Chapter Four Hundred and Forty-Four – Vim – His Progress… Or At Least, An Attempt

“How’s Liina, Vim?” Jasna asked as I turned to greet her. I was sitting in the commons area next to the main kitchen, waiting for Renn, but unlike usual I had been sitting with my back to the main entrance. Upon turning I found Jasna still had the layer of wetness to her that those who ventured out into storms had. She looked fine, and relaxed, but you could tell by her clothes and out of place hair that she had likely hurried here from the docks where she’d been working lately.

“I think she’ll be okay. I think she’s just got food poisoning. She needs lots of rest, and I’ve suggested she drink lots of fruit juices… which as you can probably guess…” I said with a small wave to the nearby kitchen. There were no sounds coming from it at the moment, but there was a rather noticeable scent in the air coming from it. Not of things cooking, but instead a fruity smell.

Jasna smiled softly as she nodded. “Renn’s handling at the moment. Yes, I can smell it all, and I passed Wynn who had a jug of it a few moments ago,” she said.

I nodded back. Ever since Renn had heard me say that Liina needed such drinks, she had taken it upon herself to make a huge batch of them. Almost too much, to be honest, but it was fine… since everyone kept coming over to get a pitcher or two of it for themselves. She also had plans to deliver some to Lamp and her people, too.

“That’s a relief, Vim… I wonder what it was she ate to make her sick…? We all ate together after our shift at the docks,” she said with a frown.

I shrugged a little. “Could have been anything, or something she drank too. It might also just be a typical sickness that is hitting her hard… who knows, but I think she’ll be okay. She’s already awake and able to sit up and stuff. She was reading a book last a saw her,” I said. I’d just been with her, in her room, a few dozen minutes ago. I’d been making it a point to check on her every hour or so.

Jasna nodded. “I’m going to go see her right now. I’ll take care of her, Pierre was kind enough to cover for me as I do,” she said.

“That’s good,” I said gently. Renn had actually wanted to care for her… but she knew better than to force herself in such a way. Liina although was no longer outright scared or bothered by Renn, she was still a feeble little thing. Renn made Liina on edge a bit, which was partly the reason Renn was making her drinks right now. It wasn’t just because Renn wanted to make some for herself, but because it was all she could do for the woman.

But it was fine. Liina seemed to be recovering already. She had spent a good portion of the day throwing up, amongst other things, and I think she got it mostly out of her system. She’ll likely be back on her feet in a week or so, as if nothing had ever happened. Although not of the thickest blood, Liina was still a non-human after all.

“Oh! Good!” Renn walked into the room, carrying a large metal pitcher. She smiled happily as she headed over and went to offer the jug to Jasna. “She’s already got cups and stuff, Vim took a bunch to her already, but it’s probably time to give her fresh and cold stuff,” she explained as Jasna took the jug.

“Thanks Renn… Thank you as well for noticing she collapsed in the hallway. Everyone’s been so busy lately, so sometimes stuff like that gets missed…” Jasna said as she lifted the lid to the pitcher jug, and smiled warmly at the stuff within it. It smelled like some kind of apple juice.

“Hm… She hadn’t really collapsed, just… had half fallen asleep I think,” Renn said with a small smile, as if unsure if odd rumors had been spread or not concerning Liina’s condition. There had been, but nothing too unusual. From what I could tell most of the members simply were worried for Liina, if a little upset she wasn’t taking better care of herself.

Jasna sighed a bit as she nodded. “The silly girl sometimes forgets to take care of herself. You’d not believe it, Renn, but sometimes I have to force her to bathe. She just outright forgets sometimes,” Jasna said, speaking as if Liina was her daughter to be annoyed over.

“I have the same problems with Vim! So I get it!” Renn said happily as her tail swayed over to thump me in the arm.

I ignored them as they giggled at me and went to take a drink from my cup. Renn had not long ago brought me one of her creations, a mix of different leftovers from batches she’d made over the last hour or so, and honestly it was nasty. But it gave me something to focus on instead of the two giggling at me.

“Then I’ll go check on her. And yell at her for not telling me something was wrong! Really. She’s not a little kitten anymore, she should at least notice when she’s sick…!” Jasna said as she turned and stepped away.

“Right!” Renn happily agreed, likely because of the whole… kitten thing.

