Epilogue 1 Babies Galore

"It's a girl!" cried Stella, ecstatic as she held the bundled baby high. Her sister smiled, covered in sweat, tired and sore. Joseph had offered his services, but she refused, just like all of the other ancient fey had refused to become wizards.

Handing her sister the new baby, Stella gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I have to go; Selena is expecting any moment. If you need me for anything, have the tree contact me!"

Her sister smiled and nodded, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Go see your friend."

Taking Joseph's hand, they teleported to the castle that floated over the kingdom. The council members were pouring in through the various teleport portals in the courtyard, ready to begin that day's series of meetings.

The arachnoids were arguing over rights to kill and harvest extra animals from the wolf-kin's herds, obviously not understanding the concept of selling extra animals for profit. Joseph was supposed to drop in and try to explain to them, at some point in the day, that they needed to offer something in trade for the extra animals, that the wolves would want.

The building heat, as they approached her room, had the two of them hurrying. Joseph had placed protective runes all around her room, to protect the rest of the castle from accidentally catching on fire while she was in labor, but it looked like they weren't enough.

Teleporting into her room, they both had to blink a couple of times as the heat dried their eyeballs out, while their runes kicked into overdrive to protect them.

FIRE looked up, then turned back to Selena, who was in active labor. The stone all around the room was cherry red from the heat. With a sigh, Joseph cast a group teleport, taking them all away from the castle. Arriving in the cone area of a dead volcano, tufts of scraggly grass immediately burst into fire. Moving to her other side, Joseph checked on the baby. Seeing that it was time, FIRE backed away, while Joseph did his thing.

BIOTECH-REMOVE FETUS.

NECROMANCY-MATERIALIZE.

HEAL-MAJOR HEALING.

Stella held Selena's hand, the one that FIRE didn't have, and watched as Joseph pulled two babies out of Selena's abdomen. They were both girls, momentarily only appearing as pure flame, then finally separating into two bodies and materializing. One had been hiding behind her sister, whenever anyone checked. One had brilliant red hair, and the other a light blue.

Handing them over to the happy parents, Joseph stepped back to watch Stella croon over them, as a thrilled aunt.

The babies began to cry in the primal language, like dragons, so a number of effects tried to go off, however, Joseph merely suppressed them in his area to stop any collateral damage.

'Joseph, it's almost time,' reminded Joe. 'The world tree said you needed to be there before noon.'

With a sigh, he turned to Stella, knowing she had heard, too. What a day! So many babies being born, all at once!

"Selena, want to come see the new baby of the world tree be born?" asked Joseph as FIRE handed her the baby he was holding, gave her a kiss, then returned to his realm.

"I would love to!" she said, sliding the babies into a double sling Joseph had made for her, out of magically fire-proof fabric. It was intended for only one baby, but she managed to make do, without any problems.

GATE-TELEPORT.

They were standing under the wide spread branches of the other realm's world tree. The elves that guarded it had been expecting them, so when they appeared, their delegation approached with formal strides.

"We greet the champion. We greet the mate of the champion," one of the delegates declared, bowing first to Stella, then to Joseph. He smirked as they hesitated when they noticed Selena, but they did a quick bow to her as well, so as not to insult the guest of the champion.

Floating up gently, the three of them left the delegation behind to a low branch that held a huge flower bud. PLANT was there, looking rather pleased and smug with himself.

Everything was still and hushed as the five-foot, lavender bud began to open. Inside, was a beautiful little girl, curled up, fast asleep.

PLANT-ROBE.

As if sensing the spell being cast, she opened her eyes and looked around curiously. Stretching as she spotted them, her father wrapped her in the robe, causing her to giggle.

Her eyes were huge in her small face, and the smile that she directed at them, brought smiles to their own faces.

"She's an angel," sighed Selena. "Little Joseph, even the girls think she's a delight!"

The twins had turned their heads to look at the girl, and smiles appeared on their faces, too.

Unfurling beautiful wings like a dragon fly, she flittered off the bud and landed next to the babies.

Joseph admired the robe her father had made for her, that it didn't seem to obstruct her wings at all. It looked like it was made from large flower petals, yet didn't hang like a bag.

"She's a dryad!" exclaimed Stella, her eyes bright in excitement. "There hasn't been one of them around since I was a very small child!"

"You, or Sylva?" asked Joseph, already knowing the answer.

"Oh you!" she said, shooting an exasperated look his way. "You know what I meant!"

"She's bound to the world tree, so she can travel anywhere in the realm she wants to," explained PLANT proudly. "The robe will protect her from any who would try to harm her, bringing her back here in times of distress."

"You're really special," said Stella to the little girl, as she turned to look at her.

She giggled and twisted shyly

"Mommy says I can visit, if I stay with you, Aunt Stella," she said in a high pitched singsong voice that tugged on everyone's heart strings.

Stella's face was priceless.