a/n: this is just a headcanon of Zelda's past.
BLANKET.
-BOOZYAUNT
AAHHHHH! came the witch's agonizing screams.
AHHH-! "-DAMMIT-"
AHHHHHHHHH! "Lucifer's- hoof," Zelda spat through clenched teeth.
Her chest heaved.
Zelda gripped Hilda's hands tightly as her back rest against her sister's chest.
It was customary for a witch in their coven to give birth in the middle of the forest.
The fifteen-nearly-sixteen year old's body ached.
Pain like she never experienced before shot throughout her entire form.
Whoever in the world said the natural birthing process was a magical experience could choke on their words, thank you!
"Almost there, Zelda," spoke the midwife, Rosmelda, in that sweet tone.
The teenage witch wanted to rip her heart out where she sat!
"You're doing great, Zels," piped in Hilda.
Zelda wanted to whack her too. They weren't the ones giving birth to a six-pound ball of life!
"Oh... shut up... Hild-" -AHHHHHHHHH! Her words were cut short by another yell.
Rosmelda smiled and continued, "That's it. You're almost there. Give me one more push, and -"
-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!-
The baby's first cry rang throughout the forest, reaching her ears as Zelda finished off the final push.
The witch stopped her shouting, allowing her body to come down from the high she'd been on.
Bloody hell! That was work.
"Is it... alright?" she asked as her chest continued to heave and her body relaxed as much as possible against Hilda.
Her head tilted to the side and green eyes watched Rosmelda clean up the child.
She wanted to see him... or her. She took a moment to regain composure. Her forehead beaded and her hair glistened with the moisture formed from all the energy exerted.
"He's wonderful," came the voice of Rosmelda as she swaddled him in the blanket Zelda knit for this day.
Rosmelda handed him over to her to hold for the first... and last time.
She had plans to give up the child so he would be safe from her family and the Dark Lord.
Zelda played it off quite well through magic and other things that she'd hidden the fact she'd been pregnant... or so she believed.
She was unaware of her parents, Faustus Blackwood (the child's father), his parents, their High Priest: Father Lockner, all knew of her and Hilda's plan and were presently on their way to the forest.
While Rosmelda magically healed her birthing wounds, Zelda admired her baby boy. Praise Satan he blessed this midwife with healing abilities! She felt much better now and was able to focus solely on the infant.
The world around her slowed down, and Rosemelda and Hilda disappeared, and all that was left in her universe was her and her child.
Green eyes watered with tears as she stared down at her perfect son.
George, she'd decided to call him. It had been her Grandfather's name.
Her finger traced his soft, pink and puffy cheeks.
He squirmed slightly and let out a faint squeak.
His first noise.
Her eyes watered more.
She'd never be allowed to experience anything other than this moment with her baby boy.
The witch of the forest would be coming to take him very soon, and she would be left with nothing more than a memory of her little George.
Zelda would cherish this time she had. She would hold onto it forever.
"Oh, Zels. He's perfect," said Hilda, reminding Zelda of her existence.
She rolled her eyes. "Of course, he is," answered Zelda, not turning her focus away from her child. "He's my son."
She smiled wider than she believed she ever had before. Tears stung further in her eyes and fell down her cheeks as her finger bopped his perfect little nose. He had everything a baby needed to grow - ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes.
His hand stretched out as he yawned. A soft, surprised chuckle escaped the witch's lungs. Five perfect, tiny fingers curled round the witch's pointer finger.
She laughed a little harder now.
A strong man he would grow up to be.
"A very strong man, George," she whispered for only his ears to hear. "A very strong man, indeed. Father would be-"
Zelda paused at the reminder of how her son would never know her family.
She swallowed down the painful bile that formed in her throat.
He would never know how proud her family would've been of their first grandchild being a boy...
In any other situation where Zelda had been married and given birth under proper circumstances... her father would've been so proud.
He would have a grandson to carry on his name.
She would've righted all the wrongs she'd ever done by bringing honor to her family.
But that wouldn't be the case.
Her father would never meet her little boy, and all he would carry if he ever found out about the truth of what she'd done was shame.
