To Be a Mother - Chapter Twenty-six

Amidst the solemn hour of midnight, Sebastian could not prevent himself from being thoroughly disturbed by the lonely cry of panic and anguish that rippled like a burst of static across the silence. The demon reared his head upwards, the task of lightly dusting the shelves in his Lord's study forgotten in an instant, his duties dubbed insignificant in the wake of that horrid yowl. His frame remained completely unyielding for a moment as he contemplated the most ideal course of action, and once he'd decided upon one, he placed the duster down upon his Master's desk and exited the room in a mere flutter of an eye.

Possibilities wired in Sebastian's mind like frantic little birds with an urgent need to flee the cage they'd been imprisoned as he transcended from the study to the boy's bedchambers. He'd witnessed the evidence of the ghastly dreams that plagued his Lord's mind on numerous occasions previously - although he was more vigilant on assisting after the quite perverse events of the first time he dared assist. But something about that earnest yell made Sebastian less inclined to believe that it was so on this occasion. Yet it was hardly accurate to conclude that the first stage of labour had begun, for the eighth month had barely eclipsed upon them, and the prospect of it even beginning at such an uncouth time was positively frightful. So that could only leave one possibility; the Night of the Tearing, as it was often classified by his breed, an event named appropriately because it rarely occurred at any other time except in the late hours of the evening.

Upon reaching the Earl's doors, Sebastian entered with haste and was instantly greeted by the darkness that seeped into the room like how ink seeped into parchment, but it did not impair his sight in the least. It was with little difficulty that he could envision the small, and heavily burdened child sitting up in the massive bed, his entire being engulfed in spasms as he hugged his limbs as tightly as he could in his compromised state. His eyes were maddened by wakefulness and pain as they gouged frantically at the shadows a human's gaze could not penetrate, his gasps of air far too erratic to be considered sound.

The boy tossed his head at the noise of the doors clicking to a close and immediately whimpered in a voice crippled by fear, "Sebastian?"

Approaching the Earl's indisposed side with as much kindness and ceremony as he could possibly manage, Sebastian cautiously obliged in situating himself on the very edge of the mattress, by his Lord's hip, and dipped his mouth slightly to murmur gently into the boy's ear, "What is the matter, my Lord?"

"I-I don't know," the child practically whined, squeezing his eyes shut, a clear barrage to the tears obviously rising within them.

"Explain it to me," Sebastian spurred, curling his fingers in what he imagined to be a consoling gesture around the boy's icy hand and carefully beginning to massage the terse sinew beneath. "Try to explain how it feels to me, Master. Does it feel like a painful tightening, like a contraction?"

"No," the child sobbed dryly in reply, shaking his head in utter desperation. "It's like something's stretching...or ripping apart... A kind of burning..."

Sebastian allowed a benevolent smile to wreath over his lips, a gift to his Lord's anxieties. "Than there is no need to panic," he assured, his claret stare growing soft upon his Master's petrified features. "That is what us demons refer to as 'The Night of the Tearing', in which a path is carved out for the child to be born. I am quite relieved it has finally occurred, my Lord. I was beginning to worry that it would not."

The boy appeared to recoil at that, his milky features oozing out into further transparency. His eyes did not part, but Sebastian did not need them to in order to know what consumed them at those words; a feverish dread that would have surely accelerated the tears welling inside them. He did not dare speak, his voice stifled by the mentioning of the inevitable, but withdrew his hand from Sebastian's grasp, an explicit indication of his honest feeling concerning the entire situation and Sebastian himself.

He instead wound his hands in the cotton bedsheets, his vice-like grip so unrelenting that all the blood drained from his fingers. The boy rocked slightly, clearly in defence against the sharp pain that ailed him.

Sebastian, believing that offering some form of sympathy to his Lord in his distress - despite its fabrication - was the most appropriate way to move forward, extended his fingers once more, intending to cup the boy's shoulder in an expression of his support. But just as his hand dared make contact, the boy burst open his eyes and unleashed a cutting snarl, breaking the contact almost immediately with a withering swat of his palm. Sebastian only had to infatuate himself with his Lord's gaze to recognise that the boy was no longer coherent with his reality anymore, but lost, lost in memories that he no longer had the will to fight and horrors that he no longer had the bravery to face.

Sebastian allowed his exasperation to trickle from him in one slow huff. It was going to be a long night...

XXX

"Sebastian?" the boy hummed timidly on the morning that followed. He was lying flaccid in the ceramic bath, idle and yielding as Sebastian scrubbed away the remnants of the evening's affair. "I...I have something to ask of you."

Sebastian could not hinder himself from being humoured. "There is no need to ask for permission, my Lord."

"I know that you damned fiend!" the boy snarled, his frame overcome by irate shivering...and undeniable fright. "Just...arg!"

Sebastian sobered, the smirk coating his lips receding into a thin line. It was clearly not the time for his amusements. "I apologise if I have offended you, Master. Please ask at your leisure."

The boy did not take action for a moment, but just continued to shudder in silence, as though steeling himself. And yet, as the child finally gathered the courage needed to utter a sound, his tones were so low and diminished that even Sebastian struggled to fathom it.

"H-how...do y-you...love...a d-demon child?"

Sebastian traced a single gloved finger over his chin, pretending to contemplate an answer, in spite of knowing that he could never give one. He was a demon after all; what did he possibly know of love?

"I'm afraid I have no answer to that, my Lord," he sighed, deflating somewhat with his words.

"Than what use are you to me?" the boy snapped, injecting Sebastian with a burst of shock. The child did not face him, but Sebastian didn't need to see his features to know that he was incensed beyond repair. "Get out. And that's an order."

The demon was flawed by the abrupt order, but did not hesitate further and retreated from the small chamber without a sound, choosing to instead wait outside the door, for he knew his Lord could not get himself out of the bathtub without assistance.

He did not need to press his ear to the keyhole to hear the choked wails coming from within...

XXX

Hey guys!

Things have been a little hectic lately, since it's Christmas and all that, which is why this is a little late. I've also been working on another Christmas story, which I hope to have published by Christmas Day.

As for this story, there is some serious action coming, so be prepared!

Now Mailbox:

Promocat - Yes, it is nice to know that Sebastian knows what he's doing! As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing! It's always so appreciated!

MassiveMilkshakeNerd - I'm glad you're enjoying it! Thank you so much for always reading and reviewing! Seeing your reviews always makes me so happy :)

Thanks for reading! And since I probably won't publish another chapter until after Christmas, Merry Christmas to you all!

HeartElyse