Lateral Movement

by Alzrius

731 - Bad Humor

“...anyone else awake?”

Spinner’s question made Thermal Draft roll over, turning so she was facing away from Lex – she’d laid down against his back a little while ago, hoping that her presence would bring him some measure of peace – before answering, keeping her voice low. “I am.”

“Me too,” came Mystaria’s voice a moment later.

When no one else replied, the sound of the filidh sighing could be heard. “I don’t suppose you guys have any idea how long we’ve been here now?”

“I don’t think it’s been very long,” came Mystaria’s answer. “A couple of hours at most.”

“I think I was dozing for a while,” added Thermal Draft, “so I’m not sure. Why?”

Spinner hesitated a moment before replying. “It’s just...I know it’s still early, but the last time Lex had a meltdown, it took him a couple days to get over it. If that’s the case again now...”

A rush of anger made Drafty grit her teeth. “Are you serious?! After everything he’s done, getting Woodheart back, saving Valor, fighting Sissel and Grisela and the rest of them in order to get us here alive, not to mention what he went through when Solvei-”

“I know, I know!” came Spinner’s quick response, and her cringing was audible in her words. “I wasn’t criticizing him! It’s just...we’re completely in the dark, literally and figuratively, and if he doesn’t wake up soon I’m worried about what this ‘Keeper’ is going to do.”

“Akna said we’re safe here,” pointed out Mystaria.

“She also said we shouldn’t leave this room,” retorted the filidh sourly. “That doesn’t exactly make me feel safe, you know what I mean? Not that there’s any point in venturing out since we can’t see anything anyway.”

Thermal Draft frowned, not liking that Spinner wasn’t wrong.

After they’d woken up, Akna had told them that they’d made it to the Shrine, and that they’d be safe there, but had also strongly cautioned them against wandering around. At the time Drafty had thought that was because of the stricture against making light in the Shrine (which Akna had also warned them against); with her magic, Drafty had been able to give everyone the ability to see in the dark, but only for a relatively brief time. Worse, the spell had been at the limit of what she was currently able to do with her magic, and casting it on herself, Mystaria, Valor, Spinner, and Shadow – Akna’s unexpected ability to change forms apparently let her see in the dark, and Littleknight seemed to have that ability as well – had been exhausting, especially after having just been fighting for their lives and subsequently frozen.

Taking all of that into account, and on top of Solvei’s death and Lex’s having lost consciousness, the group consensus had been to stay put and not push their luck.

But that had been a while ago, and although she’d been content to try and sleep, Drafty could understand how anyone would become restless after several hours of being stuck in the dark.

Of course, she herself wasn’t too upset about it. There were too many other things weighing on her mind at the moment.

Like the way they’d lost Solvei – whom she’d come to think of as a friend – so abruptly.

Or the heartbreaking way Lex had gone to pieces because of it, something which Mystaria had attributed to her being his familiar.

Or that, no matter how much she tried to get comfortable, there was a burning sensation in her lungs which wouldn’t go away, and which she suspected was Paska’s curse slowly killing her from within.

Or the fact that she was once again cut off from talking to Kara, this time by the goddess’s own design.

Sweetheart, there’s something you should be aware of, the goddess had informed her during their trek toward the temple, shortly before their disastrous confrontation with Grisela and her siblings. Once you get to the Night Mare’s shrine, I won’t be able to speak with you.

“Huh?!” Drafty had almost tripped upon hearing that, having to use her wings to keep herself from planting her face in the snow. Thankfully, she’d managed to convince everyone that she’d simply stumbled, having to work hard to hide the dismay that had fallen over her then.

Well, it’s not so much that I can’t, Kara had explained a moment later. It’s just that I’ll get in trouble if I do.

Drafty had never been entirely sure whether she needed to speak out loud for Kara to hear her, or if the goddess could read her thoughts, but in this case her question was obvious enough that she felt sure that Kara could have guessed it even if she hadn’t been able to hear it. Trouble how?