The latter was true, but what she didn't understand about the former was: her parents were just now venturing around the corner and stepping into the clearing of the woods where she and her sister and the midwife, Rosmelda, currently resided.
Zelda didn't notice them at first. Her attention was too focused on George. She was having the hardest time taking her eyes off of her baby boy. Though when Rosmelda came over to take him from her arms before she could even say a word against the woman doing so, her eyes shifted to the visitors joining them in the forest.
Brows furrowed and eyes blinked as her attention moved from the mid-wife to her father, mother, Faustus, his parents, and the Church of the Night's current High Priest: Father Lockner.
Whilst her attention was on her family, she missed her baby being taken over to where the Priest stood with one of his monks who was currently setting urns on a stone alter.
Zelda rose to her feet as the realization of what was happening took over her. Her family knew the truth, and her child was about to be christened into the Church of Night.
The young witch stepped forward.
"How? I-" she stumbled on her words as eyes didn't focus on just one person but went from each new visitor standing before her in the wood. "What-? You!"
"You did this! You told them." Zelda's eyes shot toward Rosemelda. They were wide and horrified. "I trusted you."
"Never trust a dark witch, my dear," she answered through a cackle. "You of all people know that."
"We're saving you from yourself and ruining your life with this decision you were about to make," came her father. His tone was dark and held no compassion or mercy.
Zelda's breathing became heavier as she eyed everything happening. "I did this to protect you... all of you from shame! We have a plan. The witch of the-"
"-I don't want to hear it, you stupid child," continued her father. "None of us do. We're here to have your child christened into the church. It will be given to the Dark Lord to be properly taken care of."
Zelda blinked and fear like she never experienced before rushed over her.
Taken care of?
What did that mean?
A rushing wave of horrified chills ran throughout her entire body as she stared at the christening alter, and then toward all of those there to give her child away.
Though she'd grown up serving Satan as her Lord and Master - her entire life had been preparation to sign her name away to him when she turned sixteen - something about this didn't feel okay.
She was terrified for her child.
She looked around the forest and watched the midwife hand over George to the monk who accompanied Father Lockner.
She stepped forward in hopes of fetching her son, but she wasn't quick enough.
The minute George was in Father Lockner's arms she knew she wouldn't be able to retrieve him.
Her chest heaved, and her breathing became labored.
"No," she breathed out. "Please."
Zelda looked around frantic, hoping to find someone she could convince to allow her to follow through with her original plan.
Green eyes scanned those standing around her now. Hilda was too stupid to do anything. Her mother would only comply with her father who was apparently for this arrangement. The priest was no use. And she planned on killing that bloody midwife herself the first chance she got!
And then her horror filled green eyes landed on Faustus. She rushed over to the teen, gripping his arm and pleading with him for help.
"Faustus. He's our child. Our baby. You can't let them give him up this way! I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I had plans to send him off - no one was supposed to know! The witch of the forest was going to find our boy a proper home. It can still be arranged!" Her voice never held such desperation before.
Zelda shook the boy she once thought she was in love with and now felt as if she barely knew.
Tears filled her green eyes. She desperately searched his brown ones, hoping to see something behind the blackness that was his soul, but there was nothing.
Out of her anger and disbelief, she spat at him in the face.
"You fuck-"
"-Zelda!" she heard her father yell out to her from behind.
She felt herself being pulled away followed by spats from her father who'd wrapped his arms tightly around her and was holding her in place. "That's enough!"
Zelda used all of her strength and managed to turn herself in her father's grip to look him in the eyes. His stare had never been so shame-filled - he could barely look at her, she could tell.
"Father, please," she begged - something she was not one to ever do... especially with this man.
She smiled a bit as she looked over toward the monk who was holding George. "Father, look at him. Please... take one look," she begged, allowing herself to smile up at him.
"He's beautiful. He's a boy, father. A grandson. A warlock," she continued as she thought of any way she could save her child from this fate - even if it meant going against her original plans. "I could keep him. I could raise him! He could carry on the Spellman na-"
SMACK! went her father's hand across her face. He'd never actually hit her before. He'd only stood over and watched as she punished herself when she'd been in trouble in the past.
