The Azure Trail by Zenaida

The Azure Trail

Lapis Lazuli

She watched him in the mirror as he opened the lid to the velvet box that he had placed on the vanity beside her. Inside was a stunning golden necklace with a pendent of lapis lazuli. She watched his movements as he dropped the necklace in front of her face before clasping it around her neck. She looked at the rich blue stone that hung from her neck, feeling the weight of it. The pendant was ringed with intricate gold detailing and suspended from an equally delicate chain. 

Peering in the mirror at herself, she traced the goldwork with her fingertips as she caught sight of the golden eyes that were watching her from behind.

“Are you pleased with it?” he asked in a low voice.

Kagome turned to him and smiled. “Of course, how could I not be?”

He stroked her face with the back of his fingers before dipping low and giving her a kiss. For him to give her this necklace that had belonged to his mother, there were no words to describe the honor she felt in wearing it. It stood out in stark contrast to the white gown she was wearing, its sheer taffeta overlay reminiscent of delicate wings.

Standing, she took in his striking form: tall in a finely tailored black uniform, gold detailing on the buttons and tassels that hung from his shoulder. A blue and gold sash crossed from his left shoulder to tie at his right hip. On his left hip were his two swords: Tenseiga, the special sword that had been bequeathed to him upon his father’s death, and Bakusaiga, an especially strong sword that he had commissioned for himself.

They had only been married for a couple of months, but theirs was a match that surprised even themselves. She was but a commoner. Her grandfather was a holy man, running the parish in their village. Her mother did odd jobs, mainly laundry services, from their home. Her brother had left the family to serve as a page for the Lord of the South, but he did not get paid very much. Her mother was determined that they were going much better off, so she endeavored to teach her daughter the ways of being a high class lady, despite lacking any trace of nobility in her family line.

Kagome was taught etiquette, dancing, reading and writing and music. Their family had very little means, but they were going to make the best of it. And if Kagome could make a very good match through marriage…well, that was all her mother wanted, or hoped at the very least. And her gamble paid off. Kagome had gone to visit her brother and caught the eye of the ally and friend of the Southern Lord.

None other than Lord Sesshoumaru, ruler of the Western Lands.

Midnight

The couple entered the ballroom, Sesshoumaru with his head lifted in regal form, Kagome floating by his side like an angel. To say they turned heads was an understatement. She could feel the blush rising as she clung to his arm. She was glad that they had slept for several hours earlier in the day as it was already late in the evening by the time they arrived.

Their names were announced and a plump gentleman, a bear demon, hustled over to them. Kagome released Sesshoumaru’s arm as the bear grabbed Sesshoumaru’s hand in both of his.

“Sesshoumaru, my boy!” he exclaimed. “I am so delighted you could make it.” His big brown eyes fell on Kagome. “And what a lovely angel you are, my darling.”

The bear took Kagome’s hand and kissed the back of it. She was glad she was wearing gloves because, for some reason, his hands looked like he had been sweating. However, she still smiled at the larger male. She credits him as being the one that was responsible for her and Sesshoumaru’s first meeting.

“Morinaga,” Sesshoumaru said with a shallow bow. “Thank you for your invitation. We are honored to be here. But if you would please excuse us, my mate would like a drink.”

“Yes, yes!” the bear said, releasing Kagome’s hand. She placed it back on Sesshoumaru’s arm as he led her away to retrieve her a glass of wine.

She was very well aware of the whispers as the other guests were talking about her. She knew she was a lucky woman to have been the one chosen by Lord Sesshoumaru. She was made to understand very early in their courtship that Sesshoumaru was the most eligible bachelor. Women practically threw themselves at him being both young and the lord of the Western Lands.

Kagome could feel them talking about her, questioning her origins and her audacity to marry above her station. She glanced up at Sesshoumaru and she knew that he could hear their words, his keen hearing was sensitive to even the quietest sound. Needless to say, it took some getting used to, especially when they first met.

Morinaga’s voice boomed through the banquet hall. “Please, everyone, I hope you are having a lovely evening. Dinner will be served within the hour.”

Sesshoumaru led her around the room for several hours. They danced and they mingled. Kagome met the other directional lords of the country and even the crown prince had been in attendance. A tall black haired woman approached the couple. She carried herself with an air of arrogance, like a woman who was used to getting her own way.

