Moving Day

I was frustrated and I felt like picking a fight. My round middle was so large now that I couldn’t even see my feet when walking and my body felt cramped and uncomfortable. I should be home resting on pillows and making cute little baby blankets but no, not for me. I was being jarred along on a chocobo with an attitude problem that wouldn’t stop shaking its head and wings whenever I asked it to slow down a little so my insides didn’t feel like they were being shaken like a baby rattle.

“I hate birds.” I grumbled.

“You love chocobo.” Gurok replied calmly.

“This one hates me.”

“Well you keep pulling on his face rather roughly.”

The nerve he had to disagree with me. “That’s because it won’t listen to me just like every fricken other thing in my life.”

Gurok raised his eyebrows as he watched me battle the poor bird as I pulled on its head heard enough to make it squawk franticly and take a few steps backward.

Kjarbo got down off of his chocobo and took mine by the reins. “I’ll have a talk with it.” He said with a warm smile as he walked on leading the two birds quietly. My mount lowered its head to nuzzle Kjarbo’s shoulder appreciatively and Kjarbo rubbed its cheek with kind affection.

“I’m glad he likes you.” I grumbled ungratefully as I flopped backwards against its back and stared up into the sky. I didn’t even know where we were going. I don’t think they even knew where we were going but no one wanted to tell me anything. They just told me not to worry and try to rest and other such worthless nothings.

Pulling a ginger cookie out of my bag I gnawed on in with beast-like ferocity as I scanned the party. They all looked completely preoccupied with their own thoughts. I could hear them whispering about me when they thought I couldn’t hear and it just added to my agitation.

“Where are we going? It’s nearly dark and I really could use a steak. I’m hungry.” I pouted.

“Oh me too!” Jenjen perked up and bounced on her chocobo as she licked her teeth.

Kjarbo smiled patiently up at me. “Almost to a good place to camp.”

“Camping? Please tell me you’re kidding. Did I mention I’m pregnant and I can hardly get comfortable in my own bed let alone this goddess forsaken wilderness.

No one said anything. I just rolled my eyes and went limp against my mount in a childishly overdramatic gesture of displeasure. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out loudly I watched Kjarbo as the birds plodded along slowly. The sun was going down now and soon the ghouls and bats would start to wander. Not that they were any threat to us physically but they did make the hair stand up on the back of my neck. If you looked into what could be called eyes the painful emotions of the beast would intrude into your brain as if they were your own. Not only creepy but I didn’t want to risk the baby feeling it. Who knows what that could do to a developing mind.

I became aware of the feeling of being watched. Without moving I listened first before scanning my peripheral vision. I thought I heard an extra set of footsteps in the gravely earth. I locked wide eyes with Gurok and he seemed to see what I was thinking. He stopped and looked around before getting down off his chocobo.

“Are we here?” Jenjen asked excitedly as she jumped down.

Gurok shushed her and I spotted it, a set of foot prints that didn’t belong to anyone. I pointed and a little cloud of dust ploomed up and a new set of phantom tracks started. Waving his sword over them something small fell and slid to a brief stop in the dirt knocking off the prism powder that had kept it hidden from view.

It was a short ugly little goblin. He stood up and started to run. Jenjen’s ears pricked and she was off like a shot. Tackling the little stink she took it to the ground and they rolled to a dusty stop. Biting into its neck she pinned it down her tail swishing excitedly in the air.

“Nice catch.” Gurok said with clear admiration. She looked up at him and smiled as he pushed his blade against the goblin allowing Jen to let it go. “What do you think you’re doing following us like that and then trying to run away like a coward? Not very goblin like.”

“Lusafix is sorry.” It sniveled. “Lusafix just traveling to sell wares. Don’t hurt Lusafix. Lusafix wasn’t going to harm the nice galka. Just traveling I was. No harm. No harm!”

Gurok pressed his sword into the goblin harder as he growled low and deep. “I mean you harm for coming too close unless you can convince me why I shouldn’t kill you now.”

Sliding down I pulled Kjarbo in front of me and buried my eyes in his mantel. The sight of blood made me queasy lately though it never had before and I was sure some was about to be spilt. I wanted to see what was happening but I didn’t all the same.

“Lusafix is nice peaceful merchant. Lusafix give galka nice deal on wares. Very nice.”

“I don’t believe you.” Guork glared. “I think you were following us and I want to know why. How can I convince you to tell the truth?” Gurok grinned as he stepped down on the goblins neck causing him to howl and squirm in pain.

A bomb went off and Gurok’s pants where on fire. Batting out the flames and swearing under his breath he extinguished the fire with the help of a water spell by Kjarbo. It didn’t do him too much harm but his lovely paladin armor was in need of repair and his poor calves were burnt. “That nasty lying beast. We should hurry. I’m sorry Alison but we have to travel faster. It’s not far now.” He was shaking with rage and I could tell he was holding back what colorful things I’m sure he would have said if Jenjen and I were not in ear shot.

I wanted to help. He was a little frightening when he was angry and looked like he might explode with ten times the force of the goblin’s bomb as his pale white face turned red with feeling. Coming close I clutched his coarse white hair and pulled his face down to kiss his cheek. “Thank you.” I said with a warm smile and scurried back to pull myself clumsily onto my chocobo.

