8. Sharyssa "Skytalon": The Eagle and the Owl

Early in the morning, with the first rays of sunlight shining through the window of the bedroom on the Thorgintfarm. Skytalon lay wide awake in bed, still dressed in one of the rarely worn dresses she had taken onto herself since the nearing end of her pregnancy. One of her hands lazily resting upon the round form that sheltered the unborn infant craddled inside her womb. The other extended towards the empty spot beside her in the bed. Sheets were unslept and the room felt cold and empty. To the idle woman some major pressence was missing, someone that granted her the peace to sleep properly in her current state.

There was no point in remaining there like she had the entire night, not only did the absence of her husband keep her mind occupied. The constant pacing footsteps across the hall in another room sounded loud in the otherwise silent farmhouse. Sky had listened to Faralan's daughter wandering back and forth in her room for the duration of the night. Hearing the occasional sigh and sob while the young girl couldn't get herself to sleep.

With a weary sigh Sky pushes herself up, her movements sluggish and clumsy with the weight bearing her down of carrying her unborn son. Her form filled and round instead of lithe and muscular. She didn't enjoy being as limited as she was now, but it only bothered her on rare occasions where she felt she had to be out and active. It was unlike her to remain inside or not run when she felt the urge to. The pregnancy had been quite confusing emotionally at times. Of course she didn't want anything more than this child and everything she had with her marriage. Yet her independant nature arose once in a while. Frustrating her that she couldn't see her feet, that her legs felt swollen and heavy. She wrote it off on hormones eventually and learned to cope, soon it would all be forgotten when holding the much wanted and desired son in her arms.

Yet for now, it seemed that the woman would have to deal with Adenah's concerns, despite the girl not being her own child. She was a part of what now was her family. It never would be Skytalon's intention to force herself onto the girl and pretend to be a replacement of the mother she lost. But she could try and be there if needed, a silent force of support and care whenever the young woman would find the need to share what troubles her mind. It didn't happen often, and neither of them were the best in talking to eachother. Still somewhat strangers.
Right now Bearclaw wasn't here to ease his daughter's mind, so the task fell upon Sky as step-mother. She never really liked that term, she wasn't Adenah's mother and never would be. All she could hope for was that Ade could see her as a close, trusted friend or familymember.

The footsteps in the room across the hall suddenly halted, the scraping of a chair briefly replacing the sound before things went silent. Approaching the door to Adenah's room Sky called out softly. Knocking onto the wooden frame to catch the girl's attention without startling her.

“Ade, ye there lass?”

Again a chair got dragged over the floor, probably at her desk, before the door opened. A pair of bloodshot eyes greeting Sky. “Aye, I'm here... is something wrong? The baby?”. Her voice sounded hoarse and tired.

“Nay worries lass, t'boy 's doin' fine an' so am I...”
Pushing gently against the door to open it further the elder woman reached in the room to wrap an arm over Adenah's shoulder to guide her downstairs. The girl didn't resist and meekly followed. Probably too worn out and exhausted to perhaps properly register what was happening.

“Yer nay lookin' too goo', ye kno' ye shoul' sleep now tha' yer 'aving a chil'”

Skytalon frowned at the pale visage of her step-daughter, sighing when seeing how frail the girl looked currently. Not only had she been coping with every possible pregnancy-issue remotely possible, now she also had to endure the stress and tension of a missing fiance.
The woman genuinly felt sorry for her when carefully helping her sit at the table in the kitchen. Head burried into her hands with a sense of utter fear and despair written all over her white features.

“My tea 's nay as goo' as yers, bu' I thin' a mug o' sumthin' warm woul' do ye goo'.”
Offering her a brief smile and a pat on the back Sky turned to the fire to start preparing some tea for the two of them. All the while without Adenah uttering a single word.
Only when Skytalon slowly lowered herself with a breathless groan and put a mug of steaming hot tea infront of the magan she looked up. Staring at Sky with a trembling bottom lip.

“What if he doesn't come back at all?”

“Tha' lad 'as endured lot o' fights already lass, I wouldn't worry 'slong as there's nay sign o' anythin' bad” She spoke quite in rather convinced words, she had worried in the past too and knew that the images in someones head were often far worse than reality.

Adenah sighed, shaking her head and leaving her tea untouched. “I don' know... normally he...”

“Nay lass, nay cause 'e normally doesn't stay 'way doesn't mean 'e'll nay come back. 'ave a bit o' faith in yer man eh?” Smirking weakly Sky, leaned closer to Adenah and wrapped an arm over her shoulder in comfort. The gesture a little awkward and not one of their usual habits but she knew that they both needed eachother right now.

“Tha' lad survived mountains, trolls, assasins 'n tha' fury of yer Pa'. 'e can survive two days in 'm 'ighlands if 'e go' stuck sumwhere.”

It drew atleast a little, insecure chuckle from the brooding and worried girl when finally taking a tentative sip of her tea followed by a deep sigh.

“I just don't think I can do this.. if he's gone Sky.. didn't you fear the same with Pa' not too long ago?”
At those words Ade looks up at the woman holding her, peering at her questionably.

“O'course I did lass, I'd question yer feelin's if ye'd nay fear tha'. 'n even if et scares ye, 'n yer afraid o' wha' 'urt et will bring. Kno' tha' yer Pa' 'n I are 'ere tae support ye. Ye'll nae be alone Duskeye.”

With those words Sky dared leaning in to press a kiss onto Adenah's hair, despite her usual distant stance on things in where she observed and let everyone handle their own business. She had grown fond of the girl. Especially because she always was in the middle of everything when seeing Bearclaws worry about her, or witness them argue and dissagree... Stubborn Thorgints.
She wanted to ease her troubles a little, she knew Faralan would have tried the same. Grant her some hope and strength instead of the grim thought she currently dealt with.

“Sky...I'm just...scared”

Tears escaped Adenah's eyes with a low strangled sob, her current hormonal emotional state didn't do her well with the concern on where Jarren was. Most likely only making things ten times worse for her to deal with. So Sky set her tea aside and smiled warmly, leaning close enough to be able to wrap both her arms around the crying girl. Tugging her head into her shoulder to be able to caress her hair with a sudden sense of maternal instict overcoming her at the sight of her sorrow.

“I kno' ye are lass, jus' 'ave sum' faith tha' everythin' will be alright soon 'gain. In tha' meantime, dun' be afraid o' knockin' on me door if ye need sumone tae talk, or jus' sit wit' ye.”

Welcoming the comfort in Sky's arms, Adenah nodded a few times. Simply holding the wife of her father in return. Nothing else needed to be said.
“Thanks Sky...Pa's lucky to have found you.”
With those words she closed her eyes a bit, not really sleeping but atleast finding a moment in where she could relax a little more than the constant stressfull pacing she had done in her room the past night.

“Save yer breath Ade, thin' o' yer child 'n rest.”

Offering her a brief smile she rocked Adenah a little back and forth, staring out of the window with a quite worried frown of her own. Missing Bearclaw was one thing, but not knowing wether or not the father of your child, your loved one would come home..
She genuinly felt sorry for Adenah, understood her feelings perfectly. And while they sat there, in silence. Skytalon prayed to the Ancestors, to bless her family with happiness.