Dripping Wings

Bells jingled merrily as horses pranced their way up the welcome isle. Snow flakes as big as pop corn fell upon the entourage as if in welcome. Astarte was kicking her knees up higher than normal, but her breaths were labored. :How are you holding up, Astarte?: Yuugi asked her mentally.

The white mare snorted. :Very pregnant, how do you think?:

Yuugi chuckled a little. :I could have ridden Velinah back into the city.:

Astarte's head snapped up, and her ears went back. :Ha! Ride the bird, would you? My hoof! I got to you first! I'll carry you back home!:

He shook his head and smiled. Astarte was a proud little creature. His entrance back into the city had become an entire occasion, and the entire population had turned out to greet them. Astarte knew that everyone was going to pay nearly as much attention to her as to Yuugi. She loved the opportunity to show off. Yuugi also knew that after all of the battles they'd been in, she deserved the honor.

The roar of the crowd's cheer was nearly deafening. Yuugi was returning home nearly a month and a half early, too, which was entirely unexpected. He exceeded the expectations of even his Elven tutors. Yuugi would be presented his Cleariahn Jewel, a coveted jewel that was given to every fully developed mage. It was like a diploma in jewelry form.

Velinah cried out from above, heralding his return. The palace steps were in full view, the deep purple rug leading right up to Atemu's waiting arms. Atemu...! Yuugi's heart sang. Why, oh why did he have to be walked up to him? Why couldn't he just run? Stupid customs! The steps seemed to take forever, and by the time they reached the top, Astarte was winded and out of breath. Her burden in her belly was huge, and her agility was nearly gone. She was grateful when Yuugi's weight was able to be removed when he dismounted.

Isis, Lillian, Atemu, and Jono were all standing on the Welcome Dias and smiling. Yuugi could not hold back the grin that cracked his face. Unable to take it any longer, he launched himself into Atemu's arms. "Oh, I missed you so much!"

"Yuugi! Welcome home!" The embrace was tight and cherished. "I've been waiting for you."

Yuugi closed his eyes and smiled. Atemu smelled wonderful. He'd missed that smell.

"Yuugi."

Yuugi opened his eyes and saw Lillian looking at him. He released his hug and looked at her. "Yes?"

"Now is as good of a time as any. Here, now, you will be honored with your Cleariahn Jewel." In her hands was a white cloth trimmed with gold. She unfolded the cloth and revealed an oval cut piece of glass, polished smooth. "It is your own powers that will rest within this jewel," she spoke clearly. "However, you must put more in this than just your Gifts. You must place your trust, your hopes, and your life into this stone, but most importantly, you must place your love. It is your love that all other hopes and desires and powers must rest in. Your jewel will be your keystone to your endeavors as a mage, and as such it must have no discontent or ill will to taint it. Take your stone, Yuugi, our newest mage, and turn it into a treasure."

Yuugi took a breath. He had been told nothing about this act with the stone, but he felt he knew how to proceed. Keystones were charged little rocks that a mage used to store energy in the direst times of need. Yuugi picked up the lifeless piece of glass and looked into it. All he saw was his hand beneath it. He closed his fingers around it softly and felt the smoothness of it. He was certain the finest glassblower in the country had crafted it for him. He closed his eyes and felt the powers of his Gifts buzzing through his bloodstream. He allowed the energy to seep through his skin and enter the awaiting glass jewel. Shadows, light, and the bountiful energy of his healing mingled and sang with each other in a harmony even he hadn't known before. Yuugi thought of his love for Atemu, and Astarte, and Helios and Velinah and all of the other people he'd met since coming to Sekesha. He thought of his parents, who's souls still lived on in the afterlife and were watching him. Everything he held so dear; he'd never been so happy in his entire life. That love, once he felt it brought to the top of his focus, leaped into his stone like it was meant to be there. Then his hopes followed. His hopes of keeping Atemu happy, of saving everyone from their enemies, and, most of all, the child that he knew he and Atemu would be having. He wasn't sure how this ritual was going to work, but he had faith, and that faith poured into the stone.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the glow around his hand fade away. Everyone was looking at him expectantly. Yuugi opened his hand and looked down at the stone.

It was no longer clear. It looked like there was a silvery, milky substance that was flowing around within it, and every so often it would glow a soft pink-maroon.

"Congratulations, Yuugi, you are now a mage. May your heart guide your head."

