Witchling

Manon stood in the hall as Dorian closed the door behind her. She turned to face him and he took her hand to pull her close to him. Manon buried her face against his chest and he kissed the top of her head. He pulled away and Manon watched him until he was out of sight. A couple of minutes after, she followed. She walked down the corridor, her fingers lazily grazing the wall beside her as she walked. She walked past Dorian's door and entered the room she and Asterin had been sharing. She walked towards the bath and waited until it began to steam. She pulled off her clothing and let the water soothe her sore body. She closed her eyes.

It was too much. Too fast. She loved him and he loved her, but she still felt confused. When she was with him it was easy to forget the confusion, but now that she was alone it came to her in a flood. Dorian didn't seem to mind people knowing, but did she? She loved him, but admitting that to him was different, she learned to trust him; she didn't trust others, and that was the problem. They would ruin the only precious thing she has ever had in her life. She closed her eyes tighter.

Dorian was her secret, and she wanted to keep it that way. She knew Elide and Asterin would keep their mouths shut, she just had to be careful that nobody else found out.

Manon pulled her knees to her chest and began to wash herself. Trying to get rid of his scent. She wished she had someone to talk to. Dorian was the only one she had ever confined in, but she couldn't talk about him to him. When she was a child she used to imagine what her mother was like. Wonder what she would say. And now for the first time in her life she realized there would always be a missing piece to her. Dorian had almost mended it, but some parts will always be left empty. She had needed a mother. Needed the love only a mother could give. The love only parents could give. She wondered if Dorian felt the same.

Dorian.

He had killed his father and she knew it still haunted him. She felt ashamed earlier in the library when she tried to wrap her hands around his neck. He had panicked. She tried to hide her shame and hoped that he didn't notice. She knew he liked to be in control. Not to dominate her...but because he didn't have control when the Valg prince violated him.

Manon looked down at her belly and rubbed. Wondered once again what it would be like to have a bulge there. She shook her head. So confused. So confused and no one to talk to.

She had never needed to lean on someone before, but with Dorian, that had changed. She leaned too much; Only now realized that though he can try to save her, she had to be the one to save herself. She so desperately wanted to save him but knew he had to do that himself. He held guilt after Sorscha, and Manon didn't know how to mend that wound. She never lost anyone, and that made her heart heavy. Dorian, the first man she has ever loved, the only man she might ever love will die on the battlefield or of old age.

Manon rested her head on her knees. She stood like that until the water began to cool. Till her fingers wrinkled. Till the tears stopped running down her cheeks.

She didn't want to be alone; Didn't want a life without Dorian. It scared her. Scared her because she was about to do something dangerous. He trusted her; She just hoped he could forgive her.

Manon's eyes immediately found Dorian when she entered the dining hall. She leaned against a pillar, wanting to watch him before he noticed her. He was sitting across from Elide, smiling at something she had said. She wondered if his joy was a mask for others around him, or if it was genuine.

She forced her eyes to turn away from him and walk away.

Manon had left the inn. Decided to sit alone in the woods nearby. She heard the flapping of wings as Abraxos landed behind her. She had missed him and now that he was here she knew what she had to do.

She walked towards him, her fingers trailing down his scales.

"Till the darkness claims us," she whispered.

Her hands held onto Abraxos back as he took off into the sky.

Manon and Abraxos flew for what felt like hours. Manon made him stop near a lake; she was parched and hadn't eaten anything in the morning.

It's been weeks since she left the group. Weeks without hearing anything about her Thirteen. Weeks without hearing anything about him.

She cupped the water into her hands and took a sip. Sighed and leaned back. She took in her surroundings; beautiful towering trees reaching towards the sky.

Crack.

Manon stood up in an instant. Her iron nails and teeth releasing themselves on instinct. She knew the intruder was hiding behind a tree, but she waited for them to come to her. She had no strength in her to fight, she was exhausted, both physically and mentally.

She let several seconds pass until she hissed, "Come out."

She waited for several more. Finally heard a small shuffling of feet.

Manon watched as a small blonde girl made herself visible. She couldn't be older than eight, and here she was. Alone.

