Prologue
She sat next to the pool, on dew-covered moss. The portions of her dark satin gown that touched the ground were damp with moisture. She did not know how long she had been sitting in the glade but she felt peaceful and content. A warm summer breeze rustled through the forest canopy, bringing with it the sweet scent of honeysuckle. The stars above played hide-and-seek with the forest floor through the leaves of the ancient trees. There was a clearing in the forest canopy--directly above the pool--that the moon sent its silver rays through to caress the water's surface with pale white light. The nighttime creatures sang an elated chorus, rejoicing in the mild evening air. Her tranquil mood was spoiled only by an irresistible urge to look into the sparking surface of the pool.
As she leaned over to look into the pool's depths her black silken hair fell in rippling waves about her face. She used her left hand to hold the long locks away from her eyes and stared deeply into the pool. Her reflection looked back at her with stunning clarity. The moonlight danced over her blue skin, emphasizing its smoothness; her high cheekbones were slightly purple with a healthy blush. She had a petit nose and delicately pointed ears. Her hair fell in loose waves to her waist and her eyes were of such a pale blue that they resembled liquid silver. Kiara scrutinized her reflection closely and had to admit--privately of course--that she was rather pretty. As she stared, the pool's still surface rippled, blurring her image.
When the ripples subsided she was shocked to no longer see her reflection on the pool's surface. Instead, looking back at her through the crystal water was the most beautiful light elf Kiara had ever beheld. The elf had silvery blond hair that was gathered high on her head and then left free to cascade down her back in silken ripples. Later when trying to remember, Kiara would never be certain if the elf's eyes had been jewel blue, forest green or chocolate brown; their shade had seemed to shift and change each time she looked at them. The elf wore a gossamer robe in more shades of green than have ever been named. The gown left her arms and shoulders bare and her pale skin glowed brighter than moonlight. She wore a crown of flowers and ivy and her pointed ears were adorned with two small earrings, each bearing small white stones that shone like tiny stars. The elf smiled at Kiara and her cheeks seemed to have been touched with pale pink rose petals.
Kiara was filled with a sense of wonderment--elated just to have been able to gaze upon this remarkable vision. She could not resist reaching out her hand to try to touch the elf's image in the water. Before she could however, ripples again broke the water's smooth surface and her heart was filled with a sense of loss as the vision before her faded. When the ripples cleared there was another woman in the water. Kiara's stomach filled with dread as she looked upon this new image. This woman also had pale skin but it was tinged with gray, like the skin of a corpse; no rose flush graced this woman's sallow cheeks. She wore a black dress that shone like liquid oil. She was skeletally thin with raven hair that fell past two bronze horns that rose from her temples. Where her eyes should have been dark sockets--like twin black holes--seemed to stare into Kiara's soul.
Kiara drew back from the pool, not wanting to be anywhere near this strange woman's visage. The woman's sulky smile became an expression of rage at Kiara's retreat. In her mind Kiara heard a gritty voice speaking to her. It said, "You shall not find safety with her. You belong to me!" The woman stretched out her thin arms, passing through the surface of the pool to grab Kiara's wrists in a steely grip. Off balance, Kiara fell struggling into the cold water.
The water saturated her robe and hair, weighing her down and pulling her deeper under. She managed to pull her arms free of the woman but could no longer find the surface of the pool. The dark water surrounded her and bubbles danced in front of her eyes, obscuring her vision. Her lungs burned as acrid water filled her nose and mouth. The water that had looked so clean and sweet now tasted bitter and dirty, as if it had been tainted by decaying flesh. Finally Kiara's equilibrium returned and she began swimming to the surface. When she reached it she encountered a hard icy plane, as if the water's surface had frozen solid. She banged on the frozen ice with her fists trying to break through to the air. After repeated blows her fists were scraped and bleeding but desperation gave her strength and a final blow to the ice caused it to shatter like a pane of glass hit by a stone.
Kiara broke through to the surface to see the glade covered in winter snow. She gasped, filling her lungs with fresh, cold air. The midnight sky still shown down through the naked tree branches. Large white snowflakes fell gently though the silent sky to land on the ice around her. Her cheeks turned red from frostbite and her teeth began to chatter. Her grip on the ice was precarious and the lapping water of the pool caused her to slip back several inches as though it was trying to pull her back into its depths. She began clawing at the ice with her fingertips, trying to pull herself out of the freezing water. She managed to get her upper chest out of the water far enough that when she stretched her fingertips could almost reach the snow-covered shoreline.
