Heart of Stone Ch. 16

She caught her hair in a silver barrette and smoothed the green dress over her rounded tummy. Any thoughts she had once entertained about hiding her pregnancy were gone. That made her smile a little. Uncertainty might surround everything else in her life, but she was certain that Aiden's son was safe and warm under her heart. There was a light knock at the door.

"Come in." She said.

"Miss Veronica's here. Mrs. March is getting her a cup of coffee." Joanna paused in the door, looking at Mary. "You know it's true what they say about ladies who are in a family way, you do glow."

"Thanks." Mary blushed. "Let her know I'll be down in a minute. Is her room ready?"

"Of course, Miss. Everything's ready. Mrs. March and I have it down to a regular science now." She smiled and left Mary again. Mary checked her hair one last time. She wished her ear didn't look quite so red, but that could have been her imagination too. She was still getting used to it, so she naturally assumed it must look irritated too. She went downstairs to greet her guests.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Joanna was right about these meetings boiling down to a routine. Veronica always arrived first. She, Mary and Caroline would sit together and work on some sort of craft until Ramona arrived and joined them. Then they spent more time listening to her than they did working on their projects. After the rest of them arrived there would be a cocktail hour, then dinner, then the 'awakening' as Mary liked to call it.

Tonight, the topic of conversation seemed to be the ring Mary wore. It was the first time many of them had seen it because she usually wore her hair over it. As she expected, opinions were mixed. Quentin thought it looked too much like a piercing his granddaughter wanted. Robbie saw it as something akin to a wedding band. Nigel was still worried about infection, but he kept the disapproval off of his face most of the time.

Finally, it was time to awaken the new one. Everything went exactly like it had the first four times. Aiden and the other gargoyles joined Mary and her group outside. They waited nearby while Mary guided the others to break the enchantment. The difference was that this one didn't wake.

"I know the enchantment is broken." Ramona said as they stood there, watching the statue in the middle of their circle, looking for any signs of life.

"We should keep trying." Mary said. She was keenly aware of Aiden and the others standing behind her.

"Perhaps a rest first." Nigel said.

"Maybe that's a good idea. We'll try again-"

"No." Aiden put his hand on her shoulder. Mary turned to look at him.

"But he's not waking, something's wrong." She protested. Mary looked beyond him to see the others emerging from the darkness carrying large stones. "What are you doing?" She was starting to panic. None of the other gargoyles would look at her.

"Child, there is no more that you or anyone can do for him." Aiden explained gently. From the tone in his voice, his meaning was clear.

"That's not true! I just did something wrong, we can fix it." She was starting to cry.

"You did nothing wrong, he simply did not survive the centuries." He brushed the tears from her cheeks, then looked over her shoulder. "I thank you for your efforts, but I ask that you leave us alone to return him to the Earth."

"Aiden, please-" Mary said. Robbie took her arm, she resisted him for a moment.

"She cannot even respect our traditions and we are to accept her as chieftain's mate?" Kitra sneered. Aiden turned quickly, his wings partially unfolded, his tail moved from side to side as he approached the now nervous-looking female.

"You would inject your jealous venom into such a solemn occasion?" He growled. Mary moved a little closer to Robbie, her hands moving protectively over her middle.

"I only meant-"

"I know precisely what you meant, and I will hear no more of it. Not now, not ever." Aiden's voice bordered on threatening. Kitra murmured an apology, but he didn't acknowledge it. He turned back to Mary and the rest of the frozen group. "Robbie, if you would please."

"But-" She said to Robbie as she started to walk with him.

"In your condition, this is best." He said softly.

"Aiden," Mary moved slowly away with Robbie, but she recognized Quentin's voice. It was thick with emotion, too. "Please let me stay. My family protected him all this time."

"Very well, but you may observe only." Aiden answered.

"Thank you."

*~*~*~*~*~*

For a few minutes, everyone gathered in silence in the drawing room. Then they began to hear the distant impact of stone against stone. Everyone made excuses and began to filter out. Some left the Hall entirely, preferring a late-night drive to the gathered sadness. Others simply went to bed. Mary knew from experience that the upstairs library was the quietest room in the public part of the house. She wandered in there and turned on some music. Robbie followed soon after.

"I did something wrong. I must have." She started to cry.

