The first time she sensed him they had just been sitting down to dinner. Dmitri had looked over immediately, but all she had caught was a glimpse of red. Axïs had asked what was wrong, but she simply played it off as still being unused to being without the empathy. Which was true, and looking at any Equim you could see it was the same with them. Even though it had been just over three months, everywhere you looked the children of Thoundred clung to each other, having to reassure themselves that they were not alone despite the empty seas of their minds.
The second time she sensed him was after the well wishers had started coming up with congratulations. Dmitri had only recently confirmed she was pregnant, the firm swell in her abdomen barely noticeable, and already word was starting to spread. She had a feeling her darling husband's excited yelling to everyone in their party after she had told him would have something to do with it. Not that she wasn't excited to still be able to talk to people even though she was pregnant, and she couldn't help but feel the warmth for her people when she saw the light in their eyes and the hope on their faces as they would come up to her and Axïs to confirm the rumor and wish them joy.
And then he was there before her. Looking all of his eight years, still slightly chubby cheeked and wide eyed, and looking just as startled to meet his mother as she was to meet her son. She could see some similarities between them, like the red of the streaks in his hair was the red of her tip. Their right eyes matched, deep green without a pupil. The shape of his jaw, the bridge of his nose, little things that told of their connection. There were things that hinted at who his father could have been too. Sharper cheek bones, his left eye orange with a black schlera, what hair that wasn't red was lilac. And she felt him comparing them as well.
She looked to his family. Three adults, all men, sixteen and what looked like children, varied in age from the infant in the middle father's arms to what looked about fourteen. And as the father on the right (Flynn) introduced the brood, she tried to pay attention, but kept looking back to her child. And finally Flynn reached him, and Dmitri realized she was feeling sick and had to excuse herself before her dinner made a reappearance. Axïs tried to follow, but as he was the Kindred and had to stay behind settled for Tülay and Sägan escorting her.
“What's wrong, Sapling? What happened?” Tülay asked when they stopped, as she sat down again, trying to control her breathing. He sat next to her, ready to help if she did vomit, as Sägan stood next to them as well, within arms reach, but still able to protect.
“That was my son. The purple and red head. I think his name was Rhemi.” Dmitri answered, curling into her friend as she calmed down. She could feel her heartbeat slowing, and tears starting to prick at her eyes.
“Oh honey, is that why your sad? Darling, I'm so sorry. Do you want me to go tell the family? I'm sure they'd understand that you want your child.” He offered, petting her head.
“NO!” She yelled with a look of horror on her face. “Why would you tear up a family like that!? Those are his parents! I'm just crying because he was so beautiful. Doesn't he look amazing? I'm happy for him. He looked happy didn't he? I'm sorry to drag you two out here, I think I was just shocked is all.”
“What do you mean you don't want him? He's you're son, don't you want to raise him now that you don't have the empathy?” Tülay asked confused.
“Of course not, I'm just a stranger, why would I rip him away from those he loves? I just never expected to meet him again. It was surreal, like I couldn't believe that he was there. I think I'm ready to go back now, thank you.” She said, straightening her hair and clothes. “And will you not tell Axïs? He's worried enough about the battle, and me, and I don't want to distract him.”
“I think you're a bit higher on his list, and I don't think you should hide that fact that you have a child from him, but you have a point, that boy is distracted enough right now.” Sägan agreed, before leading them both back to where everyone else was sitting.
-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-
Dmitri could figure out what had awoken her. She hadn't been having a nightmare, no one was shaking her or screaming, nothing was on fire. Feeling wide awake and not wanting to wake her husband, she decided to go outside for a second. When she reached the door she realized what had woke her up. Sitting on the porch was Rhemi, quietly crying. Quickly walking over to him, Dmitri crouched down so they were eye level.
“What's wrong? And what're you doing here?” She asked him, looking him over to see if he was hurt.
“They made me stay here. Said t-that I w-was going to l-live with y-you.” He started sobbing and she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
“Who, did? Your fathers? Did they say why?” She tried to figure out why they would be giving him up, and when she couldn't think of anything she started to get angry with them for being so cruel to Rhemi.
“T-they wrote y-you a l-letter.” He answered as he handed it to her. She opened it, upset even more that they would not talk to her.
“To the wife of the Kindred and our son's mother,
We are giving Rhemi back to you. While we regret to do this, all three of us feel that you and you're husband will be able to provide a better life than the three of us. We are also sorry to leave a letter instead of face to face, but we hoped that it would be an easier goodbye for him. Please look after him well and let him know we love him and it's not his fault for this.
Flynn, Vrys, and Klast.”
“How about you come inside, I can make you a hot drink to warm you up, and after you get some sleep I'll take you back to your parents in the morning?” Dmitri asked, and when she got an affirmative, she pick him up and carried him back to the apartment she and Axïs had been given for the night.
