"Play now?" Kellan leaned against Storm's leg and looked up to her with vibrating optimism. He waited patiently until she had finished writing her letters and seemed still long enough to be done.

"Yes, in a few moments, we will go play." Storm smiled down to Kellan and encouraged him to sit in her lap so that she could give him a hug. He squirmed against her for several moments, before huffing, "Baby's big." He turned in her lap so that he could place his hands on the small bulge of her stomach that he could feel on his back. Storm laughed and gently nudged Kellan down so that she could stand up, "Yes, and the baby will continue to get bigger." Standing, she placed her hands on her hips, "Are we going home to play or did you want to visit Calenor?"

"Calenor!" He jumped around the room a little to show his excitement and waited by the door. Storm opened the door and waited for Kellan to take her hand before leading them out of the Keep and outside to the overcast morning on the island. The cooler weather did not seem to keep people inside of their homes. Instead the roads held the usual daily bustle, and out of habit Storm made sure to keep Kellan close.

Kellan didn't seem to mind the restriction, but he remembered the path to his friend's home and had restless energy to get there. Storm brought up her free hand to cover a yawn, and felt the compulsion to look over her shoulder to see if anyone noticed. While her morning sickness and fatigue had eased significantly over the past couple of weeks, she felt Ewan's concerned gaze often. Even this morning as Kellan announced he wanted to play, Ewan's farewell kiss and smile had it's own message, and it was to take it easy and not push herself.

Arriving to the Ealorina's home, Kellan raised a hand to knock, before looking at Storm for permission before he knocked four times. They waited only a few moments before Malion opened the door with Calendor at his heels. "Ah, good morning Storm, Kellan." His smile was friendly as he looked down to Kellan, "Calendor has wanted to play since your mother sent word this morning." Kellan smiled but looked away shyly and leaned into Storm's leg. It was odd behavior for Kellan to act shy, and Storm placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I was thinking that perhaps some time in the park would be fun, would you like that?" When Kellan nodded with a shy grin, Malion reached behind the door to pick up a large pack and placed it on his back. Calendor did a little whoop and dance before coming out of the door. "I believe that my wife would enjoy a quiet house for a while."

Storm smiled slightly as they started to walk, but she looked over her shoulder, "Is she feeling unwell?"

Malion spared a look down to Calendor, who was more than happy to explain to Storm, "Baby makes mama sick." It was obviously a repeated phrase that was given to the child.

"Oh, I did not realize... when is she due?"

"Early winter. The move has helped with her unease, but she still needs rest."

Storm gave a slow nod, her thoughts drifting, "It has been my experience for this land to ease my own illness as well. I believe it has to do with the suppression of our gifts. I am glad that she is beginning to feel better."

The open field was a short walking distance from Malion's home, and there were a few other families giving their children the opportunity to run around and play in an open area. Setting his pack down, he pulled out a few of Calendor's toys, "Stay where I can see you." While the boys picked up a ball to toss to each other, Malion pulled out a few thin blankets and spread them out over the grass, "I know better than to have a woman sitting bare on the grass, pregnant or not."

She didn't correct his assumption, but politely acknowledged his thoughtfulness, "Thank you." She sat on the smallest blanket, knowing that there was only comfortably enough room for Kellan to join her if he wished. She didn't mean to seem cold or impolite, but Storm was keeping her attention on Kellan. It was another habit that was not going to break regardless of the setting they were in. Malion didn't seem to mind to watch the boys, and relaxed his position to placing his hands behind him and leaning back.

It didn't take long for the ball tossing to turn into each child trying to access their gift. Calendor seemed to have no difficulties pushing the ball along the ground with his gift, though Kellan struggled to accomplish the same thing. It surprised Storm and she looked over to Malion, "I have not seen someone Calendor's age use his gift so comfortably here."

"His gift has always been particularly strong. It would not surprise me if his gift became stronger than mine when he is older." He idly pointed to his ears, "Somewhere along my lineage I have some mixed blood as well. Still, it does not seem to affect him much. And what of Kellan?"

It felt like a personal question, and she shifted with thought, "His gift did not manifest until a later age, and he struggled with fevers when he was younger. He has them, but I am uncertain how strong they will be."

