Dragoncrest Cliffs Cordelia

mireille had not known the sire of suzu's children, but after a moment's hard thought, she decided it did not matter. njord's cowardliness was on his own head, and she almost wanted to speak of the man now, to proclaim again her connection to him as if to affirm his blood did not live in her.
but that would — convolute the nuances of family line and heritage crossing here and there, and chacal's labored speech suggested she too was affected by the idea.
nudging the tanzanite's shoulder for a moment of reassurance, mireille looked at val, then suzu. "t'ose who leave do not deserve dis," and she touched the young woman's paw for a moment, gesturing to her belly where the tiny lives grew now. "we have learned over de years dat de men who leave do not come back. dey are not like women, who stay first and de longes'."
"but suzu, to go off alone an' pregnant, to places you do not be knowin' — it may place you an' your children in hardship. you are never more vulnerable den when you be wid child, an' ot'ers know it. ot'ers who may hurt you, or dem."
a pause; "you be loved, girl. if you do anytin' else, if you go, den seek de company of women wherever you land."
her jaw tensed; it was all she could say, and she lowered herself to fuss over lucette and lafayette once more.