I hadn’t realized it before, but it seemed Renn had a slight feeling of solidarity with Liina. Since they were both cats. After she had told Gerald of Liina’s condition, and had returned after I had checked on the sick girl, she had told me how worried she was… and how sad she was that she knew Liina wouldn’t really appreciate any help from her. Since she was slightly scared of her.

All this time Renn had been avoiding Liina, out of compassion. Yet deep down it seemed she had been wanting to spend more time with the woman, which I guess made sense… many of our kind felt a connection with those who hailed from the same, or at least similar, bloodlines. It made me wonder how Renn would act if she ever met another of her own kind, another large predator cat, like a lion or something. A non-human one, not a monarch, that is.

Would she feel kin to them? Or would she feel on edge? Most predators, unless family or mates, felt more vehemence than friendship when they encountered their own. Renn though was so gentle-natured…

“Thanks again!” Jasna said one last time as she left the room, and Renn waved her goodbye… then after a moment I watched as her happy hand which had just been waving… slowed and limply fell to her side.

I lowered my cup, which was nearly empty, and studied the woman I loved who now had a sad expression. Not just on her face either. Even her ears had drooped a little.

“Renn…?” I gently reached over to grab her hand. She startled a little at my touch and then turned to smile at me, with a grin full of sheepish joy.

“What, did my nasty drinks tickle your fancy?” she asked, and then laughed at her own little joke. A nice giggle that could be fully felt through the few fingers I had a grip upon.

Seeing her laugh so happily, and over such a silly thing, told me that all was well… but at the same time I knew the truth.

Like always, deep down in Renn’s psyche, there were cracks. Or at least, tiny little wounds.

I couldn’t know what had happened just now to make those cracks visible, even if for but a moment, but I didn’t need to know. Whether it had simply been her feeling bad about not being able to take care of Liina herself, something Jasna had said or done, the fact that she wasn’t going to get to make more juices… or anything at all, didn’t matter. The reason didn’t matter. All that did was those cracks had shown themselves. Nothing more.

“If you were one of these drinks, I think you’d be rather tasty,” I said, hoping to keep that nice smile on her face.

It worked. Her smile grew and got all weird as she squinted at me. “What’s with that!” she said before laughing at me.

It was the truth.

Renn giggled a bit, squeezed my hand… and then went to sit down next to me. The table I sat at didn’t have chairs on this side but instead a bench so she was able to sit right next to me, and kept holding my hand as she did so.

As she did she reached over to grab the cup I’d been drinking from. Her ears fluttered a bit in joy upon finding it was still half-full and went to take a drink.

After she did so, I watched her face scrunch up a bit as she laughed again. This time a laugh of amusement. “That’s nasty!” she said happily.

“Did you not taste your own creations…?” I asked. She’d brought me quite a few jugs of such things over the last couple hours. Most, if not all, had been just as bad. It was why I had figured she had brought them to me, so I could do away with what no one else would drink.

“I had. And I’ll have you know not all of them tasted this bad, a few actually turned out quite nice,” she said as she took another drink.

She flinched again upon drinking it, telling me she did indeed find it to taste nasty… yet she still drank the rest down. She sighed a bit as she finished the rest of it, and nodded. “Next time less sugar.” she said and decided.

Enjoying her enjoyment, I decided to take some seeds from the crystalline caves with us up north. I would have to… do some intricate work to get some of the stuff to grow up there in such a cold climate, but the results would be thrilling. From cocoa to coffee, there were plenty of tasty wonders I could show her. I could even go grab some of those sunflowers near Nebl’s place too. Renn had liked those seeds when roasted, though oddly not when salted.

As I thought of all the tasty treats and unique foodstuffs I could let her try someday, I must have drifted a bit in my thoughts for Renn patted me on the thigh. “Vim?”

“Hm?” I frowned at her as I focused on her, since I had not thought I had been so lost in my own mind as to not hear her say something.

“What were you thinking just now?” she asked.

Ah. Maybe I hadn’t missed her question or words, but she had simply noticed my thoughts on my face. “I’m planning on how I’m going to fatten you up later,” I said.

A mix of a frown and a smirk covered her face, and then she blushed a little and glanced around. “Was that a sexual joke?” she asked worriedly.

