As the evening progressed, the crowds began to thin out.  The mysterious woman noticed the bellies of the other wenches...had noticed them ,ong ago.  Pregnancies were not talked about much in Cold Rock anymore.  If the father was human, the pregnant womabn would announce the pregnancy joyously.  But when a woman's belly and breasts grew, little by little, yet she remained silent, the matter was not discussed.  It was as if the pregnancy did not exist.  It became a blind spot in the city's social life.<br/><br/>So far, the serving-wenches had not broached the topic of their growing bellies.<br/><br/>Soon the tavern was down to a few tables of patrons...the rougher kind now.