"Calendor had fevers as well, until he was around three months." Storm thought back, knowing that Kellan did have the fevers until several months later, but Malion broke her thoughts, "Does it bother you?"

Her brow twitched slightly, "Pardon?"

"That Kellan may not have a strong gift, does it bother you? Considering your strengths? They are vast - from what I have heard."

She forced her urge to frown to relax, "Not at all. I would have been content for him to have no gift at all. He is still my son, that is a certainty." Her eyes returned to Kellan to see Calendor try to explain in his way how to access his gift. Guilt spread through her middle as she watched Kellan struggle to replicate. She had not taught Kellan much of how to access his gift here or how to tailor it at home. Instead she had been waiting to see how he behaved, wanting to go at his pace. Perhaps she was hindering her child with that method.

The last stretch of any pregnancy always seemed to be the worst. The baby was awake when she wanted to sleep, and if she tried to sleep when the baby was still, then she missed on opportunities to spend time with her family. Storm felt a restlessness that couldn't be fixed with cleaning, arranging the nursery, or playing with her children. Deep down, she knew the feeling grew from her partial confinement and the natural limitations from carrying new life. There were days when she swore she could see and feel her muscles go soft. She tried to not think about how more draining and difficult this pregnancy was compared to Kellan, but instead tried to make the best of her time with Kellan while Avery was away at school. It wouldn't be much longer before Kellan was joining his older brother at Stardreamer Manor, and the thought made her heart constrict in odd ways.

That time now consisted of Kellan trying to put large puzzle pieces together while Storm watched from her vantage point on the couch, "Did you have a nice time with Calenor?" Cornelious happily took Kellan to Armonia so that Kellan could visit his friend when Storm wasn't feeling up to the travel.

Kellan looked up and bobbled his head with a smile, "We went.. we went and played outside." He held up a particular puzzle piece, his small brows furrowing together as he tried to figure out where it belonged, "His papa-"

"Master Ealorina," she offered as a supplement.

"Master Ealorina," he repeated for her benefit, struggling a little with the "s" sound, but he continued, "he.. he let me hold the new baby."

"Oh, did he?" She folded her hands on the top curve of her stomach as she watched him connect the puzzle piece and move on to another, "And what is his name?"

"Katar. He didn't move much." His speech was particularly slow with his concentration on his current task. "He was sleeping. Like his mommy and you."

It was a curious statement, and Storm tried not to frown. It was becoming a little unnerving that neither Storm nor Kellan had seen Calenor's mother yet. Kellan interrupted her thoughts, "He was little. Will Little One be little, too?"

"For some time, yes." Her lips curled up, "You were little when you were born, too. Most babies are born little and then they grow up. Just as you are."

Kellan looked over at her, thought, and then scrunched his nose, "I do not remember being little."

"Well, I do. And one day Little One will be as big as you, and you will be as big as Avery, and Avery will grow tall like your father." Though as she said the words, she realized she didn't know how tall Avery would be. He had always been on the smaller side since she had found him, but that didn't mean it would last forever.

Kellan was quiet for a few moments as he either thought on her statement or on his puzzle piece. Storm couldn't tell, but once he put a few more pieces together, he abandoned the puzzle and walked over to her to place his hand on her large belly, "Did I grow in your tummy, too?"

"Yes." She smiled at him, and moved his hand to feel movement just beneath.

"And Avery too?"

"No." She tried to find a way to explained Avery in a way that Kellan would understand. "My heart wanted Avery, and I found him when he was six. But your father and I think that all of our children our born from our hearts; Little One too."

Storm could tell that he was trying to understand, but she had a feeling that he didn't. Kellan turned his head and pressed his ear to her stomach, "And Little One will be gifted, too?"

Her smile erased immediately and she felt her body tense. She waited a moment to speak to make sure her voice didn't reflect her thoughts, "Where did you hear that from, dear one?"

"Master Ealorina." Kellan giggled with the amplified sounds that he could hear, "He said Little One would be gifted just like me."

Storm didn't know if Kellan understood just what he was saying, and she took a deep breath to keep her rising anger at bay. She was upset at what Malion had said in front of her son, even after explaining that she could care less if her children had her gift or not. "Little One will be perfect just as he or she will be, just as Avery and you are. That is a gift enough, do you think?"