I realized as unhappy as I was they were sacrificing all they could to help me. I could be a little less like a spoiled child and a little more like a dignified elvaan mother with the strength to conquer the world for my child. Holding my head high with these new ideals in my head I smiled mischievously down at my friends. “Well let’s get going then. Adventures await.”

Broken Plans

The reaction to the news that nothing awful had happened to explain my disappearance such as death, becoming the foot massage slave to an Orc, or being lost at sea was positive among my friends. To my great dismay my slight fame in my home city of San d’Oria put me in a position to be ridiculed over being pregnant. I wouldn’t say I’m considered a hero of the people or anything but anyone who doesn’t know my name is most likely comatose and near death. Sneaking around West Ronfaure one late afternoon I overheard two gossipy chocobo walkers out exercising adolescent birds.

“Oh did you hear about Alison? She popped up after being unseen for over a month.” The woman in blue started.

“No, I didn’t hear. I’m sure she needed some time to mourn. Poor dear thing.” The white haired woman said as she lowered her eyes and shook her head sympathetically.

“It’s not that. You won’t believe it. She’s pregnant and pretty far along too. I hear she could bear a child any day now!”

“How scandalous! She married that short hume for Bastok. Who’s the father?”

“Well I hear it’s an Elvaan from Windurst. He’s a fisherman and a respectable mid-level red mage.”

“Well that’s better than a hume but wow, so much for Elvaan pride. I never took her for such a dishonorable woman. She seemed so nice and always so helpful.”

“My question is: What if one of them is responsible for the death of the hume? Could it be something sinister was planned?”

“Oh goodness me, I hope not. That is not the kind of story we need going out about our people.”

I sat still as the tree I was leaning against as I listened and cried out of sight of the two yappy women as they carried on. I know I was too quick to tears with all these crazy hormones but it did all sound awful. I knew it must have gotten back to my mother but I certainly didn’t have the nerve to go into the city and talk to her yet. What if I had made a huge mistake making such a mockery of Brodie and my love? Stories like this would forever define how we would be remembered and honored and how our child Hope would be respected.

Gurok was, to put it lightly, a little miffed that I had kept him out of the loop and gone into hiding without a word to him and no excuse I could come up with would satisfy him. I even told the great beast the truth in a fit of frustration over all his questions. Crazy thing is I think he was the only one who actually believed me and finding out the truth just made him angrier that he was left out. He had taken to sleeping outside of Kjarbo and Jenjen’s cottage like an enormous guard galka reluctant to let even those with ThumbMonkey linkpearls inside without questioning.

Near the Kibubu Lighthouse I was sitting at the top of the cliffs with the water crashing below me watching the tall dhalmel chew contentedly on tuffs of grass. “I wonder what it would be like to tame and ride one.” I thought to myself. I bet they are faster and more exciting than a chocobo.

That’s when I would get the call that would crumble my peaceful plans. My linkpearl buzzed briefly as it turned on to get his call. “So Alison, we had a visitor come looking for you at the linkshell lobby.” Garness’ distinct voice reported.

I laughed. “We don’t have visitors. Either you know where the location is because you are a pearl carrying ThumbMonkey or you don’t and you can’t be transported there. Funny funny Galka.”

“Ah well I forgot to check for a linkpearl before I broke his arm.”

I stopped to think before responding. It was not like Garness to harm new linkshell members. Usually that was Beldin’s doing. I missed that crazy corsair’s mischief. If Garness had broken someone there must have been a good reason. “And why did his arm need braking?” I asked him reluctantly. “I do trust your judgment but I like to know.”

“Ah well it was kind of a spur of the moment decision. See, he said he was coming in to arrest you for crimes against your country and I said I would break his legs first. I feel kind of bad about being dishonest but his arms were simply easier to reach than his legs. As I said, it was kind of spur of the moment.”

“Now it’s both arms? Garness, dear man, I think you should tell me the whole story. Who was he?”

“I already said that. He was coming to arrest you on behalf of San d’Oria. He is a Royal Knight.”

“So what crime am I being arrested for?”

“Didn’t think to ask. He got pushy and I had to break him. I promised him I would and I am nothing if not a man of my word. I feel bad about the mix up on limbs. Think I should go find him and break his legs too?”

“Yes.” I said dryly. I’m not sure if I was kidding or not. I knew he wasn’t. I was frustrated that my plan seemed to be a failure.

“Yes Boss.” He responded dutifully. I thought I could almost hear him smiling.

“But Garness, be careful. I think I might need you in one piece and not in prison soon.”

He cut the transmission and all was quiet but the sea and the munching dhalmel. I looked over at Gurok and Jenjen sitting a good distance away but watching me. I felt bad about yelling at them earlier to let me have some space. I guess I could get a little moody lately. I smiled. Jenjen was sitting on his broad shoulder weaving little flowers into his thick white hair. He seemed completely oblivious of her. It was so cute.

I stood up and waved my arms to signal him as I called Gurok’s name over the roar of the ocean.

He leapt up as quickly as an enormous galka can, sending Jenjen tumbling off his shoulder and looking a bit surprised. Catching her in one of his great arms he lumbered over towards me carrying an angry looking Jenjen like a pack. It was time for a new plan and I figured this time I should enlist the brain power of my friends simply because I didn’t know what to do.