Her hand drew up to her face, and she rubbed her cheek where it stung in pain. It hurt, but she wouldn't cry - from his slap, at least.
Her green eyes looked up in shock and horror toward the man who was meant to be her protector.
"You failed me. You failed your mother. You failed this family when you decided to go and do something like this," he spat toward her. His eyes filled with anger practically breaking her where she stood.
"That thing is nothing to me. The only saving grace in this situation is the Dark Lord has chosen to show mercy to my family by taking the newborn to be one of his Servants of the Night."
The realization of what was to become of her boy swept over her. He was to be turned into a demon. He would spend his life in Hell serving the Dark Lord.
If it had been anyone else's child, Zelda would've found it to be a great honor for their boy or girl to be given up to the Dark Lord. Hell, she would've been jealous! But now that she'd experienced months upon months carrying her boy in her womb, this is not at all what she wanted.
Zelda wanted better for George. It was different when the child was her own, and she wanted him to experience life fully.
She understood. Because though she was only fifteen, she was a parent now. She would much rather her son be taken by the witch of the forest who would find him a proper family to take care of and raise him.
Zelda turned round to try and find some way to get to her boy, but her father grabbed hold of her once more and held on tight so she couldn't break away.
"I'm ready," she heard Father Lockner say toward the monk as the High Priest took her baby in his arms.
Tears filled her eyes. She had never been one to cry in front of others - especially her father. At this moment, though, she didn't care.
Attention watched as the priest poured the unholy water over her child's head. He began speaking in Latin, blessing the boy and giving him up to the Dark Lord.
Zelda jerked in her father's arms to try and break free.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get away.
When the priest finished, he nodded toward her father. "Bring her."
Her father did so.
Zelda fought his grasp.
She wasn't sure what was happening.
When she was close enough to the stone alter, her father let go of his hold.
Before she could try anything to break free, Father Lockner waved his hand in the air, and she was bound in place by his magic.
"Why're you running, my child?" he spoke with great authority as he towered over her. Another wave of his hand and her clothes had changed.
She was now in a black dress.
Holy shit.
"You chose this fate."
"It is a great honor the Dark Lord has allowed your baby not only to live but come and join him in Hell as one of his children."
The young witch wasn't able to answer the High Priest - her mind was spinning with a disturbing wave of confusion.
Zelda's eyes cast downward toward the dress she wore. They were preparing her for her Dark Baptism.
Her chest heaved.
This wasn't how this moment of all moments was supposed to go. This was meant to be a special occasion.
"But I'm not yet sixteen," she breathed.
Father Lockner didn't answer. He waved his hand over the stone altar and replaced the christening urns with what she knew to be the Book of the Beast along with a pen whose tip was ready to be signed with the blood of a virgin.
Zelda gulped and blinked.
Her breathing only became more rigid as she stared down at what was about to happen.
How would she be able to sign the book now? They all knew she wasn't a virgin - that much was bloody obvious!
"My fellow brethren. We're gathered here on this most unholy night to witness the signing away of Zelda Spellman as she devotes her life to our Dark Lord and Master, Satan."
Zelda's ears rang. She was unable to hear much of what Father Lockner was saying. Her mind was in a world of its own.
How was she to sign her name away? She wasn't sixteen, and now her secret was out.
What was going on?
"Zelda Spellman: In light of your actions, you're being sentenced to a life of servitude to the Dark Lord without the choice of free will. If you refuse to sign The Book of the Beast on this night, you and your family - along with the father of the boy and his family - will be exiled. Those in your family who've joined the Church of Night will be excommunicated and stripped of immortality and power given, and those who've yet to join our coven will be prevented from doing so in the future."
Zelda's heart thumped violently in her chest as she listened with wide-eyes to the burden placed upon her.
She had no choice in signing the book this way.
It would not be a celebration.
It would be a choice between saving her family and salvaging what was left of their good name or losing them altogether.
She didn't answer.
"The Dark Lord has agreed to allow your child to live as long he joins his father in Hell, where he will spend his eternity as one of his demons. And the reason this is pertinent to this evening is your body is no longer pure, and your blood is now stained. You're unable to sign the book without the blood of a virgin. Before this child is taken, we will be using his blood. And finally, the Dark Lord has deemed you ill fit to ever bear children, again. As you were choosing to give up your child to a family who may not worship him."
