Side Story: Esmeralda
*** Esmeralda ***
"You're doing well, Quintella," I say. I'm happy she went into labor between the wars. Not all my wives are great for fighting, but all of them can fight, so she would've just had Lorelei to help her through this. Not a great situation. Lorelei can be nice, but struggles with empathy. I should've let a different wife get pregnant by Alzi. Not a good first impression of me using our deal. Then Alzi went and got the maid pregnant, too. Really making us look bad. She's too kind to others.
I hate that we're stronger at night. So hard to be there for others when most of my skills require the sun to be down. Though I think it would've been better for me just to volunteer some wives to be her defense if that was all Elora was going to give her. My wives could've stopped that pathetic kidnapping even on the summer solstice at noon.
"Dear? Baby?" Quintella begs.
"Sorry," I say. "You're close; a few more pushes should have it. We'll have to find time to get to Alzi. This upcoming war is going to make things strange, and let's get the baby out and then worry about all this. I'm going to be a mother. My wives are having kids. Sorry. This isn't helpful. Push."
"Aaaah!" Quintella shouts.
"I have her," I say. "I have her. She's so pretty. She has our eyes. I. Is she? Here, see if she wants your nipple. You're lactating, right?"
"Yes, I took the potion," Quintella says. "I didn't know they would work."
"I know that," I say. "I'm so nervous. I've wanted this for so long. Thank you. I know how scary this has been for you. Thank you. I love you, dear."
"I love you too," Quintella says. Carefully, she takes the baby and offers a nipple. I know babies don't always... There's more that needs to come out. Shit. I'm too nervous. Maybe it would've been better just to be Lorelie. She wouldn't be getting distracted.
"There's so much to do," I say.
...
A bit embarrassing, but we have everything figured out. The baby accepts milk, even happily drinks it, but offer her a neck and she'll try to clamp down. She doesn't have the teeth needed to break the skin, but would happily suck my finger if I cut it for her.
A vampire that was born naturally.
Now, how do we test if sunlight is fine for her without hurting her? We need to know this, but there isn't a good way to test it.
"Sunlight," I say. This baby has made me stupid!
"We can wait," Quintella says. "We just have to have Alzi here, and we have the rune to transfer pain. Alzi can heal our kid, and I'll take the pain. Our kid won't know anything happened. Just a small spot through all the filters we have, and just for a second. That's all we need. We should test multiple to make sure that it goes for all kids."
"Yes, I suppose that is all we can do," I say. First, we figure that out, and then we can figure out how to get Alzi time with her. Maybe be an example for others to also give Alzi time with the other kids she's graciously, no, been forced to give out. Then I just have to be careful to get a few wives pregnant every couple of years so we can all be happy. "You made a beautiful child. Just as expected from my wives."
"Dear, we both know Alzi did that," Quintella says. "I'm tired."
"Of course," I say. "I'll watch over you. Relax. You've earned it."