So here we are at the sequel to "Just Like Old Times". I'm pretty some of you were quite sad about the ending of that story, as was I. But who knows? Maybe this one will have a happy ending. I haven't decided yet. Prologue takes place three months after Arthur's death. Anyway, review, follow, or fav. Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the RDR2 characters, nor do I own any of the Irosh folklore myths and legends, i.e. The Morrigan.
Chapter 1: The Birth
It was morning in early February in Moycullen, Ireland when Lilly Morgan awoke from her slumber. She slowly climbed out of bed, wearing a white night shift, and grasped her very pregnant belly. The bairns had kept waking her up the night before, as did some back pain. In fact, her back still hurt. At a leisurely pace, the expectant mother waddled to the closest window of her bedroom to look outside. It was snowing. The snowflakes came down in big clumps. Lilly, having had an interesting and almost life threatening experience last May with a blizzard, was surprisingly unperturbed by the oncoming winter storm. Snow reminded her of pine trees, and pine trees reminded her of...she cut off the thought. She grabbed a red woolen robe from one of her chairs and enveloped herself in it to keep warm. The woman put on some red slippers and exited her bedroom. She looked up and down the oak wood paneled hallway and sighed. So many bedrooms. The one she stayed in was the master bedroom, of course, since she was the countess of the estate.
Lilly went to the room across from hers and opened it. It was the nursery. Sir Patrick had helped fund the slight renovation to it and she was quite grateful for it. The room was spacious, as was the whole house. It contained two bassinets with small quilted blankets, one pink and one blue. There were variously sized stuffed animals, including a giant giraffe that was halfway to the ceiling. Lilly chuckled at it. Sean had gone and bought it for her in Galway. The walls were oak wood paneled, of course, since that was the theme of the whole house and every single room, save for the foyer. It was still wood paneled but had cream colored walls above it and to the ceiling. The kitchen was similar in style. Lilly entered the room and stared down at the dark blue carpet. She sat down in a wooden rocking chair and rocked back and forth. There was a shelf full of books for babies adjacent to the door. There was also a changing table, the wooden dressers for the baby clothes, a walk-in closet, and two comfy chairs, one pink and one blue.
Yes, the room was complete. She was glad it was all done. Lilly got up uncomfortably and left the room. The smell of an Irish breakfast invaded her nose and she shut her eyes with a smile. Boy, was she ever hungry. She waddled down the cornered stairs while holding her stomach and walked through the foyer towards the kitchen. She opened the door to see Breena Harrington, a blonde haired woman, barking orders at some cooks who were preparing breakfast for the large household.
"Dunna just stand there, ya dolt! That bread needs tah be cut!" she shouted at an unlucky brunette girl.
Lilly giggled to herself and shut the door. Breena sure ran a tight ship. Lilly went towards the dining room. Most of the household was already there, save for Karen and Sean. They weren't exactly early risers. The room contained a portrait of her parents, of her brother Brian, and a portrait of herself and Janet as children. The oak paneling reached everywhere except to the fireplace, which was encased in white marble. The dining room table was, of course, oak, and smack dab in the middle of the room. There were three large arched windows overlooking the gardens in the back. The whole room was in an uproar. Michael, her head butler and a man well into his fifties with a balding head and small glasses, came to her side.
"Excuse me, my lady, but Sir Patrick Nolan is here to see you," he said. "He's waiting in the main study. Shall I invite him to breakfast?"
Lilly nodded. "Yes, please. Thank you, Michael.
Michael bowed to her before leaving and Lilly scampered into the dining room to the head of the table. "Well, I see everyone is ready for breakfast," she announced loudly.
Dutch and everyone else looked at her. "Ah, Countess!" Dutch exclaimed. "How are you this morning?"
Lilly waved him off. "Would ya stop with bein' so formal, Da? It's weird."
Hosea laughed. "You'll have to excuse him, Lilly. He's still not quite used to your house yet."
"Really, Hosea, did you have to sell me out?" Dutch asked with a laugh.
"We've been here two and a half months now and you ain't used to it yet?" Lilly asked him.
"Nope!"
