Sarafan Priestess
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The Priestess Selene lay on her deathbed, having just given birth to a healthy baby girl. It had expended all the energy she had and her muscles were numb. The nurse Metaneira came in carrying a small bundle, which was obviously her baby. Following behind her was the Sarafan Priests. Warrior priests they were, they fought endless battles with the Vampires and searched for the legendary Vampire Janos Audron. Selene did not want to tell them who the father of her baby was for fear that they would kill her and then kill the baby.
"Congratulations Selene," Dumah said, giving her a smile, "What is the babe's name?"
Selene felt herself dying, but she couldn't let herself die before naming her dearest daughter. The name of her great-grandmother came to mind.
"Rasha. Her name is Rasha," she said weakly, her voice faltering.
Metaneira checked her pulse.
"She's dying," she told the priests. Their expressions were shocked for a moment, then became sad.
One of the priests, Raziel, came forth.
"May I?" he asked, holding his hands out to her.
She handed little Rasha over to him, her form shaking.
Little Rasha was crying softly, but when Raziel's finger began to tickle her gently, she stopped.
"So cute," he said, listening to her cooing.
Selene listened with joy in her weak heart. "My daughter...my dearest daughter...I will never forget you...even in...death...never..." her voice faded away and her eyes closed. Her chest stopped rising and falling and she was still. She was dead. Rasha stopped cooing, and as if sensing her mother's death, she began to cry.
The room was silent, except for the sound of crying.
The Vampire Janos Audron paced the room impatiently, waiting for a message from the messenger he had sent to check on his beloved. The Vampire Vorador watched with amusement.
"Sit Janos. I'm sure Selene will come out of this fine," he said.
"I can't. She didn't look too well when she said she was going to give birth to the baby soon. If those wretched Sarafan Priests find out that the father is me, they'll kill Selene and the child and come looking for me," Janos said, but nonetheless, he sat down.
The messenger he had sent, a bat, came flying through the window and flitted over to the Vampire.
"Is she alright? Is she well?" the Vampire inquired.
The bat emitted several squeaks and Janos pieced them together.
"Priestess Selene has given birth to a healthy baby girl, but she has died in the process. The babe's name is Rasha and she is to be Selene's successor other than the sorceress Karenina," was the message.
Janos's face became grave and sad and bloody tears crept down his cheeks.
"I will mourn for Selene, but rejoice for Rasha. Someday I will meet her when she is grown, but in the meantime, I will retreat to my aerie."
Vorador watched as the Winged Vampire stalked out of the room, crying for Selene.
Selene's funeral was a quiet and sad procession. Selene had been young in life and young in death. Following her coffin were the Sarafan Priests, Raziel carrying Rasha. When Selene was encrypted in a tomb, Rasha began to cry. All the way, she kept crying. Raziel had to carry her to his room and rock her to sleep. Since he had been a good friend of Selene's, he wanted to take care of her child. He was willing to nurture and care for the child in any way he could. He laid her in her little elaborately carved crib and left the room, shutting the door quietly so as to not wake her.
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