Chapter 1- Baby Talk
A/N: All right...here we go. The first chapter of Book 3
Two weeks after returning to the Lower Realm....
No one would’ve believed it could happen: a giant and a winged fae falling in love and conceiving a child together. By all accounts it never should’ve been possible. But with magic and a lot of faith, Twillow and Kendrick were blessed by the Tree of Eilithysis with a beautiful daughter they named Kimimeyla.
Though Twillow and Kendrick had been parents for a little over two months in the Parliel Realm, there was a whole new set of challenges to overcome once they returned to their home in the Lower Realm. The biggest obstacle being how big Kendrick’s home was and the dangers said size presented to their new daughter. Falls from terrible heights seemed the most threatening. The stream that flowed at the back of the kitchen counter was another. Though Kimimeyla had only started to sit up and attempt to crawl, the new parents knew it wouldn’t be long before her mobility would develop at an alarming rate and thus increase the danger.
So, for the first few days they were home, Kendrick set to work creating little spaces that would be safe for Kimimeyla, namely playpens made of logs and nets. Twillow commented it looked like he was making a cage for a dangerous creature rather than their tiny daughter. But he didn’t care.
Kimi would be safe; he would see to that.
He also carved a new wooden bowl from a large stump to be her bed. It was wider than Twillow’s and the walls of it were higher to keep her from climbing out. Honestly, it looked more like a huge cup that a bowl. Even still, Kendrick did not want to hang the bed like Twillow’s. He voiced his concern about her finding a way to climb out and falling. Instead, he chipped out a hollow spot in the mountain wall right next to his bed, creating a recessed shelf for the baby bowl. Then, if Kimimeyla somehow managed to climb out she’d merely tumble onto his bed.
Much safer.
And if she were to cry in the night she would be within arm’s reach.
Convenient.
It took Kendrick several weeks to gain the confidence and courage to hold and pick up his daughter. His greatest fear (and most recurring nightmare) would be he accidentally brought her to harm. Thankfully, Twillow was persistent and patient in her encouragement. Before long he was able to delicately pluck her up and cradle her to his chest or hold her in his hand without too much trepidation. He had even started the habit of tucking her in his shirt pocket which she seemed comforted by.
Twillow too had her challenges as a new mother. The steady, routine of breastfeeding Kimimeyla was draining enough. Thankfully, the presence of the Amethyst Well helped rejuvenate her magic between feedings and Kendrick was there to help with anything she needed. Happily, Kimimeyla was thriving.
Several of the baby shower gifts they received also aided in her magic replenishing. One such gift from Marci was some seeds for the infusion fruits called Pink Sweeties. A silly name for such a powerful magic fruit, but they were the hardiest of the infusion fruits. Neither Marci nor Twillow knew if they could grow in the Lower Realm, but the fae planted them in a special spot in their garden near the base of the apple tree her house resided. Thus far they had grown into a blue shoot with sparkling leaves but no fruit had been produced. Twillow hoped Sig’s potion might aid in the growth. But it didn’t have much effect other than perking the leaves. She was hopeful it would thrive but considering the Lower Realm’s scarcity of magic it was a long shot.
Despite the changes, both Kendrick and Twillow remained very happy with their new roles as parents and were enjoying the simple small moments with their new daughter.
“Mmmaaa-mmmaaa...” Twillow mouthed the word very slowly at Kimi in her lap. “Can you say that? Mmmaa- ma?
The little gray-skinned baby stood wobblily on her mother’s legs as she was being held and bent her knees in a jumping motion. Her tiny wing stubs flexed.
“Mmmm.” She hummed.
“Mmmaaa-ma.” Twillow said again in a slow cadence.
“MMM-Mama!” Kimi chirped as she sat in Twillow’s lap, facing her.
“Oh! Kimi! You said it! You said it!” Twillow was so thrilled to hear her little girl say one of her first discernible words.
“Mama! Ma! Mama!” she repeated, seeing how excited it made her mother.
Twillow laughed and hugged her, “Oh Kimi, you’re so smart! Your daddy will be so happy when he gets home!”
“Ma! Ma. Ma.” Kimimeyla repeated.
