So, I've just read book 8&9 and halfway through 10 and this wild idea just popped into my head.
Summary: Lady Caitlyn of Clonmel is excpecting, but the little bundle of joy has a future far from enjoyable in front of her. Read to find out. SPOILER ALERT up to book 10 later on.
Disobey
Chapter 1: Expectations
Caitlyn lay on a large bed on the top floor of the castle of Dun Kilty, the bitter cold winters were forcing through, and a maid was poking the fire to get it to blaze up. There were four pillows behind her back, making the sitting position comfortable.
Her hand was gently patting her huge stomach. She winced now and then as the baby kicked her. Then the maid hurriedly came over to her, giving her a little to eat and some water to drink.
"Delia." Caitlyn mumbled to her maid. "I need to talk to Sean." She said wincing once more.
"Sure my lady." The maid said and hurried to the door.
Outside the bedroom the fourteen year-old Sean was pacing back and forth, waiting for the important news. At the moment the maid came out of the door he looked up, a plea visible in his eyes.
"Your mother wants to speak to you sir Sean." The maid said. Sean hurried inside the bedroom and walked towards his mother.
"What is it mother?" He asked her.
"Sean." She said taking a deep breath. "I might not survive this."
Sean gasped and was about to protest when Caitlyn continued talking in a slow but steady pace.
"Even if I do survive, the baby is not safe." She said. "Ferris said he'd kill my next child."
"But mother the baby has me to protect it." He said holding his mothers hand.
"I know, Sean. But I fear it might be better for the baby to grow up in another country. We'll have to tell your uncle it was born dead." Caitlyn said.
Sean was thinking it through, and due to his lessons in tactics, he understood the importance of lying to his uncle.
"But he'll kill us if he finds out." Sean said.
"He wont." Caitlyn reassured him.
Sean sunk down beside Caitlyn's bed and prayed. He prayed with his heart that nothing would happen to his mother nor the baby. He prayed that the baby would grow up peacefully in another country, not being disturbed by Coronations.
Sean looked at his mother then and saw that her eyes were closed, not peacefully closed but closed in pain.
Caitlyn's voice was a faint whisper, and Sean leant closer to her to listen.
"Delia will take the baby to and orphanage in Araluen. Which one I do not know, but I trust her to pick the right one. She'll not be reunited with us, but she'll have a life." Sean nodded and when when His mothers eyes flashed open in pain the Delia the maid quickly led him out because his mother would give birth to a baby any second now.
Sean sat on the chair outside his mothers bedroom and could hear her scream and he heard other voices but he couldn't hear them clearly above the screaming.
He felt like he sat there for years, whilst it had only been a few hours when the door finally opened and the maid let him in again.
His mother was breathing heavily, and there was a baby in her arms. The babies eyes were already open, and he could see the flash of green, just like his mothers.
"It's a girl." Delia said.
"She looks just like you mother." He said, and then added in a reassuring tone "You'll make it mother. I know you will."
His mother held out the little baby wrapped in a blue piece of soft linnen. Sean picked her up and held his little sister in his hands. He felt a surge of pride as he understood he had just turned into a big brother. But it melted away quickly as he realised the child would soon be on her way to Araluen.
He handed the baby to Delia. She started walking to the door but Caitlyn stopped her with a hand gesture. She took off her bracelet with many dangling shapes on it and handed it to Delia.
"Make sure she always has that, maybe Halt will recognize her that way." She said.
"Does she have a name?" Sean suddenly asked. Caitlyn though for some seconds before she burst out.
"Katheryn. Katy for short."
Delia nodded and walked of with the baby hidden underneath her cloak.
"Now, you'll have to go tell every one the baby was born dead. And fake some tears if possible." Caitlyn said.
Sean already had tears pouring down his cheeks, so there was no need for faking tears.