Page 14 of Within the Veil

She chuckles,"The Fae have never been able to conceive easily, it figures since you are breaking all the rules that you would be bringing in the first quadruplets in our history," she clapped excitedly.

"I don't know why you're so excited. You gave birth to an entire race, at least I'm just having four. So there," I deadpanned, teasing her. My chest felt less constricted, knowing that my children, although not truly here yet, were safe.

"So I'm still pregnant?" She nodded, my heart soared. I had little Fae clones inside of me.

I blinked at her as she started to laugh, realizing I must have spoken my thoughts out loud. Her delicate mirth echoing around the pool area, "yes, Fae clones." She paused and looked at me curiously, "The prophecy was accurate in that there is no pain until the loss of a child. But in this case, I think that particular portion was highlighting more of the possible loss ofyouand who you represent to the Seelie."

I pointed at her, "okay you lost me."

"I am not quite sure either to be honest, and this is just a theory, but to the Seelie you are the child of the prophecy, the one who will lead them from the darkness. In that case, you represented loss when you passed."

"Um, how are you not sure? Aren't you a Goddess? All knowing and all powerful?"

She chuckles with a small shake of her head, "there are things that I know. Others that I cannot glean due to other factors like fate and freewill. Some things are set in stone, others are up to interpretation. In this case, how the Seelie see you, that is how they see your overall purpose to them as a whole, is up to their own interpretation. Even if I could take the time to sift through everyone's thoughts, opinions are ever changing. As the young say, "aint nobody got time for that." She scrunches up her face and I laugh.

I looked away for a second and sighed, "okay that is fair. But in regards to how they see me...I honestly think you're reaching there. What's to say the prophecy wasn't just a tool to lead me here, where we are now. What if everything hasn't come to fruition yet? I mean, realistically a prophecy can be up to interpretation. Regardless of what has already come to pass."

She looks pensive for a moment before shaking her head, "while, yes, that is true and everything not coming to fruition ispossible, it is unlikely. Little Li'Ella would have seen such a thing."

Ahh, Li'Ella our little seer.I cleared my throat, "Ooookay so. Next...what's going on then. Why am I up here with you, instead of down in the physical realm?"

She hesitated. If I didn't know any better I could say she was stalling. I felt my eyes narrow. "So, we discussed you being part Fae and now being full Fae," she holds her hands up and starts ticking off on her fingers, "you did die in battle but not in the way you think. While, due to the initial mate bond, we assumed, that is Kalen, Shea and I, and no they had not spoken to me," I closed my mouth and she continued. "Due to the initial mate bond, we assumed you were technically full Fae before you crossed into the Veil," she paused and frowned, looking at me. Her gaze felt heavy, like a suffocating blanket. Taking a deep breath she continued, "you know what they say about assuming. It applies to even a Goddess. You were very strong, already exhibiting all the strengths and then some. In fact, your magic is beyond what I have felt from my Fae children in a long time. Especially with the balance being threatened." As she spoke she waved her hands around making the water dance and jump, almost as a nervous tick. Her eyes moved rapidly, her face deep in thought.

Suddenly her gaze met mine, "Oberon was your last mate, it could have been that finally connecting with him triggered something in you. Your marks were exceptional but they spread even more so. As old as I am, I have never seen such a thing. Alvor was right in many parts during his useless little speech about controlling Gods," she scoffed and rolled her eyes and I smiled.He was a fucking idiot,that at least I remembered. "The fates cannot be tempted or changed in any way by a mere mortal. They simply are, and for some reason you were given more mates than any Faerie has ever had, or Faerie Queen for that matter. Also you have more marks than any Fae in history as well. You are incredibly strong. Which is the only reason your soul is here with me instead of really being destroyed."

I felt myself getting impatient, "Okay. I am powerful, fine. But that doesn't explain why I amherewith you. In a realm that technically isn't mine to be in. I am not a Goddess."

She sighed, "Well...about that...All of my children are special Riona, however right now, you can save an entire race from destruction, youwillrestore the balance of nature, the balance that affects magic, that affects humans, that affects the very world. The creation of the universe was a balance to begin with. Wars, strife, death. There will always be evil, but there must always be good. The prophecy was important, I knew that more than most. We aren't supposed to interfere, Gods that is, but balance must always be kept, which was my loophole; so the day you were conceived I placed a little bit of myself, a sliver of my soul, into you, I gave you some of my strength to fortify you. I fear you get your tempers, desire to go head to head against obstacles and face challenges from me." She chuckled lightly before continuing, "That sliver, makes you more of my child than normal. In essence, you are as much my daughter as you are Shea's."

I blinked. Then, I blinked again. My father wasn't my father. My mother was apparently just a vessel. I was Fae and apparently partGoddess?Okay, so that part is pretty cool but wasanythingin my life factual? Or did I live in a twilight zone that kept changing the rules? Having nothing to say, I stayed silent.

