Baby mine don't you cry

Baby mine dry your eyes

Rest your head close to my heart

Never to part

Baby of mine

~Baby of Mine-Alison Krause~

Cordana looked up from the newest wave of agony expecting to see Skylar and Rashana and the quiet familiarity of Sanctuary. Instead she saw large boulders, scant grasses and shrubs dotting a desert landscape.

"This isn't Sanctuary! Where is this?" Her eyes were wide with fright and pain and she gripped Khadgar tightly.

Khadgar stood up and looked around. His brow furrowed. "I teleported us to Sanctuary, Cordana! I don't understand this!"

She cried out as another wave assailed her. "Khadgar! Please!"

He knelt down and held her tight, then tried again.

This time it was indeed a forest, but it was most certainly not Sanctuary. Cordana was clinging onto him, moaning. "What is wrong with you?" she cried. "I need Rashana!"

Panic seized his heart. Never in his life had he failed to teleport correctly. It was one of the first spells he had ever learned, and teleporting two people was child's play. Where in the 9 hells were they? He could not even discern if they were on Draenor or Azeroth.

"Hang on, my love," he said as calmly as he could. "I will cast us a portal and I will carry you through it."

He created the portal easily enough, but when he looked into it, there was no image of their destination. He tried again, using a different weave. This time instead of showing their destination, it flashed hundreds of images in rapid succession.

"Oh light...oh no..." whispered Khadgar.

"What? Help me get up Khadgar!"

He turned and looked at her. When she saw the expression in his eyes, her fear magnified. He knelt down beside her. "Cordana, my travel magic is not working correctly."

"What do you mean? You are an Archmage! Travel is the least of your spells is it not?"

"While you were away, I studied more of the Ogre magic. They had causeways scattered throughout Draenor which enabled them to travel quickly over long distances, much like my magic. Since I had attuned myself to this timestream, I thought I could activate the causeways, enabling everyone to travel with ease without needing a mage. Something has gone awry!"

"Oh no, Khadgar! Do something!"

She wailed as another spasm wracked her body. Cordana had no idea what was happening to her. She had trusted that Rashana would be there to help her when the time came for her son's birth, and although she had an idea what to expect, she had not thought it would be this terrible, which frightened her into thinking something was wrong with her baby.

Travel was now out of the question. Khadgar needed to deal with the situation himself. He conjured a tent and bedding for Cordana and hoped his manifestation magic was still intact. With a sigh of relief he saw the objects appear. Picking her up in his arms, he gently brought her inside.

"Undress me," she gasped, clawing at the mismatched mess of armor she wore.

Khadgar tried to remove it magically, but because it was translocation based it fizzled and failed. Gently he took every piece off by hand until she was completely divested of all her garments. He covered her with a light blanket although it was not chilly, thinking it would bring her some comfort.

"I think our son is ready to meet us," she said, panting. "But I need water...my people...we bring forth new life in a birthing pool!"

Khadgar's bright eyes grew even brighter. "He is coming now? Here? Cordana!"

She cried out in pain and gripped the bedding.

"What do I do, Cordana? Light I have no knowledge of these things! Tell me what the pools look like!"

Between contractions she did her best to describe them for him. His first two attempts failed miserably. On his third try, he summoned up a structure that resembled a moonwell and she was happy with that. She tried to get up, but another contraction forced her back down. She was now bleeding and her water had broken.

Khadgar tried to ignore the blood. He forced himself to look anywhere but there as he carried her to the little pool he had made. Cordana was soothed by it and sighed with relief.

"I do not know what to do!" she said. "Rashana said she would take care of me! I am scared, Khadgar! There is so much pain...I do not know if this is normal!"

He felt helpless and lost, feeling once more the smothering blanket of failure settle upon him. Again he had failed to acquire the necessary knowledge to be a good husband and father. All the time he had wasted with Ogre magic and Orbs when he should have been researching Kaldorei birthing rituals and birth in general. I am a terrible, self centered man, he thought unhappily.

Stripping off his battle gear and his small clothes, Khadgar got into the pool with her. He held her in front of him and did his best to comfort her. The pool was round, surrounded by white pillars and filled with warm, soothing water. There was an edge that served as a seat and that is where they rested. Cordana half sat, half floated, and Khadgar just held her close with both arms, his lips next to her ear, speaking softly to her.

Cordana's pains were faster and closer and she was crying miserably now. She gripped his arms tightly.

"It is ok, Cordana," he said gently. "You will be just fine. Listen to your body. We might not know what to do, but your body does. Our son will be here with us very soon!"

