Elemental Fighters

Chapter 9

One evening, a couple of weeks after the fight while they were sitting around the fire, Blaze whispered softly into Winter’s ear, “Let’s make it official and get married.”
    With a surprised look on her face she said loudly, “Okay!”
    Alice started laughing and said, “It’s about time you two did.”
    Completely lost, Horace asked, “Please elaborate. I can’t see the future or read minds like Alice.”
    “Hey, I can’t read minds. I can only see the future and that isn't all of the time, either,” she retorted. “It was just a guess and I happened to be right.”
    “Well,” Blaze started, “Winter and I have decided to get married.”
    “Oh ok,” replied Horace, waving his hand at them dismissively.
    Blaze and Winter decided to get married in three days. At the ceremony Blaze was in his armor and Winter was in her's. Vulcan led the ceremony in which they mixed their elements, completing the bonding ceremony. Afterwards they had a feast with everyone joining in on the drinking and partying.
    A few days after the marriage ceremony, Blaze noticed that Winter wasn’t trying as hard as she usually did and that when practice ended she left really quickly.
    Following her into their tent he asked her, “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing’s wrong. Why would you ask that?” she replied.
    “Well, for one you weren’t really trying like you usually do and second you almost sprinted off the training field as soon as practice was over. Isn’t that reason enough?”
    “It’s nothing.” When she tried to leave, Blaze blocked her path. “I’m going to see Alice and Avana. I’ll talk to you later. Why don’t you go hang out with the guys,” Winter said with a reassuring smile. When she tried to push past him he wouldn’t budge. “Move!” she shouted at him.
    “No, talk NOW!” he yelled.
    With her anger now pushed over the line, she shot him out of the tent all the way into the training area. Then it started to pour, soaking Blaze.
    Inside Alice’s tent Avana asked, “What was that all about?”
    “He yelled at me and wouldn’t let me go past him so I moved him,” Winter simply replied.
    “Oh,” was all that she said.
    “When are you going to tell him?” Alice asked.
    “Tell him what?” Avana asked.
    “I don’t know,” Winter replied.
    “Well, you should tell him soon,” Alice said.
    “I know but I’m just not sure how he will respond.”
    “Well, there is one way to find out.”
    “I know.”
    “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?” Avana screamed.
    “Oh, sorry I’m pregnant,” replied Winter.
    “Oh, yeah, you should probably tell him," Avana said," I didn’t tell Argin about our firstborn for a while and he was mad.”
    “Wait. You have a kid?” Alice asked surprised.
    “Oh, yes, ten to be exact. They all have different clans, though.” replied Avana.
    “Wait. Wouldn’t that make you a Queen?” Winter inquired.
    “Oh; yes, Argin and I are the King and Queen of all Dwarves and Firolon is the king of all elves--even the dark elves.”
    “All right, I’m going to go and talk to Blaze about this,” Winter said.
    “Good luck,” Alice and Avana said together.

////////////////

    “Blaze, sit down and stop pacing,” Winter said, getting frustrated. “I need to talk to you about something important, but I can’t concentrate with you moving around like that.” Finally when he sat down next to her smoke coming off his body she continued, “Blaze, I’m … pregnant.”
    “What? Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “Because a girl needs to have some space and you were already acting strange. Now I’m going to bed.”
           "Wait we have to talk about this hunny. We can't leave this undiscussed." Blaze said.
            "Goodnight Blaze." Winter said and laid down
    “Goodnight, Winter,” Blaze said as he laid down next to her.

////////////////

    A couple of months later Winter went into labor. Alice’s tent got shot into the air when Alice had a vision of Winter dying while giving birth. She screamed for Horace.
    “What is it?!” he yelled as he came charging toward her. When he saw her crying he wrapped her in his arms and tried to soothe her.
    Finally when she was able to speak she said, “Winter is going to die.”
    In a loud voice that could be heard half a mile away he yelled, “BARTHOLOMEW, HELP!!!!”
    Moving so fast, Bartholomew was there and by Horace's side within a couple of minutes.
    “Alice just had a vision and she saw Winter dying while giving birth,” Horace said.
    “Don’t worry. I will make sure she lives. Alice I may need to use you to take some of the pain away from Winter. Is that all right?”
    “Of course it is.”
    When Winter gave birth, Bartholomew transferred some of the pain to Alice so that it would not kill Winter. She stood there, not even flinching, but instead she just let tears fall from her emotionless face.
    The child was a little boy who could control fire and water. Blaze and Winter decided to name him Ezra.