The pain had gotten so that she could no longer deny that it was there. Something was wrong... something was awry with her pregnancy. Spasms would come and go, but as time went on the spasms would get closer together and deeper in pain. It had been a slow progression over the last few weeks, but something was happening that marked it more significantly. She'd been forced to realize it when she'd been in the office with Gabriel.

"Isabel...." she whispered, trying to rub her stomach soothingly as she came into the kitchen.

Lyndra was sitting at the kitchen table sipping some warm spiced cider, munching on an oatmeal raisin cookie and grading some papers. She was happy because it was the last set of the session! Yeah! She looked up as Sha'uri walked in the room, waddling and rubbing her stomach oddly. Lyndra was instantly worried.

"Aye, M'Lady! Sha'uri, Lass.... ye look ill. Come sit down. What ails ye?"

Sha'uri couldn't say *nothing* anymore. It was too apparent and Lyndra had a right to know. All her family had a right to know. It was probably getting to the point that they could all feel it.

"I don't know, Lyndra. Something's not right. I wish Bri were here...." She sat down with Lyndra's help.

"Aye, so do I. What do ye need me to do? Should I call fer the healers? Should I get Alex? Yer husband?...eh.. TRiv?"

No, Lyndra didn't know him at all and often forgot about him or that Sha was married. Not that she ever saw Sha'uri acting badly or anything, it was just that Lyndra didn't know him and found it odd he never seemed to be around. He never came to the school. Like father, like son. She hid her feelings as they progressed...

That accent, it kept getting thicker as time went on. This had not gone unnoticed by her. Sha'uri shook her head. "No.. no.. I just need a minute."

"Are ye sure? Ye look a bit pale. Maybe some soothing tea, eh?" Lyndra offered.

Sha'uri nodded. She waited for Lyndra to bring her the tea before she blurted out. "Maybe you're right. Maybe it's time I went home to the healers and sought their expertise. I.."

Another spasm cut off her words and she breathed through it until it subsided. A bit of tea was sipped."I need Bri's sword... the one I gave him. He left it behind."

"Oi? Ye mean that sweet looking piece of work he swooned over during solstice last year?" she grinned. "I know the one. Where'd he leave it? I'll get it."

Sha shook her head. "He's got it warded."

"What ye need it fer?"

"I don't know.. I just know I need it."

"Well, can't ye contact him?"

"I suppose I could. But... I'll need to go back home."

"Well, then I'll help ye through the portal then.."Lyndra proceeded to help Sha stand up. Sha'uri helped by casting levitate on herself then hung on to Lyndra to tow her along as the two moved upstairs to Sha'uri's bedroom....

As Lyndra helped Sha'uri through the portal, something happened. A flash of magical energy knocked Lyndra back against the wall, leaving her in Ravensheart Academy. Sha'uri was flung to the other side, into her bedroom wall on the side of the Citadel. Both women slumped to the floor unconscous. Sha'uri was no longer pregnant. It was as if she had never been.

((Adding in a note that this string started to happen around the time Briarius was on Sabbatical in Exodii and on the island fighting godly avatars.))

The team from the Citadel arrived about a half hour later. They realized the portal in Sha'uri's room was shut down and sent a team to investigate. They found Lyndra on the floor passed out and routed her back to the Citadel. Someone was sent to inform Melody and arrangements were quickly made to aid her in the running of the school in their absence. Meanwhile, a team was busy in Sha'uri's bedroom investigating things from that end.....