Khadgar hoped she could not feel him trembling. He felt wretched inside, not believing the very words he was saying to his beloved wife. He had no idea if she or their son was alright. He had no inkling of what was normal in childbirth and what was not. The one thing the Archmage had always excelled at, his one constant was his magic. Now his magic had betrayed him, denying his wife the help she desperately needed. He didn't want his little son born under more pain and duress than was necessary. Khadgar had imagined the birth would be gentle and uneventful. Of course, being a male, he hadn't consider the messy details of it. He had also not considered that he would be Cordana's sole support for the birth, as she had planned to have their son at Sanctuary with Rashana's assistance. Again he cursed his foolishness.

Cordana struggled for hours. Wherever they were, the sun had set and the moon made its appearance. It comforted Cordana to feel Elune's light on her and Khadgar felt her relax between contractions. For awhile nothing seemed to happen and she dozed off, exhausted. He was grateful for the reprieve and continued to hold her and comfort her.

Suddenly she awoke with a grunt and arched her back. "I think...its...time" she gasped.

Each successive contraction seemed worse than the last.

With the next one, Cordana cried out and pushed. Khadgar couldn't see what was happening, and he didn't wish to move from his supportive position. Bringing new life into the world was something that had been done since the beginning of time. It was an innate ability for the body to know what needed to be done, and when. Cordana was healthy and so was their son, there was no need for concern, or so he told himself, repeating it like a mantra in his head. Seeing her in such pain, unable to effect much comfort, tore at his heart.

It seemed like forever, Cordana pushing with the contractions, and Khadgar encouraging and soothing her as best he could.

Finally, beneath the perfect light of the moon, their little boy was born.

Cordana was crying as she held the tiny newborn boy against her. Khadgar finally dared to move and settled beside her. She kissed the wet little head and offered him to her mate with trembling hands.

"Khadgar, meet your son. His name is Khaidric."

He took the baby from her and cradled him carefully in his arms. He had never held someone so tiny and fragile, and this little someone was a part of him. The little fellow had his hands tucked under his chin, but when he felt his father's kiss on his forehead he reached out a miniature hand and touched him.

All of Khadgar's carefully crafted composure dropped.

He held his son and cried as he never had before.

Cordana woke up in Khadgar's arms, Khaidric sleeping soundly on his father's chest, one tiny fist curled around the silver hairs.

"I wonder when he will want to eat," she mused tiredly. "All the work of being born and he has no interest in food!"

Khadgar turned his head and smiled at her. "How are you feeling my love?"

"Like a riverbeast ran through me," she said, wincing as she moved.

"Oh, no riverbeast," said Khadgar. "Just this wonderful little guy."

He gently stroked Khaidric's fuzzy head. In the light of day they could see their son shared Cordana's beautiful purple hair, his little ears were slightly pointed but not as long as his mother's and he had his father's human skin color.

"I think he has your lips," said Khadgar softly.

"I think he looks like you," answered Cordana. "Which is very lucky for him."

"You flatter me too much, my love, and I am largely undeserving."

Khaidric squirmed and turned his head, facing his mother. Cordana kissed him. She tried to sit up but was too weak.

"How are we going to get home, Khadgar?" she asked. "I really need an apothecary."

"Are you still in pain, Cordana?" he asked, concerned.

She nodded. "Yes, quite a bit. I can barely move and I need to relieve myself. I am not looking forward to it."

"I am so sorry my love," said Khadgar softly. "You were incredible, Cordana. I was of no help to you at all, and you managed to bring our son into this world all on your own. I do not even have the words to express how I feel about you...I can say I love you...but that does not seem like enough."

He gently held onto Khaidric and rose, laying him in the little bassinette he had conjured. The baby stretched and yawned, and went right back to sleep.

The Archmage carefully helped Cordana out of the bed. She was very shaky and weak but managed to do what she needed to do. She didn't make a sound, but the pain made her see stars. She was aware that she had lost a lot of blood, and was in dire need of a healer. She didn't wish to worry Khadgar, he had enough on his plate with his transportation problem.

Khadgar helped her back to the bed and covered her with a blanket. Placing Khaidric's bassinette close beside her, he conjured up some simple clothing and got dressed. He saw how pale Cordana was, and he didn't like it.

"I do not wish to be away from you, but I need to sort out this magic issue," he said softly. "Are you able to reach Khaidric if he needs you?"

She nodded and he went outside.

Cordana felt her eyes grow heavy. Her limbs seemed leaden. Something felt wrong. She should have started recovering already, she had seen it with the other Kaldorei at Sanctuary. Perhaps it was because they had had healers present.