It was my turn to flinch as if I’d just eaten something nasty, and I shook my head. “No… I was thinking of food I could make you that you’ve never had before. Why would you interpret it that way?” I asked. How did increasing someone’s weight mean that…?

“Well… you know. Getting pregnant and all…” Renn mumbled as she messed with my cup, which was now empty.

Oh. Right.

Gently nudging her with my elbow, I couldn’t help but smirk at her. At us. “A lot of cultures believe it’s not good for the baby during pregnancy for the mother to eat tasty food. They’re fed bland foods and plain waters. Sure you want that?” I asked, teasing her a bit.

Renn’s ears fluttered wildly as she tilted her head and side-glanced me. She still had her face angled towards the door, which told me she was both embarrassed over our conversational topic and still making sure we were alone. We were, to a point. There were two people above us, in a room to the east of ours a floor up. I could tell one of them was Lawrence, but I couldn’t tell who the other was. “Um… I’d be more than okay with it, Vim…” Renn mumbled.

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My eye twitched at her answer, since I should have expected it. Renn would happily endure horrible things for a child that wasn’t even hers, so why would I have thought she’d say anything different for her own?

“At least let me tease you a little bit…” I groaned, feeling like an ass all of a sudden.

She finally looked back at me, for real, and gave me a toothy grin. “Does that actually help? The baby, I mean, not your teasing me and it making you feel better and putting you in a good mood,” she said happily.

“Yes and no. It doesn’t in the truest sense but a healthy diet while pregnant can indeed make a big difference for the child’s formation and birth. I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but people born during famines and times of unrest are typically shorter and have more health problems than those who are born during good times,” I said.

Her happy grin died a bit as she pondered my words. “I… I haven’t ever noticed, honestly,” she said.

“It’s a little thing, but it’s true. It’s also a good way to tell if a nation or region is healthy or not. The people themselves look healthier. Stouter. Taller. Fatter. Better hair and skin, nails and so forth…” I said, shrugging a little. How’d we go from talking about food to this?

“Hm… I have been meaning to ask, and since you brought it up… will we be okay, Vim?” Renn then asked, and I noted as she did so her hand gripped my own a tad bit harder.

“Be okay…?” I asked. What was she talking about? The vote? My stepping down as protector? The society itself? Light and the rest? Gods and monarchs? The storm outside? That terrible drink she just chugged down that will likely give her a stomach ache later?

“You know… when she’s born. Is there anything special about giving birth to a saint? Anything I should know?”

Oh.

I ever so slightly shifted my left foot, and was very glad the bench we sat on didn’t break. I doubted it would actually hurt her too badly, but I’d feel utterly terrible if she even just got a small bruise because of me. “A saint’s birth isn’t typically any different than a normal child’s… but the years after are. If…” I stopped a bit, hesitating at the look in Renn’s eye, and then coughed and nodded. “When she’s born, for her childhood we will need to do certain things and make sure of other things as to keep her both safe and sane. But other than that, you will be in no more danger than you would during any other birth,” I explained.

Renn softly smiled at me. “Thank you for correcting yourself there,” she said softly, and I could tell she meant it. Meant it deeply.

I nodded and sighed. “I’m trying Renn. I really am,” I promised.

“I can tell. While you’re trying so hard, can I ask another? Or would you like to rest for a bit?” she asked with a grin, her tail swaying happily behind us with such momentum it was now rather audible.

“One day it will be you begging for rest. Go ahead,” I said and steeled myself.

Renn’s tail went still and then she laughed and bumped me with her shoulder. “Vim!” she said between her laughs, finding my joke hilarious.

“What? You’re the one who started it. Go on, before someone shows up. It’s about time for the workday to be over, so everyone will be here soon,” I said, hoping to keep her from latching too strongly onto the joke I’d just made. Honestly I shouldn’t have made it. Especially since I was the one impeding progress on that point… but I’d done so instinctively because I knew she’d find it either utterly hilarious, or terrible. Ether would have made her focus on it, and thus give me a chance to change topics and avoid any more of such questions… but I had promised. Not just her, but myself. To be better.

Renn’s giggling quickly subsided, as she nodded. “Right… they’re already finishing. I hear Lawrence upstairs, though I can’t tell who he’s talking to,” she said as she tilted her head upward, angling her ears every which way as if to find out the answer.

