Town of Stirling

1137

The sounds of labored screaming and crying could be heard all over the large manor. The fireplace was lit and the servants who had looked like little elves dressed in a plain brown blouse fastened with a belt around their tiny waist and a sheepskin boots that were mismatched, as if made in a hurry were continuously feeding the fireplace with logs and replacing the oils in the torches and lanterns that provided light and warmth to the current occupants of the manor. A young man with brown hair and rather unique color of eyes was pacing back and forth while an old woman sat by the fireplace, muttering in prayer with her hands clasped that whoever was in pain would soon be given reprieve. The screams stopped for a while before it was followed by the sudden frantic noises of movement that just made the clearly sensitive man even more agitated and anxious.

"Lord Laxius, Lady Terise will be fine. She is a fine young woman and her body, though it may seem as if she will not be able to bear the pains of childbearing, is well-suited to the task. Her magical core is very strong as well and such, you should not fear as to whether she will make it through or not." The old woman had spoken, her voice slow and yet firm, stopping for a while and letting the anxious young lord grasp the thought properly.

"That may be so, Mistress Dorotea, but my darling Terise, as fierce and as strong she may be, I fear that her body will not be able to take the toll and exhaustion this childbirth will cause." He took a sit upon the wooden chair that had been cushioned with wool and put his head down on his hands, worried sick about the woman who was on the other side of the vaulted door and whose cries can no longer be heard. He could feel the surge of the magik coming from the healers that he had summoned to assist in their firstborne's delivery.

The door opened and one of the healers went out, her hand holding a basin that was filled with what seemed to be water that had been dyed red by the cloth that was dipped in it. Panicking, the young lord rushed over the healer, his hands flying out instinctively to stop the door from closing and to block the female healer's path. He could see the other healers busy moving about his wife, while she lay limp and slack on the bed, an image that he feared more over her previous labored screams and cries. His eyes glazed over slightly and he tried to move forward, to reach out to her, and hold her and maybe alleviate her pain. He wanted nothing more than to grab his wand and cast a Renervate but the door was closed gently, keeping her away from his view again.

"Lord Laxius, you know the rules. We cannot have you interfering with your wife's delivery. Yours and her magical bond is too strong and to have you in the same room and area as her will cause more damage for your offspring. She will be fine. I assure you of that." He nodded, defeated as he moved away from the door and back to the chair that he had sat on. The young healer had went on her way and returned once more with a fresh water in the basin. He caught her gaze and she nodded, hesitantly, before entering the warded door. It had been silent for a long time and the old woman had resumed once more in her chanting and praying when the sound of the healers shout of panic and fear filled the manor and he felt the strong surge of magic reaching out for him coming from his wife. He could endure it no longer and he forcibly opened the door, blasting it to smithereens and pushing the healers aside who were by his wife's side. The young woman tried to calm him down and told him to let the healers do their task, but he had heard and felt more than enough. He was not going to let them near his family, not when she was desperately calling out for him.

"Lord Beaufort, please, let us attend to your wife. She is bleeding out not just physically but as well as magically. Your sons..." He turned around at this, he had known from the beginning that they were blessed with a son, an heir of his House and he could not have been more honored and blessed, but the idea of him having more than one, scared him of the unknown possibilities.

"Sons? That... That cannot be... Terise can barely handle the birth of one infant, that was what your master healer said, how will she live through two?!" His voice increasing in volume and panic and his magik causing the whole manor to shake at its foundations. The healers were silent and didn't dared to look him in the eye while he held and sobbed his wife's hand.

"I'll save her." The sound of a young woman made them turn towards the previously empty doorway. There stood a young lady no more than seventeen with raven hair and a presence that commanded respect and exuded power yet at the same time gave off love and kindness. Behind her, the old woman, Dorotea stood, her hand on the young lady's arm.

"W-who?" Lord Laxius turned towards the old woman who had nursed him since he was an infant. She smiled, her eyes glowing slightly in the light of the torchlights.

"I am Morgana Le Fay. I have been called here by Mistress Dorotea to help your family. I have been greatly indebted to her many years ago and today, today is the promised day." She moved forward taking slow and deliberate steps while calmly extending her hand to him when she reached his position.

"Lady Beaufort is not weak nor is she lacking, it is simply because your union brought forth two offspring that have a larger core than what her body should be able to take. I applaud her for being able to even take this pregnancy to term without dying, she is admirably strong but if you will not let me interfere, then she will indeed die, your sons included." He hung his head low as he mulled over the young lady's claims before he was gently moved aside by Dorotea, her eyes pleading to let the stranger take a chance.

"Very well, Lady Morgana. Please, save my family, if you cannot save them all then please spare my wife." His voice cracked and he felt his heart break completely at the declaration he had made. The young lady nodded and cast a small spell around the bed before she walked forward and placed her hand on his wife's womb. A blue and golden light emitted and she silently casted a spell before moving her hand to the center of her chest and letting the gold light travel. It took a few minutes before the light evaporated and she casted a Renervate and the woman in the bed woke up, her pallor returning once more. The young witch, as Laxius had concluded then motioned for the healers to approach. She remained in the same spot from the moment of the first son's crowning until the birth of the second son before she let her magic cut off and let the healers finish the task.

Laxius stopped her as she was walking out, their mouth silen and yet their magik completely understanding what it was that they wanted to convey. Lady Morgana may have been freed of her Life Debt from Mistress Dorotea but Lord Laxius had incurred one just right now and she would come to collect when the time is right. He knew her magik had been injected upon his sons but what consequences they may bring he had yet to know. And he knew by her eyes, and by her magik, even she did not know.

"Thank you, Lady Morgana." She nodded, her young eyes aged with wisdom and her magik less prominent and yet felt the same.

"I admire you Lord Beaufort, and I pray that your House may forever remain admirable and honorable and may your bloodline be kept pure. I will see you again." He nodded, watching her move away and towards the fireplace where she and Dorotea talked a little more before she disappeared. He turned his head towards his wife and approached her, holding her and their sons bundled up in wool together.