When Fiona's words ended, Celeste could almost feel her teeth grinding against each other the moment she heard the word 'partner.' Of course, she had already accepted the kind of man her son had become and would continue to grow into in the future.
However, at this point, she couldn't stand the fact that her son was putting himself through all this stress because of his 'partners,' and that included Fiona-the-well woman, whom she could already assume was also his partner from the way he had foolishly rushed to rescue her, even carrying the Village Chief along, thereby putting all of their lives in danger and burdening Greta with so much work to ensure their recovery.
Nonetheless, it wasn't that she was angry for no reason or didn't want to understand the reasons or circumstances of the situation. But from what she had seen, a significant portion of Orion's partners were women who were several generations older than him.
So, it seemed unwise for them to continually put him in dangerous or unusual situations when they should know better, given their age and experience. Yet, if they didn't know any better, Celeste would take it upon herself to make sure they do.
After all, she couldn't sit back and watch grown-up women behave like little children when they should be acting like responsible adults.
"Alright, let's not waste a single moment, and let's go see her," Celeste said determinedly, stepping forward and extending her hand towards the door. However, before her hand could even touch the door, a loud, commanding feminine voice rang out from inside the hut, "Come in."
The women outside were initially caught off guard, freezing in surprise. But then they quickly recalled that Fiona-the-well woman was a retired warrior, and she must have heard their footsteps approaching her hut, making her aware of the visitors waiting outside.
Feeling a bit embarrassed that Fiona-the-well-woman might have overheard their conversations, Celeste cleared her throat to break the tension and opened the door. She walked inside, accompanied by Ayla, Fiona, and Grandma Meldra, who closed the door behind them.
When the women entered the hut, they were greeted by the sight of Fiona-the-well woman's humongous muscular body, lying comfortably on a mat with her hands behind her head. Fiona-the-well woman turned her head to meet them, a smile spreading across her face the moment her gaze landed on Celeste. She couldn't help but reflect on the unusual circumstances that led her to this moment.
Just a few days ago, when their eyes met, the only connection between them was that Celeste was like every other villager who came to her well to pay for the water she had fetched. But now, Celeste was her mother-in-law.
With a show of respect befitting the mother of her partner, Fiona-the-well woman withdrew her hands from behind her head and sat upright, facing Celeste and the women behind her. "Good morning," Fiona-the-well woman greeted Celeste, nodding in acknowledgement at the other women.
Ayla, Fiona, and Grandma Meldra returned the nod, and Celeste proceeded to ask, "How are you doing?" She wanted to make sure Fiona-the-well woman's health was okay, even in the midst of her hurry.
Fiona-the-well woman replied with a tired sigh, "I'm okay, and I'll feel even better in a few minutes, so don't worry." She gestured for them to sit down, adding, "I wasn't expecting your visit this early, but I knew you'd come sooner or later, especially after the troubles I had caused." Fiona-the-well woman chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood in the room, which had grown slightly moody.
As Celeste prepared to respond, she couldn't resist taking a good, long look at the muscular and voluptuous giant of a woman sitting before her. It left her wondering how her son had even managed to get close to Fiona-the-well woman and form a relationship with a retired warrior of all people.
'Perhaps it was when he went to fetch water alone,' Celeste mused to herself, trying to piece together the timeline of their relationship.
But, with time being of the essence, Celeste delved into the main reason for their visit, explaining to Fiona-the-well woman the purpose of their presence. As she listened, Fiona-the-well woman's face went through a range of emotions, starting with a frown and quickly shifting to a worried expression.
However, when Celeste finally revealed that all the women behind her were either pregnant with Orion's child or his partners, Fiona-the-well woman couldn't help but open her mouth in stunned disbelief. The news had caught her completely off guard.
Fiona-the-well woman's mind raced as she processed Celeste's revelation. After accidentally eavesdropping on a conversation between him and the village healer, Greta, she had suspected that Orion would attract more partners, most of whom would likely come from his generation since it would sound too weird and far-fetched for all of them to come from an older generation.
However, Celeste's words had just shattered her assumptions. It was not just about having more than one partner; it was the fact that all of them were older women, and some were even pregnant.
'Orion,' Fiona-the-well woman's thoughts raced, her eyebrows twitching in surprise. She had seriously underestimated him. Not just one partner, but the fact that Celeste mentioned there were still others who hadn't come with them.
A bitter taste enveloped her tongue at first, but as she recalled how Orion had rushed to save her, even with his own injury, a sudden warmth washed over her heart, dispelling the bitterness.
When she broke away from her thoughts, Fiona-the-well-woman noticed the expectant looks on the faces of the women around her. Clearing her throat, she suggested, "Considering he didn't come here before leaving the farm and we don't know his whereabouts, I propose we patiently wait for Orion's return. Once he's well-rested, we can then discuss whatever matters we have with him." It was the most sensible suggestion she could offer at the moment.
'So, he didn't really come here,' Celeste thought, frustrated as she bit her lips. Despite not finding Orion at Fiona-the-well woman's hut, she decided to wait for his return to the farm, following her suggestion.
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