The Fire and the Storm - Metric Pro Edition: Fiction, Dragons, Elves, Unicorns, Magic (4 page)

“All right, that’s a plan then.” Mark nodded.  “We’ll be ready in a week.  I’m sure we’ll have no trouble finding friends to join us.  Who wouldn’t want an extra twenty-four years before we fight the demons?”

“A week is not long, to prepare for such a withdrawal.” Talia mused as she wrapped an arm around Mark’s thigh and hugged it.  “So I suppose we should begin as soon as we can, which is right now.  I’ll inform First Minister Sheramiv and have her prepare the world and our schedule for our absence.  And then, my love, we need to have a serious and private discussion about how we will raise our children.”

“Agreed.” Mark said as he picked her up and cuddled her.  “I have a few more questions to ask here while you’re talking to Sheramiv.”

As Talia cast Speaking to their First Minister, Mark inquired of Falgaroth; “Time will be passing a hundred and forty-four times faster outside the time-bubble, so does that mean that the land inside it will get less heat and light and magic power from the sun by that ratio?”

“We’ll compensate for that, either with our power, or by storing power to be gradually released within the time-bubble.” Visinniria explained.  “You might not have your full power, but you should not be so diminished as to inconvenience you.”

“Okay.  What will the border look like, from inside and from outside?  And what’ll happen to people and animals that try to cross it?  And will those of you who are casting it be able to follow what’s happening inside it, or communicate into it?”

“The border will not be detectable to any mortal or animal.”
Falgaroth answered. 
“The area of the time-bubble should have the same conditions on all sides surrounding it.  It can be surrounded by forest or grassland or desert, so long as the terrain is similar on all sides.  An island would be perfect.  Those who look into the time-bubble from outside it will see what is on the opposite side.  Those who try to cross the border will be undetectably transported to the opposite side.

Those who look over the border from inside will see a convincing illusion of what is outside, adjusted for time of day and season.  Any who try to pass over the border from inside will meet an invisible and impenetrable barrier.

“Truly, it will be a complex working to maintain it for the two month period.  We will have to affect the mind of any who are transported across it, to hide the geographical inconsistency, and there are many other compensations to be taken care of.

“And, while it is theoretically possible that we who are casting the time-bubble could indeed observe and communicate with those within, it is very doubtful that we will.  Either task would require a considerable expenditure of concentration that is better used elsewhere.”

“So you’re saying we’d better be damned sure we’ve got everything we could possibly need, because we won’t be able to get any help or resupply for twenty-four years.” Mark said, partly pre-occupied as he considered the preparations they would have to make.

“That is correct.”
Falgaroth confirmed.

“Sheramiv is adjusting our schedule and preparing for our absence.” Talia reported.  “She’s not terribly happy about it, largely because she knows how many others are going to be unhappy about it, but we can’t please everyone all the time, I suppose.”

“No, but you can please me by inviting us to be part of your isolated little community.” Dalia giggled as she hugged Bezedil with one arm.

“Certainly sister.  It would be hard to be apart from you for twenty-four years.” Talia told her with a smile, then looked to her parents.  “I hope you can join us as well, though I understand if you cannot, due to your duties.”

“I don’t see why not.” Yazadril stated as he rubbed his chin and considered the question.  “The conspiracy is dealt with, we won’t be dealing with the demons for at least a year, and things have stabilized nicely in Serminak, largely due to the efforts of Povon and Kragorram.  And as I’ve said before, The High People require very little governing.”

“Of course we’ll join you!” Nemia laughed as she hugged Yazadril with her right arm and Hilsith with her left.  “I am certainly not going to miss my grandchildren’s childhood!”

“Kragorram and I will join you as well, if we may?” Povon inquired.  “We’ve already rebuilt and improved Zarkog’s system in Serminak, and if Zarkog could take months off at a time for astronomy, we can certainly take two months to have some children, and to enjoy more of Karzog’s childhood.”

“You certainly may!” Mark chuckled.

“Of course we must come too!”
Equemev declared. 
“We have already planned that our children should be friends in their childhood years, and I think it will be wonderful!”

“I would very much appreciate being included as well.” Alilia added.

“All right.  Who else should we ask?” Talia asked Mark.