When Kendrick returned later from his brief hunt, he had a few boars and deer in tow. Knowing Twillow would be distressed seeing such carnage and Kimimeyla didn’t need to see such things yet, he hid them near the door. He’d tend to their cleaning later.
“And how are my girls?” he smiled, going to wash his hands.
“Kimimeyla said her first word!” Twillow exclaimed.
Kendrick dried his hands and bent down, a pleased tone raising his voice, “She did?! What did she say?”
Twillow picked up Kimi out of her playpen and sat her on her lap. The gray baby reached at her giant father making a happy noise. He leaned in so she could touch his nose.
“Hello, Kimimeyla. My beautiful butterfly.” He whispered.
She smiled at him until Twillow turned her around to look at her.
“Say Mama, Kimi!”
The baby smiled at her mother but didn’t immediately “perform”, bouncing around on her mom’s lap instead.
“Maa...maa? Can you say Mama?” she prompted.
“Ma! Ma!” Kimi proclaimed.
“Yes! Yes!” Twillow laughed, “Mama. I’m your mama!”
“Ma!” she chirped again.
Kendrick gasped quietly, “Her first word! Good, Kimi!”
Kimimeyla grabbed her mother’s fingers and made a motion that she wanted to stand so Twillow pulled her up.
Twillow laughed as Kimi stuck out her tongue, focusing until she was sturdier, “Can you say daddy? Huh? Say DAA-DEE.”
The prompt made Kendrick squat down and rest his head on his arm with an eagerness, “Yeah! Can you say daddy?
Kimimeyla smiled and looked at both of her parents, then crowed, “MA! Ma!”
“No. DAA-DEE.” Twillow pointed to herself, “Mama.” Then at Kendrick, “Daddy.”
Unfortunately, Kimimeyla was more interested in balancing on her legs and again said, “Ma.”
Kendrick chuckled and let her lean on his finger, “Guess she’s got to practice some more to get that one.”
“She’ll get it. She’s smart.” Twillow assured him.
“Yes, she is. My smart girl.” He agreed then touched her, “Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.” Twillow agreed then looked at Kimimeyla, “I think we could try giving her some soft foods.”
“Already?”
“Well, she’s almost three months bloomed and...” she massaged her breast, “I think I can feel her teeth coming in.”
Kendrick made a face, “Well we can’t have that.” He stood, “What do you think we should give her?”
“Well...how about we try some mashed fruits?” she suggested. “Maybe a blueberry?”
“Alright.”
Kendrick went to pluck a blueberry from the pantry shelf and mashed it up with a smooth rock in a bowl until it was pretty much annihilated into thick juice. Twillow put a bib on Kimi which made the young babe play and tug at it with inspection. Kendrick brought over the mashed berry and Twillow grabbed a spoon to scoop up the contents. She held the spoon in front of Kimi’s face which made the baby stare at her curiously.
Twillow took the spoon and tasted the blueberry. She moved her mouth in an exaggerated way to model what Kimimeyla needed to do.
“Mmm. Mmm. Yummy! Ok, Kimi. Try this.” She coaxed.
She put the spoon out toward the baby’s mouth again. But instead of eating from the spoon, Kimi reached up and clutched the whole thing. Dark berry juice squished through her little gray fingers.
"Oh. Kimi!” Twillow laughed, gently trying to wrestle the spoon from her daughter.
She had the spoon and wasn’t keen on letting it go until finally it slipped, leaving her hand slathered in berry goo. Kimimeyla looked at her hand and flexed her fingers before slapping it down on the stone of the counter and shooting berry shrapnel in all directions.
“Kimi!” Twillow cried out with a cringe. “Oh no!”
But the baby wasn’t concerned about the mess. After a moment she put her hand in her mouth and was sucking on her berry stained fingers. She acted like she liked the taste.
“I guess...that works?” Kendrick chuckled deeply.
Twillow had several dots of berry debris on her face too but got another spoonful, “Ok...let’s try again.”
The fae mother tried several times and only managed to get a little dollop in Kimi’s mouth through pure speed and luck. But Kimimeyla wasn’t grasping the concept of “food goes in mouth” very well. She had more on her body than in her body. Around her it looked like a blueberry massacre.
