"Love? I am back with the woods, where are you?" called Kaelen, a 30-year-old man.
Two giggling 5-year-old boys, wild and full of energy, emerged from behind. They were twins, identical in every way except for their personalities-one was calm and observant, while the other was a whirlwind of excitement.
Kaelen turned to them with a smile, shaking his head. "You little nuts," he said, ruffling their hair. "Where's your mom?"
One of the twins, Liam, with a mischievous grin, answered, "She went to take some herbs in the forest."
Just then, the other twin, Evan, jumped up, pointing excitedly. "There she is! Mommy!! Hehe!" He ran toward the direction he pointed, his small legs moving fast.
From a distance, Aeris, their mother, appeared, carefully walking toward them. Her pregnancy had made her movements slower, but she still exuded an air of strength. "Slow down, be careful!" she called, her voice warm but filled with concern. She smiled as she approached, her arms outstretched to greet her energetic children.
Kaelen smiled at the scene, watching his family with affection. The twins, though mischievous, had grown up in a home full of love. He couldn't imagine his life without them. As Aeris joined them, Kaelen wrapped his arm around her, his gaze softening. "I was just thinking about how much work you've been doing lately. You sure you're not overdoing it?"
Aeris laughed gently, brushing off his concern. "I'm fine, I can atleast do this much. But," she added with a wink, "I think I'll let you carry the heavier things from now on."
"You better let me," Kaelen said with a grin, leaning down to kiss Aeris on the forehead.
She smiled, resting her head against his shoulder for a moment before they both turned toward the house, walking hand-in-hand. The twins, still full of energy, raced ahead, their laughter echoing through the forest.
They stepped inside, Liam, looking up at his father with wide, curious eyes. "Dad, will we have a brother or a sister?"
Kaelen glanced down at him, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he crouched to meet his son's gaze. "Hmm... What do you want?"
Without hesitation, Evan piped up, a grin spreading across his face. "I want a sister!" he said with excitement, and Liam, always quick to follow his twin, nodded in agreement. "Yes, a sister!"
Kaelen chuckled again, brushing a lock of hair from Liam's face. "Well," he said, his voice calm but full of warmth, "I will love my child and I don't care if it's a boy or a girl."
The twins ran inside the house, with their little feet pounding against the wooden floors as they dashed toward the kitchen. They immediately began helping, as much as their small hands could manage. Liam grabbed a rag and started wiping down the table, while Evan tried to sweep the floor, though his broom was almost as big as he was.
"Careful, Evan," Aeris said with a gentle laugh, watching as he nearly tripped over the broomstick.
Kaelen, now in the kitchen, smiled at the sight of his boys, both eagerly trying to do their part. He moved over to Aeris, assisting her as they prepared the meal together. Aeris carefully chopped vegetables while Kaelen stirred the stew in the pot.
The twins continued to help in their own way, the house filled with their chatter and laughter as they did their best to keep up with their parents.
"Can i help set the table?" Liam asked, his eyes bright with anticipation.
"Of course!" Aeris answered with a smile. "Go ahead, here are the plates"
"I will go get some water from the well", said Evan.
With renewed excitement, the twins rushed one setting the table while the other fetching water from the well, working together to arrange everything just right. They were small, but they took pride in their little contributions to the family's work.
Evan was holding two pots of water easily, carrying them into the house without any trouble. It seemed as if the heavy load was no challenge for him at all.
Aeris watched with a smile. "Huh, my son is getting stronger day by day."
Kaelen grinned, his voice teasing. "Well, he has your blood running through his veins, Aeris. Looks like it overtook mine. Sob, sob." He pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "You're a Selus (humans born with great strength)-and now it's clear our boy's taking after you, not me!"
Aeris chuckled, resting a hand on her growing belly. "Aww, come on! Who knows, maybe this little one will get your magic abilities next."
Kaelen raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, Aeris quickly added, "Ah, you know what? I found a really tasty fruit in the forest today. It was so sweet and juicy, I couldn't resist. I ate it, but when I tried to search for more, I couldn't find any more. I'm sorry."
Kaelen's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what? You ate an unknown fruit? Aeris! You shouldn't do that-it could have been dangerous!"
Aeris laughed softly, brushing off his concern. "It was delicious, Kaelen! And I'm fine. Nothing happened."
Kaelen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Still, you have to be careful. You can't just eat whatever you find in the forest. Some plants can be deadly."
Aeris's smile faded slightly, and she reached out to take his hand. "I know, but it didn't seem like anything dangerous i just couldn't help it you know."