As she stretched she felt something grab at her legs that were still dangling in the water. She kicked with her feet and felt her slippers fall off, leaving both her feet bare. Arms wrapped around her legs pulling her back under the water's dark surface. She struggled, kicking and punching to free herself from the unknown assailant. As suddenly as it had seized her, the grip on her legs released and she again tried to swim to the surface, only to find that she was no longer swimming through water, but falling into endless darkness.
Chapter 1The dark-elf panted, sweat beading on her brow as the two nursemaids glanced at each other nervously over her struggling form. After the pain passed she collapsed back onto the bed. The once elegant sheets were tousled and stained with sweat. Nervously the maids looked to the corner where the priest of Innoruuk stood, silently watching the proceedings. They spoke to each other in whispers expressing their concern that the midwife had not yet shown up. Though they tried to be quiet, Ceire could hear their comments clearly.
"What will we do if she doesn't arrive?"
"I don't know. I have assisted with many normal births, but this one is strange. I'm really worried."
Ceire let out a sigh as the pain subsided. The maids turned their attention back to her, trying to help ease her discomfort. Ceire had been in labor for what felt to her like days though in truth it had only been a few hours. Despite her extended labor the midwife still had yet to arrive and the maids were growing more and more nervous. This was to be her first child and her abdomen was swollen uncommonly large for a dark-elf. This pregnancy had been a hard one for her. She had been bedridden for the last two weeks and had suffered many sleepless nights.
The dark wood furniture in the room was elegant but sparse. Her bed took up most of the room. A wooden dresser stood on the far side and a rocking chair sat next to an old bassinet recently cleaned and prepared for the baby. The only light came from the ornate fireplace. Being dark-elves they did not need the light to see by but crackling fire added a graceful touch to the room.
Ceire placed her hands on her abdomen, caressing her soon to be born child. Her swollen stomach radiated heat causing her to pull at her chemise in an attempt to let the room's slowly circulating air cool her sweat-covered skin. The shift clung to her moist body, causing her skin to itch. With a violent motion she kicked the blankets off of the bed in an effort to escape their suffocating heat.
The silent priest standing in the corner made Ceire nervous. The priest's first purpose was to determine if her child was healthy or deformed. If the child was determined to be deformed, it would be taken and sacrificed to Innoruuk immediately. The priest literally held the life or death of her child in his hands. His second purpose here was to bless her child on behalf of Innoruuk, the god of Hate. The blessing would be given as soon as the child was born and determined healthy so that the babe would grow strong in his ways.
Without warning the door banged open and the midwife shuffled quickly into the room. The abrupt entrance caused the maids to jump with surprise. The woman's skin hung on her face in wrinkles, the blue color grayed with age. Her white hair was shot through with gray and arranged into a matted bun. A few wispy tendrils escaped the bun to frame her aged face. She wore a black robe that was wrinkled with use and her thin arms were bared to the elbows, showing recently washed skin. She gave the priest the barest nod of recognition. She barked at the shocked maids and they immediately scrambled to get the supplies she requested. Blankets and hot water were already prepared and placed on a table beside the bed. Ceire's muscles tensed as she watched the midwife approached her, "I don't recognize you."
The midwife reached out and touched her arm. In a soothing voice she spoke, "I have been sent to help you though this."
Ceire felt her muscles ripple as the next contraction hit and her nervousness over the new midwife was replaced by concern for her unborn child. She reached out and grabbed the arm of the closest maid, her nails breaking the girl's tender skin and drawing blood as waves of agony washed through her. The maid gasped in pain and tried to move away from Ceire. The midwife glared at her and the maid stilled her movements, not wanting to irritate the older elf. The maid repositioned herself instead, offering her other hand for Ceire to grip.
The midwife went to the end of the bed to check the progress of the birth. Ceire shivered as the woman's thin hands touched her skin. Her touch was professional--quick and light--but still Ceire felt unnerved. The midwife looked up into her eyes and said, "It won't be long now."
