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[gypsy_merrique]

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Rummaging through her wardrobe, Merrique realized that she would soon have to tell others what her husband already knew. She stood naked, looking down at herself, at the slight swell of her belly, and wondered at the gender of the slumbering baby within.

Merri pulled out the few things that would fit her as this time wore on and slowly dressed herself. She then went to her son's room where he was playing, quite loudly, with gods only knew what toys; whatever they were they made way too much noise. His uncle Arthur tended to buy and make the boy all sorts of interesting things.

With a knock on the door, the cacophony within the boy's room fell silent and Merri let herself into Shalcross' room. She gestured for him to come to her and he did, and together they sat on the floor. Merrique gathered her son onto her lap and talked quietly with him a while.

His arms wrapped around her neck, mother and son enjoyed these moments. Then Merri told him that he would be a big brother. It was apparent that the boy didn't know just how to feel about the situation and Merri didn't push the issue. Shalcross skirted away from the issue and stood up to go find a toy he wanted.

Merrique stood and brushed her hands against her skirt. With as stern of a face as she could muster, she demanded Shalcross bring her his crossbow. Shal's face crumpled into a petulant gloom when Merri informed him that she'd decided that punishment was in order.

"You must understand, Shalcross. I'm not mad that you had a hand in shooting the lightbringer. I'm upset that you didn't tell us. If you're good you can have your bow back in a week."

The child stood there fighting back tears of anger, or hurt, or both as Merri turned toward the door.

"Oh, and Shal? Daddy has nothing to do with this decision." Merri left the room and went to her husband's office to pen a letter to the Matriarchs and her Umbran family of the news of her coming child.
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. . . But the dark is very trustworthy.
It's always as dark as you thought it was.
And you don't have to work at staying there.
All you have to do is survive it.
And I've been doing that forever.
from the novel "Dark Debts" by Karen Hall