What Side Didn’t Know Vol.2 – Arc 2, Dubhe’s Perspective: A Journey that Began; C1. Fears

It’s unbelievable.

 

He tends to the needs at hand, he follows behind when directed, he does everything that is asked, without fail.

 

Rage burns within us, why does he do these things if he doesn’t feel love?

 

How could this not be foreseen – surely there were signs of his dissatisfaction?  How could… How could… Graaaaa!!! How stupid we have been!

 

It’s so pathetic.  Sitting here, crying out in the forest just beyond the flowers of death.  The dryad inamorata showing pity with pats. So pathetic, that pity comes from one who will mother his children out of wedlock.  How far is this fall from grace, how can anyone be a good wife in such a pathetic state?

 

We are sobbing a puddle on the forest floor.  How low can this get.

 

Without a husband to protect our children, it is a fear that the queen will do away with many of them.  It was thoughtless. To bring our children into the den of an enemy. Never was it a thought that our children might also be humes.  Surely the queen will take care of them as soon as they are born.  If she doesn’t, they may become a threat to the matriarchy. Humes, after all, are uncontrollable.  This should have been obvious, there was no way he could be kept under wraps.

 

A-and how could it not be seen that he was going to leave us?  Who will feed our children? It is a struggle to feed so many mouths without a husband.  Although we are currently housed in the Gaia tree.  Perhaps if we hole ourselves in that room until the children are old enough to fend for themselves.  It is said that the tree will provide for all living within.

 

Yes, keeping the children together in one place will make it much easier to protect them from her.  We will protect the children!  It is a simple matter for such a capable mother!

 

The only concern is her husband.  It’s been said that he is so old, that he contains the wisdom of how to cull even women.  He is a frightening existence. Husband could surely take him, but worrisome to pit any other opponent against that monstrous bearfolk male.  Husbands, on a whole, tend to be much more clever in the ways of warfare. It will take a husband to defend against a husband, in that regard… Arg!  So pathetic! To not be able to defend one’s family!

 

Deep breaths.  Pull it together.  Maybe husband can be won back.  This is no time to be crying. Yes, husband will be won back.  Such a wonderful wife won’t be found anywhere else!

 

Ulg, but children are also on the way…  Think of what must be done to care for the soon-to-be-born-children.  Yes, for ourselves, and for our children, we must get husband back. We will get husband back!

 

There is a snicker nearby.  “Dubhe, so interesting to see you out here.  Did something happen?”

 

It is none other than the troublemaker.  The only daughter of the queen. She is said to be a man-eater.  Never has she let her husbands live to see their children. “What do you want?  We are busy.” Stop the pity party, straighten up, and address the wench. She is such a bother.

 

The smile on her face, it’s irksome.  Like the smile of a grown Orckin who has found helpless prey.  It’s a distressing visage. Her words never help anyone feel better about their situation, regardless of their current problems.  Like now: “Oh, are you now? Seems to me that you’re simply wallowing in the dirt like a filthy hume child. Oh, wait, that’s what your children will be doing.”  She laughs and her tone is disgusting and malicious.

 

Rage burns.  How insulting.  To… No, even if our children are humes… They will still be our children.  Never before now, with Tristain as our husband, would insults would actually be true of our children.  It was never something that could have been considered. It will be a lesson to the children at an early age for to not wallow, though.  Wallowing would be disgraceful to our family.

 

No, they will grow to be strong Humes and Bearfolk, people who can be proud of their heritage.  They will be our children, and they will acknowledge their mother. This wench won’t be able to lay a paw on them because they will be stronger than even her.  Hah, children even stronger than a female bearfolk.

 

They will be Tristain’s, husband’s, children, after all.  Someone who has defeated so many bearfolk, and with such efficiency.

 

Not only that, but his ability to heal is divine.  One sparring session, his bones could clearly be heard creaking and breaking.  The wound bruised, but on the following day, he used his body as if nothing was wrong.  That should be impossible. That healing is on par with a dryad. If our children have that, surely they will be unstoppable.

 

“Our children, even if they wallow in the mud, will use your children’s bones to clean their teeth.”  Yes, that is a suitable return. “Your children will be unworthy of even being eaten.”

 

She bares her teeth.  Time to get into a defensive crouch, and get ready to spring.

 

Before she was able to assault anyone, however, vines burst from the ground around her, winding around her head and arms.  Despite her struggles, they pull her tight to the ground, where she struggles to break free. Her rump is in the air, tugging against the vines holding her down.  She’s in such a bind that she can’t even complain or talk, as the vines are wrapped around her chin like a muzzle. They hold her fast, without

 

“Don’t like.  Don’t scare. Go away,”  Lillia announces to the bearfolk princess, as she stands tall and still above her, staring blankly down.

 

The princess stops struggling for a moment and does her best to nod.

 

Dryads are fearsome.  Anyone should hope to never have a row with Lillia, or really any dryad.  They are not an opponent a bearfolk can handle.

 

It’s curious how our husband defended against that other dryad earlier… Right now, however, thoughts must be on how to reclaim him.  Surely food is the path to any man’s heart. The male bearfolk always have preferences or hunt for specific things. Often, Tristain has also selectively eaten certain foods repeatedly.  He seemed awfully curious and excited about certain nuts.

 

Let’s see if Lillia will help patch our relationship – there is a myth that the tastiest of meat comes from dragonfolk.  She is a dryad, after all, there should be no issues catching one. They easily outclass a bearfolk in terms of power, and they can fly.  But if you can catch one on the ground, or unaware, bearfolk claws can make short work of their hide and scales. The big issue, is where to find one in this part of the world?

 

While watching the princess scamper off towards the Gaia tree on all fours, it’s something to be pondered.

 

 

 

Author’s Note:

Thanks for the support!  I am in your care! Uhh… I can’t say I enjoy writing Dubhe’s perspective… It definitely is different.  Let me know what you think in the comments.  Some of it makes a lot of sense if you’ve known someone with a hard pregnancy.  Some of it makes sense in perspective of her world view.  That doesn’t mean the reader should suffer, however.  Again, looking for feedback.

 

Editor: DungeonPalmz