a small and tired smile traces soft features, unsure of… everything. he loved her DEARLY, and would love any child she brought to him. whether it was theirs or one she picked up off the street. he delicately pets her as she shook in his arms, knowing of the past children that had never been. he doesn’t know how to react quite yet, wondering if this was a moment for MOURNING or CELEBRATION. he knew molly was older, and whilst it was not old enough to be damning it was worrisome. but it was not his decision to make, whatever she decided to do.
but as her fear melted into joy, the same became of schmendrick. he releases a small breathy laugh, almost of DISBELIEF. ‘so we are ‘ he speaks softly, pulling her closer to press his face to hers. green eyes fall shut as he becomes enveloped in thought, arms wrapped ‘round her and squeezing gently. He’d never considered being a father, having a family. he’d always thought he’d live forever, watching all he loved rot around him. it’d always struck FEAR into his heart, to imagine loving someone so deeply and watch them fade to dust. But this would be different. no longer was he doomed to wander the earth forever, aimlessly searching for his purpose. He was now mortal, and had discovered his place in this world. He’d found it in protecting and caring for those he loved.
he pulls away from her after a long pause, swallowing thickly as he stared for a moment. hands come up to gently cup her cheeks, ADORATION filling bright hues. ‘ you’re certain? ‘ he asks quietly, near BREATHLESS. tears brimmed in the corners of his eyes as he spoke, the number of emotions he felt near overwhelming. A CHILD…… a baby of his very own.
"Of course I'm certain, you dumbass," She sniffled, tilting her head down so he couldn’t see her sorry attempts to not laugh. “The fae don’t joke ‘bout that kinda thing, now, do they? Maybe they’ll fuck up what they can, but they wouldn’t-- they wouldn’t lie ‘bout this, no. Not after me bein’ Amalthea’s lady-in-waiting. Nah.”
Molly Grue tilted her head to the sky, letting the tears trickle down her cheeks. Her childhood dreams of having her own family, her own little baby to care for, felt like an entire lifetime ago-- the stench of Culley and the staleness of Haggard’s realm had made her hopes wisp away. But Amalthea had come, Amalthea had come and carried every ancient dream in her dandelion-thin mane, and she had delivered them to Molly in lieu of the peasant woman’s eyes. Molly had gladly agreed, for it was her seeing that made everything possible.
She paused, listening to her husband’s happy noises and whimpers. They were both crying, and for good reason. What were the odds of them having a baby, what with Molly being 38 and Schmendrick being-- well, at least 200? This was nothing short of a miracle. Everything, everything was a miracle.
Molly took a deep breath before continuing in a very soft voice.
“A little girl, they said. A little girl. We’ll need to think of names, we will.”
She pressed her face into his chest again. The fae had frightening voices, but it wasn’t so bad when they had good news. (Sometimes, Molly heard them when she sang aloud to herself during her chores.)
A child, a child, a girl, a baby girl.
Molly Grue wondered if Amalthea would wake on the morning of the birth, and if she would know something was different in the world. She wondered if this little girl would ever meet a unicorn. She wondered, too, if Amalthea might know when she and Schmendrick were gone. But that didn’t matter now, she thought to herself, her head in the sorcerer’s chest, that doesn’t matter now.
“Is it odd, magician? You’re not the last’a your clan no more, you ain’t gonna be the last.”