Maggie's Visit

The Dragon's Head Tavern and Inn, Vorland, 1439 ATC

The buggy pulled by a tired looking old horse came to a stop just outside the tavern on the right side of the road. Maggie didn't have to wonder if this was the right place.

A big poster next to the door, with Venser Karkaldwin's face and a collection of cigars was quite enough to tell her that this was the man's tavern and cigar shoppe.

With a bit of difficulty Maggie Drake climbed down from the seat and stood in front of the entrance, measuring the place while rubbing the small of her back with her hand. Even though she had a large shawl wrapped around her to keep away the cool breeze.

it was quite obvious that she was pregnant. Her belly jutting out with an almost commanding presence. Competing with the roundness of her midsection for attention was her bust, extremely large and heavy, only partly concealed by the dark red hair that fell down her shoulders.

With a definite waddle in her steps, the lady proceeded to the door and entered the tavern.

Oh crap.

Stairs, she sighed, seeing a massive staircase in front of her. Slowly, one step at a time, she started climbing up, each step creaking a bit under her weight.

''... It's advertising ya know. The scantily clad woman is my business partner, Gloria. Even though shes the one handling things most of the time now." Venser explained to the new barmaid, Natalie Nash, whilst standing on a short stool and inspecting the bottles on the top shelf to check their content level.

Hearing the front doors open, he let out a sighed and called out...

''Welcome to the Dragon's Head Tavern and Inn!'' With his back turned, he was nursing a cup of water and muttering to himself about the hangover.

The pale redhead behind the bar glanced over to the woman coming up the stairs and called out.

''Do you need any help miss?''

"I can manage." The buxom redhead called back, making the last few steps and then stopping at the top of the stairs.

"Um...Venser?" Maggie tentatively called, waddling closer, her hand resting on her belly, her attention being nonetheless focused on the man in front of her. She gave a short nod of acknowledgement to the other redhead girl.

Maggie noted how dark her braided hair was and the dark brown eyes, she must have been of Grigwaldian descent too. She wondered if she had the accent, though a lot of them on this continent had lost the accent. Thankfully many of the Grigwaldians still knew how to craft fine beer, sausages, and pretzals.

Also primitive cuckoo clocks.

''Maggie? Oh hey! Finally decided to come up and visit eh?'' He asked turning around, hopping down from the stool.

"What are you doing here?''

Seeing her waddle he walked over to a nearby table and pulled out a chair for her.

"Hey um, ahem. Natalie, could you go fetch two cups of water for us? Thank you. Yeah I drank too much last night... Or was it two days ago? Either way it feels like I got hit in the head with a club! Yeah... Party tried to get ny artificer friend to socialize... Let her turn my bungalow by the lake into her new workshop she's there now I'm sure..."

"Right. Well frankly... I'm looking for you. Seems I found you as well."

Maggie replied listening to the man ramble, and taking the chair offered to her and seating down with a relieved sigh. She had to spread her legs a bit to leave room for her belly, and leaning back she crosshed her hands on top of it. Looking at Venser, she smiled a bit, wondering how soon the handsome bearded man would realize why she was here.

"You see anything special with me?" The buxom redhead asked with a grin.

When Natalie came back with two cups of water the handsome bearded man immediately grabbed his and took a heavy swig. Venser opened his mouth to speak again but the thing came over to his table and he raised a brow, his lips forming a nuetral look.

"You are pregnant. And... You look really nice...''

"Nice?" Maggie repeated, a smirk on her plump red lips. Well, she knew she shouldn't judge the man too harshly. The rounded redhead just leaned forward and squeezed Venser's hand a bit.

"It's best we talk in private when your duties at the tavern allow that. I'll be downstairs resting, okay?" With that, the buxom got up and headed back down the stairs.

''No no hold up.'' Venser said teleporting down to the bottom of the stairs.

''I think you shouldn't be moving around any more today. I mean,'' He let out a huff and walked back up the stairs.

''It's amazing you came all this way up north. Woulda come to you... But been busy. Very busy.'' The handsome bearded man stopped at the top of the stairs and said.

''Let's go to my room so you can lay down. I've a pretty big, comfortable bed. It'll just be you and me, I already... Yeah. Took my other visitors home."

"Well, big and comfortable actually sounds nice." Maggie said with a smirk.

"But I'm just warning you, I'll be using all of that bed for myself now, okay?"

With that, she followed the man to the bedroom. Once inside, she gave an appreacitive whistle at, indeed, a very big and very comfortable looking queen bed.