Manon was always alone when she was a child, but looking at this child alone made her chest ache. She never paid attention when children were around her. Didn't even pay attention to witchlings. Never had an urge to pick one up or interact. But for some reason, this child made her incredibly sad. Sad because she was looking at Manon the way everyone has always looked at her; like a monster.

Manon retracted her teeth and nails. The girl wrapped her arms around herself, stepping back.

Manon kneeled and placed her hands in her lap. She whispered, "I won't hurt you."

The girl looked at her, still scared.

Manon swallowed. "My name is Manon." She paused, not quite knowing how to interact with her. "I won't hurt you."

The young girl chewed on her lip. "I don't know what my name is," she said, her voice small.

Manon was confused, What kind of person doesn't know their own name. Even slaves have names, though most aren't allowed to use them, but still.

The girl stared at Manon, her eyes flickering to her mouth and hands, searching for the parts that made her a monster. Manon held up her hands, so she could clearly see them. The girl hesitantly nodded.

"What are you doing here?"

The girl began to cry, and Manon didn't know what to do. The only two people she had ever seen cry were Asterin and Dorian.

Dorian.

She shook her head, shook every thought of him. But yet, they lingered.

"I'm lost," She cried. "I'm lost and I don't know what to do." She moved her hands to her face to wipe her tears.

Manon stood and took small steps towards the child. Making sure she had enough time to walk away. She stopped when she was in front of her and kneeled. She didn't know what to do with her hands so she kept them at her sides.

"Do you have a mother?"

The girl shook her head.

"A Father?"

She nodded.

"How did you get lost?"

The girl began to cry again. Manon sighed. One problem after another.

The girl finally stopped crying and met Manon's eyes, "What are you doing here?"

Manon looked at her hands. "I'm lost and I don't know what to do."

She looked up to see the girl looking at her curiously. And then to Manon's surprise, the girl hugged her. The only person who has ever hugged Manon before was Dorian. He was the only person who had touched her in weeks.

Manon wrapped her arms around the child. Noticed how small she was.

The girl pulled back and moved the hair out of her face. She gave Manon a small smile.

Manon swallowed. "How did you get lost?"

"My Papa, he was suppose to be watching me." She paused and Manon thought she might cry again. But she continued,"We were only suppose to visit the market square for a little bit." She shook her head and another set of tears began to fall. "But then the witches came," another sob. "They came and I lost him."

Manon eyes widened. "That was weeks ago."

The girl nodded."I Ran away. Away and away, and then-"

A wail. But It wasn't from the girl.

It was small and barley there, but Manon still heard it. The girl's eyes widened and she stood a bit taller. As if trying to create a wall between it and Manon.

"What is that?"

"You can't! Please!"

Manon stood. The girl made her small hands into a fist and started hitting Manon as hard as she could. Manon barley felt it. She walked around the girl and stopped.

It was wrapped in a thin muddied blanket. Its fingers clasping the thin material. It wailed again.

Manon stood in shock for several seconds until she finally said, "How'd you get it?"

The girl looked up at her, cocking her head. "The baby?"

Manon swallowed then nodded.

"I found her. In the woods. She was just there."

Manon arched a brow, "Just there?"

The girl nodded. "I found her a couple days ago. I've only been able to give her water. She's hungry. I didn't know what to do with her. My first thought was to take her to the King but...They say he is cruel and a monster, and nobody knows where to find him. So I kept her."

The King.

But the girl continued, "I was going to take her to a healer. I heard there was one nearby. But... I don't know which way to go."

Manon contemplated. She couldn't just leave the girl alone.

"I can take you," she said. She watched as the girl's eyes widened with joy.

"Thank you! Thank you," she said frantically. But stopped when she noticed the huge wyvern behind her.

Manon laughed. The girl swallowed and looked at her.

Manon sighed. "His name is Abraxos. He won't hurt you."

The girl nodded then looked down at the baby, then looked back up at Manon and tilted her head. She was waiting.

"Aren't you going to grab her?"

Manon opened her mouth to say something but then closed it.

"Are you a mother, Manon?"

Manon stood silent. The girl shrugged and lifted the baby. It was an odd sight for Manon. To watch a child holding a child. She also felt embarrassment for not knowing what to do.

Manon led the girl to Abraxos. The girl stared at him for a moment.