Kaelen shook his head but smiled softly, squeezing her hand. "I'm just glad you're okay. But next time, please don't, hmm?"
Aeris smiled, the playful spark returning to her eyes. "I promise I'll be more careful next time, love."
Aeris sighed contentedly as she set the last of the dishes aside, wiping her hands on her apron. "We haven't had meat for days now. Can we have it tomorrow, Kaelen?"
Kaelen looked over at her with a small smile. "Yes, I'll try getting some tomorrow."
The following day, Kaelen returned home with a proud grin on his face, a fresh catch of meat slung over his shoulder.
"We're going to have meat for dinner tonight!" he called out as he entered.
The twins, who had been playing, immediately jumped up with excitement. "Yay!" they both cheered in unison, their little faces lighting up at the thought of the rare treat.
Aeris laughed, watching the twins bounce around. "Well, looks like they're already excited."
Kaelen smiled, setting the meat down on the table. "It's a good thing we're having meat, then. I didn't think you two would be this excited."
The twins danced around the room, eager for their dinner. "Meat! Meat!" they sang, their tiny voices filled with joy.
Aeris smiled warmly, her eyes softening as she looked at Kaelen. "Thank you for bringing it. I know it's not always easy to get."
Kaelen simply nodded, his pride in providing for his family clear in his eyes. "Anything for you all. Let's make sure we enjoy it."
After a bit of preparation, the house filled with the savory scent of freshly cooked meat. The twins sat eagerly at the table, bouncing in their seats as Aeris and Kaelen placed the meal in front of them.
"Finally!" Liam exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement.
Aeris smiled as she sat down beside Kaelen, ready to enjoy the meal with her family. She took a small bite of the meat, savoring the flavor. But almost immediately, her face changed. She began coughing, her hand flying to her mouth.
Before anyone could react, Aeris vomited blood onto the table, her body shaking as she gasped for air.
Kaelen's eyes widened in horror. "Aeris!" He jumped up, reaching for her, his voice frantic. "What's happening? "
The twins froze, their faces paling as they looked at their mother, fear rising in their eyes. Liam whispered, "Mommy..."
Aeris could barely breathe as she struggled to sit up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her face was pale, her body shaking.
Without thinking, he turned to the twins, his voice urgent. "Liam! Evan! Go, quickly-run to Old Mara's house and tell her to come here. We need a doctor."
The twins, still frozen in shock, nodded in unison, their faces full of fear. Without another word, they rushed out of the door, their small feet pounding against the earth as they dashed toward the village.
Kaelen turned back to Aeris, his hands shaking as he reached for her. "Stay with me, Aeris. Just... stay with me."
Moments later, Mara, the village's healer and magician, entered the small home. She immediately took charge, her calm demeanor a sharp contrast to the panic that had gripped the room.
Without wasting a moment, Mara raised her hands, muttering a few soft words under her breath. A faint shimmer of magic flowed from her fingertips, and immediately, Aeris felt a wave of warmth and calm wash over her. Her trembling slowed, and her breathing steadied.
"Better?" Mara asked gently, her sharp eyes scanning Aeris's face.
Aeris nodded, her body still weak but relieved. "Yes... thank you."
Mara gave a small nod, then knelt beside Aeris to begin her examination. She placed her hands over Aeris's abdomen, muttering a few more words, her eyes narrowing in concentration.
After a few tense moments, Mara sat back, her expression serious.
"Aeris, the meat you ate has gravely affected the baby," Mara said softly, her voice firm with the weight of the truth. "It's better you don't eat any more meat until you deliver. Your body and the baby cannot handle it right now."
Aeris's face drained of color, her heart sinking. "The baby..." she whispered, her voice shaking.
Mara nodded. "Yes. If you aren't careful, you could lose the child. The meat has harmed it more than you realize."
Aeris's hands clutched her belly, the thought of losing her unborn child almost too much to bear.
Mara continued, her voice softer now. "I'll give you some herbs that should help. You need to take them on time-don't skip a dose. The baby is already hurt, and you need to be cautious, Aeris."
Kaelen stood in the background, his worry turning to fear as the weight of Mara's words settled in.
Mara gave a soft, reassuring smile to Aeris, though it was clear she wasn't sugar-coating the severity of the situation. "Take care of yourself. Your body needs rest, and no more meat. I'll check on you again soon."
After Mara left, Kaelen sat beside Aeris, his face clouded with worry. He wanted to say something comforting, but he wasn't sure there were enough words to express how much he feared for her and the child. Instead, he just pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her and resting her head on his shoulder.