Those last words shattered the witch's heart in two.
Never be with child? Who would ever want her now?
And... what about being a mother? (She was quite sure that was her greatest desire... even if she'd never admit it to anyone out loud.) Part of their culture was bearing and raising children to follow their Lord and Master.
She was grief stricken. She'd never felt such mind numbing pain. At this point, her head was spinning to where all she really could do was share a nod.
She couldn't say no. Her father would kill her.
She couldn't run. Her father would kill her.
She couldn't save George. She'd already sealed his fate with her mistake.
She was stuck in the consequences of her actions.
With a nod of her head, Father Lockner gestured for the monk to bring the baby to him. Zelda wanted to look up toward her baby boy, but the shame she felt was so great she couldn't bear to look the boy's way.
She couldn't hold him.
She couldn't soothe his inevitable tears when they pierced his skin with the pen.
The pain only grew worse when the boy began wailing. The sound was unbearable for the girl, and she stood there and bit her lower lip as her body trembled and she forced herself to remain as composed as she possibly could.
The shame she felt for having to use her child's blood... for being the reason he was in pain... was beyond any burden she could explain. She wished she could take his place.
George's cries only grew louder as the blade from the pen dug in further to draw enough of his blood to write with.
Zelda's heart ached at the sound.
It wasn't until it was her turn to hand over her palm to the priest that her eyes caught sight of her child.
She didn't look for long. She couldn't.
The sting she felt from the blade cutting her skin wasn't as bad as the sound of her child crying.
She could take pain - she'd dealt with it enough in punishments she'd been forced to give herself.
When her blood was drawn and mixed with her son's, the priest handed over the pen.
Zelda took it in her hand.
Her eyes stared down at the line she was being forced to sign. Her life would no longer be her own. From this moment forward the witch belonged to the Dark Lord.
George's cries pierced her ears. The reminder of the burden placed upon her swirled around in her mind like a twister.
To stop it all - at least the agonizing shouts in her brain - Zelda signed her name.
The world went silent - even George stopped crying.
For only a moment nothing but silence filled the chilling air. She could finally breathe... but that didn't last for long.
"Good girl," said Father Lockner as she placed the pen down on the stone table. "The Dark Lord will be pleased to know you complied. Rejoice. Your sins are forgiven, my child."
She didn't feel joyful.
She didn't feel anything but sorrow and pain as green eyes looked upward and she watched Father Locker remove her child's blanket before he was handed over to the monk again.
"He won't be needing this," spoke Father Lockner as he tossed the blanket to the forest floor.
George began crying once again. Zelda figured it was due to the night air hitting his sensitive skin.
"He'll freeze!" she cried.
"Not where he's going, my dear." Father Lockner smirked.
Zelda stood horrified. She knew this, but... he was a child!
Her child.
She stood frozen in place watching the Priest and the monk stand before a portal she knew would take them to the fiery pits of Hell.
"George," she softly cried, not breaking her eyes away as her child's screams rang in her ears. "I'm sorry, my boy."
The High Priest and the monk stepped through the magical gate.
Zelda wasn't able to move until the last of the portal disappeared into the night, and she was left alone in the wood with nothing left of her child but the blanket he was swaddled in.
She whimpered and fell to her feet.
The other's left.
She was all alone to sit in her grief.
She sobbed as her knees hit the floor.
Her hands reached out and grabbed the blanket, holding it close in her arms as she rocked herself back and forth.
The weight of the pain she felt swallowed her whole. She wouldn't be alright... not for a long while.
She didn't know it yet, but this night would change her.
It would make her the woman she would one day become.
It killed any goodness left inside of her.
It snuffed out all of her light.
This night poisoned her garden of life, and any flowers once blooming inside withered and died and grew back as thorns.
The only thing she knew in that moment to be true was: she would remain faithful. But not for the reasons she would allow others believe.
No.
She would fulfill her duty to Satan. She would be his good and faithful servant because she would do anything for her child.
The only one she would ever know.
Her baby boy. Her...
"George..."