Summoning Stone

Chapter 6

When she came to, Tessa was groggy and lying on her side. A groan escaped as she moved just slightly. Although her belly didn't hurt, per se, she was acutely aware of pressure on her organs, the pull on her back and the stress of the weight on the flesh containing it. Tentatively, she touched her belly. First over the tangled cloth of her dress and then pushing it up so that she could better see and feel.

It had not grown by much, which surprised her. She already looked heavily pregnant. Now she could be overdue with a large boy. The size was still manageable; the problem was the weight. That had increased as much as each previous time.

Another low groan escaped her throat as she tried to lift her shoulder a little, just enough to get her other arm under her belly. Slowly, very slowly, she lifted her belly as she lifted herself. Despite her efforts to hold it up, some of the weight settled in her pelvis. It pinched her flesh and made her bladder feel like it was going to pop.

"Shit, shit, shit," she repeated as she tried to hoist herself off the bed, but the weight and inflexibility of her belly prevented her from even scooting to the edge.

And then he was there. He was never there when she woke. For the briefest of moments, she stared at the grey, statuesque figure, before her urgency doubled, "Aagg..."

Leaning down, the sidhe slipped his arm under her knees and the other under her shoulders. Like she weighed nothing, she was lifted from the bed and held against his cool, smooth body. Smooth except for the lichen that lightly scratched her shoulder. She couldn't inhale deeply, but his sweet slate scent seeped into her all the same.

In a moment she was in the bathroom and being gently lowered onto the toilet. He gathered her dress to ensure she wasn't sitting on it. No, he was lifting it off her completely. She lifted her arms to let him even as her squashed bladder released. For all that panic, it was a very short deluge.

He turned away to hang the dress off the open door and then stepped back to help her. With him holding her, she could wipe without suffocating or toppling off the toilet. And then he helped her stand up and get to the sink so she could wash her hands. He even flushed for her.

"Thank you," she thought to say as he was offering his support so she could walk back to the bed.

He didn't respond, only reached to arrange the blanket so it was not crumpled beneath her when she eased back down on the bed. Sitting behind her, then, his hand slipped across her stretched-thin skin. His cool touch caressed the darkened mass, dipping down to soothe the repeatedly pinched skin of her hips.

"How-" Tessa paused to swallow dryly, "How long until the eggs hatch?"

"They do not," the sidhe continued to rub tenderly, "Not in the way you might be thinking. They are absorbing their casings now, enveloped by my contribution and safe within you." He kissed the side of her belly and then started to move away from her.

She turned her head, not wanting him to leave. "Where are you going?"

"To get you water. Would you like something else?"

"Oh, uh," Tessa breathed shallowly. She was hungry, but she wasn't sure if anything would fit. "Milk. And, um, I think there's a package of cookies on top of the fridge. Please," she added quickly.

The sidhe acknowledged with a slight nod and then turned to go to the kitchen area.

Rubbing the huge dome of her belly, she tried to shift a little. The unnatural weight was pulling at her back, which felt stiff and strained, but she couldn't easily stretch. She grunted and groaned when she tried. Letting her head fall back, she panted lightly and watched him instead.