Kreet nodded, and she did feel reassured. Scared, still, but better. Yet this was what she wanted, wasn't it? What she'd wanted for years in fact. But now that she was staring her future full in the face, it scared her. Still, she supposed, it would probably scare any first-time mother. From what she knew, at least she took some comfort in the simple fact that birthing for kobolds was likely a lot easier than that of humans. The hips that had flared out under her waist and caused her such embarrassment when she had crossed puberty now gave her some assurance that, indeed, she was designed for this.

And two of them - that wasn't so bad. Kobolds were known to give birth to a lot more than two on occasion. She had been born without any twins, herself, but all three of her older brothers had been born at once.

In her native kobold language, 'hatched' was a perfectly acceptable term, but she had been speaking in the human tongue for so long now it just didn't feel right. She didn't like to think of her children as being 'hatched'. At least she didn't have to pass gangly elbows and knobby knees, not to mention the umbilical cord and placenta that humans had to endure. Eggs might seem animalistic to humans, but frankly she was quite happy that her babies would be born in nice, compact and best-of-all, smooth format!

But still... how on earth could she ever... so big. She closed her eyes and felt the rocking of the bench. Somehow, she would manage. The goddess had said so.

And then she felt the hand of the goddess on her again.

"Kreet? You're sleeping. Why don't you go in to Kallid?"

Groggily she nodded and stepped off the bench.

"I think I'll head in too," Sigmundurr said, yawning widely. "Good day Eilistraee. And Sir Bart."

The old man waved his pipe in acknowledgement. "Well, Eilistraee," he smiled to the goddess. "Want to take a stroll with me around the place?"

"That sounds like a fine idea, Sir Bart. Sig, Kreet, I'll join you a little later."

And with that, Sigmundurr held the door for Kreet into the dark interior of the house. She looked at the incongruous sight of an old man and a beautiful naked drow goddess strolling through the sun-dappled grass, hand in hand.

Kreet smiled at her snoring husband when she entered the little bedroom. It was a cute sound, more of a rumble than Sigmundurr's loud cacophony. She snuggled under the blanket beside him and he stirred, and pulled her hand around himself.

She heard Sigmundurr climb into the small bed and wondered for a moment where Eilistraee was going to sleep, but realized the goddess probably wouldn't sleep at all anyway. Instead she felt the vibrations of her husband's breathing and she laid her snout on top of his shoulder. Pregnant she may be, but this was nice. She realized she was falling in love, if a little belatedly, with her children's father. He might be smaller than her, but he had a good heart. That meant a lot. And then all was darkness and warmth and she didn't dream.

Hours later she felt Kallid stir behind her and get up out of bed. Vaguely she heard him emit a little squeak and she turned to look at him, but he shook his head, indicating it was nothing and he went out of the room, carrying his sunglasses with him.

He returned a few minutes later, and she went back to sleep. She awoke to her husband waking her in a very intimate way.

"Kallid," she whispered. "Not here!"

Her husband giggled and turned himself back around from his rather unusual position.

"Okay," he whispered. "But come look!"

Kreet rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood up, looking at where Kallid was pointing with a ridiculous grin on his face.

In the small bed, Sigmundurr continued to snore loudly, but underneath the blanket with him, the goddess lay with her head across his chest, apparently sleeping too.

Kreet's eyes went wide. "Do you think?"

Kallid shrugged, but took her by the hand and led her out into the main room. The old man was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't get it. Eilistraee didn't even like him! Now she's sleeping with him?" Kreet said quietly to Kallid in the kobold language.

"You think goddesses even... do that?"

"No idea. I guess they can, if they want, right? I mean, she eats and drinks with us."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Kallid shrugged.

"Wait. They couldn't have. I mean, I don't know for sure, but something tells me Sigmundurr would be... loud."

Kallid nodded. "True. I doubt we would sleep through anything like that."

Kreet considered further though, "Then again, Eilistraee could... make us not hear if she wanted to. But no, I don't think so. She sure is being awfully chummy with him though, isn't she? Why?"

"I'm working on him, Kreet," Eilistraee said, walking into the room and speaking in perfect kobold.

Kallid giggled and Kreet gave him a look before turning back to the goddess who sat beside them.

"You, might want to clarify that a little," Kreet said.

"You know his nature, Kreet. While not evil, Sigmundurr is a violent man. And very headstrong. Not unlike some drow in many ways."

"You're changing his nature?" Kreet asked. "I don't know if... It doesn't sound right."

"Not through any means you might think. That would prove nothing if I just changed him like that. I have to work through experience on him. I am trying to show him that gentleness has its merits too. And I think it's working."

"But, I thought you didn't like him."