"Hello, Abraxos." The girl stood still, and then Abraxos gave her a long lick. The girl laughed and then turned to Manon. "We can't ride him. Not with the baby."

"She'll be fine."

"No, she won't. What if she falls? What if your wyvern gets hit unexpectedly? What if-"

"Okay, I get it," Manon cut her off. She only has know this child for five minutes and the girl was already full of demands. "I'll walk you to the healer," she said with a bit of irritation.

The girl smiled and held the baby tighter.

It was night and they still hadn't reached the healer. Turns out the girl did know where she was going. Manon just didn't ask questions.

The baby cried in the girl's arms.

"So you have no name?"

The girl shrugged.

"And your Father?"

The girl shrugged again.

Manon groaned. Frustrated at this strange girl. They had spent the whole day together, every now and then exchanging not so kind words. She had called the girl demanding, and the girl had called her stubborn.

"I can't tell you," the girl whispered.

"Why not?"

"I just can't."

Manon looked at her hands, "Who told you the King was cruel?"

"Everyone in Adarlan knows. They said he even killed his father."

Manon sighed, "He's not cruel or a monster."

The girl's eyes widened, "You know the king?"

She nodded.

The girl looked down at the baby in her arms. "My name is Emma."

Manon smiled, "It suits you."

The girl grinned.

Manon kept watch as the girl fell asleep besides her. Abraxos wings kept them covered from the cold night. She only caught glimpses of the baby, but didn't make any other contact with her. The girl stirred beside her. Manon was about to move away to give the girl more space but the girl's hand caught hers. Manon noticed that the girl had tears running down her face. The girl moved until she was nestled against Manon.

The girl looked so vulnerable and scared, that Manon couldn't help but put her arms around her. Eventually, the girl fell asleep and so did she.

"Dorian?"

Manon opened her eyed to see the girl hovering over her. The baby once again in her arms.

Manon yawned. "What?"

"You said his name while you were sleeping."

"He's nobody."

The girl frowned."Isn't the King named Dorian?"

Manon ignored her.

The girl grinned, "It's the King isn't it?"

"No, it's not!"

"I've never met a mistress before."

"I'm not a-"

The girl laughed.

"I'm not a Mistress. And I don't answer to you!"

The baby wailed.

"Now look what you've done," Emma said.

"What I've done?"

Emma patted the baby's butt.

"Stop doing that. Your'e hurting it."

"I'm not hurting her."

"How'd you know?"

"Because look," Emma said."She's asleep again."

Manon took a peek at the baby.

"Now unless you produce milk in those things, we should get going."

You little shit, Manon thought as she stood up to grab her things.

Manon watched the girl feed the baby. Emma had found a couple of berries and was squashing them, letting the juice run down the baby's throat. They walked like that for some time, only pausing when the baby needed to burp.

"So if you aren't a mistress, What are you?"

Manon frowned, "What do you mean?"

"You have a beast instead of a child. You aren't a mistress. You have freakish eyes. And-"

"And I'm not nosey like you."

Emma grinned.

"How old are you anyway?"

"About eight."

"About?"

Emma shrugged.

Manon threw up her arms, "I can't with you."

They entered the small village around nightfall. It had taken them most of the day to find it. Manon was thankful that the baby had managed to stay quiet throughout it all. The healer was housed in a small hut. Dangly jewels hung from the roof. Abraxos hid in the woods nearby.

Emma knocked twice. No answer.

She was about to knock again but Manon stopped her.

"Just go in."

"We can't."

Manon walked past her and opened the door.

"See."

Emma scowled. Manon moved aside to let her pass. She walked towards a wall filled with different colored jars. One for illness, one for burns, one for...

Manon lifted the jar and sniffed it.

"That's not the one you need to get rid of it," a gruff voice said behind her.

Manon quickly put the jar back.

"What do you want?"

Manon turned. But Emma answered, "We have a baby. It's hungry. It's not ours. And we need a place to sleep."

The old woman turned to Manon, "She's Demanding."

Emma walked the baby over to her and Manon watched as the woman worked. Taking several jars and rubbing it onto the baby's skin.

"She isn't yours," the woman said. She nodded in Emma's direction, "She isn't yours either."