"From your caring response, I gather I don't need to tell you what has been going on in my life since we last met." Maggie said with a bit of a dry chuckle, sitting on the edge of the bed, kicking off her shoes and then laying down on her back. She was, for the lack of a kinder word, huge.

Her very pregnant belly rising up like a round hill on the mattress. But frankly speaking she was quite a bit bigger in other areas as well, clearly having taken to the heart old advice about eating for two.

"So, has your cigar business been booming, Ven?"

Venser's room was fairly big. A queen sized bed lay by the windows, and it was covered in turqouise silk sheets and he had about a dozen pillows all with furry gold throwovers. The royal colors of his homeland. Off to the left was a wardrobe with a few dresses hanging out, some spilt onto the floor. Beside that was a mannequin with Venser's original outfit as well as a smiling theater mask. To the right of the bed was a desk with a bag of gold in it, a mirror, and a few scraps of paper. Above Venser's bed was a multicolored painting of a woman's vagina, and below that a stand that once held a sword.

''Yeah...'' He said rubbing the back of his head, he was already barefoot so all he did was lay down beside her.

''At least it's starting to. I have help and I left most of the operations to someone with a passion for... Business. Ahem. Right So... Let's talk.'' Venser said eyeing her stomach.

Only once she was laying down, did Maggie take a time to look around in the room. It seemed very effeminate, with dressing room table, and dresses in the wardrobe and everything. She almost wondered if Venser had several mistresses living in here, but didn't want to ask that at least not just yet. Most likely, as he did mention having guests in his room

"Sure, let's talk." She replied, crossing her arms behind her head.

"I think I know what you are thinking but it would be nice to hear you ask it nonetheless."

"You're pregnant. Very pregnant." Venser said right after she finished his sentence, craning his head over to Maggie to look her in the eyes with his emerald, snake like ones.

"Yes, very much so. Very observant of you", Maggie responded. "And is it possible that you are now asking in your head 'is it mine?'"

She stared back at the man, a sly smirk on her soft face.

Venser nodded his head slowly and said nothing. The look on his face uncertain.

''Is it?''

He asked.

''I mean,'' Venser paused and rolled over on his side still looking at Maggie with a look of uncertainty and almost concern.

'I know you were- You're a strumpet. Well, ahem. Not that it's a bad thing! I love strumpets."

"Strumpet. What a nice word for it... Considering you also paid me for my services quite willingly the last time we met", Maggie said, a hard smile on her face but no mirth in her eyes.

"Well, to answer the question... I don't know. It might be. I am almost certain it is, but yes, there were others too... Before you. But not anymore after you."

''And why's that? What's it been? Four or five months?''

Venser asked letting out a sigh, not knowing what to think of how to feel.

''What have you been doing since that I left that one morning?''

"I have been managing." The buxom redhead replied, blinking her blue eyes a bit.

"I guess I could say I got lucky with things. The payment you left kept me going for a while and there was enough so I could buy a loom. I'm not a master weaver but I could produce enough to keep myself afloat", the woman said.

"And finally get enough saved that I could travel here. And here I am now. I think five months is pretty accurate, so the baby should be due sometime in the early fall."

''Do you know the gender? Maggie? What do you think it'll be? What do you think it'll look like?'' He placed a hand on her belly.

Maggie didn't welcome the touch, but neither did she move the man's hand away. Somehow she actually now sympathized with Venser, realizing how the news she had come to realize slowly hit the man surprisingly, with no time to take it all in.

"Old wives tell there are ways to tell the gender, but then again, each old wife tells different signs. So I won't listen to them", she explained, still keeping her arms crossed around the back of her neck, lifting her head a bit to look past her massive bust that almost hid Venser from her sight. "These are the mysteries that unfold only after the baby comes." Taking a bit of a pause she asked.

"So. What do you think, Ven?"

''Well, you know how busy I am... Here, around, at home with my family." Venser wasn't too sure where he was going with it as he went silent again, resting his hand on her belly.

''It only occurs to me now that we barely know each other... Me coming into that one tavern you worked at every so often and then me coming to your house...''

He let out a sigh and withdrew his hand, laying back and looking to Maggie.

''But I will support you. But,'' He paused again and took a breath, ''I know you don't know this but I have many children already.''

The buxom redhead didn't even flinch with that piece of information. No, she had not known about that, but it didn't actually surprise her.

"It's alright, Venser. I'm not here to... Ask you to leave behind your whole life and become a model daddy for a kid you might not even know if he or she is yours", the busty redhead said with a surprisingly soft, gentle tone.

"I just thought it would be the right thing to let you know. And, being honest", she continued, "you know I am not exactly swimming in money. Whereas it seems you are doing quite alright. So I gotta admit, I am hoping, not demanding, that you could help me out."