“The Hilian volunteers will all want to come, I’m sure, and some of The Atoned will too.” Mark thoughtfully replied.  “And I’d like to invite other elf and human mixed couples, like maybe Dulyamil and Meri, so our kids aren’t the only half-elven, half-human kids around.  And I’d like to invite any of my family from Finitra that want to come, and your family from The Nine Valleys.  And some of our buddies from Norka’s in Latrel.”

“I’d like to invite Theramin and Yzell.” Talia mused.  “We’ll be a community dedicated to having children, and she’s the world’s finest midwife.  And Theramin is a wonderful elf in all respects, as well as being one of the finest horticultural wizards and a premier shape-shifter.”

“We should just invite everyone we know on a personal basis.  Including all of you here today.”

“Thank you, but I believe I speak for Tithian when I say that our duties would not allow such a sudden and prolonged absence.” Somonik said, and Tithian added her psionic agreement.

“And I would join you, but my romance with Somonik here is really getting quite good now, so I will also decline.” Grakonexikaldoron explained.

“Thank you for the offer.” Amirgath chuckled.  “But for a god, being limited to the interior of a small time-bubble for twenty-four years would be more than a bit restricting.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Quewanak thoughtfully stated.  “I think I’ll accept.”

The other gods there declined.  Then Falgaroth and Visinniria were the first to take their leave, and the rest quickly departed, most to prepare for their extended absence from the rest of the world.

Soon Mark and Talia were alone.  Mark sat on the sand and leaned back on a sitting log, and Talia curled up in his lap.

“So, what are your thoughts on the raising of children, my love?” Talia asked as she kissed him under his chin.

“I’m not sure.” Mark replied as he absent-mindedly caressed her.  “On the one hand, I’d like to raise them as much like I was raised as we can.  But on the other hand, I won’t lie to them, so they’re gonna
know
about our regular life here, even if they’re not living it at the time.  Knowing that they’re really wealthy princes and princesses might make them less appreciative of a basic life than I was.”

“True.  I also want to raise them much as I was raised, including as much training in wizardry and magecraft as they’ll accept.  They’ll have an idyllic twenty-four years with us in the time-bubble, I hope, but after that, they’ll be out in the world with us during the war with the demons.  I hope very much to keep them out of combat completely, but in case we can’t and they have to fight, I want them as prepared as we can possibly make them.”

“That’s some serious truth.” he nodded.

“So.” she said as she turned to face him, then caressed his chest.  “How many shall we have?”

“Well, I’d like to have at least one boy and one girl.  And I’d have been satisfied with having sixteen years to raise them.  I think I’m proof that we can raise kids to be fully mature and self-sufficient adults by the time they’re sixteen.  So that gives us at least eight tries to have a boy and a girl.  If we get a boy and a girl on the first two tries, we can wait a couple of years and see how it goes with them before we decide if we’ll have any more.”

“That sounds good.  Except that I don’t want to have more than four young children at once, and then only if we can devote ourselves to parenting full-time.  If I had to work at a full time occupation, I would not want to have more than two young children at once.  Don’t misunderstand; I plan to have dozens of children with you over the centuries, but the first few years of a child’s life are so critical, and there are only so many hours in a day.  I once wondered how humans who have large families avoid attention-starvation and neglect in their youngest, so I researched it.  And the answer is; when a couple have more than five children, the oldest ones do much of the child-rearing work with the younger ones.  Which I think is unfair to both groups, and less healthy for them as well.

“Almost all elven children are the only child in their household when they’re growing up.  Elven couples will usually wait until a child is completely grown and has left their parental home before they decide to have another one.  At least one parent is available to every child at every minute of the day or night, always.  When Dalia and I were born, Mother and Father gave up or delegated every duty but raising us until we were fourteen, and only then did they gradually begin to add other responsibilities to their schedules.

“As long as both of us devote ourselves to parenting as our only occupation, I’m fine with having four young children at once.  If they’re all boys or all girls, we’ll just have to try again after the nexus.  Or perhaps we’ll have time for another score of years in another time-bubble before then.”

“Okay, I’m fine with that.” Mark grinned and gave her a kiss.  “And since much of our raising of children will involve the teaching of magic, and the Alliance wants us to get better at that, everyone should be fine with giving us another two months off in the real world over the next year.  Particularly if our kids turn out to be exceptionally capable.”