“Why Lord Sesshoumaru, where on earth did you find this one?”

He looked down his nose at the female. Kagome could tell that she was also a demon like him. She reached up to cup his cheek, but Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist before she could make contact.

“Tsk, tsk,” she started. “Is that any way to treat an old acquaintance?”

He continued to ignore her and Kagome felt the nervousness swirling in her stomach. This was their first official appearance as a couple since their marriage and mating three months before. While she performed her duties as the Lady of the Western Lands quite admirably in her humble opinion, she simply did not have time to learn the names of all of the nobles that would be present. She met the ones that Sesshoumaru deemed to be the most important. This woman that had approached the pair was not introduced to Kagome during their rounds. She felt like she was at a disadvantage and it made her uncomfortable.

“Is there something you needed, Lady Kagura?” 

The female released a high pitched giggle. “Hmm,” she hummed and lowered her voice and practically purred. “You know what it is I need.”

Kagome could only guess, but she felt his muscles tighten at the insinuation and he remained silent. Her eyes happened to glance at the clock. She didn’t realize that it was already midnight.

“Aww, Sesshoumaru,” she cooed. “I don’t know if you know how hard it is being a woman like me and being so unsatisfied with my situation .”

“This is a discussion you should be having with your husband, now, if you’ll excuse us,” he said dismissively, leading Kagome away from the woman.

Curious

She saw something moving off to the right in her peripheral vision. While Sesshoumaru was thus engaged with a couple of lords that she had met previously, Kagome excused herself to see what it was. She saw a shadow disappear around a corner to the left as she approached the hall. She knew she should have stayed by Sesshoumaru’s side, but her curiosity got the better of her.

She walked up to the intersection and looked to the left. She saw the shadow as it had turned left down another hall. She looked over her shoulder to see if she was being followed. The sounds of the party echoed against the walls, the sounds of music carrying the tinkling of wine glasses. Morinaga was an ally and close friend of Sesshoumaru, so while she did acknowledge that it was rude to walk through his house without a proper invitation, her instinct told her to follow. As she took a left down the corridor where she saw the shadow, she gasped.

Standing before her was Souta, her brother. In a reflex, she threw herself in his arms, holding back the tears of happiness at seeing him. He stumbled back just a bit as she threw her weight against him.

“It’s good to see you, sis,” he said, sheepishly.

Kagome stepped back to see her younger brother. He had grown significantly taller since she had last seen him. He towered over her five foot four inch frame. He was wearing a basic linen tunic and brown pants tucked into dirty brown boots. His dark brown hair, that their mother would keep short, had grown to his shoulders and was pulled back into a tail at the base of his skull. Sheepishly, he scratched the back of his head at her inspection.

He had come to Morinaga as a page, but because of the work ethic instilled in him by their mother, he had been drafted into the army. There, he learned to fight with a sword, a gun, and a crossbow, as well as basic hand to hand combat and self defense. Because of the training that he had to undergo, she was not able to see him before this. She knew that he was at her wedding, but protocol did not allow him to interact with her at the time, despite being family.

She saw that the little scrawny kid that was her brother had been hardened into the handsome young man before her. 

She held back her tears as she kissed him on the cheek, happy to see him. Before she could say anything else, her brother gasped as he looked over her shoulder. He gave a deep bow to the demon before him. Kagome turned to find Sesshoumaru standing behind her.

"Sesshoumaru!" she exclaimed happily.

"Kagome." He eyed the young man before him suspiciously.

"Sesshoumaru, please allow me to present my younger brother, Higurashi Souta. He has been in Morinaga’s employ since he was a child and now he’s training as a soldier in his army."

Souta raised up from his bow. "I'm honored to meet you, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru nodded to the young man. He was loath to extract her from the reunion with her brother, but it was really late and he was tired.

Harbor

She watched him as he packed his bags.

Her fingers fiddled with her wedding ring, a nervous habit she ended up picking up. He had received a letter the night before that his presence was required at the capital. The letter did not say why, but only that it would be prudent for him to arrive as soon as he was able.

Wordlessly, she sat on the bed beside his bags as he moved about methodically and carefully. She knew that he was trying to make sure he didn’t forget anything. His valet had offered to pack for him, but he turned down the help, choosing to take care of it himself. She could see from his stiff posture that he was tightly wound up.