Yuugi smiled. That was an ancient Sekeshan proverb. It was custom to say it at such events, and especially when one went off to war. After all, it was the heart that controlled magick, not the brain. The brain was used in physical combat, not magickal. He looked down at his jewel. It was no longer a simple piece of glass. Now, it was one of the most coveted jewels in the entire country - and perhaps beyond. Yuugi brought up his other hand and levitated the object in the air between his palms. Out of light, he wove a chain for it, and watched entranced as his mage Gift turned it into a real, solid chain of silver. He smiled and put it around his neck.

"Congratulations, love." Atemu wrapped his arms around him and kissed him. "Welcome home."

x x x

"Wait, I don't understand, how is this getting done? And why now?"

Atemu led Yuugi by the hand down the palace's endless hallways. "It's a little complicated to hear at first, but trust me, it will all make sense. The High Priestess Analeah from the High Temple of Tranquility will be performing the ritual, and she is the one that will be entrusted with the life of our unborn child."

Yuugi's mind reeled. "How?"

"With the performing of the ritual, like I said."

Yuugi pursed his lips and growled. "I'm still not getting it. Start from the beginning again, and tell me how it's all going to work."

Atemu stopped once they reached a dias that was in a room Yuugi had never been in before. "Here's how it's going to happen. You and I will stand facing one another, our hands raised and our fingers intertwined, like this." Atemu put Yuugi at arm's length and brought his hands up to his, their palms touching. He then laced his fingers through Yuugi's. "Then Analeah will then say the words to start the ritual. You must remember, Yuugi, that we are powerless to do anything in this. Men are not given the right to have anything to do with birth outside of intimacy. The magick of the ritual will take a small part of your being, and a small part of mine, and combine it, then those energies will enter the body of Analeah. She will be the one to carry our child."

Yuugi scratched at his temples. "This is the strangest thing I have ever heard of. I mean, is this even a good idea? The idea just seems so odd to have someone outside of the relationship carry our child, I-"

"I know Yuugi, it's a bit hard to accept at first. But Analeah is trustworthy. Tranquility Herself appointed the priestess. There is no other woman on this earth that would be allowed to do it."

"That's right," a feminine voice declared from the dias. Yuugi looked up and saw that it was the same woman that had danced so beautifully at the Winter Solstice every year. "I promise you, your Highness, that your child will be safe. I will allow no harm to come to it ever, even after its birth." The look in her yellow blue eyes was one of compassion. Her features were soft, and Yuugi could feel no ill will, not even a trace of it, in her aura. There was nothing but sweetness around her. "Your fears are understood, though. I cannot think of anyone that would not find this situation uncomfortable."

Yuugi nodded. "All right."

"Should we begin?" Atemu asked the priestess.

"Yes. Waiting will get nothing done. Allow us to begin." Analeah spread out a simple silk cloth, the color of creamy white, on a small table that was on the dias with her. There were a few tools there, but Yuugi could not see what they were. Oils, elixirs, and scrolls, most likely. "Come, both of you, stand directly in front of me at the feet of this platform, and hold hands, just as you were."

They did as they were told. Yuugi was also a little uncomfortable about how soon this had to be done. He'd barely been able to eat his dinner after coming home before Atemu whisked him away to this room. We have very little time left, Atemu had said. Our bonding ceremony will be at dawn tomorrow, and our coronation will happen once the moon has risen tomorrow night. It will be the ending festivities for the Solstice this year.

Why so quickly?

"Close your eyes, and concentrate on nothing. Only feel each other's hands, and their warmth. Think about your love for one another, and most importantly, don't move."

Yuugi looked up into Atemu's warm ruby eyes. The Prince smiled at him and winked. Yuugi grinned back, and dutifully closed his eyes.

"Sey ah-neahll nah ley, eya na so leh! Cerinah al cahl un-neh, eahya so nah all eh!" Analeah was not calling and chanting, but rather singing. It almost sounded like a sweet lullaby. Yuugi allowed her warm song to fill his ears, and focused on the strong, familiar hands holding lovingly onto his.

Warmth flooded his chest. His mental vision told him that it was probably glowing with a soft pink glow - the glow of a healer. He sucked in a deep breath and felt a gust of wind encase him. Still, he held on to Atemu's hands.

Thirty seconds later, it was all over. Yuugi opened his eyes when he felt the wind and the warmth of the energy leave him. Atemu's hair looked windswept, and Yuugi imagined that his looked the same as well. Atemu smiled at him.

Something shattered on the dias. Yuugi's head snapped over and saw the priestess was attempting to hold herself up, and had without meaning to knocked over a glass phial. Her skin was paler than usual, and her face was drawn. The two of them rushed up to her and helped to hold her up. "Forgive me," Analeah panted. "I...have never done that before. I was...unprepared...for the physical repercussions."

