Vivian opened her eyes, abandoning the bliss of sleep to encounter a place devoid of light; laying on a bed of grass and moss. She blindly groped around in the dark, "Where am I?"

  "We're inside the giant tree," Isa replied. Her calm and familiar voice helped Vivian's relax.

  "I must have been really out of it," moans and groans filled the air as she worked stiffness and soreness out of her muscles. "Let in some light, please."

  "You don’t even know the half of it," Isa puffed out her feathers as the tree around them cracked and groaned. The various types of plants opened up a path to allow the sunlight to slowly illuminate this innermost chamber within the tree.

  "My body aches like I've been asleep for a few days," Vivian said as she observed the amply illuminated room she occupied. The room was a tightly knit compilation of every tree she had ever seen, and still more she didn't recognize. Interspersed within the walls were various grasses, bushes and shrubs. She recognized some of the leaves. "Dragon leaf? Wild raspberries too?"

  "As it happens, you've been asleep for nearly a full week," Isa stretched lazily, while Vivian's eyes went wide.

  "My baby?"

  "A healthy boy. Honestly, how you slept through the birthing process was downright enviable," Isa commented while basking in sunlight.

  "I—" Vivian bit her tongue as her thoughts jumbled together. Slowing down, she focused on the important question. "Where is he?"

  "He's fine. Right now, he’s probably under Emily’s care—" Isa chuckled lightly, adding as she gently rubbed her wing on one of the walls. "Thanks to this tree spirit, everything went smoothly."

  "Huh?" Vivian was waiting very impatiently for Isa to finish. “Why Emily? What are Lulu and Molli doing?”

  "Maybe they are afraid? In any case, there is the off chance this could be a valuable experience when she gets older."

  "She's only six years old," Vivian laughed. “I can only imagine that bundle of energy looking after a baby.”

  "You'll see for yourself soon enough," Isa stretched to get her own blood flowing again.

  "I want to see my baby," Vivian stated as she rubbed her abdomen. That habitual action offered her no comfort today, and made her wonder if it would ever again. She rose from the soft bed with a groan as her body protested, prompting her to massage the tightness from her lower back.

  "Thank you for everything," Vivian addressed the tree, affectionately rubbing her hand slowly on the wall. The woven plants were like putty to her touch and shivered in response.

  "No, you've done so much more than that, Anya." Vivian replied as she made her way outside. The tree trembled. Isa nodded in silence as she followed Vivian out.

  "Matriarch!! The Matriarch is awake!" Evan called out from where he was swinging a stick around. He ran towards Vivian to greet her, the stick abandoned on the ground behind.

  Vivian sighed. "There is no getting away from that title is there?"

  "Not a chance at all," Isa chuckled. "You are the Matriarch after all."

  "Please tell me you're joking," Vivian forced a smile through gritted teeth as she watched Evan approach.

  "Sasha!" Vivian had missed having that box appear in her vision.

  "Complications during childbirth?" Vivian turned to Isa, ignoring everything else for now.

  Isa scratched at the ground awkwardly, "That is to say... erm. Your ‘baby’ was a bit bigger—"

  "Mother?" A little boy looking close to four years of age walked into the area, Emily was holding his hand tightly.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  H-he came out of me looking like that?! Vivian felt the blood drain from her face right before she fainted. Faster than gravity, Anya caught Vivian with vines that quickly burst forth from the ground. More plants appeared, entangling together and hastily forming a crude chair.

  "Don't make that face, child," Isa soothed the boy. "Any mother would faint upon realizing they gave birth to a child of your advanced size. In addition, she still has a remnant of sleeping toxin she’s been ignoring. Trust me, when she wakes up, she'll never be apart from you. Unless some divine power is at work."

  The child glanced uncertainly at Isa and then looked at his unconscious mother anxiously. Anya's leaves rustled briefly. The chair expanded and burst in a cascade of color as a myriad of roses bloomed.

