Children of the Cosmos

Chapter Three

Odin raced towards the Moon Pool, desperate to reach his wife Selene. He received a raven out on his hunting trip that she was in the beginning throes of labor. Her pregnancy had been hard and he knew the birth would be much harder, he just hoped that he could make it to her in time.

Odin pushed his spurs into his the black stallion beneath him, urging the steed faster. "Come on, ole boy, just a little further." The Moon Pool was not far ahead, he could see the reflection of the Moon's light reflecting off of the water, lightening up the forest.

Odin felt that his marriage to Selene was a blessing considering he was the second son to the lord of Reymer. By all means he should have been married off to a lesser lord's household and taken residence elsewhere. But one day many years ago he had caught a woman being robbed in the Marketplace of Mex. Odin had intervened and after seeing the beauty of the woman he had rescued, was smitten. He spent the evening with her, never knowing that she was the Princess of Elarian. They parted ways and he thought he would never see her again, that is until the High King of Elarian made an unexpected calling to his father's house. The High King Boric, an ancient man at best, who held the blood of the First Children, was never known to leave his home in the Elarian Mountains. To say the least, it was the greatest honor that the wisest man known had entered upon their lands. The High King approached Odin's father and asked if he would consider a marriage between their two houses. Lord Dormin, was greatly honored, and more than willing to accept.

Odin's bride-to-be arrived within the month and he was more than surprised to see the woman he had rescued in the marketplace. The two spent their first years as newlyweds completely inseparable. However, Odin was very aware of the jealously his older brother, Jay, felt against him. His brother had married the daughter of one of their bannermen while the youngest son of Reymer, who was third in line to their father's chair after the birth of Jay's son, was allowed to marry the Princess of a strong bloodline.

Odin pushed the thought of his brother's jealously out of his head. Surely, he didn't have anything to do with his wife's suffering; there was no way that he could of. He had made sure to keep her well-guarded these past few months.

Odin arrived in the clearing; his wife was resting waist high in the Moon Pool. He could see blood circling around her in the water and upon her white dress. He quickly splashed into the pool and embraced his wife, cradling her in his strong arms.

"My love," Selene whispered once she saw her husband, tears streaming down her face. "Something's wrong." She gave a scream as a contraction came over her.

"Help her," Odin urged to Priest of Elarian, Mullock.

Mullock shook his head, "I'm sorry my lord, we have tried. The baby is breeched. She has to push him out, or cut him out, otherwise the baby might perish."

Odin chocked back a sob as he rocked his smoothed the wet strands of brown hair from his wife's beautiful face.

"My love," she reached up stroke her husband's face, "It has to be done, try to save him," She pressed a knife into his hand, "Please, for the love you bear me and for our child: save him. I knew this would happen, the Cosmos, told me so: do it, my love."

Odin shook his head, "I can't…I can't…" Sobs wracked his body.

Mullock stepped forward, his heart was breaking too. Selene had been his charge ever since she was an infant and he felt nothing but fatherly affection towards her. He felt as if he was losing his own daughter but he knew if he didn't act fast, they might lose them both. "My lord, we need to move quickly." More blood was clouding the Moon Pool, one of the most sacred places to the Elarian people.

The sky lit up suddenly as a ball of light sped towards them, and for a moment the three of them had forgotten the dire need as a woman suddenly appeared to catch the speck of light falling from the sky. Mullock instantly fell to his needs, the water of the pool drenching his robes further, "Mother Gaia," he lowered his head in respect.

The light that was falling out of the sky at such a drastic rate suddenly slowed down. The three watched as Gaia opened her earthly hands covered in vines and flowers to embrace the falling star.

Gaia was a beautiful being to gaze upon; those that ever laid eyes upon her were considered to be blessed. Her skin resembled that of a tree bark, yet they knew that if they were to reach out and touch her, the flesh would be softer than hers. One would imagine that Gaia almost resembled a rainbow, for her hair, eyes, and skin, seemed to hold many colors, it was constantly shifting from shades of green, browns, yellow, blues, red and gold. What a sight she was!