Everyone laughed and the kitchen doors opened. Staff started bringing out all their breakfasts. Lilly dug into hers immediately, she was so hungry. Dutch, Hosea, Sadie, Tilly, John, Abigail, and Jack ate slowly while Lilly ate fast.
"You should slow down, Lilly, before you choke," John said.
Lilly giggled. "I know but I'm just so hungry."
Just then Patrick walked in. "Hello, everyone."
Everyone said their hellos and Patrick took a seat next to Lilly. He was an earl, so naturally he got to sit near the head of the table. A breakfast plate was brought out to him immediately, and then Karen and Sean showed up.
"Ah, so nice of you to join us, Sean and Karen," Hosea said.
"Yes, sorry we're late," said Karen as they both took their seats.
Two more plates were brought out. Lilly already finished her plate and sighed. "So, Patrick, what brings you to Darach ar an gCnoc?" she asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"Just a friendly visit," he saud cheerfully. "Wanted to see how yer getting along with yer bairns."
Lilly pat her belly softly. "Well, they haven't alerted their departure yet."
Small chuckles and giggles filled the room briefly. "Yer due any time now, lass. I hope yer not overexerting yerself."
Lilly groaned as a sudden pain in her back hit. "Well, not if my back pain has anything to say about it."
Patrick frowned. "Ya look tired, Lilly. Did ya get any sleep last night?"
"Barely. Kept wakin' up from my back pain."
"Maybe we should get the doctor."
Lilly waved him off. "Don't be ridiculous. I've been having back pain since my second trimester."
"But if it's keeping ya up and hurting this much, maybe that's a sign yer in labor."
Dutch perked his head up. "What's that?"
Patrick turned to Dutch. "I'm thinking Lilly might be having labor pains."
Lilly rolled her eyes. "It's not labor pains. It's just...back pain, for chrissakes, Patrick. Don't get everyone in a-oh my God!" Lilly grabbed her belly. She felt a tightening and a horrible pain and it made her grimace.
Everyone except for Lilly started standing up. "Are ya alright, Lilly?" Patrick asked.
Lilly shook her head. The pain was extraordinarily bad. "Buíochas le Dia!" she growled. [Oh my God!]
Patrick helped her stand up. "Okay, I think you're definitely in labor now."
Lilly nodded with a groan and a squeezing of her eyes. "I think you're right..."
Everyone started scrambling about. "Breena!" Patrick shouted.
Breena came running from the kitchen. "Sir Patrick?"
"We need the doctor. The countess is in labor."
Breena nodded. "I'll get the carriage ready to go."
Lilly was happy there was a local doctor. He was a very nice man. Lilly was told she'd have to give birth in her bedroom which was what she had expected. She also knew her womanhood would be ripped practically to pieces during the birth. What she was not prepared for was having to stay on bed rest for a month after giving birth. By the time the doctor and a few nurses had arrived from the village of Moycullen, Lilly was already upstairs in her room hanging on to one of the bed posts to brace herself during a contraction. Patrick massaged her lower back during this and she was grateful.
"Okay, Sir Nolan," the doctor said, prepping himself along with some of the nurses. "Time to go."
Patrick gaped at him. "But I wish to be here for Lilly."
Lilly waved him off. "I'm not havin' ya get a gander at me womanhood while babies are comin' out, Patrick!" she snarled.
Patrick glared at her. "But ya need a...well, I know yer..." he cleared his throat. "As yer former betrothed, I feel I should be here for ya."
Lilly waved him off again. "If ya wantah be here fer me, bloody wait outside with the rest of the men!"
Patrick paced back and forth in the sitting room while Dutch, Hosea, John, Charles, and Sean were waiting patiently. Occasionally, Patrick would hear Lilly's screams of birth pain and it would shake him to the core.
"I canna believe she wouldna let me stay with her!" Patrick snapped. "She is such a stubborn lass!"
Dutch chuckled deeply as he lit a cigar. "Stubborn, yes. But she's also strong. She'll be fine, Patrick."
"Besides, it's not like you're the father or her husband," Hosea pointed out.
"But she was me betrothed. I feel I am not doing me duty and that I am letting Arthur down, God rest his soul."
Sean giggled. "Just calm down, man. Have a drink or somethin'."
