Natalia inspected her reflected image in a way she had not dared in many years. The older woman who looked back at her through the woman was nothing like her younger self. The mirror displayed the bare truth of the changes time had wrought. Though her stature had not changed and her eyes kept her mother's color, the rest of her body had hardened and angled in ways that were displeasing to Natasha.

When she was younger, she had thought of her body as beautiful, a perfect vessel for the life growing inside of her. But that life had ended, all her hopes for the child dashed in an instant.

Sometimes, she still dreamt of the child. A youth who looked like Lukas but with her red hair would be running around the village laughing and playing, then embracing his grandparents. Then the images would fade, and the grim reality of her present would force her awake. The child had died, Natalia's parents had died, and Lukas had left her. It was her lost future.

That night she stared at her body and saw an older woman who had barely gained back the weight her frame desired. Impossible had been made real, her broken body healed by Fire and Water. Natalia hadn't even bled once since her healing, yet, she was pregnant. Her hands moved to her belly, where the new life formed. What kind of child would this be? A child of the Tribe, of the Outlands, or both?

Natalia shook her head, more to the point, how would this affect her training. How would she become strong in both body and magic if she had to nurture another life? Would Natalia harm the child by even trying? Could she give even this much of her newfound strength to the growing creature?

How would Raja feel about being a father? Natalia wondered if he had ever thought it possible, even considered a child, or wanted one. His surprise at his attraction to her union still grated against Natalia's happiness. Raja had never loved a woman, never wanted a woman, and how would he respond when the man he loved returned? Raja and Lukas spoke often, and after their conversations, Raja was always a little more distanced from her. Though they could talk without Raja, Natalia rarely tried to contact Lukas. Natalia focused on Raja alone, confused about her feelings for him and the other men around her.

Natalia sighed and sat on the edge of the bath that had finished filling. A long soak would help ease her mind and body.

Stepping in with care, she allowed the water to cover her in its warmth. Immediately she heard the humming of her sister.

"Sister, your thoughts are so troubled." Lady Water appeared in her mindspace and opened her arms. Natalia ran to them and allowed herself to be embraced. Moments stretched in silence until Natalia felt tears wet her cheeks. The Lady touched the wetness and frowned. "What saddens you?"

"Sister, I am no mother," Natalia answered. She knew it did not voice everything she felt, but it encapsulated the most emotions in the fewest words.

"Nor are we, nor is our sister, and yet we are, and you will be." The space filled with marine life swimming as if in water. Then a tree grew under intermittent rain with roots digging deep into the soil. Fruit sprouted from the branches, and land animals appeared to eat what it bore. Then humans came, hunting the animals and picking the fruit.

"We are mothers to all life. You are a mother to that life." The Lady lay a hand on Natalia's waist and stroked the skin lightly. "We will help as we can, but our view is not so narrow as yours." The Lady lifted her head to glance behind Natalia and smiled. When Natalia turned, she saw Mother walking to them. Lady Water dropped her embrace and stepped away from Mother Earth. "You call sister Mother. We understand why, but not all mothers are like our sister."

Mother Earth embraced Natalia but didn't speak. Natalia felt her hair whip around her and saw Air floating above her.

"Sisters, you should tell her that our friends will be with her. What do we know of children? We almost broke our favorite friend when she was a child. They are so delicate."

"Brother Air!" Earth admonished. "You are a creature of elemental power. You are not a hu. Of course, you do not know how to be a mother or father. But sister is human and will know what to do and be a mother. Our friends will be with her, but so will we."

"The child is healthy and grows comfortably." Brother Fire stood farther back, but his voice was close. "You have the strength to grow life in you, and it is something we cannot do. We will be with you and protect you and what grows in you."

"We could not have said it better," Mother Earth acknowledged as she nodded at her young brother. "Now, let's leave her to sister. It is their time to commune. We will have ours."

"I feel Brother coming," the Lady announced and stroked Natalia's hair lightly. "We will all leave you now and let you discuss these things with him. We do not like secrets."

"We won't keep them," Air admitted flatly. "You tell him, or we will." Fire and Earth nodded in agreement, and the three disappeared. Lady Water twirled a piece of Natalia's hair in her finger thoughtfully before letting it go.

"We won't mean to tell your secret, but we do not keep secrets from each other, though we do not always tell every truth, we wouldn't know how to keep them from him."

"I understand. I will tell him tonight."

"Good," The Lady praised Natalia before kissing her head and disappearing as well, leaving Natalia alone in her Mindspace.

Raja pulled on the bond, and Natalia opened her eyes to the physical world. He stood over the bath, his face calm, but his eyes held questions. It was time to talk.

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"Lukas," Raja pushed on the bond as hard as he could. It was not his strength, but he had more power behind his push because of Natalia and the Elements. Lukas' surprised response provoked a smile in Raja as he waited for his lover's appearance. Raja lounged, waiting in the settings he loved the most. All around him lay the grasslands of his home. Whenever he had to think, he came here.

"Raja," Lukas appeared and put his hand on Raja's shoulder. "What is wrong? Why did you call me with such force?"

"Am I interrupting something?" Raja grasped Lukas' hand and brought it to his chest.

