I do not own the WWE or any of the characters associated with it. I only own Rose and her family.

Chapter 5

The room spun as she tried to regain her composure from what she had just seen. He was a monster, pure and simple. A monster and there was no getting around it. Before anyone could ask if she was okay with what she had just witnessed, she flew from the room to her spot in the garden.

Heaving, she tried desperately not to get anything on her dress. She finally stopped throwing up a full ten minutes after she began. She sat down on the bench and sobbed. She didn't notice Lord Adam come up behind her.

"Are you composed, my lady?" He asked gently.

"I'm fine, Lord Adam. What might I do for you?" She stood, knowing someone had probably followed him to keep an eye on him.

"You rushed by me in the hall and seemed to be in quite the rush. I just came to check on you." He said, looking into her eyes.

"I was quite taken aback with Lord Marcus's ritual. I just had to get some air. I'm sure someone will come fetch me." She looked at his face. "You know, for someone who just lost their wife and slave, you don't seem very upset."

"I am upset that she was a treasonous whore." Adam muttered.

"What did she do that was so treasonous if I might ask?" Rose inquired.

"She told me that Lord Marcus didn't deserve to be our lord. That she would ensure his downfall and that if I didn't help her, I would fall with him." Adam bit out, very upset.

"I didn't mean for you to get angry. I just…"

"My lady, it is time for you to meet with Lord Marcus and Lord Kane." A guard interrupted.

"Very well." She composed herself. "Lead the way."

When she arrived, in Lord Marcus's study, she found both of them staring at her as she entered, making her very uncomfortable. She sat on the chair provided and began to feel dizzy, wondering why she was like this. Was it the child?

"Rose, I'm sorry you were unprepared for that. We should have waited until the child was born to subject you to that kind of duress." Lord Marcus began.

"We want to take care of you and the child. It is our number one priority." Kane put in.

"And as such, we want to make it clear that you are very special to me and this court. How is the child doing?" He asked putting a hand on her stomach. He then frowned. "The child is growing fast for a hybrid."

"A hybrid?" Rose asked. "Does that mean my child will…?"

"Yes. The child will be part Reaper. It is just the way it is, I'm afraid. It won't be immortal, but it will have a very long life span and it will need souls to survive, as well as you." Marcus looked at her. "Will you be able to handle it?"

"I will try, my lord." She answered.

"Good, good. But since the child is growing at a faster rate, you will go into labor sooner."

"How much sooner?" Kane asked.

"Well, at the current rate, it should be in a few weeks. It already feels like an eight month period, though it has only been three months since I last laid with her."

"My lord, I beg you. I need more time to decide what to do. I don't wish to be bound to you…" He turned to her menacingly. "…without knowing all of the facts. I am a new mother and I cannot be expected to be your wife, your lover, and a mother without understanding anything about you. Please, teach me."

"Kane, did you tell her about the Lady?" Marcus asked.

"No, I figured you would start with that." He joked.

"Rose, when I first took over from King Uriens, I was visited by his wife, the Lady Morgana. She told me there would be a red-headed beauty that would join me and live with me and be mine. She would give me the humanity that I so desperately needed. "

"Am I that beauty, my lord?" She asked, blushing.

"I believe so. You make me want to be human, Rose. It's important to me that I have a woman I can trust with everything about me. You are to be cherished and if anyone wants to get to me, they will use you. Are you ready for that?" He asked, deadly serious.

"But you will protect me?"

"Of course, which is why Lord Adam and Lord Kane will be your bodyguards when I am at war. You are not to go anywhere without them. Do I make myself clear?"

She nodded. "What about our child? When it's born, it will need protection, surely."

"Yes, when the child is born, their duties will extend to the child. Unfortunately, the Irish are causing more problems. I might have to leave sooner than I intended."

"But will you be here for the birth?" Rose asked, worried.

"I can't promise I will be here, but I will do my best."

"Yes, my lord."

"Lord Kane is my right hand and he will tend to your needs." Lord Marcus looked at her. "I leave in two weeks time."

She embraced him and answered. "I want to be bound to you, Marcus. I beg you. I cannot part from you without knowing you will be alright. Please."

"You aren't strong enough for the bond to me. It could harm the child. I cannot do it until the child is born and you are healthy enough to endure it." Lord Marcus looked at Kane and back to her. "You will be fine without the bond."

