Iylaine speaks

Iylaine had wandered into the bedroom where her mother was resting.

“Egelric, dear,” Elfleda called faintly. “Baby’s in here. Could you come get her?”

Egelric realized guiltily he had been too involved in his book and hadn’t been paying enough attention to Baby. Elfleda needed to rest. It was too hot for her, even this late in the evening.

He went into the bedroom and scooped up his little girl. 

“Come here, you little devil! We have to let Mama rest because Mama is going to have a baby soon. What do you think of that?” 

Iylaine wrinkled her little nose and, after a moment’s thought, said very plainly and clearly, “No!”

“Did you hear that?” Egelric laughed in astonishment, turning to his wife. “She said, ‘No!’”

“I had rather she said ‘Yes,’” Elfleda smiled.

“Say that again, Baby.”

“No!”

“Did you hear that, Leda? She’s talking!” he laughed excitedly. “Now, Baby, don’t you want to have a little brother or sister?”

“No!”

“No, Baby, then you will have a little friend to play with every day, and not only when you go to see Wynna, won’t that be fun?”

“No!”

“Now, Baby,” Egelric said, thinking himself clever, “Are you certain you don’t want a little brother or sister?”

“Yes!”

Egelric couldn’t help but laugh at her. “She’s too smart for me, Leda! Now, Baby, you want to make Mama happy, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then tell Mama you want a little brother or sister.”

“No!”

He laughed again, but when he turned back to his wife, he wasn’t sure he couldn’t see tears in her eyes. “I’ll take her in the other room and see if I can talk some sense into her by morning, Leda,” he said softly. “You rest.”