Hi guys! Sorry its been so long. Ive ad dreaded schoolwork to be done. Im also contemplateing leaving my current school and moving to my bro's school, which will be quite cool (especially as I get to see his best friend! Yumsvilles, Arizona!) Anyways, this chapter is about a page longer than the others, probably because this is a climactic chapter. I'll let you read now, I wont spoil it 4 ya! Please R&R!



Chapter 7. It's a…

Daine lay on the floor gasping for air through her tired lungs. Numair lay beside his darling wife in just as much pain as she was (Daine was gripping his hand so hard that it bled sluggishly). The Lioness sat on the girl's other side fighting the pain form Daine's grip her own way (Her teeth were embedded in her lip and blood gushed from the wounds in them).

Healers sat around the mother anxiously waiting for another contraction, they soothed the poor woman with brave words, but were hoping and praying to all the Gods inside their skulls that Daine wasn't going to die. Her pain wasn't weakening or lessening in anyway, and her blood covered the floor of the room. Duke Baird sat at her feet wearing not only a copper stained robe but also a look that could melt Sarge to tears.

The chief healer got up from the position he had been sitting in for hours and limped around the room towards Numair. He signalled for the mage to join him outside. The tall storkman complied and followed the healer out into the corridor, leaving his beloved Daine behind.

The door shut on the bloody scene and the 2 men began to talk, but before they could speak a word, they came face to face with a group of youngsters.

"Excuse me, Neal, but please could you and your friends leave this place? We have some confidential business to speak of."

"Alright then, father. C'mon guys, we'll go to the pages wing." The youths got up from their seats and sloughed down the corridor.

Duke Baird began to speak in a woe-full tone.

"Numair,"

"Yes?"

Duke Baird paused. "You do realise that this birth is a, er, very difficult one, don't you?"

"Yes, Baird, I do."

"And this is Daine's 1st birth isn't it?"

"Yes," Numair was starting to get a bit worried by now.

"And you know how difficult it is to give birth nowadays,"

"Baird, Talk sense man!" Numair shouted and gripped the other man's shoulders. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Baird gave Numair one of his infamous pauses, the pause he gave to people when his was giving them news of the bad kind. He wiped a tear from his bright green eyes and sighed.

"Numair, what I'm trying to say is…that…Daine might not survive this birth."

Numair stared at the older man in horror. His insides began to turn inside out as he contemplated the thought of life with out Daine. She was his love, his life and his best ever friend. He fell in love with her as soon as they had met, in that tent in the woods when he was stuck as a bird. She had given him life. He couldn't live without her.

"Is there anything you can do? Anything?"

"There is only one thing we can do. We'll have to intervene with magic."

"Is there any other way?"

"No, this is the only way we can save both her and the baby and keep her uterus intact. She wont be able to bear for at least 3 years afterwards though."

Numair thought for about a milli-second. This was Daine's only chance. But what about her magic? What if that was harmed in any way? It would break her heart if that were lost.

"What about her magic? Will that be affected?"

Baird paused. "That's what else I was meaning to tell you. I examined her and there is no trace of it in her blood. Its power has all gone in to the baby."

She might loose a fraction of her wildmagic, but she will still be the most powerful wildmage in the world.

"Do it. We'll do what ever we have to do, but lets save Daine and the baby."

The 2 men went back into the red room and began the spells to save Daine.

Daine felt the red pain in her abdomen grow as she had another contraction. Numair rushed to her side again and she broke his fingers. All 4 of them.

"Daine, we're gonna do a spell to save you and the baby, Ok? You may feel a little pain whilst we do this, but it will all be over soon."

Daine nodded a sweaty reply to whoever the speaker might have been in her mind. She faced the ceiling and cried. Her strength was leaving her body fast without her wild magic. She felt like the world was falling into darkness. The memories of her pleasant childhood streamed across her eyes. Ma and Grandpa lying in the sun with her on warm summer days, archery contests between her and the other boys in her village, the cold, bloody bodies of her family lying in the black peaty-mud, the hunt with the pack. Numair's love, the lioness, the affections the monarchs had for Daine was felt in her paling skin. Kitten's squeaks, Zek's shy talk, the country of Tortall, she would always adore. She would miss them all. She loved life, but had no more strength left. She was about to take her last breath when –

"DAINE! C'MON GIRL! YOU CAN DO IT!"

Daine woke up from her deathbed in her mind. Her Pa stood in front of her in the divine realms.

"Pa?"

"Its not time honey. You're not ready for death. You have your life ahead of you, with the baby."

"But I cant. I have no strength, No magic, left inside me."

"You will have, don't worry about that." Weriyn reached out to touch Daine's forehead with the palm of his hand. He smiled crookedly. "We'll see each other soon, honey."

"I love you Pa."

Daine Plunged back into her body with vengeance.

"Daine! C'mon!" Numair whispered in her ear "I can see its head!"

"I hate you for making me go through this you realise!" Daine spat. "I really hate you for it!"

"I know, I know."

"You can do it Daine," Duke Baird chipped in, "just a few more pushes."

Daine dug with all her remaining strength into her abdomen. As she pushed harder and harder, it seemed to get easier. She pressed more.

"That's it! A little more!"

Daine began to feel the strain again. She almost gave up again, but she saw the emboss of Weryn's and Sarra's faces in the light, and let it out. She heard a cry that interrupted her dream. It was a quiet cry of distress.

"Its over Daine! Its here!" Numair jumped beside her with joy. Daine smiled wearily back at her darling.

"Congratulations, you two. You have a beautiful baby…"



HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! *Laughs uncontrollably*

You wont get the next chapter for a little while now! Hee hee hee hee hee hee! *Laughs demonically* Yes, I know I'm an evil bitch, but if you want the next bit, ya beta get reviewing! Hee hee hee