Places that are consecrated to a god are...how can I put this? They become part of that god’s turf. They’re not exactly part of their divine realm, but by mutual agreement other gods are supposed to treat them as if they were. That means that if another god barges in, or sends their servants in there, it can turn into a big deal. Divine wars have started over that.

A feeling of unease had come over Drafty then, glancing at where Mystaria was talking to Spinner, acutely aware that they were both followers of goddesses who weren’t the Night Mare. If they went to the Shrine...

Oh, no need to worry about your friends, sweetheart! laughed Kara. That thing I said just now about what happens when a god’s servants trespass in another god’s sacred ground only applies to those servants that are, to put it in simple terms, beyond what you’d call mortality. The ramifications of mortal actions, even when they’ve dedicated themselves to a god, aren’t something that god has to answer for directly.

In Drafty’s mind, Kara had yawned then, as though finding the explanation tiresome. But I’m afraid that doesn’t work for the arrangement you and I have. If I’m still in your head while you’re in the Night Mare’s little shrine, she’ll absolutely get her panties in a twist about it. And while she’s really cute when she gets incensed over some cosmic regulation being violated, she’d demand that I pay her some sort of outrageous price for not getting the entire pantheon on my case, which would be an awful hassle for me to deal with. So, just while you’re in there, I’m afraid you’re on your own.

And that had been that.

While Drafty hadn’t been able to process Kara’s abrupt announcement at the time – it hadn’t been very long afterwards that they’d been fighting for their lives – in the hours since she’d come to realize how much she’d come to rely on the love goddess’s advice. Kara had been the one who’d tried to warn her against making a deal with Prevarius, after all, and she’d been the one who’d told her how to simultaneously calm Lex down and deepen their relationship back in that village.

And of course, it was thanks to Kara that-

“We won’t need to worry about the darkness once I can prepare my spells.” Mystaria’s voice dragged Thermal Draft out of her thoughts, focusing instead on the whispered conversation her comrades were having. “I’ve got the spell for that in my spellbook, so I’ll make sure to prepare a few castings of it once I’m rested.”

A momentary pause ensued, after which Mystaria gave an embarrassed cough. “I mean...if Drafty doesn’t mind casting that same spell on me first so that I’ll be able to read my spellbook.”

Unable to hold back a snort, Drafty grimaced as the laugh made the burning in her lungs flare up, fighting down the urge to cough. “No problem.”

“Wait,” huffed Spinner. “You’ve got a spell for granting darkvision? How come you didn’t use it back when we were fighting those yetis back in the village?”

“The same reason I didn’t use a spell to generate some light, which by the way is a much easier spell to cast,” retorted Mystaria, her voice wry. “Because I hadn’t prepared it at the time, and don’t have a scroll of it either.”

“Ugh,” moaned the filidh. “Remind me, when we get back to Viljatown, to buy some sort of enchanted spectacles or something that let whoever’s wearing them see in the dark. Someone’s got to have invented something like that, right?”

“They have,” confirmed Mystaria. “They’re called the ‘goggles of night.’ They grant darkvision in perpetuity while worn.”

Although Drafty couldn’t see Spinner in the pitch blackness, she could practically hear the wistful expression on the bard’s face when she spoke next. “Yeah, I’m definitely picking one of those up. How much do they usually sell for, do you know?”

“Ten, maybe twelve, thousand gold pieces.”

Spinner’s answer to that came in the form of an exaggerated whimper, sounding so much like a foal who’d woken up on Hearth’s Warming Eve only to find that they’d gotten socks instead of toys that this time Drafty couldn’t hold back a giggle...which immediately caused the burning in her lungs to worsen, causing her to curl up as she started coughing, clenching her jaw as she tried to stay as quiet as she could so as not to wake Lex.

Fortunately she managed to do that much, since when the searing pain in her chest finally settled back down to a dull ache, Lex’s breathing remained slow and steady. It was a small victory, but Drafty savored it nonetheless, brushing his side with her wing as she turned back around, burying her face in his mane. This isn’t a big deal, she told herself, the way she had the last few times she’d been seized by a coughing fit. Lex knows all about curses. Once he goes through that Rite he talked about, he’ll be able to fix this.

