me. I flinched at the sight of her torn back. "Onyx...." I breathed out in a recoil, "Skjöldur mær minn.... I'm sorry."

I watched the muscles in her back tense. For a moment I thought she might leave the bed, storm out of the room. But she didn't. I heard the cracks of her knuckles as she flexed them. When I placed my hand on her shoulder she jerked it off violently. She wasn't upset, I realized, she was angry. Very fucken angry.

I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face. I looked down at my son for a moment, perfect little man, before I looked up again and timidly placed a hand on her hip, tightening it when she didn't resist. "Sleep." I told her, "You can attempt to kill me in the morning." I smirked at the thought, but it faded quickly. "And I'll try, again, to put my child in you. He's evidence that I can, I just wish I could. I want to be a wonderful father." My voice raw with honesty. After a moment she took the hand on her hip in her own, pulling me slightly to her as she he'd my hand in hers close to her heart. In a sense I knew she'd forgiven me, but in another way I knew that I didn't earn her forgiveness. "Goodnight, elskhugi." I mumbled, settling in to sleep. "Getur þú séð mig í draumum þínum, eins og ég er kvalinn af þér í mér."

Onyxia PoV

An uncanny noise woke me, something in the air made my skin crawl. I woke with my arms cradled around Alex's head as he was curved around the small bundle that softly snored into his father's hold. I squinted my eyes open, it was barely morning. I frowned as the nose echoed in my ears once more. What was that? I struggled to sit up, pushing myself up by sore arms. I rubbed my eyes, trying to wake up more. I looked down at my husband, I gently stroked his hair for a moment. He sighed under my soft treatment. "Alex..." I mumbled, forgetting myself for a moment. "A.J..." I said, my tone stronger this time but just as quiet. He stirred, stretching and giving a low grunt in annoyance at being woken. He blinked a few times before he eventual looked up at me. Sleep still glazed in his eyes.

"What?" He croaked. His hands looked so impossible massive as he held his child. I opened my mouth to explain what woke me when a loud shatter erupted outside the tent. A large shadow crossed in front of it. Shyama woke with a murmur, I quickly cupped a hand over her mouth. She woke with wide eyes, I silenced her with a finger to my lips. "That's a bear." Alex whispered, slowly sitting up next to me. He glanced around then at his son. If Rekker woke, he'd cry. I knew he was thinking the same.