Her hearing really has improved. Which was scary, since it had already been pretty damn good. I wonder if she could hear better than I could now…? One day we’ll have to test it.

“So?” I asked, nudging her ever so gently to get her to focus.

“Ah. Right. Hm…” she pondered for a moment and then nodded. “I can sense those like Light, or Martin, who have hearts like me. It’s rather obvious, the tingling sensation. Why can’t they do the same for me? Why is Light fooled? Shouldn’t she be able to tell?” she asked.

“A pregnant woman, carrying a saint, gives off the exact same feeling. They just think they’re sensing the saint, your baby,” I said.

Renn hummed at that. “Even though my belly is still flat?”

“Yes, that should be a big indicator, but this is you we’re talking about. You’re a non-human, one very thick in the blood… plus, well…” I gestured at myself. It was interesting Renn was wise enough to realize a baby needed to be formed past a certain point for someone to sense them. I wonder if she had already assumed such a thing, or if it was just… an instinctual thing that women just subconsciously made sense to them?

“They internally explain odd things, excusing them, because it’s you we’re talking about,” she said, nodding.

I nodded back.

She tapped the cup she held with a finger, and I noted the sound. Her nail was a tad longer than usual. She usually kept them really short, ever since I got her that nail kit. “I’ve been busy,” she told me, likely noticing what had caught my eye.

“I like them sharp, it’s too bad you have to hide them,” I said.

Renn went still for a few moments, and then grinned at me. “Maybe one day I’ll not have to worry about it,” she said.

I sighed at that. “Let’s not talk about that.”

“Fine. Back to even better topics. I thought my lack of needing to sleep was because of what’s happening to me… but the moment you return I find myself sleeping more. Am I really so simple that your presence lets me feel at ease enough to sleep comfortably, or am I just still adapting to the heart?” Renn asked.

Oh? How cute. “A little of both, probably. A connection to the divinity enhances you. Makes what’s already there, better, in a sense. The best way for me to explain it would be like a flower or tree. If they get steady sunlight and rain, they grow stronger and healthier, becoming taller and whatnot. But if they go without any, they wither and become weak. People without divinity are the ones not getting enough sunlight and rain. That being said, you’re still you. Still a person. Still flesh and blood. If my presence, even just being nearby in the same building or town, relaxes you… then yes, my return could be a large factor in the reason,” I explained.

Renn frowned at that, but nodded in understanding. “That’s… something I understand completely. Why’d you not explain it like that before?” she asked.

“I’ve been avoiding talking about it Renn,” I answered simply.

“Right…” she smirked at that.

“Though don’t think yourself more than you are. You’re stronger, your hearing and senses are stronger… but only to a certain point. You’re still a being of normalcy, Renn. Don’t forget that,” I warned.

“Hm… I can still get hurt and die, yes,” she said knowingly.

“Yes. In fact you now have… as I do, an Achilles heel,” I whispered with a small gesture to her rear.

Renn sat up a bit straighter, and at first I wondered if she didn’t remember my telling her of that story. But of course, thanks to her memory, she knew. “Right…! I’d not thought of that… does that mean if I lose it, or break it, I will die…?” she asked.

I nodded. “Your life is now connected to that heart, Renn. For better or worse. Now that being said, it’s not that your soul is connected to the heart itself… but rather the trauma and shock of being separated from the divine conduit is what kills you,” I specified.

Renn grinned at me. “That’s a rather odd thing to say, Vim. Why would you say that?”

“Because I’ve heard too often those fools who try to say the heart is a soul. They’re not.”

“Hm… you’ve said that before,” she mumbled.

“Of course I have. That heart is not you, Renn, it’s a piece of you. There’s a rather definite difference,” I said.

“Like my ears and tail,” she said.

“Yes, in a way.”

“So… where’s yours then?” she asked.

“I don’t have one. You should be able to tell, Renn, just by sitting so close to me,” I said. I didn’t mention that Renn had been lately touching me in random places, such as with her tail or gentle tap of a finger, lately. I’d noticed it, and had found it cute so hadn’t said anything yet.

She frowned at me. “It is weird… why don’t you make me tingle, Vim?” she asked.

“Back to the sexual jokes are we?”

