Hello,
I was thinking the other day that Skulduggery has lived for a very long time. So I thought it would be nice to write a few short stories, one from every year he lived. This is going to take a very long time so bare with me. I think my maths is a bit off but I have decided to start in the year 1714. Please enjoy.
:)
1714
Lord Henry Backspan paced nervously around the large drawing room of his family manor. He stopped momentarily by the fireside to warm his shaking hands. He knew that his nerves were to blame for the tremor in his hands, not the cold. Sighing he resumed pacing in front of the mantel piece. Oil paintings and deer heads hung above him on the walls, watching his worried state. Wind whistled outside the windows making the doors shake. A short scream of pain was heard from the room next door and Backspan's face paled. "Aoibhin! Aoibhin dear are you alright?" Henry called to his wife. A roar and a grunt came through the door by way of reply. Henry advanced to the door but he knew he was forbidden to enter. "What's happening? What's wrong?" he asked but all was silent. There was a crash and the noise of scurrying feet. Henry had come so close to the door to listen that he was knocked down when a large woman barged through the door into the drawing room. The woman had grey hair pinned back tightly beneath her black headscarf. The woman's wrinkled face stared down at Henry with utter disgust.
"Lord Backspan," She said her beady, bird-like, black eyes swept over the man's crumpled figure on the ground. "Your wife is going through one of the toughest labours I have ever witnessed, in all my life –and not only have I lived a very long time, I have also seen a woman deliver a child that had two heads and six arms- and you, Lord Backspan, seem to think that now is a good time for a nice lie down on the floor." Henry scrambled to his feet, his face even whiter than before. "Is she okay?" He asked running a hand through his messy dark brown hair. His blue eyes were full of fear as the midwife continued.
"Your child does not wish to come out Lord Backspan, in fact he is determined not to exit the poor woman and has latched onto her womb in hope that he may grow old inside her. The doctor must open your wife and retrieve the boy by ways of surgery." The midwife said in a harsh voice. Henry Backspan face was suddenly alive with joy his eyes sparkled and his lips stretched into a wide smile. "It's a he? It's a boy" Henry asked in a whisper. A burst of happiness washed over the man but it was quickly squashed by the old woman. "Lord Backspan! You obviously fail to see the seriousness of the situation. This child may very well kill your wife," The midwife said the last sentence very slowly as if she was speaking to a two year old child.
The room went very quiet and Henry was sure that the temperature had dropped as he felt a sudden coldness at the pit of his stomach. All he could hear was the fire crackling and the wind howling. He didn't realise the midwife disappearing back into the birthing chamber. Lord Backspan's heart drummed in his chest. There was another clatter from the chamber and a small cry of pain. Henry's throat tightened. Then Lord Backspan heard what he thought was the most wonderful sound, the sound of a baby crying.
He quickly ran into the room ignoring the protests from the old midwife. The baby was small, with pink skin and a wrinkled face. He cried and cried until the nurse wrapped him in a blanket and passed him over to his mother. Lady Aoibhin Chara took her child in her arms and held him close. The baby stopped crying and snuggled up to his mother. Her light brown hair was plastered to her scalp and her high cheek bones flushed with pink. She whispered softly into her new born baby's ear. Aoibhin kissed her baby on the top of his head "My beautiful baby boy" She whispered softly into his ear. Her deep jade green eyes flickered upwards and she caught sight of her husband standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
Henry slowly walked over to his wife's side. He stroked her head and kissed her softly. "Do you think we should name him?" He asked looking down on his new son, love filling his heart. "Yes, I think we ought to give him a name. He should take your family name" Aoibhin said drawing her green eyes away from her son to look at her husband. He nodded in approval. "And we should name him after your Grandfather" He said to his wife.
"James O'Donoghue it is then" Aoibhin said with a smile.
"I don't really see the point," Henry mumbled, confused. "He's going to change it when he is older anyways"
"Well we can't just go around calling him child number two, now can we?" Aoibhin said her soft voice slowly drifting away. Her eyelids flickered and closed. Henry's heart lurched. The baby gurgled and snuggled closer to his mother. "Lord Backspan, Sir," A young nurse said "They both need to rest; it has been a very traumatic past few hours for them both."
Henry nodded and muttered his thanks to her and the midwife. Then he returned to the fire in the drawing room.
Thanks for reading, if anybody has any suggestions or ideas please let me know. Reviews are as always welcome
:D