"Of course you didn't." He led her to the sofa and sat down with her. Mary drew her feet up and rested her head against his shoulder. He stroked her back softly. "Gargoyles live a very long time, but they're not eternal. I have a feeling that being frozen is very stressful physically. If this one was old or ill to begin with, it's not surprising that he didn't survive."

"But why did they have to-" Mary found she couldn't say it. "Why couldn't they just leave him as he was?"

"For the same emotional reason that people bury their dead. I suppose we could have our departed loved ones stuffed and mounted in their favorite chairs but we don't because we need to say our final goodbyes and bring our time with them on this plane of existence to a close. It's the same for them, except their bodies don't break down in the same way that ours do. For them to close the chapter, they have to do it themselves." He rubbed her back softly, his head resting against hers.

"Doesn't change the fact that Kitra is right." She swiped at her eyes. "I'm not the best mate for Aiden. I don't know any of this stuff, he didn't even want me there."

"Not because he wants to be rid of you." Robbie sounded shocked that she would say such a thing. "From everything I know from my studies and everything I've observed, gargoyle males are very protective of their pregnant females. I have no doubt that Aiden sent you back here with the rest of us because he knew the upset wasn't good for you or the little one."

"I just feel like everything is changing so fast." She sighed softly and sniffled. He handed her his handkerchief. "We used to spend so much time together, now I feel like I'm taking him away from the others, and I know that they need him so much."

"You haven't mentioned this to him, have you?" Robbie asked, he was smiling a little.

"Well, no." She admitted. "How can I? He's dealing with so much."

"I forget how young you are sometimes." Robbie chuckled softly. "It's been my experience that men are very bad at guessing what women are thinking. It's true, he does have a great deal on his plate right now, but I'm certain he doesn't intend for you to feel pushed aside. He might not realize you feel that way."

"Maybe." Mary admitted. She sighed and relaxed against him. "I keep telling myself that I'm being too sensitive because of the pregnancy hormones."

"That's possible." He said. "But even if you are, he'll want to set your mind at ease." She smiled a little.

"I think the ring was supposed to do that. The whole time I was afraid I would flinch or cry and the others would assume that I didn't want to be his mate." Mary laughed softly. Much as it hurt, the pain was not nearly as bad as she had expected it to be.

"Flinching aside, I think you have some very strong allies among the gargoyles."

"Except for Kitra." Mary said.

"Kitra reminds me of my cousin Candace. Her goal was to marry the wealthiest, most powerful man she could find. It didn't matter if he was already married, old enough to be her grandfather, or on life support. It was quite sad really."

"Did she find someone?"

"Eventually. She started keeping a lover two weeks after they got back from the honeymoon. I always felt sorry for him. He was a nice enough fellow really, he didn't deserve the horrendous two years she put him through. Still, it wasn't like she'd caught a prince. She was limited by the circles she could move in. I think Kitra is the same. I would guess that before she would have had no chance to get close to a clan chieftain. Now, she's seizing what she sees as an opportunity for her own advancement. Aiden sees through it." He sounded so sure of himself that Mary couldn't help but believe him. She groaned softly at an strong and unexpected kick. She rubbed the side of her tummy softly. "Everything alright?" He looked concerned.

"He's moving." Mary took his hand, put it on the side of her tummy and pressed hers over it. For a moment, both were silent and still. Then the child shifted again. The movement wasn't as strong this time, but the way Robbie's eyes widened told her that he felt it.

"He's quite the athlete." Robbie chuckled and took his hand away.

"He surprises me sometimes. He's so still and then he gives such a strong kick." Mary laughed softly.

"This is probably a very personal question, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to." He paused, waiting to see if Mary would stop him. When she didn't object, he went on. "Is he only active at night?"

"No. I never even thought about that until I happened to mention to Esme that he'd woken me up from a nap. It surprised her, so I guess that's unusual." Mary turned away for a moment and yawned. "Sorry."

"Nonsense. Even if things go according to plan I know these gatherings can take a great deal out of a host." His arm tightened around her shoulders and Mary relaxed against him. It wasn't like snuggling with Aiden, but there was something very comforting about it.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mary." She knew someone was speaking to her, but the voice seemed so far away. She moaned softly.

"Child?" She recognized Aiden's voice this time. She opened her eyes, unsure of where she was at first.

"Aiden?" She realized she was still resting against Robbie and sat up. "What time is it?"

