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After that passes. I think about leaving again. I am still not too comfortable with leaving her alone. I just get a bad vision of another orc, particularly Azula finding her out and everything going south. I can’t hide the concern before she looks at me sternly.
“I will be fine here. Now go.”
I roll my eyes, to which she chuckles again then I leave to my mother-in-law’s office.
It is luck it is on the same floor, just a little walk from me and Igor’s quarters. With me 8 months pregnant, I am in more discomfort than I want to admit. But these orcs are almost ready to come out and I am ready for them to leave me so they can eat and breathe for themselves.
I make the right into the passage, and her ajar space lets me see her head down in utter concentration on a scroll open before her. Her one ear ticks but she doesn’t move otherwise or acknowledge my presence.
Being here makes me remember the fact that Hani is with Gremlo and I wonder if Masa loves Igor’s uncle at all. They look more like friends in each other’s presence. Which would explain why she has her workspace all the way here and not at the top with Gremlo.
“Queen Masa.” I finally get the courage.
“Yes, Aria. Is there a problem?” She says after her head rises and her eyes meet mine. She isn’t cruel she is just her, neither eager nor annoyed. Her gaze lands on my stomach and she spend one more second there before she brings it to my face.
That makes me more sure I need to try. Our babies are almost here, and I need them to have a relationship with her. When this thing with the Sokos is over, I will need to talk to Igor about their relationship too. Igor told me they used to be closer than they are now. But his father’s death was the beginning of their estrangement.
“Um, I brought us lunch.” I lift the basket, hoping it will work as an in.
“Us?” She looks confused. Again, not offended or anything. Just…neutral curiosity.
“Yes,” I clear my throat when it starts feeling clogged. “I would like to have lunch with you.”
“Oh. Is Owa busy today?”
I detect a little more in her voice, not entirely sure what it is, it’s a little dark, but it is just a small spark of something, and I swallow.
“No. I would like to eat with you. If you don’t mind.” I straighten my shoulders and I stand steady.
She looks around the room and I realize she is looking for a place for me to sit. Her table is large, but she doesn’t have visitor’s chairs.
She instantly gets up from her chair. “If I’d have known you had intention on coming, I would have asked for a chair. Wait here and I will get—”
“No!” she halts instantly, and I realize it’s my raised voice. “I mean, I will just sit here its fine.” I gesture to the seating that is built on the wall. It is far from her, but I feel bad having her inconveniencing herself for me.
She now looks at me with offense.
“Don’t be silly, you can’t sit there in your condition. There are good chairs a few rooms away.”
I open my mouth to protest but she is out of the room the next moment. I see where Igor gets his mother hen tendencies from. I place the basket on her large table and start unloading the containers and plates. She comes back when I am arranging the fruit containers next to the main dishes.
“Is this fine for you?” I gesture to the food as she sets the chair next to me.
“I eat everything,” she says. And for the first time, I see the corner of her mouth lift and it reminds me of Igor.
“Good to know.” I say.
She is still next to me, so I turn to her.
“You sure you shouldn’t be sitting down, and I do all that?” she asks.
“Um, I’m fine. You can sit.” I say.
With a little hesitation she goes back to her chair. She folds her scrolls, and the room only has sounds of me plating for us and her moving the things she was working with aside. I try to stuff down the rising awkwardness that is choking this room. I can feel her eyes on me. I wish I was more familiar with her to ask her to stop. But I guess this is what I’m here for.
I take her plates to her when I am done. Then I place a cup of juiced kiwi-like fruit called bha next to her. I was very fortunate they have many of the fruits available in my realm here. Most don’t look exactly the same, but the tastes are comparable.
When I settle with my own food, we eat in silence. I try to juggle eating and breathing and trying to not overthink about whether I am doing both normally. I just feel awkward. I start thinking about how maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