"No, I am at leisure," Lukas responded with a soft voice, but his eyebrows pressed closer together. "What is wrong?" He asked with more force.

"I love you," Raja began, knowing Lukas would be frustrated with the non-answer. Before Lukas could respond, Raja continued, "and I have news."

"I love you, and I have news." Lukas' repeated, pulling his hand away and sitting on a chair that he called to the space. "What news do you have?"

"It is about Natalia."

"I guessed as much." Lukas's hands crossed over his chest as he waited with veiled impatience.

"And me." Raja felt his tension rise. He had to stop dancing around his news. His actions would only anger Lukas more.

"Yes." Impatience and suspicion warred with fear in Lukas' eyes. Raja knew instantly what Lukas thought he was going to tell him. But Raja hadn't chosen Natalia over Lukas. Raja loved Natalia, but no more than he loved Lukas.

"She is with child," Raja whispered, resigning himself to whatever fate this news would bring. How would Lukas react? His joy tempered with the unknown.

"With child?" Lukas stood, "Your child?"

"Yes." Raja did not avert his gaze from Lukas. He wanted to capture every nuance in his response.

"Natalia is with child, your child," Lukas murmured. His expression revealed nothing of his thoughts. Minutes passed without any word, just the sounds of the background Raja had created for them. Then Lukas's face broke into a beautiful, happy smile.

"We are with child!" Lukas turned to Raja and grabbed his shoulders firmly. "I never thought it possible! I have wanted a child for you, your father, and your Tribe. And now, we will have one. And who better than Natalia? She is as close to being part of me as you are." Lukas pulled Raja up into an embrace. "I must come soon. We must all be together to raise this child. Or at least, it must know us all in some way."

Not knowing what to say, Raja remained silent. He had not expected this from Lukas. Though Lukas had mourned the loss of his child with Natalia, only their bond had allowed Raja any knowledge of Lukas' grief. But when Lukas had other children with women he had chosen because of their strengths, he had shown no interest in knowing any of them. Lukas refused to bond with them, even as a beloved teacher. But this child, who would not be the flesh of his flesh, he wanted to nurture?

"Love," Lukas whispered into his hair. "You are confused. I understand. I did not at first understand my joy, but I love you, and I love Natalia. You are the only things in this world that I love more than power and right. A child of yours will be a child of mine more than any child I could ever father." Lukas paused and then chose not to continue. Raja could feel the following words, 'except if it was with Natalia.'. It was the truth; Raja could feel the earnestness of his lover's words and actions. Lukas would love this child as if it were the child he lost. "Ask her."

"Ask her what?" Raja responded with confusion.

"Ask her how much I wanted our child. How much we planned for his future. How excited we both were to have a product of our love." An image of a young Natalia with a slight pregnant bulge standing in front of Lukas, who embraced her. Lukas's smile held innocence and joy that Raja had never witnessed. A sharp pang of jealousy shot through Raja's heart. The image disappeared, no progression of memories to replace it. This memory must have been shortly before his capture. This was Lukas's only family portrait, caught right before Lukas lost himself and everything he loved to the Queen. The jealousy faded, and Raja embraced his lover.

"I don't need to ask her, Lukas. I know."

"I will come, when the Prince returns, he will bring me to you. I will insist."

"He will bring you to us when it is time. He is a delicate anchor, and no one must know a Portal to the Master is available. You must come when you are no longer needed there."

"I will always be needed elsewhere. There is no replacement for who I am." Lukas signed and broke the embrace to sit down. "We must keep him safe." Raja cringed at the gender Lukas assigned. Would he accept a female child? Was raising the babe amid Elemental magic the best thing?

"I could send it to the Tribes." Raja offered, the most straightforward path opening before his eyes. The Tribe would raise this child and protect it. They would free Natalia of the burden she did not seem to relish. "It will also be in the line of succession to the chiefdom of the grassland tribes. It will have to choose its destiny. And I doubt I will have any other children."

"Ah, yes, of course, it should go to the Tribe." Lukas pulled Raja's chin up enough to look into his eyes. The love and acceptance Raja found there warmed him. Lukas was rarely so openly affectionate. "It would learn much there, and nowhere would be safer from the Queen and her calculations."

"Agreed."

"Keep it safe for now," Lukas ordered Raja tenderly. "If this is to be your only child, it is very precious to me."

"And to me as well." Raja allowed himself to rejoice with Lukas. This child was an unexpected blessing. And when Natalia told him, his first thought was of Lukas and the distance it would put between them. He had not thought of his joy. Raja had not allowed himself to cherish the idea of a child of his own. But now, he felt every buried hope and dream swell into his chest. He was going to be a father. His mother's line would be continued.

Lukas watched Raja in silence as he processed through all these thoughts. Raja relished the presence of his lover, even in the Mindspace.

"Raja," Lukas' regretful tone roused Raja from his reverie. "I must go."

"Yes, of course," Raja answered as they stood together. Before Lukas could leave, Raja pulled him back to him with a quick tug and kissed him. Lukas kissed him back with enthusiasm. "Stay safe," Raja commanded once they separated.

"I will. I have much to live for now," Lukas promised, then disappeared from the mindspace.

Raja paused for a moment before returning to the physical space. Was he ready for all of this?