Alice knew she’d received a miracle. She’d prayed and begged the goddess, and she’d listened. She’d been heard.

She visited Calia every week, but the news was always the same. It was the best part of her week, and the most recent news hadn’t disappointed. Twins! She was having twins!

Two months prior, Alice was all but sure the babies growing in her belly were lost. She could feel their little lives slipping away, feel them fading, and there was nothing she could do. She’d never been more devastated, it was as if her soul was being torn away. But slowly things had changed. She began feeling better, filled with energy and vitality. In fact, her traits had even increased several times. Everyday she awoke full of energy, often feeling even better than the day before. But the changes to herself were such a small boon compared to the truly important change. Her children were growing stronger!

Even without Calia’s assurances, Alice could feel the vitality radiating from her stomach. A miracle had truly impacted her, and everyday she cried with joy. She and Marron had been rushing to prepare for the twins’ arrival. They’d decided to undergo the chant of reveal, and they were elated to find that they were having both a boy and a girl. Marron had been ecstatic about having a son he could teach and he was busy rushing about the farm daily.

Marron had to work sunup to sundown now that Alice was laid up with pregnancy. Her belly was so swollen with the two babes that it looked as if she’d pop. Still, she radiated vitality, but she didn’t want to disturb the babies. They were expecting them at any point and she had to be very careful. A beautiful smile bloomed across her face as she felt a strong kick from within. It was tradition to keep your child unnamed until after their first winter, but Alice disliked that tradition. Her children were going to live, she just knew it true.

She and Marron had already named two little troublemakers.

Alice laid a gentle hand on her stomach where the babe was rioting. “Little Alex is quite rowdy this morning.” She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she did. The boy, Alex, was the one who always kicked and squirmed, while the girl, Aria, was timid as a mouse. So still in fact that Alice often worried about her, but she somehow knew Aria was ok.

…

Time still held little meaning to her, but things had gotten at least somewhat more interesting. She had an understanding of her surroundings now and knew on instinct that she was within her mother’s womb, and she wasn’t alone. Her rowdy sibling was always kicking and flinging around, but it made her happy just as much as it annoyed her. She could vividly remember how still they used to be, how so very close to death.

She still cycled the music and light whenever she had a chance, but she also dedicated some time to her memories. It was odd. It felt as if she was someone, but she could hardly remember. She couldn’t remember her name and all of her memories were faint. She felt as if she had been formed and then fractured. Like something inside of her had been shattered.

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Still, she didn’t let it bother her too greatly, instead dedicating most of her time to cycling the liquid light into herself and mostly her riotous sibling. She wasn’t sure what it did, but her sibling and her had grown far stronger as she did it so she figured it couldn’t hurt. She just worried that her boneheaded sibling was going to harm their mother with all the kicking and fussing.

She was in the middle of what she was calling a cycle when a sudden pressure pressed down on her. An intense feeling of claustrophobia invaded her mind but she pushed it away, instead focusing on the ethereal melody that always seemed to float in the back of her mind. The tiny music of a violin had grown faintly with every cycle, but it was still oh so gentle, so calming.

She felt herself being guided by the constricting force, pushed in a certain way. Then her riotous sibling was crushed up against her, swinging and kicking in their boneheaded way.

She gave a deep mental sigh before gradually wiggling away from the little beast, several constrictions later, and she knew she was alone in the dark. Alone for the first time since she awoke. A deep sense of loneliness invaded her chest but it was crushed quickly as the constrictions pushed her forward. She didn’t resist as even if she did, with the severely limited movement she held, there was no fighting against her mother.

Her body was pushed along before a blinding light flared burning her irises despite her closed eyes. A loud wailing also clouded her ears, entirely overwhelming her sensitive self. “Jesus H. Christ!” She swore. It was one of the mysteries she had yet to figure out. She knew that she was swearing and knew the meaning, but she didn’t know why she knew that.

She could feel someone lift her up closer to the bright light, despite her clear objection. She kicked and swore up a storm as the glaring light grew in brightness. She could hear her sibling’s cries alongside another crying voice. “Shut up, you damn thug!” She shouted in outrage. “When I get my little mitts on you! Oh, you’re gonna be sorry!”

…

Alice had never felt more joy in her life. The contractions had been the most painful thing she’d ever experienced, but it was already so far out of her mind that it didn’t matter. Her world revolves around the two little creatures nestled in her arms.

Alexander still kicked and squirmed which didn’t surprise her in the least. She knew he was going to be spirited, but what had surprised her was how lively Aria had been at first. Her little girl had wailed even louder than her sibling. But right when Calia handed her to Alice, she had calmed down and nestled her little head against Alice’s chest, falling asleep instantly.

Alice could feel her daughter’s body contracting with every breath, that, mixed with the feeling of her son struggling silently in her grasp, filled her heart with more warmth than any fire ever could. Her children were born, and by the gods they were healthy. All of the worries and doubts that had plagued her whole pregnancy, floated away with her children's breaths.

She looked up from her daughter’s sleeping face and at her husband. Marron had been with her the whole time and the tears in his eyes were an image she would never forget. The joy practically radiated off of him.

Calia laughed from beside her, a sound full of relief and joy. “Despite having twins, yours was one of the smoothest pregnancies I’ve handled. Truly, a miracle was gifted upon you and yours.”

Alice smiled, the joyful tears flowing from her eyes like rain. “Yes. I’ve-“ she slightly choked up before continuing. “I’ve never felt more blessed.”

Alice could feel Marron gently lifting their son away from her grasp and, after a moment of panic, she relaxed her grip allowing his attempt.

Only when her rowdy son had left her grasp did Alice realize how tired she was. All of the panic and ache, stress and anxiety, leaving her body at once left her in such a drained state she could barely keep her eyes open.

As her eyelids grew too heavy to keep open, Alice heard Calia’s voice. “Sleep well, deary. We’ll get these two cleaned up.”

As Alice fell to the abyss of sleep, she heard the music of the smallest violin playing in her mind. It sounded so far away, but the peaceful music had her asleep within moments, a loving smile on her face.