It turns out that getting Elzbieta to the temple and into the care of Wislawa is the easy part. Never mind that she is gratefully leaning onto me. It is more a expression of gratefulness than anything else. I'm pretty certain that she would have been able to make the short trip to the temple without any help too.

And of course the priestess is already waiting for us as we enter the anteroom. Her clairvoyance would be a little scary, if it weren't comforting and reassuring at the same time too. Yes, it actually is quite comforting to know that she keeps watching out for us.

The priestess isn't quite done with me yet though. As she accompanies Elzbieta inside she addresses me.

“Valeria, would you be so kind, as to get either Agnieszka or Urszula for us? Either one will be fine. Both would be better.”

Both would be better. Somehow that sounds a little ominous out of her mouth. I don't question or second guess her though. She isn't doing this for the first time. She knows better than me. That much is for sure. I swallow hard and simply nod.

“I'll be right back.”

With those words I'm off like greased lightning. I don't head up the road that leads to both the house of my neighbor as well as that of Urszula at first though. Instead I decide to check the inn first, in case either of them is in.

Urszula usually cooks for her family at home, but Agnieszka comes down here at times. Especially in the evening. It really is for the best if I check the inn first.

I pretty much forget all about the shield and the pebbles I'm still carrying around with me in the process. These things simply don't really matter right now. I can still take care of that project another time.

Agnieszka is indeed here. Before I can approach her, I spy someone else though. It's Ryszard, Urszula's eldest. He is sitting with Tamara and the rest of her group. They aren't splurging, but they certainly are eating well and resting up after their recent adventure.

I fish a bronze Crown from my purse as I move towards them and as I get close enough I snap it at the boy who has already noticed me.

He catches it out of reflex.

I have to admit that I'm mildly impressed. I half expected it to smack him in the face. He is a little confused though, staring first at the coin and then at me.

“”Wha …?"

Before he can even finish forming the first word I interrupt him.

“Could you go and get your mother? Real quick? Wislawa asks for her, over at the temple.”

Maybe its my tone. Maybe he just doesn't want to second guess some good fortune. Either way, he thankfully doesn't question me or my request. He just nods and pockets the coin as he gets up. He only nods at the others at the table briefly.

“Be right back.”

Then he is off, while the others are still looking at me, a little confusion evident in their gazes. In the end it's not one of the adventurers who asks the obvious question, but Krystina who puts a hand on my shoulder as she walks up to us.

“Whats up?”

I turn and let out a sigh.

“Elzbieta. I think its time.”

“Oh!”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

She nods in understanding and so do Tamara and the rest of her little group. It seems Agnieszka has heard too, as she joins us as well.

“It's time? Should I come too?”

I nod.

“Wislawa said to either get you or Urszula, but that both would be better.”

The older woman winces briefly. Then she finishes her mug in one quick gulp.

“I better not dally then. If she wants both of us she might suspect that this won't be an easy birth. Better be safe rather than sorry in that case. And speaking of that, Valeria, could you bring us a potion or two, just in case?”

I lick my lips, which have suddenly become rather dry, and nod.

“Sure. Healing potions? And maybe a stamina potion?”

She flashes me a reassuring smile.

“Yes, please! Oh! Since you mentioned stamina potions, Nuutti, wanted to talk with you too.”

She nods in the direction of the elf in question, then she is off to the temple.

I in turn let out another sigh. Well, that is taken care of. Now I just have to see about those potions.

Before I can leave Nuutti of the Iivari joins me. He must have finished his own drink real quick too.

“I'll accompany you, if you don't mind.”

“Sure!”

It isn't that I want to conclude my business with him right now, but it keeps me from fretting too much about things I can hardly influence anyway. And besides, it will take another thing off my plate. Thus we head to the shop together.

We enter through the back. I don't feel like wasting time opening and later closing the front door to the shop. Nuutti only drops by to collect the potion he ordered anyway and he doesn't haggle. Thus we conclude our transaction with a handshake pretty quickly.

I drop the shield and the shiny pebble I intend to be socketed to it's front on the counter too. That can wait for now. Instead I grab a few potions. Two potent healing potions and two stamina potions, one of the latter is one of the crazy powerful ones I have left over after my deal with Nuutti. The other is a more basic stamina potion. The kind Elzbieta is very much used to.

I can still get more for Wislawa and the others should Elzbieta's little one take their sweet time to come into the world. On a hunch I grab a Mana potion for the priestess too, just in case.

I make sure the bottles all have properly labeled tags and I check all of them with appraisal too for good measure, to make sure none have gone bad. Then I gather them up in a basket and head back down to the temple.

As I make my way to my destination, short as it may be, I can't help but notice that I'm trembling a little. I'm not the only one to notice either.

That much becomes obvious as Urszula catches up with me. I haven't noticed her approach from behind. I haven't noticed Ryszard either, who follows a few steps behind his mother. To be honest though, he has started to move much more carefully ever since he ventured forth into the Twilight Forest with the other youngsters. Maybe he'll become a pretty decent adventurer after all. He certainly seems to be growing into the role.

He just flashes me an apologetic smile, before he heads towards the inn instead of following us further towards the temple. Urszula in turn wraps an arm around me to pull me into a quick hug. It's probably intended to reassure me and to be honest it does. Milena, whom she carries in a wrap blinks up at me sleepily.

“Don't worry. I'm sure Elzbieta will be fine. Between Wislawa and Agnieszka we have a lot of skills, gifts and spells that will help to make sure of that. I'm probably just there to lend a hand and maybe learn a thing or two.”

Then she nods towards the basket with potion bottles I'm carrying.

“And if those are anything like your grandmother's we are even well prepared for the most dire emergencies. Not that I believe that anything of the sort will come to pass.”

Her words help reassure me further. Yet I can't help but worry, even if just a little, anyway and Urszula seems to notice. She pats me on the back once more.

“You are to be the little one's godmother, right? Why don't let me take the basket with the potions and get the present you prepared for the naming ceremony instead. You don't have to join us, but you could wait in the anteroom.”

She nods to herself.

“Yes, in fact that might be for the best. You could lend a hand by taking care of little Milena in the meantime. If you don't mind that is. And I'd like to have you close by anyway. Your auspicious aura gift might help smooth things out too. And besides, I think that its a good omen for a little to enter this world under the effect of an aura like that.”

I nod and we shift about our burdens. She takes the basket with the potions and I in turn take little Milena, who barely takes any note of the exchange at all, as she is already fast asleep again.

Then we part ways. She continues on towards the temple, while I return back home once more to get the enchanted diapers I prepared. I make sure my steps are measured though. I don't want to wake little Milena after all. Not right now anyway. Once I have what I came for, I head right back down to the temple though, where I make myself comfortable in the anteroom. While the other women are busy.