And as that falling light fluttered down to where the three of them sat in the Moon Pool, Gaia held out her hands in the most inviting embrace and grasped onto that little light. A soft white glow emitted from her earthly hands as she turned to address Selene.

"Daughter, the child inside of you is dying, I am sorry there is not much hope for the little life and your own power is draining," Gaia stepped forward and they could feel the warmth radiating off of her. "I can save him that is if you allow his body to be used as a vessel for this little star."

Selene nodded, "Please, Mother, I beg you to save him."

"You understand though that you will die?"

"Yes…"

Gaia turned to Odin, his eyes were brimming with unshed tears, "I know this is hard for you, but one life can be saved. Raise the child well, for one day the Cosmos may call upon him again.

"I will, my lady." With one last loving look at his wife he crushed his lips against hers, feeling the warmness from them.

Gaia took the little star she held in her hand and pressed it upon Selene's large stomach. Suddenly a baby appeared as her stomach softened. The infant's first cries were music to Selene's ears. Gaia held out the baby for Selene who cradled the small infant against her breast.

"Sweet child," Selena kissed his tiny head that was covered in a mop of wild chocolate colored hair. Cobalt blue eyes opened to gaze at his mother. "Sweet, sweet child." The color drained from her lips and her skin that was once a vibrant gold suddenly faded into pale moon light.

"I am sorry," Gaia's voice echoed on the wind as she disappeared.

Odin clutched his wife, his arms wrapping around her and their child as he released the wall of tears that had built up inside of him. Mullock placed a hand upon his lord's shoulder in comfort, "My lord, we need to return. We will need to take Selene's body back to her homeland." Odin nodded in understanding. He knew that he would have many hard years ahead of him in raising his son alone.

-XOXOXOX-

"Ugh, this is boring!" Duo exclaimed as he watched them load the carriage that would take them to Reymer.

His father, Milliard, clapped his anxious fifteen year old son's shoulder, "I know you hate to do this, but you are old enough to act as an ambassador between the lands. It shouldn't be too boring though, Quatre is going with you at least."

Duo huffed air out of his mouth, his long chestnut colored bangs floating away from his heart shaped faced. "Yeah, yeah. But still, can't you send someone else to do it?"

"Well I could, but you are to meet your betrothed there,"

"Yeah, a seven year old boy," Duo ground his foot into the ground.

Milliard laughed, "You were the one that told us that you preferred a male. Are you suddenly changing your mind?"

Duo shook his head, "No, but I didn't want someone eight years my junior."

"It is a good match. He's of the old Elarian blood; he will make you happy I'm sure. Besides, I hear at such a young age he is already quite a beauty." He lightly elbowed his son knowing that it would agitate him.

"Father," Duo warned as he threw his fist around in a playful manner. Milliard caught his son's fist and twisted it around, his right hand hooking around to tickle his son's ribs. Duo laughed as he hooked his foot around his father's ankle in an attempt to overthrow him. The two continued their normal wrestling match, the servants ignoring their lord's usual banter with his son.

"I hope you will at least say good bye to your mother before you leave, Duo," Duo looked up from the headlock his father had him in to see his mother standing before them in all her regal beauty. Millard released his son to allow him to run up to his mother. Duo threw his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around before he kissed her on the cheek.

"Take care, Mother." Lucrezia tucked her son's long bangs behind his ear and smiled up at her dearly beloved son that towered several heads above her.

"Brush your hair dear, eat well, don't get too dirty, don't start fights," She listed off a number of do's and don'ts for her son, who in turn merely rolled his amethyst eyes at his mother.

"Yes, yes, I will, I swear to you, Mother," Duo quickly kissed her upon the cheek and ran to the carriage. His cousin, Quatre, was already inside waiting for the word to leave. Duo jumped in onto the cushioned seats and turned back to wave at his mother and father. "Good bye! I'll return in a few months." As the carriage rolled outside of the gates, Duo turned to his blonde haired cousin: "As soon as we are outside of our lands, we will ride instead of riding in this stuffy carriage."