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That, by itself, was very nearly the ion captains had known for years that the expectation of victory breeds victory

He should get up and getthe role of a Princeps with boundless power, confidence, and energy But the simple bedroll felt extremely comfortable He turned his attention to the war presences beside hiht

"You didn't tell me," Tavi said quietly

Kitai looked sideways at him, then away She thrust her arms into the steel-stained padded vest she wore beneath her ently "Why didn't you tell me, chala?"

"I should never have come here with you," Kitai said, her voice hard "I should have remained in my own bedroll, alone Crows take it, I knew you would sense it if ere together I eak"

Tavi heard his own voice gain an angry edge "Why didn't you tell me, Kitai?"

"Because your people are insane about the birth of children," she snarled "What may happen! What may not happen! When it must happen, and within what order of events! Circumstances over which they had no control whatsoever dictate how they will be treated for the rest of their lives!" She finished buckling the vest and glared at him "You should know this Better than anyone"

Tavi folded his ars to bethis fro and slithered into her mail shirt, a task on "I did not wish you to aim your further insanity at me"

"Further insanity?" he demanded "Don't bother with the ar it"

She lifted her chin as she began binding her hair back into a tail "There? You see? Because I carry our child, you expect ive birth"

"No," Tavi said "I expect you to keep our" He tried not to choke over the word " child safe"

"Safe?" Kitai eyed him "There is no such place, Aleran Not anymore Not until the vord are put down There are only places where it will take longer to die"

Tavi had no real answer to that He leaned back on his heels and stared at her for a long moment

"This is why you insisted on a courtship," he said "On us sleeping apart"

Kitai's cheeks flushed "It is another reason, Aleran" She sed "There were many reasons"

Tavi leaned forward and offered her his hand

She took it

They held hands for a quiet moment

"Our child," Tavi said

She nodded, her eyes wide and difficult to read

"When did you know?"

"Toward the end of the voyage back froed, and for one of the few times in Tavi's memory, failed to look calm and confident "Six months If the father was Marat But our people and yours this has never before happened" She sed, and Tavi thought that she looked, in that instant, fragile and beautiful, like a flower coated in ice "I do not knoill happen No one knoill happen"

Tavi sat in total silence for a long et his head around such a si to be a father

He was going to be a father