Twillow sighed but laughed at their “blue” daughter, “Guess it’s bath time. Goodness, Kimi!”
Kendrick went to fill one of his small bowls with a little water, “I think we have a little bog goblin instead of a baby.”
He placed the bowl down and Twillow waved her hands to warm the water with magic. She stripped off Kimimeyla’s clothes and placed her in the shallow wooden bowl. Thankfully, Kimi liked water and began splashing happily. (Twillow was pretty sure she and Elmry hated baths and fought their nanny when that time came.)
Kendrick took a small spoon and scooped up some of the water and drizzled it over Kimimeyla like a shower and she squealed. Though the bulk seemed to rinse off, the juice appeared to stain Kimi’s gray skin.
“Maybe we should’ve tried something less messy?” Twillow shook her head.
Kendrick laughed. “Well... let’s see if we have a blueberry or a daughter under all of that?”
Twillow scrubbed the baby gently, “I think...it’s a daughter!”
“At least she seemed to like the blueberry.” Kendrick mentioned, showering Kimi with another spoonful.
“Eating it or playing with it?” Twillow smiled.
“Both.”
Twillow touched Kimimeyla’s little nose, “You’ve got a lot to learn, don’t you?”
“Abththth!” Kimi babbled with a raspberry.
Another day...
“Can you watch Kimi for a little bit? I need to stretch my wings.” Twillow asked Kendrick.
He nodded with a smile. Twillow flew to Kendrick’s huge bed and set their daughter down on his pillow. Kimimeyla had a floppy, bunny doll in her hands that one of Twillow’s aunts had made her and she was shaking it before chewing on one of its ears.
Twillow kissed her face, “Bye, Kimi. Mommy will be back.”
“No rush, my light. Take as long as you need.” Kendrick assured her.
The fae mother took off out the back door, leaving Kendrick to admire his daughter as she played with her toy. He sat next to his bed and his daughter watched him.
“Hello my little butterfly.” He extended a finger and stroked her side.
Kimi smiled with the bunny’s ear still in her mouth. She waved her arms up and down with excitement. It truly amazed Kendrick how used to him she acted. True he was her father, but it seemed to him his enormity would easily frighten someone so small. Kimimeyla had never once showed any sort of fearful aversion to his size. He was more afraid of his size when around such a fragile life. But he was slowly acclimating to being a giant dad.
His hand retreated and Kimi watched it intently. He smiled mischievously and moved his fingers like legs, “walking” them toward her. The baby giggled and waved her arms, tossing the bunny. With a small growling noise his fingers “pounced” at her. Kimimeyla squealed loudly and laughed. Kendrick smiled, loving the sound of his daughter’s laugh. His fingers retreated and hid on the opposite side of the pillow where she couldn’t see. She watched him and rolled onto her side. Kendrick chuckled, his fingers returned and tickled her back. Kimi squealed again, flexing her wing stubs as she kicked her legs. Again, his hand retreated and she began crawling away across the pillow.
“Gonna get you, Kimi.” He warned playfully, his fingers chasing her down, “Grr!”
“EEEE!” she shrieked, rolling on her back in a fit of giggles.
Quite suddenly she tumbled off the pillow and Kendrick lurched forward with a bark of surprise. His hand shot under her and caught her even though she would’ve only fallen onto the bed. The little baby rolled and settled in the crease where his fingers met his palm. She stopped laughing and kicked her legs strongly.
Kendrick sighed, relieved it hadn’t been a fall and held her up. “You scared, Daddy. You know that?”
She blew spit bubbles at him.
He smiled, “Ok, Kimi. Let’s try again. Can you say...Daddy? DA-DEE?”
For almost two weeks Kimimeyla had been babbling and saying “mama” over and over, but he hadn’t got her to say “daddy” yet.
The round violet eyes looked up at him as she wiggled on her back in his hand.
“Daddy?” he asked hopefully.
She moved her lips and stared up at him. He held his breath with anticipation.
“MA!” she chirped.
Kendrick made a face of disappointment but tried again, “No. Da-DEE. Daddy.”
“Ma!” she giggled when he sighed. “Ma ma ma ma!” she repeated several times.
