The Land In Between

C H A P T E R 3 4

-Same time in the past, at a different location-

"Babaylan Maya, what's wrong?"

The Head of First House calls to the Lady of the Fourth House. Her eyes are opened wide, shocked out of proportion as her head seems to give out a dull thrum. She feels her husband grab her wrist to support her, even as the Babaylan lays her elbow on the table of the banquet the Alliance Heads were in.

She can already feel the scolding of her former teacher, 'No elbows!' but that thought is drowned by the ache of her temple. Her husband, Bagwis, tells the other clan heads, "Please excuse us, my wife must not be feeling well after all this food. The baby must not agree with it, I suppose." He cracks a light comment as everyone in the table is understanding, all nodding and giving out their own well wishes.

Bagwis helps Maya, an arm used as her personal crutch while they slowly leave the meeting tent, which was settled near the edge of Kiling compound. As soon as they get hit by the evening air, Bagwis notes, "It's not the baby at all, isn't it." While Maya does gently pat her belly, a bump indicating where her third child was, she shakes her head stiffly, "No, it's not. He's fine."

"She." Bagwis corrects and Maya turns to her husband with a raise of the brow, "How would you know that it's a daughter?" Bagwis stretches his back lightly, but both of them hear a few bones crack. "Call it a lucky guess." Maya stares ahead of her, slightly amused at the turn of conversation. "And if you're wrong?" She raises. Her husband settles beside her, a silent yet strong pillar. "You have the privilege of naming her."

"Him." Maya refutes back, but is pleasantly surprised at the terms of the wager. "Very well, I accept."

"But enough about this, why were you unwell?" The stern furrow on Bagwis' face remains as Maya keeps a hand on her stomach and answers dutifully. "There is something wrong, and I wish to test it." Bagwis crosses his arms, "Is it dangerous?" His wife inhales, as she feels the baby kick by her stomach. "Oh!" She exclaims and Bagwis is immediately by her side, an ever constant, overprotective companion. Bagwis also lays a hand, even if his palm was larger than Maya's own, but it's almost amusing to see his eyes light up in wonder.

Maya chuckles, but she sobers immediately. She responds to the earlier query, "It's not a danger to me. If my theory is right, then it's more of a danger to the person wielding it. And to everyone around them, which can include the Alliance." Bagwis then asks, "Is there anything you need?"

Maya hums, "A visit to Ulalong compound would help. Besides," she pauses while looking down at her belly, "the First Prince is such a sweetheart when it comes to our child."

It was unorthodox for Maya to leave Kafagway City, especially as far along as she was in pregnancy, but Bagwis trusts her word that she'd be fine. That did not stop him, however, from sending the finest warriors from Kiling compound to accompany her to her journey. This little fact did not slip past Maya's sharp mind as she gives a blank faced look at her husband while he tries his best not to look at his wife's eyes.

'Really?' Maya seemed to say.

'Yes. Now go, and stay safe.' Bagwis seemed to respond.

Maya bites a smile before bowing, and leaving with the retinue. There are no 'I love you's that were exchanged, because both parties would rather poke their eyes out with their own personal weapons. But there is a fondness, softened overtime. It definitely helped that they had two daughters of their own already.

They're not lovers, they will never be lovers, but they are each other's companions in a world where they had no choice. So Maya goes on her journey, as two of their young daughters waved her goodbye, each holding a hand on Bagwis' own. "Come, Hume, Laya." Bagwis tells his daughters, leading them inside. "We have much work to do here in Fourth House."