A Feathered Child

Chapter 1

Ruby Kelly watched as her lover Zan, and now joined husband according to Volante law, traced a soft brown feather over her bulging stomach. The baby inside kicked in response, as if the feather somehow tickled it, instead of her. Zan’s eyes lit up and he kissed her bare belly, above where the babe had kicked. She’d meet her child in a few weeks. That thought left her feeling sick with worry, rather than excited as most new mothers would be.

The reason for her worry was not due to normal pregnant fears. She, of course, had all the usual hopes that the child would be healthy, that she would love it, and that it would bring Zan and her closer together, but added to that was the fear that someone would want to take it away from her, or worse, murder it as an abomination to life itself. A human such as her was not supposed to be with a Volante. They’d succeeded at getting acceptance so far, but a baby with a mix of traits from both races, well, she didn’t want to think about what they might do to it.

Even if she was being paranoid and no-one would attempt to destroy it, she wondered what it would do to her and Zan who were finally living with no secrets from each other, and more in love than ever. Would she still want to fall into his arms at night if she had another being to care for?

Her stomach gurgled and Zan looked up startled at first, as if his feather tickling had caused it, but then realized that they’d stayed in bed too long this morning. The soft pillows and thick quilted blankets more inviting to laze under than getting up to prepare breakfast. But get up he would, and provide for his wife like he always did.

He kissed her gently on the forehead before disappearing out of the door that led from the bedroom into the living area of their Mount Rylie home. Ruby stayed, placing her hand on her stomach to feel the life inside her kick, wondering if they should stay here for much longer. The truth was she didn’t know where the safest place to be was. She was sure both the humans from her town in Kollaroy, and the Volante from Estoth, would want to claim the child as their own. It seemed that the small mountain that she and Zan called home, outside the borders and reach of both his and her worlds, would be the best place. A home that bordered both races, just like this child would be, a mix of both. At least that was what she and Zan had decided, but now, with the baby due to arrive so soon, she had her doubts.

Breakfast is ready, Zan yelled from the kitchen. Want it in there, or out here?

Ruby placed her hand on the bed for balance as she kicked her feet out from under the quilt and placed them on the cold stone floor. She shivered, making a mental note to get another rug to stop the chill from numbing her soles. A thick robe was draped over the end of the bed and she picked it up and wrapped it around herself, without putting her arms through. I’m coming out. She shuffled to the doorway, the aroma of strong coffee immediately hit her. She her nose up, tempted to return to bed, but the lure of the fried eggs that Zan slipped from the black cast iron skillet onto a plate was too tempting and her stomach gurgled again, urging her forward.

She sat down at the wooden table, letting Zan bring the breakfast to her, rather than carry it herself. She had enough to carry. He placed her plate down, and next to it, another piled with thick white toast dripping in butter. Then went to fetch his own eggs and toast before sitting opposite her.

Her stomach pressed against the edge of the table as she leaned in, trying to sandwich an egg between two pieces of toast. Runny yellow yolk dripped down her palm and she frowned, watching it harden in the cool air.

What’s wrong? asked Zan. Eggs not cooked enough?

She placed the egg sandwich back down onto the plate, and looked out of the large wide windows that led to the landing deck outside. The wind blew browned leaves across the stone. It wasn’t a good day to be outside. I want to leave.

Now? Where do you want to go? Zan followed her gaze outside, frowning, since he knew it was not safe to be going anywhere today as much as she did.

Why not today? We could go and hide; somewhere that no one would find us. We could take our baby away and keep it safe. When she looked back at him, Zan was looking at her curiously.

We are safe here.

Are we? Are we really? What happens next month, next year?

He smiled and reached over to place his hand over hers. No one can get up the mountain without my knowledge and we can get away quickly whenever we like. We are safe here.

She looked down at the eggs that no longer looked as appetizing as they did, and picked up a piece of toast instead taking a bite. It made her mouth dry and she looked around for something to drink.

On it, said Zan as he stood up, and fetched a pitcher of fresh orange juice, pouring a glass for her.

Ruby drank it down and immediately felt better. You’ve done a lot of work here to get ready, I know that. But something is coming, something bad, I can feel it.

She knew Zan had worked hard to install a system, so that if anyone climbed the stone stairs around the mountain to their home at the top, or landed on the deck outside, they’d be alerted by a bell. A shrill chime that echoed loudly through their home and couldn’t be missed. Don’t fret. I can keep you safe here, I promise. No-one is coming for the baby, you need to stop worrying.

Stop worrying? She scoffed. As if it were that easy. She took another gulp of juice, emptying her glass wondering who would want her child more, the Volante or her people. Zan didn’t understand, how could he, he was too excited to be a father to think that any harm could come to the child and he couldn’t protect her from everyone. If her life with him had taught her anything, she knew that to be true.

No, she had to be the one to find somewhere for them to hide where no one would think to look for them, somewhere safe where they could raise the child alone, away from everyone. She had to make plans now before it was too late. A light kick to the side of her belly relaxed her for a moment, and she placed her hand over the spot, feeling for the tiny foot or arm, wondering if it belonged to a boy or girl.

Zan saw what she was doing, came over behind her, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, touching his cheek to hers. It’s not long now, he said. It’s not long and our lives will be changed forever.

Ruby smiled, half-happy and half-sad, thinking about his statement. That’s truer than you think.