"I didn't say that, Kreet. I said you'd regret bringing him with you. And you will. But you said it yourself. Chaos, rage, anger. They have their place too. They just need to be moderated. I'm trying to provide that. And I think he's beginning to see it too."

Kallid had to ask the question that both the kobolds were wondering. "Did you... you know... "

The dark woman smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"That, little kobold, is not for you to be concerned about. But you are a curious race. No. Not that I haven't considered it, but that would be too much, I think. Mortals are tricky in that regard. It's far from unheard of, you know. Some gods play with mortals all the time - almost always to the mortal's regret. But there is something in you mortals that make so much more of it than just a fling, especially when it's with one of us. Then we get a simpering worshiper that often has lost all the qualities that we liked in the first place. In the case of Sigmundurr, that would be like castrating a dog. I don't want that. I am attracted to him - yes, even we gods can fall in love. And lust. But I don't want to change him that much. I just want to... gentle him a little."

"I think it's working," Kreet nodded. "He's different."

"I know. But I have little time left, I'm afraid. Tonight you'll reach the village, and I can no longer travel with you."

"Aww," Kallid said, his eyes turning mournfully dark. Kreet felt hers do the same. "You're leaving us?"

Eilistraee held his head in her hands. "Yes, Kallid. It's one thing for me to be seen strolling around in the countryside. But quite another to be seen in a village. It could be done, but it would alter things too much. No, my time with you is nearly over - at least for now. But I'll see you again, I promise."

Turning to Kreet, she laid a hand on her belly and smiled genuinely. "I'll see you before these arrive, Kreet. Oh they're going to be something, Kreet. These two are going to be... something."

Kreet looked at Kallid.

"Your babies, Kallid."

Suddenly he realized what they were talking about.

"Not the quickest kobold, is he?" Eilistraee laughed.

"No," Kreet agreed as she took her husband's and and put it on her belly with Eilistraee's. "Not the quickest. Just the best."

"We'll miss you," Kallid said when he managed to move his deep-red eyes away from Kreet.

"I know," Eilistraee said, and stood up from the couch where they had been sitting. "And I'll miss you too. Even you, little father. But it's time for your lives to get back to normal. You'll think back to these days like you were under an enchantment. Maybe you were. But you need to go back to getting scratches, and bug bites, and hunger and thirst. I'll be watching though. I won't be your protector, but I will be watching. Sorry, no, I won't come when you call for me. It doesn't work like that. You need to live your lives, and all won't be rosy. That's life."

Kreet inhaled deeply, knowing the truth behind her words. "Back to life," she said exhaling.

"Yes. back to life. Speaking of which..." said the drow goddess, turning towards the doorway to the bedroom.

Sigmundurr was stirring, and in a minute he stood in the doorway, blanket wrapped around himself. He was looking confused. The two kobolds got off the couch as Eilistraee motioned for him to sit beside her.

"Sorry Sigmundurr," she said. "That was probably too bold of me. Please, don't read too much into it."

"Oh, of course not!" he laughed, and slapped her leg which startled even the goddess. "Why, I sleep with goddesses all the time. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you always wake up with the worst breath!"

"What?" Eilistraee said, shocked. "What do you mean? My breath is..."

"It's beautiful, of course", said the big man, and kissed her full on the mouth.

It may have been the first time Kreet realized that the goddess could be surprised, and by the look on Kallid's face when Kreet turned to him, she saw the same look there.

"Sigmundurr!" Eilistraee shouted, bolting from the couch. "Really! This is too much. I'm sorry I even..."

"You're leaving us tonight, aren't you," he stated, not really a question.

"Well, yes. I have to."

"Where's the old man?"

"He's just out down the road visiting a neighbor a few miles away. He's fine. But really, about your..."

Sigmundurr held up a finger, which oddly worked to shush the goddess.

"And what time is it outside? Is it dark yet?"

"Almost, but what on earth do you think gives you the right to..."

"Kreet, would you mind if you and Kallid go out and check on the cats for a while?"

"The cats? What's..." Kallid began, but Kreet took his hand and filled it with his sunglasses.

"About an hour's worth of checking should be fine," Sigmundurr said as he took Eilistraee's hand. She didn't pull it away.

Kreet and Kallid stepped through the door into dusk. Fireflies were just coming to life and they saw no cats.

The house was a small one, and not well insulated. Kallid and Kreet had to stroll quite a way down the path that led to it before they were sufficiently out of earshot of the other two. And Sigmundurr wasn't the only voice they heard, though the mortal and the goddess weren't talking.

"Think he'll be alright?" Kallid asked as the two stopped to skip some stones across a small pond beside the path.

"Who knows? But I don't picture that man ever becoming some sort of lapdog either, goddess or no."