Chapter One
A scream cut through the air around the cottage, drowned out by the crack of lightning. A dark figure ran to the hut, crouched over, trying to prevent himself to be drenched by the rain pouring down around him.
"What is it?" James said, bursting into the hut.
"It's…coming!" his wife, Celia, panted, letting out another ear-piercing scream.
"But…it's supposed to be another two weeks!" he replied, rushing around, trying to figure out what to do.
"Well, it's coming NOW! Do something!" she screamed back.
"We don't have time to get to a midwife, and they don't make house visits in this weather," he said. "I'll have to deliver it myself."
Rain spattered against the windows, creating an eerie calm for the laboring mother. All that could be heard was the sweet music of the storm and the sounds of James trying to get what he needs.
"I've delivered foals and calves," he said, more to himself than his wife. "I can deliver our baby."
Getting to work assembling hot water and towels, he assured Celia that she and the baby would be ok.
Several hours later, as Celia lay sleeping, James held his child: a baby girl.
"Well, my darling. I can tell already, you are going to be a stubborn one." He said, gazing down at his daughter. "My my. Those are some unusual eyes you have there. I've never seen anyone with emerald eyes."
He looks over to see Celia gazing at him, love and devotion in her eyes.
"Let me…hold my baby…" she whispered.
He stood, careful not to jostle the child that he had just quieted down. Walking over, he laid her gently on his wife's lap. Backing up, he paused to admire the beautiful scene before him.
"My love," Celia whispered to the baby staring up at her. "You will grow up…to be a great warrior. I can feel it in my bones."
"Darling, you must rest more. As soon as the rain goes, I will go into town and fetch Mistress Kanna. She will come and make sure you and the baby are ok," James said, carefully adjusting the pillows and blankets to make his wife more comfortable.
"OK. But before I rest, we must name her."
"Of course. What shall we name this precious gift?" He asked.
"…How about…Iliana?" she whispered, eyes already closing.
"Beautiful. Just beautiful," he said, pulling a damp blanket off of her and replacing it with a fresh one. "Now, sleep, my love."
"Well, this is very unusual. I haven't seen this in our area in years," said Mistress Kanna.
"What is it? Is something wrong with Iliana? Why is she…glowing?" asked James.
"No, it's nothing bad. It's just…I haven't seen one like this since I worked at the palace in Corus," replied Mistress Kanna, calmly holding the newborn Iliana.
"Well then, why is she glowing? And what does that emerald sun on her shoulder mean?"
"Have you heard of the Gift?" asked Mistress Kanna, staring carefully at James's face.
"Well, of course. I had a stable boy that had it once. The Gift is the magic of the people. It isn't entirely common, but I hear lots of people have it," he replied, puzzled at what the Gift had to do with his giggling, glowing daughter.
"Your daughter is one of those that has it. And by the looks of it, hers is both plentiful and somehow special. But I don't know much about the Gift," said Mistress Kanna. "What I would recommend is raise your little girl. There is a woman in town that goes by the name Sheena. She lives behind the temple. When Iliana turns five, take her to Sheena. She will teach her well. When she turns 12, take her to the palace in Corus. A more qualified person will tell you what to do. Should anything…unusual happen before then, take her immediately."
"What do you mean by unusual?" inquired James.
"If she starts doing things without meaning to, like moving objects without touching them. You don't want a powerful mage who can't control her magic," explained Mistress Kanna. "And one more thing. If a stranger ever asks anything of Iliana's Gift, lie. There are people who would bring harm to her, or you, because of it. Now I must go. Mistress Chrissy is ill and needs my help."
"Many thanks, Mistress Kanna," said James, bowing his head in gratitude.
"What did Mistress Kanna say?" asked Celia. She was awake now, sitting up, happily feeding her child, holding little Iliana gently to her breast. The glowing had passed by then. "Is anything wrong with our baby?"
"Not at all, my sweet," James replied, love filling his eyes as he looked at his wife, who was gazing up at him with concern, absently stroking the tufts of dark hair already sprouting from the top of Iliana's head. "In fact, she gave me some...rather good news."
"Well, what is it? Did she explain why Iliana was glowing? And did she tell you about this birthmark? I've never seen one like it."
He pulled up a chair, sinking slowly into it. Drawing a deep breath, he told his wife everything the Mistress Kanna had told him. When he got to the end, the part where she had told him that people might try to hurt them, he paused, searching her eyes. As he said it, a gasp escaped her lips, and she instinctively drew Iliana against her body.
"If such a thing should happen," he rushed to say. "We would surely be able to hide."
"Why would anyone do such a thing?" whispered Celia, incredulous as to why anyone would harm one with a gift from the gods, especially one apparently so precious as this.
"Whatever their reasons, as long as we are careful, no harm shall befall our baby."
"Well, it seems that we have a problem, sir," said a figure shrouded in shadows, deep within a cave overlooking a vast ocean.
"And what is that?" said a voice coming from behind a chair turned towards the cave wall.
"The girl has been born. 'The one born on a rainy day, glowing, with the mark of Mithros in the Mother's own color, shall bring light to all that is dark in Tortall.'"
"Well, we must do something about that. Where is she?" hissed the figure in the chair.
"…I…don't know," replied the figure in the shadows, sinking deeper into the darkness.
"…What do you mean by that? How can you NOT KNOW!?" screamed the man in the chair. A moment later, there was a bright ruby flash and a scream of pain. "Now find her, or you will end up like my last apprentice…rotting in the king's prison for life. Now go!"
"Yes master," said the shadow-man, rushing out of the cave, careful to avoid the light.