Free Bane by Viola Grace

hand to his lips and kissed the pale white skin. “I have missed my fool moon every night.”
    She blushed and then blushed more when she realised it was visible again. “What shall we name him?”
    “I think we need a name that reflects both of use. Koneer is my suggestion.”
    She looked down at the tiny, wrinkled face, the chalky grey skin and pale green eyes that he got from her. “Koneer Lytan. It’s a good name.”
    Eeli rushed into the room and that was the last time Ava held Koneer until he wailed to be fed. Since Ava had restored her sight, Eeli had been a whirlwind of preparations and a source of cheerful support.
    Smiling at the image of the chortling woman disappearing with her great grandson, she flipped back the sheets and took a shower.
    Ava was up and dressed much to Kondr’s consternation. “How can you recover so soon?”
    “My talent came back the moment that he was in the world.” It was the truth. She was able to slip into a pre-pregnant-belly gown.
    Her milk was still active, so her instincts had her lactating the moment his little wail was heard. Eeli brought him back immediately.
    Ava fed the little one, stroking the white fluff on his fuzzy head. “Where did you get to, Koneer? Did Great-Grandma involve you in affairs of state?”
    She sat in a chair and fed her son. Kondr looked on in amazement. “How long will you be able to keep breastfeeding him?”
    “As long as he needs it. I won’t get pregnant until he’s weaned.” She narrowed her eyes.
    He gave her an innocent smile. “Good to know. Now, shall we meet with his family? Eeli may have introduced him, but it is important for us to do it formally.”
    Koneer finished after a few minutes, and she burped him with a cloth over one shoulder. Having younger siblings did prepare you for motherhood, you had to learn how to burp them early or there was no sleep to be had.
    Ava straightened her gown, making sure that both breasts were covered, and walked to Kondr. “Introduce your son, Kon.”
    He wrapped an arm around her waist. “Our son will meet our family with us. Now, let’s do this.”
    Giggling at the Terran phrase that he had picked up over the last nine months, she wrapped her arm around his waist and pressed a hand to the tiny bundle of Koneer. As a family, they walked to meet Koneer’s new family. A warm welcome for the new Lytan was unavoidable, and basking in that warmth was enough for Ava. Eventually, she would feel that warmth for her, but for now, knowing that her child was loved was enough.
    When she was alone with Kondr, she knew that she was loved and that was more than enough. With him at her side, she had been purchased, decanted, used for her healing, used for her blood, and used for her body. As courtships went, it had been a little tumultuous, but it had been successful. A partnership took the place of love, but while Ava wasn’t looking, love had snuck into place and lodged in both of them. Their child was just another level to their union.
    So, with Koneer in her arms, Eeli trying to steal him and Kondr’s sister whining to her husband that she wanted one, Avaneer realised that she was firmly in a family whether she liked it or not.
    She could get used to it.

 

    Author’s Note

    Bane was tricky. I made the mistake of reading a bad review during the writing process, and it threw me off.
    Avaneer was lucky that Kondr was the target species and even luckier that he decided that she was worth listening to.
    Families are not all created equal and that was the point I tried to make here. Some work with love and good-natured acceptance and others try and create control with money or threats. Those are two examples. There are thousands of variations out there.
    Core takes us to an honour guard dressed as lizard. She is deadly when threatened, but a rose garden is always in her thoughts.
     
    Looking forward to seeing how I am going to screw that one up…
     

Viola