She didn’t look at him as he closed his bags. His large left hand covered hers, ceasing their nervous fidgeting. She looked up at him, eyes burning with unshed tears.

They had only known each other for three months as they courted and had been married for six months by this time. His golden eyes searched hers as he knelt down before her.

“Kagome,” he whispered, his free hand gently cupping her cheek. He stroked her cheekbone with his thumb as he leaned in for a soft kiss.

As his lips touched hers, she lost the fight and teardrops escaped and rolled down her face.

“I promise I will return to you as soon as I am able,” he said. Sesshoumaru lifted his other hand to the other side of her face, wiping away her tears.

She smiled. “I know, my lord,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion. “It’s just…I’ll miss you while you’re gone.”

He took her in his arms and crashed his lips down on hers. She knew he was going to miss her just as much as she would miss him. If only they had more time before he had to set sail.

Sesshoumaru pulled away from her and she stood. She had promised that she would accompany him to the harbor and see him off. She didn’t want the servants to see her in a befuddled mess. She had lived twenty-four years without him before they married, she could handle a few weeks at best…or a few months at worst.

Still, it didn’t keep her from worrying about him. She wasn’t a fighter, so it wasn’t like she would have been able to protect him if something did happen to him, but still.

She would have preferred to be by his side anyway. But at least, his absence would give her the opportunity to show him how confident she was in her abilities to perform her duties as the Lady of the Western Lands.

Within an hour, they had arrived at the harbor, his bags loaded onto the ship and his men ready to travel. Sesshoumaru turned to her and took her in his arms before giving her a long, slow, lingering kiss. He wanted to burn the feel of her mouth and her body in his memory before they were separated.

He had written to Morinaga if Souta could be relieved of his duties for the time while he was gone, thinking Kagome would like to have her brother nearby. He was confident that Morinaga would agree, but he was disappointed that he would not be able to see her expression light up when the younger man arrived.

Celestial

She sat on her favorite bench in the garden and sighed. It had been four months since Sesshoumaru had left for the capital. He had written to her regularly, letting her know that he was safe and well, that he missed her, and he was ready to return. He had been in the capital for a month before he finally learned why he was there.

The Lord of the Northern Lands wanted to separate from the rest of the nation.

Sesshoumaru had a reputation of being a skilled negotiator and, apparently, the king wanted him and him alone to conduct the talks to keep the North from forming their own nation. The territories were practically autonomous anyway, the king was merely a figurehead and he already knew it. However, if all four directional territories stayed together as a cohesive unit, they would be much stronger, especially against neighboring countries that would attempt to invade.

And an invasion would be inevitable once it was discovered that the country was smaller. That was what the king wanted to avoid and that was why it was imperative for Sesshoumaru to leave.

Kagome had busied herself with making sure that everything ran just as efficiently as when he was there. In fact, she managed to make a couple of changes with the kitchen staff and rearranged a couple of the rest of the household staff. She was quite certain that Sesshoumaru would approve of her initiative. She did inform the staff that it would be a test run and that the Lord of the castle would have the final say.

Kagome looked up at the full moon that was glowing overhead. She had made it a habit to sit outside for an hour or two while he was away before it was time to retire for the night. She wondered if Sesshoumaru was looking at the moon as well. Her longing for him tugged at her heart.

She was startled out of her thoughts as a throat cleared behind her.

She looked up sharply and found him standing there, the moonlight shining down on him, his silver hair glowing, giving him a celestial appearance. He looked dangerous in the moonlight, his magenta stripes and crescent moon, marks of his heritage against his pale skin.

She launched herself front he bench and into his arms, where he greeted her with all of the passion he could pour into the kiss. She was powerless to stop the tears from falling from her eyes, giddy with happiness that he had finally made it back home. Wordlessly, he scooped her up in his arms.

As he carried her back inside, he ignored the bows and “Welcome home, my lord” from the staff. Kagome planted kisses down his neck and sucked on the spot where his collarbone began.

Soon they had made it to their bedchambers.

Electric

Kagome snuggled into his side even further as she sighed in contentment. The sun shone through the window, warming her arm that was draped across her husband’s chest. Words could not describe how happy she was that he had returned. He had been gone longer than either of them wanted, but he was home and that was what mattered.