But while Drafty felt sure that was what would happen, it did little to make her feel better.

If anything, it made her feel worse.

After all of the training she’d done with the magic she now possessed, all of the tactics she’d studied so that she could be a help rather than a hindrance, and all of the fights she’d participated in since they’d set out into the snowy wilderness, she’d once again become a burden on Lex. For the second time since they’d come to Everglow, she was in mortal danger, and she could do nothing except count on him to fix it. As though he didn’t have enough on his plate already, she was making it worse, just like she had with Prevarius.

There’d been a time when she’d thought that being a damsel in distress was a romantic notion. Seeing Lex for the very first time, back when he’d saved her life in Vanhoover, had been something right out of a storybook. But even though she’d helped him out since then – stopping Cloudy from stabbing him when that kraken had ensorcelled her during the battle on the docks; keeping Dark Streak away from him long enough for him to teleport them out of that burning factory; casting the spell that had melted Prevarius’ infernal contracts – she was still powerless to stop herself from being used against him by his enemies.

And after repeatedly witnessing how much he was suffering, that was enough to break her heart.

“Drafty?”

For a moment, Thermal Draft considered not answering Mystaria, sure that the kindhearted nun was going to bring up what Paska had done to her, which was the last thing Drafty wanted to talk about right now. I could just pretend that I fell back asleep, and she’d have to let it go.

But what had happened to Woodheart and Solvei had driven home just how easily someone could be taken away, and Drafty knew that if anything happened to Mystaria later, she’d regret ignoring her now. “Yeah?”

“I have a few vials of antiplague. It’s a stabilizing agent that helps to regulate your body’s humors. I know it won’t help with...with what you’re struggling with, but it can at least make sure you don’t get sick as a result.”

Drafty furrowed a brow at that. “It regulates...humor?”

“Bodily humors,” cut in Spinner. “Not like, you know, laughing at jokes and stuff. It refers to the balance of fluids that keeps your organs working properly. When various substances get into your body, they throw the ratio out of whack, which is what causes illness.”

It was a good thing, Drafty decided, that the darkness kept the other two from seeing her face right then. “You can’t be...no, you guys, sickness is caused by germs. Tiny creatures that invade your body and attack you from the inside. Not by these ‘humors’ or whatever you call them.”

An awkward silence fell then, and it was several moments before Spinner spoke up. “Listen...I know you and Lex are from some distant kingdom, but here in the Empire, we’ve advanced past the idea that sickness is caused by evil spirits. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of monsters that attack with disease, and spells that make people ill too for that matter. But your ordinary garden variety illness is caused by a humor imbalance, not...what did you say those creatures are called?”

“Spinner, stop it,” admonished Mystaria gently. “This isn’t the time for a debate about science versus superstition. Drafty, I promise you that regardless of the difference in our beliefs, this solution does help to prevent sickness. I’ve used it myself, and so have a lot of people I know. Please, consider taking it.”

Still trying to process the idea that she was being treated as the primitive one by people who thought that germs were a myth, it took Drafty a moment to find her voice. “I...alright, thank you."

Even if they had the wrong of what caused sickness, it was possible that they’d still stumbled across some sort of medical safeguard. And if it could help make things a little easier...make her even slightly less of a burden to Lex, then wasn’t it worth trying?

“Don’t thank her until you taste the stuff,” snorted Spinner, the amused undertone in her voice making it clear that she was still tickled about Drafty’s thoughts on germs. “Trust me, there’s a reason why they tell you to chug it without letting it hit your tongue.”

“You’re not helping, Spinner.” A soft clinking made it clear that Mystaria was fumbling through her saddlebag. “Just give me a second, Drafty. The vials are long and thin, so I can find them by touch...”

“Just don’t spill them,” warned the bard. “The last thing we need is to be stuck in here with that smell.”

Grimacing a little, Drafty found herself wondering if maybe she’d been too quick to accept Mystaria’s offer. “Do I want to know what goes into these?”