Patrick stopped pacing and looked over at the bar. "Yes, perhaps yer right." Patrick went over to the bar and poured himself some whiskey. He down it and grunted. "Oh boy..."
Dutch laughed at him. "Just sit down and relax, Patrick."
"I canna relax. Ya know how often women die during childbirth? Me own mother died during childbirth."
"If she dies, The Morrigan will bring her back," John interjected. "Won't she?"
Patrick eyeballed John. "Oh, like when she was supposed to heal Arthur? Who knows if she even still exists."
Another scream from upstairs made Patrick cringe. He felt awful not being there for his friend. And lately, he'd been, well...he'd grown more fond of Lilly than he thought he would ever feel. His feelings towards her had started turning romantic and he hated himself for it, especially when Arthur hadn't even been dead for half a year. He would never mention it to Lilly, of course. She swore never to love anyone else or have another man in her bed, and he knew how important oaths were to her. Still, sometimes they had moments, like making eye contact for a little longer than expected or a touch of the hand here or there. But still, would Lilly ever acknowledge anything? Did she feel anything for him, perhaps? He doubted it. Maybe it was all his imagination. Suddenly he heard the small cry of a newborn and he smiled just as everyone else did.
They all went running out of the room and looked up at the second floor. A nurse came out with a big smile. "We're waiting on the other baby, but she just gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl."
Patrick sighed in relief. "Thank you."
The nurse left the railing presumably to go back inside the bedroom and Patrick grinned at Hosea and Dutch.
They were smiling ear to ear. "We're grandfathers, old friend," Dutch said to Hosea.
Hosea laughed and hugged Dutch. "That we are."
Another scream was heard and Patrick resisted the urge to run upstairs to the bedroom. Patrick heard a baby cry and he smiled again. "I think that's baby number two."
The same nurse came and looked over the railing. "A healthy, beautiful baby boy. The mistress is doing just fine."
Patrick shut his eyes and rubbed his black hair back. "May we come up and see the bairns?"
The doctor came out. "Two at a time. Who wants to go first?"
Patrick wanted to be the first to see her. He wanted it so bad, but he wasn't related at all. He looked at Dutch and Hosea. "Well, ya better get up there, Grandpas."
Dutch and Hosea practically went running up the stairs towards the hallway that led to the master bedroom. Patrick clasped a hand on Sean's shoulder. "I'm an uncle," Sean said. "Wow."
"And ya will make a fine one, lad," Patrick insisted cheerfully.
"Oh, I know I will. But what about you? Ya think you'll be an uncle, too?"
Patrick looked back up at the railing with a somewhat sad look in his eye. "Maybe..."
Maybe he would just be an uncle. Maybe he was just like a brother to Lilly. He'd once looked at her as a sister, but in the recent months, that had changed. And again, thinking about it made him feel horribly guilty.
Suddenly Karen, Sadie, Abigail, Tilly, Brian, James, and Jack came running in from the front door all in winter clothes. They all looked at Sean, Charles, John and Patrick. "What's goin' on?" Sadie asked.
"Lilly just gave birth to a girl and a boy. Dutch and Hosea are up there now," John said with a smile.
All the girls and Jack cheered. Abigail hugged John and Karen hugged and kissed Sean. Patrick smiled at them all.
"Hey!" Hosea shouted from the railing. "Come up and see Aoífe and Arthur Junior!"
A dirty blonde haired man with a beard woke from his sleep. It was morning in Annesburg. He got up and started getting dressed. He kept having the same dream every night about some woman he didn't know. He looked at his pocketwatch. He was going to be late. He quickly grabbed his mining hat and walked out of his small shack. He shut the door and made his way up the hill to the mines. A man with short brown hair in mining clothes waved at him.
"Come on, Arnold. You're with me today," he said.
The man named Arnold walked over. "Alright, Frank. Lead the way," he said, his voice low and baritone.
Arnold followed Frank into the mines and soon they found a section to work. They grabbed some pickaxes and started hammering into the walls.
A raven-haired woman with piercing green eyes stood at the edge of a boat on a shore with three giant black wolves. She stepped onto the beach, walked to the grass, and dug her hands into the earth. The grass and flowers around her started dying and she chuckled evily.
"Find the girl, my loves. Find her and bring her to me."