“Mmhm.” she agreed as she returned his kiss, kneeling up on his thighs for comfortable positioning.  She drew back a little and grinned.

“I am going to be pregnant in less than three minutes from now.” she announced, and Translocated their clothes two meters in the air and two meters to her right, where they flopped and fluttered to the ground as she reached down to adjust him.

“Oh, I think it’ll take at least fifteen minutes longer than that!” he chuckled.

“It will not.  I’ve learned your responses well enough to assure it, if I so choose.  We can play some more after I’m pregnant, to celebrate the occasion.”

As it turned out, she was right.

Ninety minutes later, after they had swum in the lagoon and repaired their appearances, they were still grinning like fools with joy at what they had done.

“Well, we need to contact everyone we’re inviting and explain what we’re doing, and see if they want to come along.” Mark said as he drew a shirt over his shoulders.  “And we need to decide where we’re going to live for the next twenty-four years.  Once we’ve got those done, we should start getting it ready for us right away.  Everyone else is going to want to prepare their homes there too, and be done with it by the time the time-bubble goes up.”

Talia was drawing a dress on over her head, and at that moment she stopped and held absolutely still for a second, then hurriedly finished pulling it on and laid her hands on her belly.  Her face lit up with vibrant joy as she blurted; “I’m pregnant!”

“I know, my love, we’ve been celebrating it for over an hour!” Mark laughed as he swept her up and hugged her.

“No, you great silly oaf, I mean I’m pregnant
again!
  On the other side this time!  We’re going to have
twins!”
she informed him, her hands still pressed to her tummy.

Mark stopped and stared at her in surprise for a moment, then couldn’t help but hold her away from him and stare at her tummy, like he could see the life growing there.

“Great gods!  That’s amazing!” he finally exclaimed.

“It is!” she giggled.  “The very first time we’ve made love without the contraceptive spell, and we’ll have
two
babies!  It’s so very unusual in every way!  As Yzell said, we should barely be fertile with each other
at all
, let alone be able to produce twins on our first attempt!  And it’s rare for a pregnancy to begin so long after our lovemaking!  It was over thirty-six minutes after you last fertilized me when it happened!  One twin will be almost an hour older than the other!”

“Can you tell if they’re boys or girls?” he asked, his grin so wide it was hurting his face a bit.

“No, not for weeks yet.  Though Yzell might well be able to.”

“Okay, we’ll invite her and Theramin first then!” he laughed.  “We’ll have them all meet us at the cottage so we can do the planning.”

And with that, he Translocated them to their patio.  They quickly reviewed their tentative list of invitees, added a few more to it, them Mark cast Battalion Command to call them all at once.

“Hi, it’s Mark and Talia!  We’ve called you all to invite you to spend some time with us…”

He quickly explained what they were going to do and why, and invited them all to join him and Talia at Hilia to talk about it that evening.  He asked those who needed help with the Translocation to give the time they wished to come, so they could be transported when they were ready.  They asked Yazadril, Nemia, Theramin, Yzell, and Quewanak to arrive at their earliest possible convenience, to help with the planning and research.

Almost everyone they’d invited to join them agreed to come, and many of
their
families and friends also asked to come, not wanting to miss so many years of their loved-ones’ lives.

When the last guest arrived for the meeting at Hilia that night, the attendees included 261 humans, 225 elves, 12 unicorns, and 4 dragons including Quewanak, who also represented the gods. 

“This is going to be interesting.” Mark chuckled as he surveyed the gathering.  “We have almost all of my family from Finitra out to second cousins and some of their friends, and their friends’ families, one hundred and sixty-six Finitrans all together.  It’ll be challenging learning to tell all the Longstrider men and boys apart from each other.  We have newlyweds Nek and Reen and six more of our friends from Norka’s in Sming, and their families and friends, for a total of fifty-five Smingans. And we have sixteen human-elven mixed couples, and
their
families and friends.  Among the other elves we have all of the original Hilian Volunteers and twenty-one of The Atoned and some of their families and friends, a bunch of your family from The Nine Valleys, and a few of Alilia and Bezedil’s family and friends from The People of Life.  Silaran and Equemev have ten of their family and friends.   Kragorram and Povon just have little Karzog.