The months passed. Solenne's belly swelled to enormous size. We learned that she carried triplets. The three daughters I had seen in the vision. Yet my desire was still for Solenne. Though her body changed, swollen belly and swollen breasts, she still desired my affections. We made love often, but I was more careful and less vigorous with her.
Huan seemed very pleased with all things. Peace reigned here. Oh, there would be the occasional intrusion by a few that thought we had no protection here. Those that did not die scurried away quickly. Hopefully word would spread that we were not an easy conquest.
Graud and Ghent would have another child also. She and Solenne spoke often about their pregnancies. Though they are very different individuals, they are both women and had much in common. We would learn later that Ghent carried a boy. Graud would be a very proud father and very attentive to Ghent. She wanted for nothing.
Trinkle would take Bruan as her mate. There were no children yet. My vision told me there would be. But I kept this to myself. Trinkle balanced her time with her archery duties and time with Braun. He was very attentive to Trinkle as well. Months later, it was announced that they were mates. There was a large celebration among all the residents of our new home. Huan pronounced them free of duties for a period of one month. We saw very little of them during that time.
The time for birth arrived for Solenne and Ghent on the same day. The midwives became very busy. They ran about fretting and worrying over the two mothers to be. Trinkle was allowed to be in the room to learn what and how things were done. Ghent was very glad to have her there.
Ghent gave birth to the boy, and it was very easy. The midwives all commented on how smoothly it went. Soon, the baby lay upon Ghent's chest, looking at his mother. Solenne was not so lucky, it being her first.
Solenne's labor went many hours before the triplets decided to make an appearance. But only after giving Solenne several long and painful contractions.
Once out, they all lay on Solenne's chest and gazed at their mother. They never cried once.
Perhaps there was a magic bond or connection that I did not understand. Solenne had always spoken with them before they were born.
The babies were taken to be bathed by the midwives. The four were wrapped in cloths. Then Ghent and Solenne were bathed, the hair washed and dried. Fresh clothes for both. The babies were returned and then they began to nurse. All quiet in the birth room.
Later, Graud held his son. I also held my daughters, but one at a time rather than all three at once. I was a proud moment for Graud and me. A touching moment for the mothers and their mates.
The months passed. Solenne's time was devoted to her daughters. They conspired to always keep their mother busy. They never slept at the same time, one was always awake and in need of attention. The addition of others to help Solenne, lessened the workload. Still, she received little sleep and seemed to always breastfeed the girls in a constant rotation.
As Solenne was busy with the babies. I helped when and how I could, determined not to be an absent father as mine had been. Many times, I spent the hours working on improvements for the defense of our home. Huan would often accompany me and ask probing questions about what could be improved. Other times he offered possible attack scenarios and asked how I would deal with it. I understood he had questions and only sought to make us all safer.
Huan also spent time with his granddaughters. He doted on them, and they would look at him with wide eyed wonder as he spoke to them. The girls seemed entranced by his voice, hanging on to every word.
The girls grew quickly. It was not long before they began to roll about and move on their own locomotion. If I thought, they were troublesome before. I was wrong. The trio was into everything. How they did it, I have no idea. Items would be found on the floor that could not have been there before.
