Markos kept the pace at an easy canter, his hooves lightly crunching in the sands. It was a full moon, the phase of deepest azure, just before summer on Constellia. The waves were lulling, gently tickling the shore, occasionally rising to greet them.
The female on his back, his life mate, his one and only love, was clinging tightly, her head resting lazily against his shoulder. Occasionally she would administer tiny kisses, letting him know she was there, not just in body but in soul.
He worried about her these days, on account of the tiny life she held within. Numerous visits to the human doctors, as well as to the irrepressible Magician Argos through nightly mind link, had revealed the baby was safe and quite normal.
Whatever that was going to mean. According to the ultrasound, it was a tiny baby boy, with the equipment, miniature as it was, to prove it. Argos, however, had sensed deep magic within.
“I believe he will have the power to transform himself at will. He may also be able to jump from one world to the other without means of mind link or magic.”
“That’s going to make life real interesting when he starts walking,” Libby had quipped.
Indeed, there might be many things little Markos Junior would have to learn, such as not to transform into a legendary horse creature whenever he wanted to run away or catch something.
Markos had promised to keep herd on the lad, though he made it clear all bets would be off when it came to females.
“When he wants a girl, I doubt we’ll stop him. He is my son, after all.”
“Yes.” She gave him that look. “That’s what worries me.”
Markos chuckled now as he had then. This was life. Adventure, unpredictability.
He could see the fire ahead. Argos and Dalion and Kalos must already have gotten there. This wasn’t the real beach, of course, but as far as their minds went it was just as good.
“Look there,” said Dalion, “It’s the old married man. You look like hell, Markos. What’s she feeding you these days?”
“He was fine until he saw you a minute ago,” the pregnant Libby retorted, having learned by now how to handle the stubborn ram.
Kalos guffawed. “She won that round, you old head butter.”
“Quiet,” grumbled Dalion. “Or I’ll butt you into someone else’s mind link.”
“As long as you won’t be there…”
“Enough, both of you,” exclaimed Argos. “Do you want to agitate Libby and the baby?”
Markos smiled, helping Libby down. Argos was going to make a good uncle. They all would in their own way. It wouldn’t be easy, of course. No one was quite sure what this baby would be able to do and just how it would work with him having the dual citizenship.
There was also the matter of Queen Aquaria’s new lover, Minoton the Bull, who had been showing of late some of the negative sides of his Taurean sign, including jealousy and greed. There were whispers of another Scorpos in the making.
All in all, Markos had a funny feeling he was not quite done with his battles on Constellia. For now, though, his job was to care for his wife and unborn son.
Closing his eyes, he willed himself into human form. This was easy enough in the mind link state. Libby smiled happily, tucking herself into his arms. They sat together by the fire, her head nestled against his chest as they listened to the energetic, good natured arguing of Dalion and Kalos, with occasional mediation by Argos.
Friends to the end.
“I love you, my Libra,” he whispered, out of earshot of the others.
“I love you too, my Sagittarius.”