Claws gently traced up to her shoulder, then back down to her arm. His touch along her skin was electric, giving her gooseflesh. He lifted her hand to his lips, placing soft kisses on each of her fingers.

They spent hours last night making love to each other. At first, he ravished her with unbridled fierceness, the months they had spent apart pent up inside them and begged for release. Wild passion turned into gentle toe-curling ecstasy as they slowed and poured all of their affection into each other.

Kagome sat up on one elbow, studying his serene face as his eyes remained closed. Her rising allowed the arm that she was using as a pillow to come up and gently rub her bare back. her breasts pressed against his bare flesh.

Her arousal spiked as her nipples rubbed against him. If she wasn’t careful, Sesshoumaru would take her again that morning and she already knew that she would have a difficult time walking, if the soreness in her thighs was any indication.

He rolled over on his side to face her. The hand that was running along her arm made a path down her side. She jerked away as he grazed a ticklish spot. He fluttered his claws along that spot, eliciting a bout of laughter. Thankfully, he didn’t punish her for long as his hand settled on her hip.

She kissed him intensely. She moaned as he matched her, reveling in the way he allowed her to dominate his mouth this time. His arms enveloped her as he pulled her to him. He broke off the kiss, but she continued her assault, placing kisses along his jaw and capturing his ear between her lips. She felt his arousal against her thigh, which only served to increase hers.

“Careful, my mate,” he murmured, allowing her to do as she will with his person. “You will force me to pick up where we left off earlier this morning.”

She smiled as she was certainly not opposed to the idea. However, just as she opened her mouth to speak, her stomach beat her to it and growled. She couldn't help but to laugh as he pulled away, her eyes following his naked form as he retrieved his pants and tunic from the floor. He put them on and walked around to her side of the bed, pulling on the velvet rope that would summon her maidservant. Sitting on the bed beside her, he slid his feet in his boots before he leaned in for another kiss.

“I suggest that you reserve your strength for the day, my dear,” he murmured darkly, “because I will be the one to finish what you started.”

Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Territories, was a being who always kept his promises and Kagome, Lady of the Western Territories, knew at that moment that he would see that she would not be able to walk without assistance for a week.

His golden eyes glittered with mischief and she shivered in anticipation.

Steel

The sound of steel against steel rang in the air as Kagome sat on the battlement wall of the castle. She looked down into the courtyard, her eyes following her husband’s form as he gracefully dodged the attacks of his soldiers.

“Lady Kagome, the physician is here to see you.”

Kagome smiled at Kaoru, her maidservant. She had been feeling ill lately, but she hid it from Sesshoumaru. She had her suspicions, but she didn’t want to say anything to him, not yet. She wanted the physician to confirm it.

Pulling her eyes away from his majestic form, she went to her rooms. Kaoru helped her to dress in something more comfortable as she awaited the physician.

He was a kindly gentleman, of around sixty years. Small round glasses perched on the tip of his nose. She was specific when requesting a doctor that it would be a human. If it was a demon, Sesshoumaru’s already protective instincts would have gone into overdrive, at least until she told him why and she really needed this man alive.

For now at any rate, at last until he confirmed her suspicions.

He asked her several questions regarding the state of her health, her regularity and the frequency of her duties as a wife and mate.

Kagome blushed throughout the questions but answered them all truthfully.

“I’m sure you know what I’m going to tell you,” he said, taking in her relaxed form. He was making notes on a small folded sheet of parchment.

Kagome nodded. “How far?”

The physician thought. “I would say around three months.”

Kagome smiled with a blush. The night he came home from the capital. They were so happy to finally be together again, neither could rein in their passion for the entire night.

“Thank you, Dr. Wajima.”

“It is still too early to determine what it is.”

“His lordship will be pleased regardless,” she smiled, knowing that Sesshoumaru would be pleased to have an heir.

Dr. Wajima smiled at the young woman, who placed a hand over her abdomen. She was barely showing right now, but that would change very quickly.

“I’m sure that I don’t have to tell you to take it easy, but since your child will be a half-demon, I just want you to be prepared for a rough pregnancy. However, every woman is different and your body might be able to handle the pregnancy without problems. I have a doctor friend who is a demon. He is more experienced with mixed births than I am so he would be able to give you much better advice than I.”