“Now I think you’re just doing it on purpose.” Kendrick grumbled, delicately nudging his daughter with his nose, “Huh? You’re just trying to make Daddy crazy is that it?”
Her tiny hands grasped at his nose until he pulled away slightly and gave her a soft kiss on the head.
“Daddy loves you, Kimi.” He stated in a deep gentle voice.
He held her close for a time until she started to cry. Immediately he scented her. Not afraid, diaper was fine...
“Are you hungry, Kimi?”
The gray baby fussed, growing more agitated as she chewed on his shirt. Twillow showed him a couple days ago the buds erupting from her pink gums; teething had begun. Kimi put everything in her mouth, gnawing repetitively to alleviate the pain. It definitely made the normally happy baby fussier.
“Alright. Let’s see what we have for you.”
He stepped over into the kitchen to find some fruit to mash up for her. A small cluster of apples presented themselves and Kendrick took one. With a gentle movement he tucked Kimimeyla down in his shirt pocket so he could free his hands as well as keep her out of the way. She cried a bit more.
“Shh. Shh. Don’t cry. I’m getting it. I’m getting it.” He reassured her in a soothing tone.
He took one apple and cut it up into slices. Then he managed to shave off a sliver of the white, firm interior. Kimimeyla was crying louder in his pocket before he fished her out and set her on her cushion on the stone counter.
Kendrick took the sliver of apple and put it near her, “Here ya go.”
Though it was half as big as her, Kimi sniffled, then put her mouth on it. She chewed the apple like a puppy on a toy and acted more relieved. She wasn’t making any progress in biting off a chunk but she was tasting the juice.
“There. Tasty, huh?” he snagged a slice for himself and ate it in a single bite.
Kimi gnawed on her slice, soothing her appetite and the uncomfortable ache in her gums. Together, father and daughter shared the apple until Kimimeyla started to nod her head with fatigue. Kendrick chuckled and took the rest of the apple from her. With almost surgical precision he wiped off the juice and spit from her face and hands with a moist rag. She whined and protested the treatment but it was over quickly. Clean, he picked her up and slipped her back into his shirt pocket for a cozy, heartbeat lullaby, and nap. Kendrick gingerly walked back over to his bed and laid down. He soon fell asleep as well, hands folded over his stomach.
Twillow came flying back later, energized, and exercised from her flight. At the far side of their home, she could see Kendrick’s hulking form laying on the bed. She flew over and was surprised to see Kimimeyla crawling on top of her father’s chest. Kendrick was asleep.
The fae mother smiled and landed beside her daughter, “What are you doing, Kimi?”
Kimimeyla crawled toward her mother’s leg, grabbed it, and looked up at her with a toothless smile, “Ma!”
“Aww.” Twillow cooed, reached down, and hefted up her baby.
She played with her pearlescent curls and kissed her cheek, “Were you a good girl for daddy?”
“Da!” Kimi proclaimed.
Twillow gasped an open mouthed smile, “Yes! Yes, that is your daddy!” her foot stomped on Kendrick’s rib, “Kendrick! Wake up! She said it!”
The giant’s body rose with a deeper breath, causing Twillow to flutter up a second to avoid toppling. Kimimeyla laughed enchanted with her mother’s fast-moving wings. Kendrick’s eyelids fluttered after a tremendous yawn.
“Huh? Wha?”
“Kimi just said ‘Da’!” she announced, bouncing the baby on her hip.
Kendrick’s eyes flashed open and he partially sat up, “She said Da? Really!?”
“Say it again, Kimi. Say Da.” She coaxed.
Kimimeyla looked at her mother and then her father and smiled, “MAMA!”
Kendrick seemed to wilt, his head flopping back down on the pillow. The little girl giggled.
“No, Kimi. Daddy! Say Da!” Twillow laughed.
“Ma!”
Twillow shook her head, “Oh, Kimi. You little imp.”
It was early morning and the family had finished their breakfast. Kendrick bustled to clean his bowl before he headed out to his father’s mountain for a much delayed chat.
“I’m going out to Pop’s.” he announced, “Might be a bit late getting home.” He glanced at Twillow, “Will you be alright by yourself with Kimi?”
“Of course.” Twillow stated, placing Kimimeyla down into her playpen on the kitchen counter.