The midwife's dark eyes were mesmerizing causing Ceire to feel as though she was falling into them. "I don't recall seeing you before. Why is Baesa not here? She's been my midwife through the whole pregnancy. Where is she?" Ceire's voice raised in concern and closed her eyes against the pain of the contractions and the woman's penetrating gaze.
"She could not be here, I am Daeva. My lady, you must not let such things bother you at this time."
Ceire nodded and sat back. She spent the next several minutes just concentrating on breathing as the maids bustled about the room. They fluffed her pillows and folded the blankets that Ceire had kicked off the bed earlier. A glass was pressed to her lips and the cool water moistened her parched throat. Again her worry rose and she could not help voicing the concern most prominent in her mind.
"But why could she not be here?"
"My lady D'oyle I can see the baby's head. With the next contraction you must push."
Ceire nodded her head again. With the next pain she sat up, clenching her muscles with such force she felt certain her insides would burst. The wave passed and she again collapsed against the bed. A maid leaned over to pat her brow with a white cloth; it came away stained red with blood. The maid looked at the rag in shock before the midwife's angry gaze released her from her frozen position. She rinsed the rag quickly and continued to wipe the sweat from Ceire's brow. Ceire remained unaware of the problem as she repeated the process several more times, straining with all her might to push her child into the world.
The maid holding Ceire's hands gave a startled gasp as the baby slipped into Daeva's hands. Time seemed to slow as Ceire struggled to sit up and look at her child. Despite the blood roaring in her ears she dimly heard the priest chanting a prayer to ward off evil. She looked to the bottom of her bed with horror dawning in her eyes.
The babe was no elf, it was a monster. Two heads rose from a thick neck. The ape-like body was covered with blue serpent scales. Vampiric teeth were visible in its two snarling mouths. The creature attacked the midwife, her screams echoed in Ceire's ears. Blood seemed to erupt all over the room as the midwife fell to the floor, her throat torn open. The creature moved on all fours, skittering under the bed as one of the maids ran from the room. The priest, bearing a talisman in one hand and a silver kris in the other stepped towards the bed with a purposeful motion.
Ceire rolled until she lay across the bed and leaned her head over the side. With a shaking hand she lifted the bed's ruffle to look beneath. Four red eyes glared out from beneath the bed freezing her heart with fear. Still she was unexplainably drawn to the creature she had carried. She slowly placed her hand under the bed speaking soothingly in an attempt to draw the creature out. "Come here, come to me." It gradually moved towards her voice. A forked tongue flicked her hand as if testing her scent. The soft touch caused her skin to twitch. The priest moved cautiously from around the bed to where she looked under.
When the creature came out from under the bed, the remaining maid who was cowering in the corner of the room fainted. At the sound of her body crashing to the floor the creature jumped launching itself at the priest. Its stubby arms and legs could not match the priests reach however, and with a deft flick of his wrist he impaled the kris thought its heart. Tears streamed down Ceire's face as the priest withdrew the knife from her baby's body.
"Why did this happen?" She begged the priest to explain. Hoping he could ease the confusion in her heart. The priest looked directly into her eyes and a feeling of dread began to grow in her stomach. His cool gaze seemed to pierce her soul.
"Because you are cursed."
"What?"
"You are no true child of Innoruuk. You should have been killed at birth."
She began to back away as the priest advanced on her. "What are you saying? I am a child of Innoruuk. I have followed all of your teachings."
"You cannot be allowed to bring more monsters into this world."
The priest raised the kris--still covered with the creature's blood--high over his head. Ceire raised her hands in a vain attempt to ward off the blow. The blade pierced the soft flesh of her stomach and pain radiated though her body. Looking into the priest's eyes Ceire saw his determination to see her dead. She lay back on the bed, the blade still inside her body and watched as her life's blood slowly drained away to the rhythm of her heart and the priest began to dedicate her dying spirit to Innoruuk
She closed her eyes only to hear moments later, "My lady D'oyle I can see the baby's head. With the next contraction you must push." She opened her eyes and was startled to find that she was still in labor. The room remained unbloodied and the two nursemaids were looking at her with concern. The midwife Daeva also seemed worried. It was as if the experience she had just lived through had never occurred. She was back to the very moment before her baby's birth. What is happening to me? She thought to herself. A cold voice spoke in her mind. "If you give your progeny to me, I will prevent your vision from manifesting." Ceire looked around the room to find the source of the voice. The chatter of the nursemaids became a buzz in her ears as she ignored them.