''I know you aren't. Actually, I want to ask that for you.'' He said scratching at his beard.

''I will do the right thing, make sure you and the baby and healthy and cared for. And perhaps you'd like to live with me? I have a farm... Elsewhere. And I alternate between that, this tavern, and some other residences. Ahem. Anything for my ladies, anything for my kids! That's why I have such a huge residence in Pryldahn."

Maggie now reached out to rest her own hand on Venser's.

"Just live there? With you and your family? No additional... Services expected? I think I would like that, at least for the next few months. Once the baby is born and is a bit bigger I might be thinking about other options, but having a safe place like that would be perfect for my situation now."

With a bit of difficulty Maggie struggled up to sit, her pregnant belly filling the space between her legs, her soft breasts falling on both sides of the belly.

"I was actually thinking I might stay here... At the tavern. Unless you think I would be on your way?"

''You know the town is a little more than a half hour from here, right?''

Venser asked watching Maggie sit up. ''I mean, you could stay in this tavern I could assume you're used to taverns...'' He cleared his throat.

''My farm in Pryldahn, it's big and has everything you could possibly want. But I'd have to teleport you there. We wouldn't have to worry about another carriage ride and then crossing the Vorland-Pryldahn border. Too much a hassle."

"Well, let's not decide that today, okay?", Maggie said, placing her hands over her swollen belly.

"I can stay here at least for few days and we can talk about the options. The baby shouldn't be due for still few months, so we have plenty of time."

She patted her belly with a bit of humorous affection.

"Although, if you'd rather NOT have people seeing me parading around here with a baby belly the size of a beer barrel. That could make them ask you some pretty personal questions... I can go to the farm even tonight, if you so prefer."

''No no,'' He said shaking his head, sitting up with Maggie.

''Whatever you'd like.'' Venser said taking her hand. ''I've gotten those sorts of personal questions before so... Shouldn't be too big a deal. Have you ever been in a place with a lot of people, like this tavern while you've been...''

He gestured to her belly.

''Big?''

"You mean pregnant? Yeah... I have, at the early stages I went to the tavern few times, but I get tired kinda easily nowadays so I guess it's already been a couple of months since I last went to a place like this. Why do you ask?"

''I... I dunno. Social interaction, stress for you and the baby. Prying questions. Whose the father? How long are you? That sort of stuff you get from people...''

Venser said still looking at her stomach.

''And he or she is gonna have other of brothers and sisters...'' A smile came across his face.

''One big happy family. Right? You'll love my villa."

Maggie just smiled and sighed endearingly.

"Oh Venser, you remember I am an ex barmaid turned into an ex prostitute. If someone has a thick skin, it's me. I can handle the social settings, but it's kinda cute that you care. And about brothers and sisters... Who knows. I hope so, but preferably not in this way anymore."

''A pair of twins, a baby boy Asher, a two year old girl, two of em... Rowena and Elanaea and more on the way. Gonna have a half human half lesser dragon kid soon... Um..."

His went blank as he actually tried to remember just how many kids he had.

Cute that he cares. Heh.

''What do you mean not in this way anymore?''

"Oh. I misunderstood... I thought you spoke about future children I might have. That's a lot of children." The buxom redhead explained.

"And sure, it would be good to get to know the other kids. But", She began, then pausing.

"But you have to understand Venser... I'm not promising to stay forever. Just few months for starters. We'll see what happens after that, if it works out I might stay for longer but I just can't say at this point."

Maggir Drake swung her legs over the side of the bed and slid her feet to the sandals. Discreetly offering her arm to Venser so that he could perhaps help her up.

"You know pregnant women have their needs, and my need right now is dinner. You don't grow a baby belly like this by skipping meals."

She laughed, patting her pregnant midsection.

''Well... What about the baby? Where would you go with it? Down south back to Ayalia?"

Venser put his arm around her and helped her to her feet.

''What would you like?'' Vdn asked craning his head to her. ''Along with headbartender, entertainer, and merchant, chef is actually one of them. Self taught but I consider myself to be an expert.'' He said with a confident smile.

Taking her time, Maggie walked through the open door and headed back down to the tavern area where Natalie the new barmaid was already setting a table.

"What can I get you two to drink?" The girl asked with a smile.

"Thanks... Looks very nice. Could you bring me a glass of juice or something like that, I'm pretty parched." Maggie asked while seating herself. This visit was turning out better than she had hoped, and Maggie could feel herself relaxing.

''Any specific kind of juice? Ummm... We have apple and..." Natalie's voice trailed off.