Kagome smiled. “I appreciate that. I will discuss it with Lord Sesshoumaru before making that kind of decision.”

“I understand.” The doctor collected his things and Kaoru walked him to the door of her bedchambers. “And congratulations to you and his lordship.” he said before he left the room.

Royal

Sesshoumaru stretched out beside her on their bed, his hand on top of her growing abdomen.

He was beside himself with joy when she told him that she was pregnant. Word spread around the territory like wildfire and congratulations poured in from all of the servants and villages in their domain. Sesshoumaru had immediately got to work on changing one of the rooms into a nursery. He wanted a room large enough to accommodate several children before they were old enough to have a room to themselves.

Kagome leaned into him, drifting in and out of sleep. Instead of relying solely on the demon doctor, they discussed it and both had agreed that she should receive care from both the human and demon physicians. The doctors met with the couple and agreed. Since the mother was human and the baby would be both, they could ensure that mother and child would receive the best care.

Sesshoumaru looked at the letter in his hand that he was reading. He had already responded to it and had sent a dispatch with the reply. He was going to tell Kagome of its contents but she had drifted off into another nap. He lifted his hand and smoothed her hair down.

There was a knock on the door and Sesshoumaru bid them enter. It was Kaoru, Kagome’s maidservant.

The young woman entered her lord and lady's bedchambers. Seeing her lady snuggled against her lord in a nap made her heart swell with joy. She had worked for Sesshoumaru for two years before her mistress came.

When he had announced to his staff that he would be getting married and mated, they were all delighted, but nervous at the same time. He had asked her specifically to be his lady’s maidservant and she was honored. He was a very serious man who expected no less than perfection, so she had to admit that she was terrified of who her mistress would be.

To say that they were surprised that their lady was a commoner, was a vast understatement. A couple of the bolder servants had the audacity to allow their Lord to hear their grumbles of the Lord’s choice of mate. However, it was the humble and kind young woman of low birth who saved them from the severe punishment they otherwise would have received.

The Lady of the Western Lands was an absolute joy to work for.

Sesshoumaru informed Kaoru that a royal party would be coming to the Western Castle within a fortnight. Her Lady was not aware just yet as he had just found out himself and she has been sleeping more often as of late. He asked if her dressmaker could be called to have some dresses, if not made in time, then at least altered to accommodate her growing figure.

Kaoru bowed and bustled away. She not only wanted to make sure her Lady’s dresses fit her properly, but she also wished to make sure she had plenty of finery and accessories. Her Lady had plenty of jewelry that Lord Sesshoumaru had bought for her during their months together that she still hasn’t worn. Lady Kagome was a beautiful young woman so, as her maidservant, it was her duty to make sure the jewelry was just as beautiful as she was.

Sesshoumaru put the letter on the bedside table as he slid further down the bed. He was not sure who would be in the party that was coming to the Western Lands. He wasn’t even sure what the purpose of their visit was. The talks between the other three directional lords and the lord of the North was a success. They managed to convince him to rescind his declaration of ceding, realizing that if they stood alone as an independent nation, they would be powerless.

He supposed that they would find out in a fortnight.

Mosaic

Choral music flowed from the church as the village gathered. Sunlight shone in through the mosaic glass windows, colorful lights dancing along the crowd.

The pastor stood at the front of the church as their Lord and Lady walked together, each one with a baby in their arms.

Kagome had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl, the month before. Today, their babies would be given their official names and their son would be officially named the heir to the Western Lands.

In addition to the villagers, all of the directional Lords were in attendance. Lord Morinaga, the lord of the South, and his mate and children came for the ceremony. They brought Souta as part of their entourage, who was delighted to be able to be there for his nephew and niece’s naming ceremony. Kagome’s mother was in attendance as well, wiping her eyes in happiness.

The lord of the East, Kouga and his mate, also accepted the invitation. Lord Tsuchimikado of the Northern Lands and his family did not reply to the invitation, but Sesshoumaru and Kagome were no less pleased by their arrival.

They completed the procession to the altar where the pastor was waiting.

Their son was given the name Akihiko, the young master and heir of the Western Lands. Their daughter was named Yukiko, the young mistress of the Western Lands.

Once the ceremony was complete, the villagers gave a loud cheer, causing Sesshoumaru to wince in reflex because of the noise.