Khaidric squirmed and whimpered. She reached over and carefully picked him up, cradling him against her. He yawned then managed to get his fist near his mouth and began trying to suckle it.

"Oh little one," she said with a smile. "Now you are hungry!"

Cordana was unsure what to do with him. Of course, she knew she had to feed him, and understood the gist of it, but she knew there would be details she had no clue of. Holding him next to her breast, she encouraged him to take her nipple and suckle. It took a few tries, but he figured it out, and she delighted in the notion that her body was able to give sustenance to her son.

Khaidric didn't eat much and fell asleep again. She held him on her chest, not wishing to be away from him. After nearly a year of carrying him inside her, Cordana could not bear to have him too far away. She was exhausted and fell asleep.

When she opened her eyes, Khadgar was sitting in a chair beside her, holding Khaidric. He was stroking his son's cheek and kissing his head. The baby was still asleep.

"He is so beautiful and perfect, Cordana," whispered Khadgar. "I still cannot believe that this is my son, my bloodline. Every dream I ever has come true in the two of you. Thank you my love, for all of this, for going through with it even though I know you didn't wish to."

Cordana smiled weakly. "Khaidric is worth everything I went through."

Her eyes felt heavy, and she could not keep them open. She heard Khadgar talking to her but she couldn't understand what he was saying. All she wanted was to sleep. She felt herself drifting away, her body light and free of pain.

"Cordana!" his voice sounded urgent. She felt him touch her face, then felt herself being held, the action pulling her from that peaceful place she had been floating in and her pain came back.

"Cordana, please...wake up!"

I am awake, she thought unhappily. Leave me alone Khadgar, I am tired. Everything hurts, I don't want to move.

His wife had fallen asleep as he had talked to her earlier, and he had taken Khaidric in his bassinette outside with him to continue to work on the transportation situation.

That was 2 hours ago.

When he returned to the tent, Cordana was still asleep but he noticed immediately that something was wrong. She was extremely pale, her breathing was shallow and she had not moved in all that time. Cordana was usually an active sleeper, tossing and turning. She never remained in one position. Khadgar talked to her softly and touched her, then shook her and called to her. She did not respond.

He pulled the blankets from her and was shocked by what he saw.

She was lying in a pool of blood. It had seeped into the bedding and into the sheepskins below it.

"Oh no, no, no...Cordana...no..."

He gathered her up in his arms and rocked her, rubbing her limbs, begging her to awaken.

He was shaking with anxiety.

He had fought the Legion, countless demons and things he would as soon forget. He had been to the 9 hells and back and survived. He knew how to quell his fear and focus, but this...this was something terrible he could not repress.

Cordana was dying.

He had been on enough battlefields to recognize loss of blood when he saw it. Khaidric's birth had been hard and traumatized her body. She needed a healer desperately.

His meddling with the Ogre causeways had twisted his magic. He had aligned himself with the Draenic timestream, but when he began to use the causeways something must have gone wrong. Now he could not figure out how to untwist them and set them right. At least not under such dire conditions. He had no time to puzzle through it, his wife needed a city, any city would do. Any city with healers.

Khadgar had slowed down the chaotic portals on his earlier attempts, and was now given one second views of the places it linked to. They would have to jump through it and hope they caught a friendly city. It was the only way to get his wife out of this place, wherever it was.

Khadgar bundled baby Khaidric up against her, and picked Cordana up. She was limp and listless and her skin was clammy.

"It's going to be ok, Cordana," he said soothingly. "We are going to find a way out of here, I promise you."

The portal was flashing. He drew power and forced it to slow but it was resisting. He drew more of it but it wasn't enough. He could not get it as slow as it had been previously. At the current speed there was no way they could make it through.

He needed yet more power.

Khadgar swallowed hard and pressed his lips to Cordana's forehead. He knew what he was considering was wrong on every level, and an affront to the Kirin Tor and the Council of Six, but his wife's life hung in the balance. Right or wrong was never black and white and it suddenly didn't matter.

What mattered was her. He had promised Cordana at the World Tree that he would always protect her, and if it killed him, Khadgar would keep that promise. He warded his wife and his son.

Kirin Tor and their limited vision be damned. He had failed enough as it was and would not endure another failure.

To the 9 hells with the Council of Six, who would not help him when he needed them the most.

He drew on his anger, allowing the darkness inside him to expand and reach out. He called up every tragedy, every slight, every injustice and twisted it into hatred. His rage was a black ball of dissent that roiled and churned in his very being.

Khadgar channeled into the Twisting Nether.

He linked with the Fel.

They jumped through the portal.