"Yes, my lord."

"Good. Let's get you to bed then." He helped her to their room and closed the door.

"Kane, nothing can go wrong while I am gone."

"Of course not. She won't be without Adam or myself. I swear it."

"I knew I could trust you."

Two weeks had went by very fast for Rose. She didn't want Marcus to go. She was scared of what would happen in his absence. She realized that she didn't love him because of what Lady Morgana had told him, but because if she didn't have him, she would be not be vulnerable. She was still an Irish woman after all. She stroked her stomach, which had grown tremendously in these past weeks and she felt that she was about to pop, though to the average person she looked to be only five months along.

Lord Marcus watched her with Kane and Lord Adam. She was sad because he was leaving, but he had waited long enough. He had to go back to the war. Marcus turned to the two men.

"Take good care of her and send a messenger to me when she has the child." Marcus walked over to his wife. "I have to go now, Rose. But I will hurry back. I promise."

"Of course, my lord." She stood up. "I hope you come home soon."

He kissed her forehead and left the three of them in his study.

"Lord Marcus will come home safe, my lady. Please don't worry about him." Lord Kane reassured her.

"It's not him I'm worried about. It's me." With that, she passed through the door and tried to make it down the hall. She collapsed and two guards rushed forward to carry her as Lord Adam came up to them.

"What happened?" He asked.

"She collapsed, my lord. We are taking her to her room to recuperate." One said.

"Very well, let's go. Call the doctor." The other one took off down the hall, as Kane appeared and followed the other to his brother's room. "I hope the child isn't coming. Did Lord Marcus leave yet?"

"Yes, my lord." The guard replied.

"Dammit! Send a messenger immediately to him." Kane ordered. The guard left the two men with her as she began to toss and turn. "She's having a nightmare. I think the child is doing this to her."

The doctor appeared and set to work. "Gentlemen, only one of you can remain here, this is now a sick room."

Kane turned to Adam. "I trust you to her care. I have some affairs to take care of. Keep me updated with what happens." He left with that.

"Come on, Rose. Hold out for us." Adam whispered.

She screamed in agonizing pain as the doctor rushed around. "We can wait no longer. The child will kill her, my lord." She screamed louder.

"She can handle it. I'm sure of it." Adam answered. "Do something! Help her."

Inside her mind, she was running. Rose was running as fast as she could away from it. Was it her child? Why couldn't she stop running? It was too much, she screamed as it came closer.

"Why are you running, Mommy? Don't you love me? Daddy loves me." It said, disembodied. "Why can't you love me, Mommy?"

"You aren't my child. You're a monster!" She answered, running away.

It teleported in front of her as Rose let out a yelp. "Mommy, please love me."

Kane heard the screams and rushed in just as Rose woke up in a cold sweat, shivering. He hugged her and held her as she shivered violently.

"Is this normal?" He asked.

"No, this is different. Normally, the child and the mother would have died by this point, but Rose is a stronger breed of woman." The doctor explained, as Rose slumped over.

"Will she survive the pregnancy?" Kane asked through gritted teeth.

"Yes, and if she accepts being bound to Lord Marcus, then she will survive as long as he does." The doctor answered. "I dare say, she is more remarkable than his other ventures."

"That she is." Kane ascended.

The doctor left and Kane had Mary go get her mistress more blankets. He paced and watched her through the next week without sleep. Lord Adam worried about him. He knocked on the door constantly just to be shooed away.

Rose finally opened her eyes after a week. "Where am I?" She asked, terrified.

"You're home, my lady." Kane answered. "We were worried about you."

Mary nodded beside him. "Are you hungry, my lady?"

Rose nodded and Mary was off like a shot. "Kane, what happened to me?"
"You were having a nightmare the doctor said. We were afraid you… we were afraid you wouldn't wake until Marcus came home." Kane tried to put it delicately.

"Is he home?" She lit up brightly.

"Not yet, my lady." Kane answered.

"How long has it been since he left us?" She wondered aloud.

"Half a fortnight." He shifted to his feet. "Your garden misses you. Eat something and Lord Adam will be here to tend you. I need to get some sleep."

"Food sounds wonderful." Kane crossed to the door. "Kane? Do you think I am a good wife for Lord Marcus?" She asked.

"Of course, my lady." Kane smiled back at her. "Lord Adam is here now. Enjoy your meal."