  He looked back at Isa, she gave him a wink and a nod in encouragement. He looked up at Emily, she squeezed his hand tighter, reluctant to let go. Finally relenting, she nudged his back. He slowly released her hand that he had been squeezing since his mother fainted. He approached. Hesitant, doubtful footsteps. He climbed up on the chair with Anya’s assistance and leaned up against Vivian. Unconscious, she wrapped her arms around him and muttered softly, "My little Jaden."

  He snuggled into her and fell asleep wrapped in his mother's embrace.

  Some time later, Vivian opened her eyes and remembered blacking out when she saw her son for the first time. "That could have—oh?" She looked down, and in her arms her son was nestled against her sleeping peacefully. Her lip curled slightly and just sat there oblivious to all else. The child of prophecy? A god reborn? She brushed his hair off his forehead. He's no different from any other child.

  Behind Vivian, Anya's leaves rustled, interrupting her thoughts.

  "Yes, I know. Let me just have this moment with my son," Vivian looked down at him fondly, idly brushing her fingers through his hair. "Whatever lies in his future, he will earn this comfort many times over."

  Sasha, good job with your recovery! My status is mostly the same, but there's some new things I need to know what they are about.

  Actually, first I want to know about the title. Matriarch of the Race? That’s far more than I bargained for. I’m not—

  Those don’t exactly make me worthy. I have some muscle and I volunteered for the prophecy, so I'm now considered the matriarch of my entire race? Vivian shook her head in disgust. I'd actually feel better about it if I had some legitimate qualifications from a leadership standpoint—ugh. Whatever. I have no say in it, so not any point in disputing it. Tell me about these skills and how they work.

  Based on the others, that one is self explanatory. But what's this about (passive)? I assume that these benefits are always available to me? Does that mean they have an 'Active' mode? Vivian interrupted.

  Okay, so explain how I acquired Anya's blessing? Via Contract?

  From the sounds of it, my improvisation saved my life. Was I supposed to die giving birth?

  Vivian released a shaky breath as a faint smile crept onto her face. Thanks for being honest with me. She hugged her son in her arms while humming softly and his curled form snuggled closer to her. She rubbed her hand over her belly, searching for any signs of her ordeal. Only smoothness. That’s some amazing healing power.

  Death had come to claim her, and she had conquered this round. Now, she had the luxury to watch her son grow strong while she smothered him in affection.

  Thanks Sasha. Vivian rolled her eyes. Her embrace tightened around her son.

  Vivian enjoyed watching Jaden sleep in her arms for little over an hour. A serene and gentle atmosphere surrounded the mother and son, a contented smile graced Vivian's face the whole time. When Jaden finally stirred and opened his eyes, he found himself in his mother's embrace. He turned his face to look at his mother, his deep black eyes locked on hers and she lost herself for a moment.

  "Are you hungry?" she softly asked. He nodded slowly in answer, taken off guard by how her voice seemed to carry more than just words. There was a special aura to it that he couldn't quite understand, but it left a deep impression on him regardless.

  In the background, Anya's leaves rustled.

  "Thank you Anya," Vivian rose from the chair carrying Jaden with her. She observed her map, and walked with relaxed, even strides into the center of the town, matching Jaden's pace.

  "Mat..." Jaden started, but he quickly changed how he addressed her. A little box had appeared in his vision. "Mother?"

  Her eyes initially showed sadness, but quickly softened under the different address. "Yes Jaden?"

  "I'm part of a prophecy?" His original question was derailed by the sudden information. Vivian halted in her footsteps, looking at him carefully, as though she was searching for something.

  "Who told you that?" Vivian sighed after a long pause. "While yes, it is true a series of specific predicted events led up to your birth, you are my son first and foremost. The path you walk is yours to choose, same as mine is. We'll talk more about this when you're older. For now..."

  Vivian squeezed him and kissed his forehead, "You are simply my son. And that is all you will be for as long as it's possible."

  "Mother..." Jaden protested verbally, but internally her words and actions filled him with warmth. The pair continued on their way chatting about the couple weeks Vivian spent in the Ominous Forest, the original topic Jaden wanted to ask about. She left off some details in her story, mostly pertaining to her stat gains and what it meant for her body. He would find out about that soon enough.