There are two ways to read this story:
Read it all the way through, in order, from both view points
Read Serena's story (odd chapters) and Arna's story (even chapters) separately
There is a reason that I have two stories in one, but I'm trying not to say it… I'll just let you all guess. And, yes, it DOES make sense. … to me...
R&R please!
The day Serena was born dawned bright and cheery. The maid, opening Lady Kristin's window, remarked that this would be a wonderful day to have a baby. And, as if that were a magic word, Kristin gasped with pain as her first contraction hit. The maid, an over-excitable girl, ran from the room yelling that, "M'lady is dying and it's all my fault!"
And by the time Serena's first sounds escaped into the world, the sky had turned a mysterious gray and winds had begun to pick up, followed by rain. But by the time the babe was sleeping in her crib for the first time, the stars shone through an unusually clear, peaceful night. And the old cook, who had lived with the family for as long as anyone could remember, tutted to herself, muttering of old superstitions.
The freak storm, however, was unnoticed in that little room as Lord Andrew and Lady Kristin beheld their new child. Kristin clung to her new daughter for as long as she could before exhaustion finally hit her and she fainted away in her bed. Upon closer inspection, it was realized that the birth had taken a much harder toll on her than was originally thought and that she had lost a lot of blood. She didn't wake up for two days, and when she did she was sickly pale and frighteningly weak. The midwives and doctors called in that week all shook their heads sadly at the poor woman. They didn't expect her to live past her daughter's 10th day.
But the old cook, still tutting to herself, although this time at the doctors, prepared one of her mysterious brews and bustled into the room, waving everyone else out. No one but she could really have said what happened in that room afterward, but it is known that when everyone was allowed back in the Lady had succumbed to a calm slumber. And before another week had passed she was up and walking about the house, as happy and healthy as before. Perhaps even more so because she was one of those women who finds themselves at their best in Motherhood, and she loved her child with every fiber of her being. The doctors, however, told her that it would be highly unwise to have any other children, a statement even the old cook agreed to.
And so the three of them lived, Lord Andrew, Lady Kristin, and Serena for twelve years.