I own my characters but not anything or any character from Tortall
Lady Lydia of Rose Cliffs was on her way home after a visit to a nearby fief. She had gone there to see their new baby. He had been a cute little thing, with a tuft of red hair. She sighed. She had wanted a baby ever since she was a little girl. Then, when she went to a Healer after years of trying with no results, he had told her that she was barren. It had been a blow to her husband, Anthony of Rose Cliffs. He had wanted children too.
The carriage she was in went over a large bump and then stopped.
"Why have we stopped," she asked to the footman.
"We are stuck in the mud my lady," he replied.
"May I get out to stretch my legs then?" she asked.
"Of course my lady," he answered. He came down from his seat and, after pulling the steps down for her, opened the door. Lady Lydia delicately walked down the steps and stepped over the edge of the mud puddle that the wheels were stuck in.
She looked to her left and saw her guards at the back of the carriage. She noted that their horses, beautiful palomino beasts bred by her husband, were impeccable as usual. The guards themselves were strong men, both of about the same height and build.
She smiled. She liked having money. She had been the daughter of a lesser noble and had therefore not had such nice and expensive things or guards. Her husband had made his fortune by breeding his horses, which were renowned as some of the best in Tortall, and by taking what some nobles would call an unhealthy interest in trade. He had used his money to increase his library and to make her happy.
Suddenly, she heard a sound. It sounded kind of like a hurt animal. She turned towards where the sound had come from and took a few steps towards it. Then, it sounded again. This time, it sounded like a baby. She walked to the edge of the clearing. She was fairly sure it was a baby now.
The crying came from within the forest. She sighed at the probable loss of the nice dress she was wearing and plunged in. She heard her guards calling her from the road, but she ignored them and pushed farther into the trees. She felt her dress snag and tear, but she ignored it. Branches pulled her hair out from its bun. The crying was growing louder. Soon, it got so loud, that she figured she must be right on top of the baby. She followed it to the roots of a tree and looked in.
Under the roots of the tree was a hollow, possibly made by a badger or the like many years ago. It was obvious that it hadn't been used for a while, however, because there was a puddle of water, in which lay a little baby. The babe could not have been more than a few days old.
She reached into the tree and pulled out the squalling youngster. It was female. Lydia tore off the end of her dress and swaddled the child in it. She used a corner of the cloth to clean the infant's face. The child's hair was mostly the white of a girl whose hair would mature to a rich gold, but it had one black spot on the right side of her head. When the baby opened her eyes, Lydia could see that they were silver.
She struggled her way back to the road and found that her footman had worked the carriage free of the puddle. He helped her and her child into the carriage. The entire way back, she stared at the baby's face and murmured to her, "I will protect you and give you everything you desire. I will love you as my own child, and your name shall be Adelaide."
R&R please!!!!!