An amorphous figure appeared at the foot of her bead and Ceire gasped. The goddess of nightmares stood before her. Terris Thule stood taller than any human woman; her horns almost brushed the ceiling of Ceire's bedroom. Her image was translucent, ghostly; as if she were there in spirit not body. The priest stood looking on as if nothing were out of the ordinary. His eyes never even glanced at the Goddess before him. The voice came again, ringing in Ceire's head like an echoing bell. "Proclaim your offspring mine and I will save you from your nightmare."
"My lady you must push or the babe will die." One of the nursemaids spoke in her ear.
Hands pushed at her shoulders trying to make Ceire sit up. She screamed as a bolt of agony seared her being. Still in her mind the relentless voice continued, "Do you give your offspring to me? I can spare you this curse, if you will but swear!" Defeated, Ceire nodded her head in agreement. "SWEAR IT!"/i Came the voice in her head, deafening her with its volume. Ceire shouted to the room "I SWEAR!"
The two nursemaids looked at her in startled surprise before resuming their tasks at the glaring of the midwife. One sat at the head of the bed holding Ceire's arms, supporting her. The older one waited at the midwife's side with a clean blanket. She looked up into Ceire's face and said. "Now, My lady." Ceire pushed and felt movement inside her. Wetness gushed between her thighs and the nursemaid gasped as Daeva caught the baby.
Ceire tensed in fear as she looked to where her child was held. "He is beautiful, My Lady." The nursemaid spoke as she cleaned the blood off of the child. The baby was quickly wrapped in a blanket and handed to Ceire. Miraculously--after an initial howl protesting his entrance to the world--the baby quieted. With her hair plastered to her face and sweat streaming from her pores, she smiled at the bundle in her arms.
His skin was as soft as silk and the color of sourberries ripened in the sun. Dark hair already grew on his small perfectly formed head. His blue eyes were the color of frosted ice, though they would probably not remain so light. As she held the baby another contraction rippled the muscles of her still bulging stomach. "What is happening?" She glanced around in fear.
The midwife looked up. "You are not done yet, my Lady."
The second maid took the baby from her arms. Ceire stared in fear at the joyous expression on Terris Thule's face and her body jerked with pain has her second child began the process of joining the world. Through her pain Ceire watched as her son was cleaned and placed in a fresh blanket. As the nurse held her child Terris Thule moved so that she was standing behind the maid, looking at the child's face. The midwife pinched her leg. The pain in such an unexpected location brought her attention back to what she was doing.
"My Lady, you must push again."
"I can't, I'm too tired."
The midwife stood and with the full force of her body she slapped Ceire across the face. "You can and you will! If you do not, you will shame your house. Your son could even be put to death if his sibling arrives dead!"
The sudden shock of pain in an area other than her abdomen surprised Ceire so much that she bit her lip, drawing blood. The metallic taste filled her mouth and drew her focus to the here and now. She stared at the midwife crouched between her legs. With the last force of her will she brought her daughter into the world. Ceire lay back, her labors done. Almost in a daze she watched as her daughter was cleaned. She was smaller than her brother but bore the same hair as black as pitch. Both children were placed into her waiting arms.
Once they had settled, the priest approached to examine the children but the vaporous form of Terris Thule stepped in his way. He hesitated as if uncertain why he was stopped. Terris held his gaze for long moments before moving. The priest approached the bed and she stood behind him, her hands on his arms controlling his movements. His eyes were foggy as if sedated. He began speaking in unison with the goddess. Her cold voice combined with his sent shivers down Ceire's spine.
"What are the children to be named?"
"Kerian and Kiara, of the house D'oyle."
"Daesa un para Innoruuk. Formane et ulna esa. Matre en Terris, famina Thule. Than inlo omar cire Kerian, habin da warrior. Than inlo omar cire Kiara, habin da cleric. Mano tesa wonul vern har."
At Terris' direction the priest made a mark on each baby's forehead. He then stood and she let go of him whispering in his ear,, "You have done your duty. The children are acceptable and have been blessed."
In a voice that sounded much like a puppet being forced by its master's hand the priest repeated the goddess' words, "I have done my duty. The children are acceptable and have been blessed." His eyes were glazed and he stared off into the distance before continuing. "I must report back to the temple."