She's exhausted, Yuugi realized.

"Fear not," Atemu said. "You will be looked after until the child is born." Without warning, she fell asleep in their arms.

x x x

The doors to their bedroom rattled loudly as Yuugi's back was thrust up against it. Atemu was currently lip-locked with him, and Yuugi was struggling to remove the Prince's clothes. Of course, they had good reason for doing as such - they'd been celibate for nearly five months, and the pain of missing one another was greater than either wanted to admit.

Atemu managed to get the door open and get themselves inside. He kicked the door shut and, deciding to give Yuugi a hickey, walked him over to the bed. Yuugi ripped off the Prince's vest and began to undo his pants.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Atemu growled loudly. Someone was banging on their doors. Whatever the problem was, it had better be good.

"Your majesties!" Some outside of their room cried. "Please, come quick!"

"Of all the wretched times...!" Yuugi growled.

Atemu straightened his clothes and mussed with his hair as he walked to the door. He opened it up with a grunt. "Yes?"

It was a young healer that was standing there, her face anxious. "The Royal Sacred, Astarte! She's in labor, my Lord!"

"What!" Yuugi jumped up and ran to the door. "Astarte? Oh my gawd! Atemu, we have to go!" Atemu ended up rushing just to keep up with Yuugi as he rushed out the door. Yuugi took the underground passageway to get to the stables. It was certainly quicker. People gave him odd looks as he ran down the halls, but he paid them no heed. :Astarte, can you hear me? How are you fairing?:

There was a grunt inside of his head. :Curse every deity on this wretched earth! It hurts!"

:Don't worry, I'm coming! You won't be in pain for long!: Sacreds were notorious for having painful births. Fatalities were minimal, if any, but they were incredibly painful. Yuugi would be able to help her and ease her discomfort.

Yuugi opened up the stable door so fast hay flew around him in miniature vortexes. Astarte's stall was open, and two healers were inside with her. Yuugi rushed up to her and fell to his knees. Her breathing was hard. :Slow breaths, dear. Slow breaths.: Yuugi ran his hand down her stomach and felt where the foal was kicking and pushing. There was no doubt about it - that little horse in there wanted out. Yuugi's hand started to glow a soft pink-white. That glow acted as a painkiller, and would make the birthing process easier.

Atemu finally caught up and sat down next to Astarte's head. He rubbed her forehead softly. "How is she?" he asked.

"She'll be okay," Yuugi stated. "Her pain has gone down."

The sound of hay being shuffled out of the way, and the dull thud of hooves against the ground, mixed in with the sound of Astarte's breaths. Yuugi looked up and noticed that Senke was standing there, his eyes clearly worried.

:Is everything all right between the two of you?: Yuugi asked his horse.

Astarte strained her neck back. :Stupid, bloody arrogant men! They always have to think - ah!: Her ranting was cut off when she had another contraction.

Well, they'd had a disagreement about something, and apparently Senke hadn't admitted that he was wrong to her. Yuugi didn't have the faintest idea what they could have been arguing about, but getting her worked up wasn't going to help her any. :Okay, easy, easy. Astarte, listen to me. You have to push to get the foal out. I promise, I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. It won't hurt hardly at all.:

:Push, push, of course! Silly me! How could I have ever forgotten?:

Yuugi sighed. :Sarcasm doesn't help.:

Senke pushed his nose into her hair. :Is she okay?: He asked Yuugi.

Yuugi looked up at him and nodded. :She's all right. Her pain is going to be minimal.:

It was nearly two hours later when the foal was finally born. As soon as the placenta was removed and the coat was dried, Yuugi and Atemu had been delighted to see that it was a female, and her coat was a shiny silver in color.

:What are you going to name her?: Yuugi asked his horse.

Astarte gave no inclination that she'd heard him as she lay on the hay. :I have no idea. Any ideas?:

Yuugi thought hard. The new one was silver, and he seemed to be having a fancy for mythological names, so... :How does Artemis sound to you?:

:Where does that name come from? What does it mean?:

:An ancient Goddess from the world I came from. She was a huntress, and a moon Goddess. She swore that she would never give herself to any man.: Yuugi got the mental image of his horse smiling.

:Yes, I like that name. Artemis. That is my daughter's name.:

"Artemis," Yuugi said out loud. Atemu looked at him curiously. "That's the new foal's name. Artemis."

The Prince nodded and smiled.