Renn’s face went red and she squeezed my hand hard enough that it almost hurt. Almost. “Vim!” she groaned at me, but laughed anyway.

Smiling at her, I nodded. “I’m… special, Renn. In a certain way,” I dared to say, but wasn’t willing to say anything more. Especially not here. No one was nearby, and thus no one could hear us, but I didn’t want to risk it. At least, that was the excuse I was telling myself.

Her red face remained a bit as she studied me, humming as her tail squirmed behind her. I could tell her mind was still on the teasing I’d just done. “You’re not a monarch,” she stated.

I nodded.

“Yet not a god,” she added.

I nodded again.

“But obviously you have their powers. Or at least, a form of them. You’re making me think rather odd things, you know?” she said, and I could tell by her little smirk she was trying to tease me. Probably trying to get me back for my own teasing.

Too bad for her it didn’t work at all. All it did was make me want to tease her more. I kept myself in check though, to a degree… and nodded gently at her. I brought our hands up, the ones which held each other, and I went ahead and pointed at her with a pinky. “I won’t answer any of that… but in exchange I’ll tell you something else, something that might be just as important,” I offered.

Renn nodded expectantly.

Leaning closer, Renn did the same. Her ears fluttered a bit as she angled them towards me, and I had to keep myself from just outright kissing her. She looked utterly adorable right now, all hopeful and happy. It was a good look on her. I took a tiny moment, forcing myself to look away and unfocused my whole attention on her, to make sure we were still alone. We were.

Looking back at her, I found her golden pupils sharp and focused. In fact this might be one of the first times I’d ever seen her eyes become so… cat-like. I knew it wasn’t because I was so fascinating to her, but instead because of her heart. Or well, the one she had absorbed. It was enhancing her traits.

“Well?” Renn whispered, and out of the corner of my eye I saw her tail twitch.

I nodded gently at her. “I have a suggestion. Though I’d understand if you already decided, of course, or find it unsightly or rude… so, like I said, just a suggestion,” I said carefully, making sure I didn’t sound too odd as I spoke.

Renn’s eyes narrowed a bit, but at least her pupils remained the same size. “Suggestion…?” she asked with an odd look. She suddenly looked a tad bit flustered, which told me she had not expected me to say such a thing. Odds are she had expected me to tell her some deep secret, or maybe continue the teasing from earlier instead.

Taking a small breath, I confined myself to fate as I nodded once more. “Of her name.”

Renn blinked and leaned back a bit. She frowned in a way that told me, for once, she had absolutely no idea what I was even talking about. Which made me feel kind of silly. Maybe this moment had been the wrong one to bring it up…?

“Her name…?” she whispered, and then her pupils expanded. Within a heartbeat it was clear that Renn realized what I meant, as it dawned upon her.

“Of our daughter,” I said, confirming what she just realized.

Renn didn’t say anything. She went still, her mouth slightly agape… and for a tiny moment I wondered if even her heart had stopped moving too. But then I heard it return to its beating half a moment later, stronger than ever. “Vim…” she whispered as her eyes began to shake and glimmer.

“How’s Nory sound? Or would that be,” before I could even finish my sentence she tackled me in a hug, with enough force that we fell backward off the bench and to the ground. I made sure to land beneath her, to make sure she didn’t hurt herself, as she completely ignored the fact I was now lying on my back as she wrapped her arms around my neck and squeezed me with enough strength to make her tremble.

“Vim…!” she cried out, unable to say more thanks to great emotion. I sighed a bit as I went to patting her on the back, and watched her tail squirm like mad in the air above us.

Maybe this had been the wrong time to bring it up. She was now weeping.

For a few long moments Renn cried as she buried her face into my chest, clinging onto me as if her heart had just broken. She really was emotional. I’d be panicking right now if not for the fact I could hear her joy in her weeping, and could feel it in the way she clung to me. She was crying, yes, but not because of sorrow or pain. She was just…

“What the hell is going on!?”

I turned my head, angling it a bit as to look between Renn’s ears, and found Merit. She was staring down at us with a look of utter confusion, but at least not disgust.

“Merit…!” Renn noticed her friend’s voice, and turned to look at her. As she did she revealed a face full of tears and snot, to the point that Merit actually stepped back a bit.

“This is my fault,” I said.

“Obviously,” Merit scoffed.

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