Spinner answered before Mystaria could. “No you don’t, believe me. That’s rule number two for taking antiplague, right after not letting it touch your tongue if you can help it and before avoiding the stuff if you’re pregnant.”

Drafty went rigid at that. “Wh-what?”

“Here it is!” announced Mystaria triumphantly. “Drafty, I’m going to crawl toward your voice and pass you the vial. Give it back to me after you’ve drank it, okay?”

Drafty’s reply left her lips immediately. “Actually, you know what? I’m going to pass on this.”

“Huh?” Mystaria couldn’t have sounded more confused. “But why? This really will help protect your health.”

“I just, um...I don’t trust it. I mean, I don’t think humors are real and all,” babbled Drafty, trying to look for a way out of this that wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

“Oh come on,” snickered Spinner. “I was just teasing you before, it doesn’t taste that bad. Although you really don’t want to know what goes into making it.”

“No, really, I’m fine,” pressed Drafty, feeling herself starting to sweat. “I don’t even think I’m going to get sick anyway.”

Mystaria, however, wasn’t ready to let the topic go. “But this place is really dusty. That’s the sort of thing that can throw off your humors...or, well, I still don’t understand what ‘germs’ are, but I’m sure this can’t help with them either, right?”

Trying to calm down, knowing that becoming agitated would only make things worse, Drafty struggled to control her reactions, even as she knew that after everything that had just happened she was too tired and too upset to do so. “No, I mean, yes, but that’s-, listen, I just don’t want to take that stuff, okay?”

“Why not?” huffed Spinner. “You were fine with it until just a minute ago, when...when...” She gasped then, the sudden inhalation sounding loud in the small room. “Oh my gods!”

Drafty bit her lip then, wondering if this was how Lex had felt a few days ago when his own secret had been revealed.

“You’re pregnant!”

Author's Note:

Thermal Draft is confirmed to be pregnant!

Will the others keep her secret? Or will Lex wake up to find out that he's going to be a father?

Comments

[Booster Spice]

Is it pink or blue?

Its too dark to tell in here.

You mean like a dog?

[Alzrius]

11285236 At this point, I doubt anyone knows (except maybe Kara).

[Firefoxino]

Still sad about the doggo :(

[Alzrius]

11285370 Solvei's death was a tragedy by any measure. Hopefully, once Lex starts to recover, he'll be moved to do something about it.

[Firefoxino]

11285379
My poor stone heart cries for the hero she was :((((((((((((

[Spiritus Arcane]

Dunno how being the Kara kissed version will affect the chances, but she better hope the kid doesn't come out a doppelganger. Assuming she makes it to term...

[Alzrius]

11285957 Yeah, that's probably going to be a factor. Of course, as you noted, there are more immediate concerns to worry about.

[Not so New Brony]

While Thermal Draft being pregnant is a good thing or not is up for debate, I can't help but worry that the curse afflicted upon her might affect the unborn pony/doppelganger hybrid. Worst case scenario is that Lex is unable to dispel the curse and she deteriorates to the point that she suffers a miscarriage.

Though as usual, that is the least of their immediate concerns though another one that might pop up later is Shadow's dim view on Thermal Draft's relationship with Lex though she probably knows to keep it to herself for the time being. Then again, they're all stuck in an isolated location, in the dark and nothing else to do but wait until Mystaria can cast darkvision spells on everyone...so I'm expecting more drama next chapter.

[Alzrius]

11287125 Thermal Draft's pregnancy would almost certainly not be positively received by Lex, though at the moment I suspect that he's going to have a hard time viewing much of anything in a good light. Of course, being in the early stages of a pregnancy while struggling under a terminal curse is probably not ideal either. At this point she'd been afflicted for less than a day, but you have to wonder just how much it's already affecting her, if she's having trouble breathing this soon.

Right now, though, only Mystaria and Spinner know that Drafty is expecting, but even if we presume that no one else is awake and just staying silent...I don't know, Spinner (at the very least) strikes me as the type who can't exactly keep secrets very well, so it might just be a matter of time before the others find out. At which point Lex might find out. One can only wonder how he'll take that news.