Chapter 2

Zan Yennae could not understand why his wife, Ruby, had refused to tell anyone their good news. If it were up to him, he’d be shouting it out loud to anyone and everyone that passed by. He’d visit all his old friends bringing them baked goods with baby announcements piped on the top, he’d even install a banner in the park in Kollaroy inviting everyone to come see the new babe when it was born.

However, Ruby forbade it, and if he’d learned anything about being with a human woman such as her, it was that you had to listen to her wishes and accept them. She wouldn’t even tell her mother the good news, avoiding her, limiting contact by telephone only, and if Zan’s sister, Xafi came to visit, which she did every few weeks, Ruby would retreat to the bedroom claiming she was too ill to see anybody.

Xafi knew something was wrong, but not that Ruby was pregnant with their child. No one would suspect that since it was always thought impossible, never to happen. He’d wondered about that often as he jumped off the landing to stretch his wings wide, pumping them as he soared higher to the clouds and then pulling them tight to his body, spiraling down like a bullet toward the earth.

He knew of two other human/Volante pairings since Ruby had succeeded in changing her laws to allow contact. While marriage was still forbidden for reasons he didn’t understand in her world, joinings were allowed under Volante law, even if he and Ruby were the only two to have chosen that path. No cross-race pairings that he knew of had fallen pregnant though. He and Ruby were unique in that miracle.

If it were indeed a miracle.

He landed back at his home and walked inside feeling joy in his heart. It didn’t last long.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched her push her plate away and stand up. Her stomach was full and round, stretched tight like a drum. It accentuated her curves and made him want her more. Made him want to touch every part of her growing belly. Made him salivate as her breasts swelled, full and heavy. The desire to have her, anytime he wanted, was another thing he’d learned to simmer over the years.

If he’d been with a Volante woman, he could have her anytime he wanted. It was expected for men to have many lovers, and not be tied down to just one partner. It wasn’t just the men though, Volante woman desired passion as much as the men did and when they were blessed with a child, it didn’t temper their desire anymore than it did their partners. If anything, it made their desire wilder and more uninhibited, as they celebrated the growing life inside them.

Life with Ruby was different than he expected for himself, but he had no choice but to go along now. His heart was taken the moment she flicked open the sharp blade that she kept in the pocket of her dress and sawed at the rope that bound his hands. It seemed so long ago now, that he could barely remember that day. As his hands freed, his heart was captured, tormented by the thought of having her and once he did, he couldn’t see how he could ever let her go again.

Have you given any more thought to where the babe will sleep? he asked. I could dig out a space at the back of the bedroom, big enough for a small cot, like we discussed.

The dark curls around her shoulders, still tousled from her sleep bounced as she shook her head. I want it close. Close enough so I could hold it at a moment’s notice.

My mother has my cot still. Xafi and I both slept well in it.

I told you Zan, I don’t want anyone knowing about the baby.

She won’t tell anyone.

How do you know? How does anyone know what will happen? Just one wrong person finds out, and it could be the end for us.

Zan took a deep breath, and stood up, fetching the plates from the table and walked back to the sink in the corner of the room. He scraped the leftover food into the plastic bucket and turned on the faucet to rinse each plate under the running water before piling them together, until he was ready to wash them clean. Then where do you expect it to sleep?

It can sleep with us. The bed is big and comfortable. Or we can find somewhere else to live, somewhere bigger, where no-one can find us.

He clenched his jaw. He’d had this argument too many times. There was no way the child would sleep in their bed. Their lovemaking would all but dry up, and if a Volante could not have sex with their current partner, they moved on to someone new. It was just the way it worked.

If she insisted the child sleep in the same room, then it needed a cot with privacy. Perhaps a curtain separating its sleeping area to their bed would suffice for the short term. It made sense. He could grow the curtain from ivy, the leaves cascading from the ceiling to floor. A living, breathing, wall of green waxy leaves, it would be perfect for creating a dark, cozy, natural sleeping quarter for the child. Peaceful. Beautiful.

That left the bed itself. With the child arriving in less than a month, he needed to work quickly if he was to make something sturdy enough. If only she’d allow him to fetch his old cot, then he could spend more time working on other parts of the house. Already he’d installed the new security system, which worked better than he expected, installed a five foot gate on the top step with a lock so no-one, including the child, could get in or out, and had gathered fabric which Ruby had been sewing into clothing. They were nearly ready.

He could, of course, tell her he was fetching wood to build the bed himself, and instead sneak back to his old home in Estoth, back to his mother’s house, and steal away the cot. His mother was rarely home, usually off with a new lover. It would be easy enough to be in and out without anyone seeing him. He would have done just that a year ago, too. He would have ignored Ruby’s request and done what a man should. He would have taken care of his wife and new child and not given it another thought.

Ruby wrapped the padded quilt around herself and walked outside.

A chill wind invaded their home, bringing a crisp scent of snow from the distance. Zan followed her outside and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as they both stared out to the distance.

I’ll fetch wood to make a cot today. You can have it close to your side of the bed.

She sighed and he felt her soften as some of the worry she burdened herself with disappeared. He kissed the top of her head knowing full well, that he’d lied to her. He had no plans to scavenge for wood today. He told himself he wasn’t lying to hurt her though, he was only trying to make things easier, better. To give her the calmness she deserved and not worry so much.

Besides,