"Cranberry juice. Green or black tea. Milk, water." Vensed said helping the new barmaid.

Downstairs the sounds of rummaging and pots and pans slamming down on the stove tops were heard. While Venser was disappearing and reappearing in puffs if red smoke all over the kitchen busting his ass.

"Doesn't matter, really... Just something cold and sweet please." Maggie said to the girl.

"Is your family from Grigwald?" Maggie asked.

"My grandparents were. I can't remember the exact reason why they came over to Vorland though."

Natalie replied and retreated behind the bar, pouring her a glass of apple juice as a snakey, shadowy hand popped out from behind the bar and dropped a fistful of ice into the glass.

Maggie gave a small smile and a nod as well.

"My family were rich merchants, and came over to Ayalia to start a new life and then... Well. It went south. No pun intended. Disease... Other business ventures..." Maggie said with a sigh.

"It's complicated."

She brought it back to Maggie and set it down in front of her. A few minutes later the man himself appeared out of a puff of thick red smoke setting a silver platter down on the bar in front of her. He removed the lid and revealed three plates of well cooked, well spiced blackened alligator, collared greens, and mashed potatoes with butter and a molten lava center.

''Ta da! Dig in. Uh, Natalie? Can you bring some candles. We have some underneath the bar, at the right end."

After he said that Natalie searched for the candles, found them, and then lit two candles on the table and walked away.

Maggie whistled at the sight of such fine dining, although her salivating mouth made that slighlty difficult.

"Oh my Venser... This looks quite quite something!"

Quite taken in by the man's culinary skill. Not needing any further encouragement, she dipped her fork in the pile of mashed potatoes, and took a bite. A smile of sensual pleasure spread on her lips and she smacked happily.

"Few more meals like this, Venser, and I'll be seriously considering your offer on staying with you for good!"

The handsome bartender laughed with her and sat down beside Maggie, picking up a decabter of water in the center of the table and pouring himself a glass. He took a quick sip and set it down, grabbing himself a piece of blackened alligator.

''You ever had alligator before? It's a delicacy where I come frommmm... And. Uh, east of here in some of the swamp lands."

"Can't say I have", Maggie said between bites, clearly not at all bothered by such a strange dish. "But it sure tastes good. Although", she continued, taking another bite, "that sort of begs the question of... Where do you come from then?"

''All over.'' Venser said, fixing himself a plate of all three of the entries that he had made. The flame from the candles flickered around the room. He raised his left hand and his mark glowed greenish white, trapping the curtains in a green aura and pulling them closed, now the candles were the only source of light. With a piece of meat on a fork in one hand, he rapped his knuckles against the table, thinking for a moment.

''Was born in the capital city of Pantia, left... Settled in Kupidnos. Settled here. Settled in Pryldahn.''

"So, sounds like you've been all over the place. Or places. I've never heard of Pantia or Kupidnos." Maggie responded. She glanced to the window, noting how Venser's magic had closed the curtains. It was certainly a nice atmosphere, but she couldn't help wondering if the man was trying to make this into a romantic event with the candles and fancy cuisine.

"It seems you're taking this whole baby business quite calmly. I gotta say, I am pleasantly surprised."

''Well honestly I'd say more but... When it's born it will be easier to have things arranged... And again, I have children already." Venser shrugged and popped the piece of heavily spiced blackened alligator into his mouth.

The handsome bearded man swallowed it and said, ''You know,'' He gestured to her stomach, ''Didn't plan for this baby... But I already have kids of my own so... Either Soarin or Lucinda's hand me downs for clothes...'' He scratched his head thinking of what else to plan for at the moment.

"I have lovers who help with this and I make plenty of coin. So I suppose clothes won't be a problem."

"Ah, I'm sure it will go just fine", Maggie said with a nod. She did pick up the man's somewhat mysterious point about arranging things more when the baby is born. Arranging what things? Maggie had a bit of an uneasy feeling that Venser was already making all sorts of plans for her and the baby, without telling her. But for now, she would just keep her eyes open and see what comes.

"So, can we go to the farm tomorrow? I'd like to see the place."

"Oh yeah! Tomorrow, we will just relax and enjoy a dinner and a quiet evening for now..." Venser's voice trailed off thinking about the construction he was doing on his house. Not only the bathouse and the murals, but also more bedrooms. So the kids wouldn't have to share so many rooms and a nursery.

Everyone would get their own room!

Vensed smiled to Maggie and raised a glass of water.

"To us and the baby?"

The buxom redhead gave a small smile back, looked to her glass of apple juice and clinked it against his.

"To us and the baby."