A Dragon's change to Motherhood
Chapter 1: Whispers of a New Life
Aldra stepped out of Kugane Castle, her report to the magistrates delivered—another case of sudden aether thefts resolved. Yet even as the officials praised her efficiency, something within her felt… unsteady. The shift in her appearance—hair, eyes, even the hue of her tail turning a silvery pink—had brought an unexpected sense of wholeness, as though pieces of herself that had long been splintered were finally aligned. Her body felt complete.But her instincts told her the unease was different. Deeper. Not tied to the transformation, but to the quiet, pulsing intuition that she wasn’t alone inside her own skin. The idea seemed impossible… and yet the thought of pregnancy lingered stubbornly in her mind. She needed answers.With Void Naught resting in her left hand, Aldra made her way toward the district where Kugane’s nurses and white mages tended the people. But before she reached the steps leading down from the castle walkway, her senses flared. A petty thief, bold enough to strike within the halls of the bakufu, lunged for an unsuspecting traveler.Aldra’s response was instinctive.She drew her odachi in a single motion, crimson light rippling along the blade as its edge sang. In the next breath she was upon the would-be robber, disarming him cleanly—mercifully—before the guards could even react. The thief fled, stumbling, and Aldra sheathed Void Naught without a word.There were more pressing truths she needed to face.And so she continued on, her steps steady despite the questions twisting quietly within her
Chapter 2: Impossible becoming Reality
By morning, Aldra’s nerves had settled only slightly. The nurses and white mages across Kugane were unavailable the night before, but her friend V—reliable, sharp-minded, and trained in medical techniques from several nations—kept her promise and arrived early.The warmth of the tatami room contrasted with the tension coiled inside Aldra. V worked diligently, her gloved hands steady as she reviewed Aldra’s labwork, aether balance scans, and physical tests. The atmosphere felt strangely still, as if even the lanternlight waited.When V finally looked up, her expression softened.
“Aldra,” she said gently, “the results are… positive. You’re pregnant.”
For a heartbeat, Aldra couldn’t move. The world didn’t tilt—it simply opened. Shock rushed through her, but it wasn’t fear. It was possibility. Fulfillment. Something long denied suddenly, impossibly real.Alicia’s determination, her quiet hopes, her reassurances through every failed attempt—they all surged forward at once.“I… I didn’t think it could ever happen,” Aldra whispered, her voice unsteady. “She tried so hard for this.”V’s answer was a warm, knowing smile. “Then she’ll be overjoyed. Congratulations, Aldra. Truly. Is Alicia in town? You’ll want to tell her right away.”Aldra shook her head, brushing a strand of silver-pink hair behind her horn.
“No. She’s in Tuliyollal on assignment. I was supposed to meet her there once I finished things here.” A small, breathless laugh escaped her. “She is going to be so happy.”V’s expression shifted to a more professional calm. “Then travel safely—and listen carefully. You’ve been pregnant for roughly three weeks now. I advise against long-distance teleportation magic. Too much aether strain for the child. Take an airship instead.”
Aldra nodded, absorbing the advice with surprising ease. She felt lighter somehow, grounded by purpose. “Thank you, V. For everything.”
After heartfelt goodbyes, she made her way through the familiar streets of Kugane to book her airship passage. Soon after, she stepped aboard, the sea breeze brushing through her newly changed hair. From the deck, she looked back over the sprawling city—its pagodas, bridges, and bustling docks washed in soft morning light.For a moment she let herself simply stand there, hand pressed gently to her abdomen, silent but full of emotion. The next time she returned to Kugane, she would not be alone. She would come back not just as Aldra the warrior, or Aldra the wanderer—
but as a mother.With one last quiet farewell to the city, she turned toward the horizon.
Tuliyollal awaited… and so did Alicia, and the future they had only dared to dream of.