As the priest left the older maid stood watching, her expression puzzled. The blessing had not been the traditional one she usually heard at a birth but at the midwife's glare she resumed her cleaning. The other maid did not even look up as the priest left. She was too busy seeing to the instructions that the midwife had given them.
Ceire's eyelids felt heavy. Her limbs had an unnatural weight to them and she was having trouble holding the babies. Seeing her difficulty the midwife instructed the maids to take the infants from her. As they were lifted out of her arms they began crying in unison. Their small cries tore at Ceire's heart. She weakly raised her arms, "Give them back I wish to hold them."
"You will never hold them again." Daeva said coldly.
Ceire tried to get her eyes to focus. The room spun merrily around, making her nauseous. "What do you mean? I am a noble of the house D'oyle! You cannot keep my children from me."
"I will not keep them from you."
Ceire blinked, trying to understand. Her heart was pumping loudly in her ears. "What…" her hands flew to her stomach as the pain began again, "I don't…"
"Your bleeding has not stopped. You will die."
Ceire's eyes flew to where Terris stood. "Why?" She had moved to the corner of the room where the two maids where holding the babies trying to get them to quiet. The goddess leaned over the maids staring at the two small perfectly formed babies with and expression of such longing, it hurt to look at her. Terris glanced at her again; the dark pits where her eyes should have been filled Ceire with fear. "Your promise."
She again heard the goddess voice in her mind. Had nothing to do with your life.
"But my children."
Will grow strong in my ways. The goddess' mouth curved into a cruel smile.
As her life-blood flowed out of her body, with her dying thought Ceire made a solemn vow. I shall protect my children. Her heart stuttered in her chest, and her vision went black as the last of her breath left her body. Her spirit rose and she felt as though a terrible weight had been lifted from her. She stood looking down at her body and she was strangely peaceful. Her spirit felt an insistent pull, as though she was supposed to go somewhere, but even stronger was the need to remain with her children.
She looked around the room with new eyes. She saw herself lying on the bed, blood saturating the elegant coverings. Daeva ordered the maids to lay the children in the prepared bassinet and then to leave the room. They quickly complied, quietly closing the bedroom door behind them. As Daeva walked over to where the children lay Ceire's ghostly form followed her. Terris Thule's form solidified so that she appeared to be flesh and bone and Daeva knelt before the goddess, her gaze turned downward in reverence.
"My goddess what would you have of me now?"
"The father will need a wet nurse to care for the children. You shall perform that service." As she spoke Terris reached out and touched Daeva's bowed head causing her form to shimmer and change. Ceire turned her eyes away from the harsh light and when she turned back Daeva had changed. Her unbound hair fell halfway down her back. It was a pure white, no longer shot through with silver. The wrinkles had faded from her skin and her flesh had filled out to reveal a softly curved body. Her large breasts were obviously swollen with milk.
Daeva looked at her newly formed body. "Thank you my goddess, I have not had a form this lovely in some time."
"And you will not again, if you fail me." Terris told her. Daeva again bowed her head in reverence. "Now go, explain who you are to the father and get him to give you the charge of the children." She swiftly stood and strode out of the room, her steps filled with purpose. Terris stood for a moment staring into the empty room. "I know you are still here. It is too late, you have promised the children to me. I shall have them." The goddess' image shimmered and then disappeared completely.
Ceire walked over to the cradle and stared down at her children. Their black lashes lay against their cheeks like lace. In sleep their faces were angelic and Ceire felt a new emotion fill her being for the first time. It filled her spirit with warmth. Ceire bent over and placed a kiss on each of their cheeks. As she stood the door opened and the room began to fill with people. They came in and began to prepare her body for burial. She watched the proceedings in a daze, her emotions numb from the very idea that she was watching her own body be cleaned and dressed from across the room..
The children were moved from the room and she followed. In the hallway she stopped. Her husband Rion stood silently in the hallway with Daeva. His eyes seemed glazed as she preened in front of him, he appeared to be totally be-spelled. Ceire did not begrudge him finding someone as there had been no emotion between them. She did however object to it being Daeva. As she floated past she grimaced at the midwife. Startled, Daeve looked around as if sensing Ceire's animosity.
Curious. We shall see Terris, who wins in the end.