The woman took a clean blanket and wrapped it around the child, placed her on the cot in the room behind her. Emma followed.

Manon continued to look at all the different jars.

"Which one are you looking for?"

Manon shook her head.

The old woman sighed, "I've seen many young girls come into my shop for this reason. Which one are you looking for?"

"Curiosity."

The woman laughed. "A virgin? I can find something for that."

"No. I'm not a virgin."

"Something to get rid of it then?"

Manon shook her head, "No."

"Come here."

Manon walked towards the woman.

"May I?"

Manon hesitated. Then nodded.

The woman placed her wrinkly hands on Manon's stomach. Manon held her breath.

"This one won't make it. Your blood changes too many times for me to tell if you will someday have another." She pulled her hands away and pulled a black jar from the cabinet and handed it to Manon. "Take this...but only use it when you are alone. It's easier. I recommend a tub, the results aren't always clean. Your fetus will die soon. It's still trying to cling to you. But its breath is limited. The sooner you take it, the smaller it will be."

Manon placed a hand over her mouth, fingers shaking. She shook her head.

"I know many things Manon Blackbeak. I know that you are a Crochan Queen. I know that the girl you are traveling with was abandoned. An orphan, both of them." The woman clasped her hands, "I know that your baby was conceived on a ship. I also know that the little prince inside of you is the King's." She stood up, "I also know that we have a visitor."

A couple seconds later a knock was at the door. The woman went to answer, while Manon rushed out the back door; the room was suffocating her. Once outside Manon fell to her knees and vomited. The world was spinning around her.

A baby. A witchling.

She silently screamed into the ground. It couldn't be true. She was going to have a baby. A witchling. A prince.

But No. The old woman had told her it wouldn't make it. It would die like everything else she has ever loved. Her Prince. Her baby boy.

Manon laid on the ground, not caring if her hair was full of vomit. She closed her eyes and cried. Cried so much that she eventually fell asleep on the cold ground.

Manon didn't open her eyes but she knew she was no longer on the cold ground. She was covered under warm blankets, and she heard whispering through a curtain that separated the room.

Heard a game being played.

"That's not fair!"

"Shh, Emma."

"But he cheated."

"No. I did not."

"Yes, he did."

"Lorcan, Did you cheat?"

"No!"

"Shh! She's asleep."

"Where's Asterin?"

"With the baby," Emma said. "We haven't picked a name yet."

The voices became murmurs as Manon fell asleep once again.

Manon opened her eyes to find Emma hovering over her.

"She's Awake!"

She heard several feet enter the room.

"Back Away, Emma. Give her some breathing room," Asterin said.

Manon looked past Emma to see Asterin and Elide standing in the room.

"How are you feeling, Manon?"

Manon licked her lips. She didn't know how to answer, but thankfully she didn't have to.

"She just had a bit of food poisoning. That's all," the old woman from the night before said. She came into the room and handed Manon a bowl of red soup.

"That looks disgusting," Emma said. "Why can't she just eat the regular soup that we had?"

The woman sighed and looked at Manon, "It will soothe your stomach. Help the process of taking the poison out."

Manon shook her head, "I don't want it."

"Manon, it's just soup," Asterin said.

"I don't want it."

The old woman shook her head. "Fine. The poison will just take longer to leave your system."

Manon wanted to scream at her. But instead, she bit her lip and tried to hold back tears.

Asterin moved towards her, "Who'd you eat?"

Manon actually laughed at that. She sat up and listened as they told her about what they learned. About how they all managed to find this village. About how they planned to get Aelin her witch warriors.

Emma lingered after Asterin and Elide excused themselves. She made Manon make room on the cot. Emma laid facing her.

"I've met him. He's very kind and handsome too."

Manon swallowed.

"He sat in the corner all night. Watching you. He was the one who carried you in here."

Emma placed her hands on the side of Manon's head and kissed her forehead.

"I hope you feel better."

She watched as she placed a bucket on the side of her bed. No doubt still thinking that she had food poisoning.

Manon was laying on her side when she saw him through the small opening in the curtain. He was sitting in a chair. The baby rested her head on his shoulder while he patted her butt.

Manon smilled.

But then he kissed the top of her head, and she found herself reaching for the bucket. Retching into it over and over again.