Faye was dozing lightly in her little pillow bed. After Abby had been taken Faye had done her best to comfort Maya, but Maya didn't trust her anymore. Faye didn't really mind though. The sensations running through her body as the baby grew felt so good it was impossible to get upset about anything. Even when Maya was venting her rage and fear like bile, Faye accepted her friend's pain with a calm placidity. Faye even felt like she this helped Maya. She sort of half listened to Maya, offer assurances Abby would be fine, and let Maya yell at her. Eventually Maya just wore herself out and settled down. By then Faye was hungry again, so she took the opportunity to eat the rest of the food they had brought for her. She couldn't believe there was enough room inside her for all that food, but she never seemed to get full.
After she finished eating the feeling came back again. If anything it was stronger than it had been after breakfast. First the warmth returned and then the feeling of potential. Every few minutes she'd feel that coiled tightness spread from her center, stiffening her nipples and blossoming damp heat between her legs. It was a mild, playful cousin of when Glenn made her come. If Maya hadn't been there she would have looked for that spot between her legs that Glenn had pressed into until she went over the edge. Even without that she drifted along in a blissful haze for a while.
The whole time she could feel the baby growing in short, powerful bursts. When she had a particularly intense wave of pleasure she could actually feel the skin of her stomach stretch. When that happened if she put her hand on her stomach she could feel it pressing outward. It all seemed unbelievably strange but she also loved the feeling of creating something new with her body.
Maya mostly left her alone as she dozed. Sometimes Maya stared at her angrily, other times she looked terrified. Faye wanted to explain it to her but she knew it was impossible. It was something that needed to be experienced first hand. Faye just hoped it would be as satisfying for Maya as it was for her. Eventually the blissful feeling left her and she mostly just continued to lay on her pillow bed. Moving was becoming a hassle and there wasn't anything to do.
Just when the boredom was really kicking in, the tent flap opened again. An orc woman they had never seen before came into the tent accompanied by two orcs with platters of food. The woman looked very different from the one who had overseen their captivity so far. She was short and broad, with a wide, grass green face and heavy features. She had long, pine colored hair that she left loose in a wild tangle of curls, and big earnest eyes that were a darker yellow than any they had seen so far. Her eyes were the color of honey. It was hard to tell an orc's age but she seemed young. Only a little older than them.
The orc's honey eyes settled on Faye, and she gave her a wide smile, "Hi! I'm Meredith. I'm going to be you midwife."
Faye blinked, thrown off by the woman's friendliness after the first orc woman's hostility.
"H-hi. I'm Faye."
"It's nice to meet you," said Meredith. She sounded genuinely cheerful, "How are you feeling?"
"Alright I guess," Said Faye. She looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling shy.
"Where's my sister?" Asked Maya. She was glaring at Meredith.
Meredith's eyes whipped to Maya, clearly startled, "Oh! Right. Glenn did give me a message for you," Said, Meredith. She began speaking slowly and carefully, reciting and trying hard to get it right, "He told me to tell you that Abby is doing fine, but needs her rest, and she wanted to sleep in his tent for a while. He'll make sure she gets back once she's awake."
Maya stared back at her, "You're lying."
Meredith blinked, "I'm just delivering the message," She said, trying to sound reasonable.
"My sister wouldn't stay away from me unless she was forced to," said Maya
Meredith shrugged uncomfortably, "Maybe she just wanted to cuddle. Sometimes first timers get clingy after."
Meredith's response just made Maya angrier, "You people are sick."
Meredith looked away from Maya. She almost looked like she was going to cry.
Faye felt hot fury spike in her chest, "Goddammit Maya, that's enough. She's just here to help me and she didn't do this to us."
Meredith gave her grateful look then turned back to Maya reluctantly, "I'm sorry you're upset. I know this is hard. I've never been captured in a raid myself, but I have friends in the sept who were captured by Glenn. I know it can be difficult to adjust."
"Difficult to adjust?" Said Maya, outraged and disbelieving.
But before Maya could say anything else Meredith turned back toward Faye. She was clearly trying to avoid any more confrontation, "Do you mind if I check on the babies?"
"Check on them?" Asked Faye.
"Yes, it's a simple little spell. It'll let me know how they're doing and if they're growing alright."
Faye put a hand to her rounded belly, a surge of protectiveness rising in her.
Meredith saw the concern etched on her face and held her hands out reassuringly, "It's just to be careful. If there's anything wrong I can almost guarantee I can fix it. The sept hasn't lost a woman during childbirth in a generation."
"That's impossible," said Maya.
Faye had to agree. She hadn't lost anyone close to her to childbirth, but she knew at least two women from the farms surrounding their town who had died. It was a spectre that hung over every marriage.
"Not if you use magic," said Meredith, "Humans are better than us a lot of stuff. Building, smithing, blowing things up. But one thing we know is making babies. I never got why humans just use magic to kill people and build weapons. I mean we do that too, at least the savay do, but we also use magic for much more practical things. Now, may I?" Asked Meredith. She gave Faye a smile and looked expectant.
"A- alright," Said Faye.
"Great, why don't you get comfy?"
Faye hesitated, then laid back on the cushions. The heavy weight on her front made her awkward, but after a moment she settled in. Her stomach pressed her into the pillows.
Meredith had walked over to her while she was lying down. When Faye had settled Meredith knelt beside her, "Alright," said Meredith, "do you mind lifting up your shirt? It helps if I can touch your skin."
Maya had come over to watch silently. Faye felt self conscious under her gaze, but after a minute she lifted her blouse.
"Oh my god," whispered Maya.
Faye stared down at her stomach. She hadn't really looked at herself since she had last finished growing. The blouse they had given her was loose to give her room to grow into it, and it had obscured what was going on beneath. She looked like she was almost full term. Her belly stuck out well past her large breasts and drooped over the waist of her skirt. Her breasts, barely contained by their bindings, actually rested on her stomach now. Her skin was taut and round and practically glowed with the life within.
Meredith didn't seem surprised at all. In fact she gave another of her big smiles at the sight, "Oh wow, look at you! You're really coming along."
Meredith put a hand on her stomach, rubbing it gently. Faye jumped at the feeling of her hand running over the taut skin of her belly. It was comforting and very intimate. Something in Merideth's caresses conveyed admiration and joy at what Faye was doing, and Faye felt a fierce surge of pride.
"And so big already," continued Meredith, "that's a fiver if I've ever seen one."
Faye blinked in confusion for a second, then gasped, "Five!?"
"It's just a guess," said Meredith, "But I've seen a lot of pregnancies so I know what I'm talking about. Alright, let's see how the little puppers are doing."
