Chapter 42: Suck on it
It had been five weeks. Mira had recovered from her child birth and her cubs had adjusted to being less dependent on her. According to the laws of the lion clan, after the birthing of cubs, the mother should be in isolation for four to six weeks to nurture the cub or cubs until they are ready to be shown to the rest of the pride.
Mira spent those five weeks doing just that. Being a mother and recovering. Jia Hao ensured that she did absolutely nothing and was overly protective. He acted like Mira putting a foot on the ground would lead to her death and it was loving but sometimes alarming. She only gave birth, she was not incapable but she never complained. Better to be with a man who willingly does all the work than with someone who leaves you to handle it yourself at your most vulnerable state.
One of the cubs cooed, cackling a laugh as he stretched his hands up. Mira smiled. She really was a mother. And a mother of six. That was really hard to conceive.
Two babies rested against her arms as she breast fed, putting one on each boob. Mira really needed a milk pump because these babies needed constant feeding and she had two titties and six of these little ones but a pump on the system shop was overly expensive and she had very little coins. Too bad she could not create one with wood or leaves, that would have been a saving grace.
Someone walked into the room. It was Jia Hao. "The ceremony for the showcasing of the heirs is today. Want to oversee anything during its preparation?" He asked.
According to lion’s custom, the naming and gender reveal of the cubs of the lion king was to be done five weeks after birthing. Today made it the end of the fifth week and for the first time since labour, she would be making a public appearance.
The clan leaders would be invited and neighbouring species too. This was both nerve wracking and scary for Mira because outside the lion clan, everyone else knew her to be a demon. She did not know what would happen nor was she sure of what to expect.
Her only saving grace was the fact that no one would dare disrupt the ceremony in Lion territory so she was safe.
Mira sighed. "Well, I have two breasts and six babies to feed, so have a good guess, husband." Mira said, her attention now brought back to her husband.
Jia Hao swallowed. "You’re the cub’s mother. The celebration is in your honour as well as it is in theirs, so I thought you may want to have some opinions about it."
Oh God. Jia Hao was being so sweet yet she was being mean. Mira sighed. "I know. I’m sorry, I just-" she took a pause and inhaled. "I don’t think the beast people would want to see me at all. I’m frightened, Jia Hao. And I don’t want to make conceited decoration changes that goes against everything the lions stand for." She was from Earth so her taste surely was different.
Jia Hao walked closer to her. Mira had all their children surrounding her on both sides. Jia Hao picked one up and held the cub to his chest, rocking the baby.
He understood Mira’s fear. "It’s your party. Your cubs. The rest of the world knew this before making their way here and if they cannot hide their distaste or offer you some respect, then they are not welcome in the tribe." Jia Hao brought his face closer to his child’s and rubbed his nose gently against the baby.
His own flesh. His own blood. His very own heir.
"I can take care of the cubs. Go stretch your legs or do whatever. I have enough free time to rid you of your duty."
A smile crept its way to Mira’s lips. "Do you have large, soft breasts as well? Ones that preferably produce milk consumable by newborn lion babies." Mira teased.
"You won’t be gone forever." Jia Hao responded.
Ha! Fat chance on that. Once he goes into baby watching duty, she was stretching her legs as wide as she could.
"Let me breast feed. After I will come outside and call you." Mira said. One of her cubs had finished sucking so she took him off her, dropped him carefully by her side and took another baby. She ensured the safety of the cub in her other hand during this movement.
Jia Hao watched as she stuck her her nipples into the cub’s mouth. He smacked his lips together. He also wanted a taste. It had been so long.
"Do I get to suck those if I were not a man, but a baby?" He asked, eyes glued to her chest.
Mira rolled her eyes and giggled. "Only if you were my baby and have been inside of me and out of my birthing part."
Jia Hao’s ears twitched. His eyes brightened at those words. He qualified.
"So that’s a yes."
Mira’s face flattened. She reprocessed her words in her head before understanding what he meant. That lion king always found a way. She laughed.
"Yes it is." She whispered. The baby sucking her milk was asleep. "Please help me, Jia Hao." She added.
Jia Hao walked to the other part of the bed and took the baby. He grabbed onto another cub and put the cub on Mira. She mouthed a thank you. She had two more mouths to feed before freedom. She needed to do something other than motherhood for a change.
Maybe she would go over the guest list if there is one and see what she could do for them to hate her less.
A thought came to Mira’s mind. If all the clan leaders of the clan would be coming, it meant she would get to meet her husbands. And that also meant that she would meet Ming Tao. A man who hated her so much he almost made her get banned from the tribe.