Gaia trudged on quickly, "All those times we believed you were fully Fae are going to pale in comparison to who you will truly be when you awaken. As of now, your physical body is transitioning and you're in a coma. I placed you in this stasis so you can heal, as the use of your powers while being drained by that sword forged by Hephaestus, really did a number on you. However,it istime for you to go back, your mates are growing more and more unhinged, they worry about you, they love you so and it's time for you to go back to them. It is also time for you to prepare for the coming battle. This time it is going to be much more than simply a breach of a veil. It will be more of a mental warfare as well as physical, with emphasis on learning how to use your newly unlocked full Fae abilities. You will be stronger and faster, but you will still be heavily pregnant so you'll need to focus and ready yourselves. You have a lot of planning to do, a lot of opinions will shout over the other. Rememberyouare a Queen, take advice, learn everything you can, then make a decision. History has taught us how many times now that rushing into battle is hazardous and ridiculous. You will have to train still, long range attacks can be quite effective in battle. But being pregnant with four little ones, you're going to need all the patience you can get," She smiled softly.

I see what she did there, changing the topic from the mind fuck to my mates and the kids. Genius really. So similar to how I handled the guys that I wanted to punch her in the face.

Picking and choosing my battles I focused on just one, and there was so much more than that, anomaly in her little explanation. "Heavily pregnant. If I was four weeks along, how long have I exactly been in this coma? I can't imagine it would be so long that I would beheavilypregnant."

"About that," she smiled, although it was more like a wince. I gave her the side-eye.

"You've been here in the coma for about five weeks now. However, as you have been recovering, your consciousness chose to become aware of this realm now that you are ready to go back to your own realm. In terms of your pregnancy, with everything swimming in your genetic makeup, Fae as well as my... essence, for lack of a better word, your gestation will be a lot shorter than normal."

I ground my teeth, "Just spit it out Gaia, how much shorter?"

"Well, technically you are about nine weeks along now but are measuring at about 4 months in human terms. With Quads, that's pretty significant. Gods, in general, are created and not born. Except, of course, for your occasional demi-gods. However unlike Zeus and his many whores, I placed a part of myself inside of you. All things considered with this multiple pregnancy and the faster timeline, I expect you'll be giving birth in a couple of months. Ten weeks at the most."

Bull. Fucking. Shit.I stood up from the floor and started pacing. I looked down at my currently flat belly. This was just insane. I haven't even had time to even get used to my entirely new life and now I'm bringing in four lives in the midst of a war? This is what I get for laying on my back like a horny Fae/Goddess whore.

Suddenly I start to laugh, my shoulders shaking. This was just...fuck. Shock is too much of an inadequate word to describe how I was feeling.In fact, I don't think there were enough words to describe how I was feeling. My stomach rolled with nausea, but that vomit had to take a backseat to the lightheadedness that was coming on. I was actually quite sure that my brain would start to leak out of my ears.

Gaia comes up behind me, "Hudson. I am aware that this is all quite a shock. I am sorry I wasn't able to prepare you sooner. Even I didn't foresee the possibility of you falling pregnant. I should have, considering contraception doesn't work for the Fae but it truly was an oversight. However, those babies,yourchildren and mygrandchildren, need you to finish your allowed two-minute breakdown, straighten your spine and toughen up. You do not have the luxury to fall prey to pervasive and detrimental thoughts. Moms rarely do."

I scowl.She has some fucking nerve.Taking a shuddering breath, I count backward in my head from ten. Ten, don't kill the goddess. Nine, don't look up ways to stab a goddess. Eight, don't look up ways to poison a goddess. Seven, don't look up ways to give a goddess food poisoning. Six, don't use your new Fae powers to use vines to strangle a goddess. Five,dosic the kids on her ass when they are old enough to be babysat. Four, do give her diaper duty as much as possible. Three, do find a way to send her a glitter confetti bomb to her realm that cannot be removed. Two, do get a picture of her face with the glitter and put it in the kids' room on a canvas. One, get a puppy and make her watch the puppy and children when they are toddlers at the same damn time. I take a deep breath, open my eyes to meet Gaia's gaze, and give a small nod. Calm, and resolved. I had shit to do.

She gives an answering nod, hesitating slightly.What do you know, even Gods feel shame.She stood up from her position by the pool and reached for my hand. Walking to the edge of the palace, we look down. I pause as I take in the gorgeous view, pink clouds dotted the shimmering sky. It looked like an iridescent explosion from a science experiment.

"You know," I start, looking at her from the corner of my eye. "I'm not sure if having a God complex is something my mates can handle now, if they could barely handle me before." I smiled.

Letting her head fall back, Gaia laughs. "Ahh, that snarky attitude. Hudson, despite everything you have gone through and will go through in the future, the person you knew isn't gone." Her hands move to cradle my face, her tone soft, "I am sorry that you have had to push yourself more than most. I wish you could enjoy your youth a little bit longer. Be "normal," whatever that means, but you areextraordinary.You will change the Fae world. You, daughter of my soul, are everything I could have dreamed of and more."

---