First And Second
Fanqia was nearing her third month of pregnancy, and already, the bulge of her stomach was rather prominent. Her breasts were absolutely massive, and that was saying something considering that they were already ridiculously large normally... But right now? Those things were not only huge but at their softest and most supple.
Every time she squeezed, milk would come flying out. Fanqia produced so much of the dairy goodness that even though it didn’t feel painful or uncomfortable, she felt the need to drain some of it, genuinely worried her melons were going to burst from the sheer volume contained within.
Lately, she had been feeling restless as well. She had a hard time focusing for long periods of time without feeling a craving for food. She was an endless pit lately. It felt like everything she ate was digested within minutes, every single ounce of nutrients sucked away.
‘The little ones must be hungry… Is it normal for them to be so ravenous? Did they inherit their father’s appetite? Or is it because of their noble blood? I suppose superior offspring need to eat more to develop…’
This was Fanqia’s first pregnancy–And even though she had been told a lot by women of the clan, it all felt quite surreal. It was still hard to believe that in so little time, she had gone from an impoverished, filthy peasant to the matriarch of a greater noble’s household… She would have been content cleaning Edrick’s shoes, but instead, she was his first wife, and now, she carried his very first legitimate children.
The twins–Or rather, ‘Simis’ as they were now called by upper nobility–Were the first of Edrick’s Allins who would be recognised as such from birth. It was an immense honour to be the one tasked with carrying and bringing them out into this world.
…Things were a bit boring for Fanqia, though. She needed to be very careful, so gardening while crawling around with her knees directly planted against the soil was a no-go for her at the moment. Luckily, her Gardens were in good hands, especially since the first batch of apprentice maids had arrived.
Anoteros had ‘vetted’ them just before going back to Eltysia. All of them except for one had become Housemaids. It was safe to say that the basic tasks of cleaning, laundry, and the like had received a significant boost to their efficiency.
It was always impressive to see the effect her husband had on women. These young ladies had all been regular girls not too long ago. All had come from commoner backgrounds at best. Many were seeking refuge in this job… From duties forced upon them by their families, or other bad circumstances that they felt ill-equipped to deal with on their own.
What better place to run than the residence of not just a high noble, but one hailing from the clan reputed to be the scariest and most violent? No one in their right mind would come find them here, especially not since what people might want from them was petty in the face of Edrick’s mere existence.
Not to mention, it was starting to spread around that the Elt residence in particular was unlike any other… Fanqia was uncertain who had begun speaking of this, but in the clan and close surroundings, at least, people knew that even the lowest of maids was considered a genuine possession of Anoteros.
People knew better than to mess with the belongings of an Elt.
In any case… The one maid that had not become a Housemaid had instead become an Outdoor Maid. She had good chances of becoming the Head of this particular caste thanks to being the first and only maid of this category at the moment.
Her name did not matter, but she was a girl from the countryside–A bit of a tomboy who was not at all happy about the idea of being forcefully married off to someone she had never even talked to in her entire life.
This background meant that she had worked with her hands in the fields aplenty. As such, after ‘interviewing’ her, Edrick had given her this role and told her to pay close attention to Fanqia’s stuff.
The matriarch loved her husband so much. She didn’t even need to tell him anything. He always knew what she needed.
Fanqia’s garden was in good hands…
“How are you doing today, Fanqia?”
“I am doing just fine, Linmin. I just wonder how much these two little rascals need to eat before feeling full… It feels like they never have enough. I hope this is normal”
“Don’t worry, Valtura Yueyao said that everything was alright, and you know how concerned she is with getting Grand-Allins”
Linmin put down a picnic basket on the table next to Fanqia before taking a seat beside her. He overlooked the beautiful expanse behind the residence as a soft, warm wind passed by them. In the distance, the skeleton of the farm Fanqia intended to start had begun to form... A constant reminder of the prosperous future of this household.
The Foppoof glanced down at Fanqia’s swelling stomach.
Naturally, it felt odd to know that he would never be able to fulfil one of the most important duties of a wife for Edrick. Of course, he knew that Anoteros did not see it as a problem, and only his opinion mattered… But still, it felt a bit odd to think that while all of the other wives would produce living proof of their union, he would remain as he currently is…
It made him wonder if he should consider doing what he had often read in those fictional novels, and try to find talented orphans to adopt. Linmin really wanted to be a mother one way or another.
“Say, Linmin… Have you seen your Vals since returning to the clan? You are part of a servant lineage, right?”
Although saying ‘respected’ wouldn’t be quite accurate, Linmin did indeed come from a family that had served as attendants of the Elt family for a very long time. The simple fact that Linmin had been assigned to Edrick in the first place was proof that the blood flowing through his veins had granted him greater trust than most.
“No… I sent them letters telling them to pass by, but they don’t seem to want to come… I know why. They don’t feel worthy of setting foot here unless Lord Edrick himself tells them to come. You would think that they would feel happy about me marrying Lord Edrick, right? But they are intimidated instead”
“Servitude is only natural to us. My marriage will not change this. After all, I simply traded my obedience as a butler for obedience as a wife”
“Could you not visit them yourself?”
“I could, but I do not wish to. It might sound a little weird, but I want them to see me here. I want them to meet the new me in my natural habitat. I want them to see just what sort of relationship I share with Lord Edrick now”
The Foppoof sighed, soon smiling.
“Enough about me, though. You’re the one bearing Lord Edrick’s superior babies! Come on, open the basket, I prepared you a most delicious apple pie!”