As she was laying him down on the couch, she heard Axïs stumble out of the bedroom. “Who's this?” He asked before she shushed him and pointed to leave the apartment. She made sure Rhemi was tucked in, gave him a kiss on the forehead, and followed her husband out.
“Now are you going to answer me on who the child is and why he's here, love?” He asked as they reached the end of the hall.
“He's here because I'm his birth mother and his parents are trying to give him back to me.” She answered, frowning.
“He's your son!?” He yelled before she shushed him again. “Why didn't you tell me you had a child? And we're going to raise him? We should probab-”
“Of course we're not going to raise him!” She whispered fiercely. “In the morning I'm going to take him back home and beat some sense into them.”
“But why don't you want him? He's you're son. I mean we would have to find somewhere for you to stay when we fight, but you'll probably be to big to fight too so that should be ok.”
“I gave birth to him, but he's there son! Why would I raise him? And don't think I'm not going to be right beside you when you fight! I can protect myself!” Her voice starting rise as she continues.
“Exactly! You gave birth to him! He's your son, your family! Why wouldn't you want to raise him. And if you're too big to fight your not going to be within miles of the battle! It'll be far too dangerous!” His voice rising as well.
“THEY'RE HIS FAMILY! They're who've been raising him since he was born! I was just an incubator! I'm not going to rip him away from those he loves and love him just because we share some blood! And I am GOING to be beside you for the battle! I wasn't with you for the merge, and you could have died! I'm not risking you again!” By now her voice was edging into the realm of screaming.
“AND I AM NOT RISKING YOU OR OUR CHILD! Not that you even care about it since you're 'just an incubator'! Do you even want it!? Or are you planning on giving this one away as well!?” Axïs screaming back as well.
“OF COURSE I WANT TO KEEP IT! IT'S OUR CHILD, PART OF BOTH OF US! How dare you accuse of not caring! I care about Rhemi too, but I'm not his mother!” And she could feel tears starting to form at his words.
“What the fuck is all the screaming about you two!?” Sägan yelled, interrupting them. They then looked over to see the doors to most of the apartments open, and almost everyone looking at them in different stages of consciousness and anger or concern.
“Are you going to be okay, Miss Dmitri? You look like you're going to cry.” Knox asked.
“I'm fine hon. We're done. I'm going to go back to bed now.” She said, walking back to her and Axïs' apartment, Tülay, Llulus and Knox following her. Letting Tülay explain who Rhemi was, she cuddled into the pile of bodies settling into the bed and cried herself back to sleep.
-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-
The next morning, Dmitri, Rhemi, and Llulus left for his house. When the man who had been holding the infant the night before (Vrys?) opened the door, Rhemi immediately jumped onto him, crying. As they were asked in, the other two men joined them and shooed the kids farther into the house.
“What EXACTLY do you think you are doing giving you're child to a complete stranger!?” Dmitri immediately started.
“We didn't want to, but we wanted to make sure that he has a good life. If he's the Kindred's adopted son he'll be treated well.” Klast started.
“Our fourth, Frahl, recently died. She got sick, and it's been a strain on us all. We thought he might happy to have a mother again. We also aren't sure we'll be able to care for all the kids as well, missing a provider.” Vrys continued.
“We saw how you acted with others around you, and after Rhemi told us that you were his mother, we knew you would treat him well. We wouldn't have considered it if we didn't think that you would.” Flynn finished.
“All three of you are dumbasses. I'm sure that you'll do fine with him. Why would he want a stranger for a mother if it meant loosing his three fathers? It's looks like you already have a few children that will be able to help out. I understand that you were thinking it would help, but he's yours. I'm incredibly proud that I had part in his creation, but he's not mine. I don't feel like his mother.” Dmitri replied.
“You're right...We just...” Flynn said.
“Were trying to do what's best for him?” Llulus finished for him.
“Yes. We're sorry.” Vrys apologized.
“It's ok, everyone makes mistakes. But don't ever hurt that child again. I think it's time for my sister and I to leave, and you three need to make it up to Rhemi.” Dmitri said before standing and walking out.
When they got back to the building they had stayed at last night, both women went to pack up before leaving. When Dmitri got to her and Axïs' apartment, she hesitated before opening the door. Axïs was waiting on the couch, nothing packed up.
“I'm sorry if I made you worry” “I'm sorry that I said those things.” They both said at the same time. Dmitri continued.
“I shouldn't have yelled at you, and I should have told you when I realized he was here. I just didn't want to add anything else to your plate, and I really don't want him...”
“I'm really sorry that I said that you didn't care about the baby. I just...it doesn't make sense to me that you wouldn't want your family. But I should respect your decisions. And I appreciate what you were trying do.” He replied, standing up and coming to stand in front of her.
“I love you. More than anything in this world. You and the baby.” Dmitri whispered, hugging her husband tight.
“I love you both, too.”
