Doom Upon All The World

Chapter 11: All The Rest

"Oh, Josephine! You're glowing!" Maeve squealed in a cheery voice as the Antivan walked through the door. Josephine laughed. "No, dear. I'm pregnant." She joked with a chuckle as she stepped through the door, hugging Maeve tightly. She walked further in, embracing both Solas and Cassandra though they were so obvious in objection to it. She didn't see it though. Maeve thought it funny how alike the two were and how rarely they got along. Nevertheless Solas and Cassandra were huge parts of Maeve's life and they accepted that for her benefit.

Claude and Philippe stepped through the door and the little girl gripped Maeve around the middle. She curled her fingers around a strand of the Elf's hair and gasped. "I love your hair, Auntie Maeve!" She exclaimed in her thick Antivan accent. Claude's comment made her think back to earlier and having to fix it after having Solas' hands in it. She shook the thought from her mind and looked at the child with a sweet smile. She thought it funny how uncanny the resemblance between mother and daughter was. Nicolynn looked nothing like Maeve. She was all Solas. All dark straight lines and bright blue shades matched with pale flawlessness.

Solas often said that while Nicolynn had his hair and eyes she was made as beautiful as she was because Maeve was her mother. Maeve would blush at his compliment every time, no matter how many times she heard it. Philippe hugged Maeve briefly and ran to catch up with his sister. Claude was far more interested in speaking with Cassandra than anyone. The girl had an odd fascination with Cassandra and her station. It was amusing really, considering Cassandra's distaste for Antivan products. Pierre paid Maeve little attention. Giving her a kert nod and bowing slightly before entering the home with his hands promptly behind his back. That kid had a real stick up his butt and a huge chip on his shoulder.

Josie stood beside Cassandra, Cullen on the other side of her as she rested her hand over her pregnant belly. She gazed around at her children as Tom entered the house, shaking Maeve and Solas' hands. "One, two, three..." Josie counted with a crinkle in her brow before turning to Tom. "Tom, do you have," She stopped herself upon seeing that he did indeed have the fourth child. "Yes, Love." He said with a smile in his low voice. Cullen walked up and shook his hand. "You've been busy, old champ." Cullen commented. Tom gave a snorted laugh. He knew for certain that Cullen meant the number of children they had and was not even a little ashamed.

"What can I say? She is more feisty than she looks." Tom gave Josephine a suggestive twitch of the eyebrows as he set Julien on the couch. The three year old stood, leaning against the back of the seat and stared at Solas, observing him thoughfully. No one seemed to notice though. "That's quite a bit more information than I needed to receive, friend." Cullen told him with a bit of flush at the thought of Josephine that way. Everyone around the pair of them laughed. Solas patted Cullen on the shoulder and gave a grin that told Cullen he deserved it. "Now you know how we all felt earlier." He told the Templar. Laughter erupted around them and Cullen shook his head as Cassandra came to stand beside him.

She stroked his shoulder lovingly, in support clearly seeing his embarrassment. "Josephine, should we be expecting to have another child of yours delivered on the night of our gathering?" Maeve questioned sarcastically. The usually thin, frail woman was bigger than Maeve thought she could ever be. Josie just laughed at this. "You do look as if you're about to pop, Josie." Cassandra chimed in. She was thankful to have never gotten that big when she had Anthony. Then again he was a tiny babe to begin with. She just laughed at everyone's remarks. Eventually when she got it under control and Tom helped her to a seat she blushed at hiding something.

"Actually, I'm not that close to being due." She admitted, confusing everyone in the room minus Tom. He seemed to chuckle to himself at all of their faces. "My physician believes we're expecting twins again!" She explained. Maeve felt a rush of happiness flood her at the news. Josie seemed to jump and covered a particular spot on her tummy. "And they are seemingly excited tonight." She said as Maeve frolicked to her side. "Here, feel." She placed Maeve's hand over the place on her torso. Everyone else watched as Solas stepped to stand by Cullen. Both had their arms against their chest. They watched as Maeve swooned over the feeling of a child kicking its mother.