"A bit after midnight." He offered his hand and helped Mary up. He held on, letting her get her bearings again.

"Why didn't you wake me?" She said to Robbie. "You must have been uncomfortable."

"Not at all. You needed the rest." He got up. "I will say goodnight to you both though." He kissed her cheek softly.

"Thank you." Aiden said.

"No thanks needed." He touched Aiden's forearm lightly. If Aiden had been another man, or a shorter gargoyle, the touch would have been aimed more toward his shoulder, but Aiden's height made that awkward. He accepted the gesture in the spirit that it was offered. He waited until Robbie left before he kissed Mary lightly. For some reason she couldn't fully explain to herself, that tender gesture brought back her anger from earlier.

"I need to go to bed." She turned away from him and started up the stairs.

"Mary, wait." He followed, easily keeping pace with her.

"Aiden, I'm tired." She spoke softly, her eyes turned away from him. He waited for her to reach their rooms before he spoke again.

"Mary-" She walked away from him, into the bathroom. She showered and changed before emerging again. He was laying in bed, trying to look engrossed in a newspaper. The way his tail twitched told her that he wasn't paying much attention to what was on the page.

"I sent you-"

"You didn't even tell me!" She said.

"What?" He sat up, his heavy brows drawn together.

"You didn't tell me what would happen if one of the others didn't wake. You could have at least prepared me." She was starting to cry again. She put her back to him, trying to get hold of herself.

"You are right." She heard him get up and approach her. She was about to move away again when she felt his hands on her shoulders. Mary turned and relaxed in his embrace.

"Then why didn't you?" She let him lead her back to the bed. He waited until she was comfortable against him.

"Because I did not want to face the possibility that some might not have survived." He stroked her back with one hand, and laid the other on her belly. She put one hand over his. "And I worried that if I put the idea in your head that some might not wake, you would feel less confident in your abilities. When Esme, Calvus, Jerel and Kitra all woke so easily, it seemed my fears were unfounded, so I said nothing. I realized as soon as I saw the look on your face tonight that my silence was ill-considered."

"I never see you anymore, then tonight Kitra-"

"Kitra is a grasping female. I've given her to Jerel." Mary was shocked to hear him say something like that so matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean, you gave her to Jerel?" She asked.

"Because she is an unmated female with no living kinsman she is the responsibility of the chieftain. That has always been our custom, but usually when such a thing happens the female in question is in the last stages of her life and needs little or no guidance. Kitra interprets my duty to be a personal connection that is not present. After we -" He paused. "Tonight, after, I spoke with Jerel and Calvus, and Jerel volunteered to act as a surrogate kinsman to Kitra. She objected of course, but the choice is not hers." Mary turned and rested with her back against him, his arms surrounded her.

"Why Jerel?" She didn't know very much about him, but she knew he was a bit younger than Calvus and still shy about speaking to her directly. He had made her a beautiful deerskin sling for the baby, but beyond that he seemed too shy to say anything.

"His sister was much like Kitra, and he assured me that he could manage her outbursts." He said. Mary didn't really want to think about how. "And I had another plan for Calvus."

"To take care of Esme?" Mary asked. She could feel him smile against the side of her head.

"Esme needs very little, though I hope that one day Calvus will take her as a mate. They have already developed a deep affection for each other. But, that is something they can choose for themselves. No, if you agree, I want to assign Calvus as your protector."

"What do I need protection from?" Mary turned her head a little.

"It is mostly a ceremonial position, given as an honor to an aged warrior." He stroked her tummy gently. The baby was moving, but she knew the fluttering was far too light for him to feel. "It does create a kinship tie though, similar to what you have with Robbie."

"I don't know if that'll be enough." She said.

"Sweet one-"

"No one speaks to me except Esme, and then only when none of the others are around. I always feel like I've done something wrong." She turned away a little. His lips grazed the side of her ear.

"It is a sign of respect, though I see now that it is different enough from your culture that it might seem like a rejection." He sighed softly. "I realize the timing of all of this has been difficult for you."

"I just miss you." Her eyes were closed. "I didn't think it would be this way. I guess I don't know what I thought."

"Things have become more complex than I originally thought as well, but we will adjust. You and your happiness are far too precious to me to allow outside factors to wound you so." He kissed the side of her head softly. "Get some rest, dearest."

"Night." She murmured. For some reason, he always had the power to make her feel better.