Paladin - the path begins

Chapter 17

Tar'vid woke to the sound of Luna retching into their chamber pot, he rolled out of bed to help her and couldn't help noticing her growing belly more each day. Though she wasn't fat by any means he thought, feeling the muscle in her arms as he held back her hair as she retched again. After a few moments, she sat back on the bed breathing heavily. Tar'vid wiped her face with the bed sheet. He had to admit he was a little scared. Luna eventually relaxed in his arms, staring up at him.

"Well, it seems our situation has gotten a little more complicated," she said to him, her voice a little hoarse.

"Are you ill, I can heal you no problem" he replied looking into her eyes, they sparkled like gems in the moonlight.

"No Tar'vid I'm not ill, I'm pregnant!" she told him, collapsing back in his arms again.

He couldn't help but smile at the news, sure this would complicate things drastically, but he would have a family of his own. He had always had Tar'son it was true and he was like a father. But blood family somehow felt more tangible, more real to him.

"We have to keep this to ourselves if my father finds out we're both going to be hunted down. I'm guessing you know little of half-elves" she asked, looking up at him once more.

"Only that they're nearly indistinguishable from other elves and retain all the traits of their parents" he replied unsurely. Other than a princess being above his place in the hierarchy, he didn't understand why her father would kill her.

"Yindar, the religion of Keldran and several other elven states forbid the mixing of bloodlines. Our children will be born sterile and the gods decreed mixed species as the death of the elven people. As such many take it as a great affront to elven honour, generally killing the elven parent and in recent years the child is given to the Paladins to punish the child. Don't look at me like that, it's hardly how I view the world is it?" she said in a scolding tone, sitting on the bed and slowly lying down closing her eyes.

"That's a lot to take in" he replied, sitting beside her.

"I know, I'm sure we'll be fine. I'm so tired" Luna said with a sigh.

"I'll let you sleep then, I've got training at Bruhnel's compound. Perhaps Morkin or Tarquin know about the upcoming routes?" he said, kissing her forehead gently.

"Okay, I'll join you later" she replied, falling asleep quickly.

Tar'vid pulled a new sheet over her, covering the sheet with several animal furs. It was probably warmer now, but he didn't want to take any chances with the baby. He dressed quietly, not wanting to disturb Luna and slipped out the house, picking up Torgard on the way out. The sky was lightening as he reached Bruhnel's compound with a stiff wind blowing down the street billowing his cape as a light rain started to patter down on the stone road.

"Morning Tar'vid, none of them are up yet, but your welcome to wait in the mess hall if you like," the gate guard said to him kindly, Tar'vid thought his name was Earkheart but he couldn't be sure.

"Thanks" he replied, stepping through the small gateway and into the courtyard.

Tar'vid made his way to the practice yard and as the guard had said the whole area was empty. He propped Torgard against a covered seating area, pulling up the heavy cover of the practice weapon rack and taking a weighted bastard sword from it. The sword was twice Torgards weight but was necessary for his strength training. Tar'vid stepped into the centre of the yard, slowly starting to work through the sword forms, building speed and power rapidly until the rest of the world seemed to blur from the speed of the motions. He slowly started to reduce the speed of his motion, finishing back into his original stance. As he looked down at the ground he smiled, seeing that he had moved no more than a foot either side of his position, the speed of his swings having created a small circle around himself. As he lowered the sword Tar'vid noticed several people had been watching him as Tarquin entered the yard, stifling a yawn.