Kendrick leaned down, rested his arm on the kitchen counter and kissed Twillow, “I’ll be back later, my light. I love you.”
“Be safe. I love you too.” She replied with a smile as she touched her mate’s face.
He shifted over to the “small” pen he made for Kimi to keep her from falling off the ledge and keep her out of the water. The tiny gray girl was already at the barrier sitting on her bottom and babbling her baby talk.
Kendrick smiled fondly at his baby girl, leaned down, and kissed the top of her little head, “Bye, Kimi. You be good for mommy.”
She giggled, feeling his warm breath wash over her. With happy hands she reached up and touched his beard. He felt his hearts skip a beat as he smiled down at her and slowly walked back toward the tunnel. Kimi crawled to the log barrier and watched through a space as her daddy’s towering back disappeared.
She started to whimper.
His booming footfalls faded.
Kimimeyla fidgeted then started to rev up a cry.
“Daddy will come back later, Kimi.” Twillow reassured her, stroking her hair to calm her.
Kimi whimpered more and crawled away to another space in her pen wall. She peeked through it but couldn’t see her father. Then she really started to cry.
“DAAAA!” she wailed.
“Aww. Kimi.” Twillow chided with pity. “Don’t cry. I told you daddy will come back later.”
That didn’t convince the little girl as she continued to cry. But “later” came a lot sooner when Kendrick’s footfalls thundered back. Feeling and hearing her father’s return, Kimi bawled louder.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Kendrick asked, tone rising with worry.
Twillow laughed gently with a point, ”Somebody didn’t want you to leave.”
“DA!” Kimi cried louder, reaching up to her enormous father.
Kendrick seemed frozen in place for a second, “She...she said ‘Da’...”
Twillow nodded, still laughing at the cuteness of the moment. Stubborn little Kimi had finally said what Kendrick had been wanting to hear for several weeks.
“DAAA!” Kimimeyla cried again.
In an instant, Kendrick was bent down and plucking up his daughter. Ever so gently he brought her to his chest and stroked her pearlescent hair. The babe eagerly clutched his shirt, sobs quieting.
“Aw. I’m here, Kimi. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.”
Getting exactly what she wanted, Kimi laid against her father’s chest, sucking on the fabric.
Twillow laughed when he got a flabbergasted yet helpless look on his face, “She said Da!” he smiled at Kimi, “You finally said Da.”
He tried to pull her away but she clung like a desperate monkey to his shirt. She whined with protest.
So, Kendrick let her stay, “Guess I’m not going yet.”
“You can go when she takes her nap.”
He nodded, stroking Kimi’s back as he sat down in his chair.
Twillow fluttered over and landed on his shoulder, “Looks like she’s already got you wrapped around her finger.”
He gave a huffed laugh. But...he couldn’t argue.
...
Later when Kimimeyla finally fell asleep for her nap, Kendrick was able to sneak away to visit his father. Their talk had been postponed longer than he initially thought. Parenting had definitely taken up that time. But by late afternoon he was at his father’s mountain.
“Pop?” he called loudly.
“Yeah?” Alec’s voice called from the garden area away from the mountain.
Kendrick wandered over to the small plot his father used for his own produce. Alec was kneeling on the ground tending to some carrots that were looking nice and green on the top. Somehow the blind giant could tell by smell whether his fruits and vegetables were ripe or in need of care.
Alec sniffed loudly, “Son...I don’t smell my granddaughter. You dared to visit without bringing her to visit her grandpa?”
The younger giant gave a short laugh, “I’ll...be sure to bring her next time.”
“You’d better.” Alec stood up, groaning a bit, “So, how is your family?”
“Good. Kimi said ‘Da’ for the first time before I left.” Kendrick stated. “She’s teething too...so she cries more.”
Alec chuckled with a fond smile, imagining it.
“We need to talk, Pop.”
“Oh?” His father brushed dirt from his hands onto his pants.
Kendrick frowned, “About us...about our kind.”
“Ah.” Alec’s tone seemed hesitant, as if he were hoping that wasn’t what Kendrick wanted to talk about.
The blind giant gave a heavy sigh, “I suppose I’ve put it off long enough. Come in. Let’s talk.”
