"This is going to be great! Eee!" Penny packed up the rest of her items for her travel bag. The servants had already picked out a wardrobe to take along for the trip.
"Penny, dear, are you sure you want to continue with this?" Ilka was getting her own bag ready. "I mean...the little one..."
Penny stopped packing and put a hand on her tummy. "Babe, she's like this big!" She held up her thumb and forefinger about half a centimetre apart. "Dr. Pussi said it'll be fine! I can ride up to five months into the pregnancy if I really need to."
"I am just concerned, as this is the first," Ilka went on, hesitant to look at Penny. "It is most fortunate it is a girl. If we had a son together...I would still love him, but he could not take the crown."
"Yeah, we lucked out as far as royal claims go," Penny said, laughing. She dropped what she was doing and went over to Ilka. "We're still good, yeah?"
Ilka smiled and nodded. "I am fine. I have come to peace with what needs to be done."
Penny gave Ilka a big kiss and went back to packing. Willa the page summoned the two of them, and they were taken down to the shuttle launch pad. Groovi was waiting for them there. The shuttle had a spare module in the back for carrying extra sensitive cargo.
"Excellency, please be cautious of Obsidian!" Groovi was trying to be overheard from the shuttle heat-up. "He needs to have his grains twice a day, and he gets only one of the sweet-root, and--"
Penny patted her head. "Relax, short-stuff! Your queen knows what she's doing!" She turned to Ilka. "Come on! Those other riders don't stand a chance!" Penny and Ilka climbed aboard the shuttle. Groovi was nearly blown over when it lifted off. The gyroscopic stabilizers of the spare shuttle pod ensured that Obsidian the myxlo would have a smooth ride.
Groovi watched the vessel fly off. "They never listen," she pouted. She wandered off back to the palace to go see Oola and Khazal.
When she got to their quarters, Oola was swinging her broadsword around furiously. Khazal was laughing with glee, holding onto a chair for stability. She had just turned a year old, and was now walking on her own.
Groovi dashed in and put herself between the baby and Oola. "What are you
doing
? Khazal could be hurt!"
Oola stopped her swordplay and scoffed. "Do not be so timid! I am showing Khazal what a warrior woman can do!"
"Put that sword away now!" Groovi stomped her foot and got a pucker on her face.
"Ha ha! Make me." Oola held up the sword in defiance.
Groovi marched right to Oola and stood her ground. Groovi was just a hair over five feet, and was no match for the muscular battle maiden Oola. She pointed at the sword rack on the wall. "Put it away."
Oola held the sword above her head. Groovi jumped up, trying to grab at it, but it was no use. Khazal laughed and clapped.
Groovi eventually gave up and hung her head. "You are without mercy."
"Correct! Mercy is for the weak." Oola finally went over and put her sword up, then went to Khazal and scooped her up. Khazal screeched with joy. "Who is my mightiest warrior? It is you, lovey! Yes you are!
Yes you are!
" She gave Khazal a smooch on the head. "Do not be like Tiny Mama, mewling for people to respect her."
Groovi gave a huff of anger, while Oola took Khazal into the kitchen for dinner.
That night, after Khazal was asleep, Groovi and Oola were in the bedroom. Oola had just changed into her nightgown while Groovi sat with her back to Oola on the bed. "I do not like you speaking down to me like that," Groovi said.
Oola roared with laughter. "That is how everyone must speak to you, Tiny Mama. Khazal will be taller than you in two years."
"And why are you not protecting her excellency on her trip?" Groovi was seething through gritted teeth.
"She has the slatterns from Grandfort coming to protect her," Oola answered. "Besides, I am going on another mission. Her excellency has enrolled Crele and me into the gladiator school in Opthagol. We will spend five days improving our skills as fighters. We depart tomorrow."
Groovi spun around now. "So I am expected to care for Khazal by myself here while you off and fulfill your warrior fantasies?"
"You have the nursemaids to help," Oola said dismissively. She held out her arms. "Let us make the beast to celebrate my upcoming training!"
"No, no, no!" Groovi scrambled to get under the covers. "Oola, you are a clod and...a
heshpret
!"
Oola gasped. "You do not meant to call me a vagina filled with semen, do you?"
"Yes I do!" Groovi hiked the blanket up over her head. "You make fun of me and belittle me all the time! Make the beast with your own hand!" She curled up into a fetal position and faced away from Oola.
Oola took a long time standing there, not knowing what to say. "I must rest." She went to the door and turned off the light, then left. Groovi could hear the sound of Oola slumping on the couch. Groovi felt her eyes get wet as her mouth tightened up. It took her a long time to get to sleep.
The next morning, Oola had her duffel ready to go, as well as her sword in its carrying case. She kissed Khazal goodbye, then waited for Groovi to say something. Groovi just turned her back and frosted her out. Oola slinked away to the shuttle launch pad.
After Groovi finished her chores tending to the palace myxlos, taking Khazal with her, she handed Khazal off to Willa for babysitting. She invited Fiona out for a nice dinner in the capital. Groovi decided she wanted to be defiant, and would wear a nice billowy short skirt and a tight top. She took the heels that she bought on Earth to wear as well.
Fiona met Groovi out by street level. Fiona had dressed in black leather pants and a v-neck t-shirt, with her own heels. "Damn, girl!" Fiona looked Groovi up and down. Fiona's new body gave her plenty of height, which only added to Groovi's feelings of inadequacy she had been having lately.
"Let us go then," Groovi mumbled, as they went to the restaurant.
"Hey, everything okay? You seem really down, kid," Fiona said.
The sun was already set, and the winds were picking up. It was what was called a