Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Sahara and the alterations in the storyline plot her presence provides in amusement to various readers everywhere.
Queen Consort Of The Holy Land Chapter 4
Sahara's eyes slowly blink open as she awakens from the dream. A memory that she can recall to this very day even years afterwards. The time when Baldwin and Sahara were truly those young and innocent children has long passed.
Much has changed since then.
The greatest and biggest factor of all is that Baldwin and Sahara are the ruling monarchs of all Jerusalem, ruling the kingdom as the sovereign King and Queen.
It happened after Baldwin defeated Saladin when he was sixteen not long after he became King. With peace restored to the kingdom there needed to be a show of solidarity and security that Jerusalem could follow. That's why the marriage between Baldwin and Sahara was so important, but not why it was such a surprise.
The reason for that is Baldwin had the misfortune of contracting leprosy when he was a young boy. Everyone knew he'd die young one day, but not necessarily when. No one would really humor a marriage between him for fear of becoming infected with the disease themselves. But Sahara held no such fear. She's loved him ever since they were young even after the healers confirmed his condition she never faltered, constantly staying right by his side whenever she visited the Capital with her father no matter what. It astonished many when after so many years of contact she never once picked it up. Baldwin commanded she go through regular physicals each month in order to make sure that remains the case. It doesn't hurt to be prepared.
Sahara is very intelligent. To distract people from this she decided to put her skills to good use. That is her talents as a midwife obtained at the hands of her four mothers back at the Sea of Galilee. Many of the nobles at Court didn't really know what to make at her when she started walking with the people, ,going from the richest and poorest of houses in order to deliver baby's of all classes. That doesn't matter to Sahara. Whatever she can do to ease the burden to new mothers all over Jerusalem she's happy to do.
Sahara grew herbs in her own private garden to use whenever she needs to help someone calling for a midwife. Even after she left the place of her birth Sahara knows the voices of her mothers never truly left her even over such a grand distance. Sahara's mothers had given her a gift and it was hers to pass on. After the first birth she attended to in Jerusalem, one where mother and child nearly died yet Sahara's care guaranteed their survival, word spread through the city of the noble born midwife that walked among the people.
It is her solemn duty as Queen and a midwife.
Sahara even delivered her sister-in-law's baby and her and Baldwin's nephew that had been named after him upon his birth. Then when Sybilla's first husband died and she married Guy, Sahara stood supportively at her side.
There is much love between the four way dynamic between Sahara, Baldwin, Sybilla, and the boy, but not without its costs.
Although the two women are good friends and have been since their childhood it took both of them years to learn how to share Baldwin. Each one longing for what the other could give them in their own special way. One as a wife and the other a beloved sister. It was Sahara he loved the most, deeply and to his very soul. But it was Sibylla who bore him a nephew, an heir to the throne, while Sahara to this very day remained childless.
And though her skills as a midwife earned her a place of honor amongst all the lands in Jerusalem, her "golden hands" delivering more babies than she could count, it was never enough in light of Baldwin's everlasting love for her.
For little while in bed Sahara lies there watching her husband breath deeply still asleep. She then rises from the bed to dress in a robe and stand in front of a mirror. Here Sahara imagines a slight bulge on her abdomen where a baby should be only it's not.
It appears Sahara's removal of the bed awoke her beloved husband. She can see him sitting up watching her.
Baldwin returns her stare through the mirror with sympathetic and saddened eyes through the mask he wore. He knows how much she longs she give him a son to secure his line and the legacy of Jerusalem and most of all having the one chance to be a father. It's killing her inside with each failure, torturing the soul.
"I thank God everyday for Sybilla. She can you a nephew, an heir. While I have given you nothing," said Sahara, gloomily.
"That's not true," disagreed Baldwin, rising from bed to walk over and donning his mask.
"All these years we've longed for a baby to call our own, yet fate continues to deny us. I fear the problem lies within me," said Sahara, voice trembling with heartache.
"Nonsense, My Queen. Once cannot force nature," said Baldwin, cupping her face in a gloved hand lovingly. "Have faith. It may yet still happen."
Oh Sahara desperately wishes that were so, but after so long she's starting to lose hope. Even she presumes that she's barren at this point. And men craving war watch them closely waiting to strike.
But God May yet still have one surprise left in store for them.
Authors Note:
Wishing you all a Happy 4th of July!
Hope you all like this one! I certainly did while writing it for your vast enjoyment! ;D
I'm glad to have finally gotten back to this after such a long absence compared to some others on my profile. I've been meaning to for a while and only now I've managed to find time and inspiration for it. Still in the beginning stages, but I'm very satisfied and happy about it.
I recently put up a new story called Fish Out Of Water. It's a crossover between the movie Shape of Water and the show Siren. So far I have everything figured out except one little thing. A name for my OC. Basically, since my OC character is in fact a mermaid I want the name to be in reference to the oceans or any other body of water similar to lakes or rivers. I'm more than open to suggestions so like I usually do in situations like this I'm turning it into a contest. The reader who gives me the winning name gets a question answered about the plot of the changed storyline in question. So think long and hard guys on the name and the type of question you'd like me to answer. Because you only get the one until the next opportunity arises for the taking. ;D