Food and drinks had been set up in the courtyard for the villagers to enjoy the festivities, while the Lords and their families were directed to the banquet hall.

The Ladies were cooing over the babies, both Morinaga’s mate, named Reishi, and Ayame, Kouga’s mate, each reaching for a child. Sesshoumaru bristled at the idea of someone else handling his children, but Kagome placed her hand on his in reassurance. He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

Kagome understood how he felt. Like him, she didn’t appreciate their children being in someone else’s arms, but she knew that they had to play along. When it was announced that dinner was ready to be served, both parents had their children again and the wives were ushered back to their respective partners. Kagome took Yukiko from Sesshoumaru and passed both babies to Kaoru, who would take them to the nursery.

Morinaga stood and gave a toast to the new parents, congratulating them on not only securing the Western Lands with an heir, but also providing bait to any Lord with a son that wanted to get in Lord Sesshoumaru’s good graces.

Sesshoumaru frowned at the thought of another male around his daughter as everyone in attendance barked with laughter.

Sapphire

Kagome was tired. She flopped backwards on the bed, her black hair fanning out behind her. She released a yawn as Sesshoumaru sat in his chair by the fire. He watched her with golden eyes, one leg crossed over the other, as she sat up.

He could feel the fatigue coming from her in waves. Their children were only three months old and Kagome was doing a fine job as a mother. He couldn’t have been more proud of her as his mate. They had a nanny for the children already, but he had asked her more than once, bordering on insisting that they hire a wet nurse. Kagome was adamantly against the idea. They were her children, so she would care for them the way a mother should. They might be considered nobility, but she didn’t like the idea of someone else raising their children, let alone nursing them. She wanted to take the same hands-on approach that her mother had with her and her brother.

Speaking of her mother, Kagome spoke, noticing that he had been staring at her for some time.  

“I forgot to tell you, my love…”

“Hm?”

“My mother is coming to stay with us for some time. She wants to help out with Akihiko and Yukiko.”

“Hn.”

Sesshoumaru could hear what Kagome didn’t say, especially considering their interactions at their wedding and the babies’ naming ceremony. At their wedding, the petite woman faced him with sparkling sapphire eyes, just like Kagome’s, threatening to make his life miserable if he made her daughter unhappy in any way.

Kagome knew he wouldn’t mind, but she did want to make sure she didn't spring on him at the last minute…like a certain royal visit when she was still pregnant. He didn’t remember to tell her until three days before the royal party arrived. Fortunately, Kaoru was already aware and had everything prepared for her. She was going to have to get something for her.

The royal visit wasn’t unpleasant by any means, she just felt awkward trying to entertain the crown prince and his hunting party while lumbering about with not one baby, but two . Of course, they didn’t find out that there was a second baby until the month after the royal hunting party left.

Kagome’s mother stayed in the South with Souta not long after Kagome’s marriage. Kagome waited until after the children were born to inform her mother that she was a grandmother. She knew that her mother would insist on being around and mothering her. The pregnancy, while not as difficult as Dr. Wajima had anticipated, still took a lot out of her. She really did not want to have to deal with her mother hovering around at all times as well.

Kagome remembered when her mother was there for the naming ceremony. Her sapphire blue eyes lit up in absolute fury at Kagome and Sesshoumaru for not telling her sooner. Kagome tried to explain to her that since it was a hanyou birth, and her first pregnancy, she was under strict supervision by two doctors.

Her mother’s fury died down after the explanation and completely disappeared when she laid her sapphire blue eyes on her new grandbabies.

Kagome remembered when her mother turned her ire on Sesshoumaru. The tall, stoic, taciturn, stern Western Lord positively wilted under her mother’s anger. He was fortunate that Kagome never turned her anger on him like that. Then again, they had only been married around a year and a half, so she had plenty of time to display what she could really do.

Kagome made a note to inform Kaoru to have the room next to the nursery prepared for her mother. She knew that her mother would want to be as close to the babies as possible.

She focused her eyes back on Sesshoumaru to find him stalking her like a predator. He kissed her, his hands playing with the ties of her dress. Kagome’s hands fisted in his tunic as her dress slid from her shoulders. He kissed her with such fire, she was certain that Sesshoumaru would keep her belly swollen and her mother busy tending to more little ones. 

Fin.