Divinity: Chapter fifty seven
Deep in the woods, a game between the sky, earth and water made a precious and ethereal place called by Gaia Elysion.
Like if Helios knew his grandchild and great grandchild were going to live there, it seemed he illuminated the land with a warm golden light.
Sunlight felt different in this place.
A long path made of pebbles and grass led you to the entrance of a small city, that same path led you to a majestic palace. Just like if water had followed them, a small creek was on the side of the road, its tingly sound bringing a feeling of comfort and peace, a large temple was seen on a top of a hill.
A long and golden gate guarded the majestic royal palace; imposing elegance and distinction to the other palaces of the other kingdoms the same pebbled road decorated the large roundabout at the entrance. A very big oak wooden door gave entrance to an immense and unimaginable place; once you walk through the door you get impressed by the spacious lobby. Ivory tall walls supported a beautiful stained glass dome that let the light go through it, red and golden carpets adorned the long halls that connected to other parts of the palace.
The main hall was connected to the main court which later connected you to the throne room and other rooms like the study, the conference room, the dining and living room and the ball room.
The main court was full of greenery, a sweet scent of roses engulfed the place, and green vines were all around the tall pillars around the court. A large white marble fountain was in the center of the court, you could see the water lilies dance with the falling water of the fountain.
This court was surrounded by four different halls, an open space where you could receive the visits, have tea or just sit in one of the stone benches and relax.
Passing the main court another large wooden doors were guarding another special place. The heart of the palace, the throne room.
White with golden marbled floors, tall walls with golden decoration and red curtains, at the end of the room there were four steps and at their top two thrones surrounded by four pillars supporting a dome crystal ceiling that welcomed the sunlight in day time and allowed to greet the starts at night; three crystal chandeliers illuminated the vast and majestic room when it was needed.
A couple of days have passed, the royal family had settled in the new palace already and to the royals surprise many people from all the four kingdoms followed them to live in the same place to start a new life as well.
Gaia was in her quarters sitting on a dark blue couch reading a book, the room she shared with her husband was indeed bigger than the one they had on the other palace, wooden floors covered the entire quarters, tall windows with soft blue veil curtains that danced with the soft breeze of the day, tall ivory walls with different paintings. Behind the couch Gaia was sitting, there was a tall white wall with double doors diving the living room from the bedroom, the bed took full attention of the room, a big bed with a long blue cover, cushions made with the finest silk in shades of blues and greens decorated the cover on the bed and two wooden night stands were on the sides of it, three white candles on each side table.
On its left side there was another double door leading to a balcony, several feet away from the right side of the bed another wall separated the bathroom from the bedroom. In front of the bathroom there was a walk in closet with a big vanity with a golden box with jewels and the queen's belongings.
Red carpeting was placed on different spaces in the room harmonizing and giving an air of comfort to the room.
The terran queen sighed softly and closed the book she was reading softly, remembering all the recent events she closed her green eyes.
Flashback
Aurea was walking with Gaia through the gardens of the shrine where once was the main court of the Northern Palace, now it was covered in grass, pebbles and all kinds of small flowers.
"I'm going to miss this place…" Gaia said softly.
Aurea smiled "Yes, me too, but another special place awaits us…"
"Is everything we need packed?" Gaia asked.
"Yes and is already sent to Elysion" Aurea answered.
Gaia smiled.
"What does Elysion means?" Aurea asked the queen.
"Land of dreams" Gaia said softly.
"You just thought of that name when everything happened?" Aurea raised a brow.
Gaia chuckled "No, when I was a little girl and got here for the very first time to train and become the terran goddess I thought this place was a dream because of the colors, the sight, the aromas…I told my father it was like the story he used to tell me before I went to bed back on Olympus, Elysion was the story's name"
Aurea sighed "You talk of Olympus like if that was the land of dreams…"
"It's a beautiful place, but I would never trade it for this planet, ever. My father told me that one day maybe I would build my own land of dreams, my own Elysion…and well…we could after all" Gaia smiled.
"You can't come in!" a man's voice was heard in the distance.
Both women turned to see who it was and saw one of the guards chasing a blond woman running towards them in the garden.
Gaia placed a hand on her chest, she started to feel something…another tug.
The woman seconds later stopped and kneeled before Gaia, her sandy hair covered her green eyes "Your Majesty…please, grant me a word with you Great Dea" she said in a troubled voice.
The guard caught up with her a moments later "Your Majesty" he bowed "This woman climbed one of the walls surrounding the shrine…I'll take her out now"
Gaia looked at Aurea, then the guard and lastly to the kneeling woman before her "It's fine…" she motioned the guard to stay a few feet away to give them privacy.
The blonde woman looked up at Gaia with teary eyes "Forgive me Your Majesty to intrude this way…but…I needed to have a word with you and nobody helped me…I…" she trailed off.
Gaia smiled, the strong feeling was undeniable, she was the link to the carrier of the last stone.
"Something is troubling you…" Gaia said.
The woman stood up, her dark green eyes stared in awe at the terran queen "I know I don't have the right to ask for your help…but…my baby is very weak…the doctors…" she trailed off again, her voice started to tremble, she was a young woman but somehow seemed very fragile and delicate, her lips were chapped, her pale skin dry…she looked like she hadn't sleep in days.
Gaia could never imagine this kind of troubles, to just think of her baby getting sick mortified her terribly.
"What is wrong with your baby?" Gaia asked.
"The doctors say my baby is not going to live…" the woman started to cry.
Aurea felt for the woman before them, she was truly suffering and how much she was to do what she did only to try and have a word with Gaia.
"Why?" Gaia asked sadly.
"They can't quite tell…but my baby was born very weak….Your Majesty…I know I don't have the right to ask you this…but, you are about to be mother and I know you would do anything for your child…just like I'm doing right now... please Our Mighty Dea…help my baby live…" the young woman fell to the ground crying.
Gaia couldn't hold it anymore and kneeled in front of her, placing her hands on the woman's shoulders, she smiled "Your baby is not going anywhere…"
The young woman raised her head at the queen with a hopeful expression "Your Majesty…"
"Your child is meant to be more than you actually think…" Gaia took the last stone from the red pouch and placed a light green stone on the young woman's extended palm.
"This is a Jadeite, the stone of nature, my father once said it's energy would always cheer me up no matter how my mood would be, it would always made me feel better. This is a gift from you to you and your baby" Gaia said.
The blonde woman stared at the precious stone on her hand and then looked at her queen "I don't know what to say Your Majesty…"
"We will see your child do many things in the future…how old is he?" Gaia asked.
"A few days born Your Majesty" the woman said.
"He is going to be fine" Gaia smiled at the young woman "And what is your name?"
"Zulma…"
"Nice to meet you Zulma…" Gaia said softly.
"I am forever grateful to you Dea" Zulma nodded her head deeply.
Gaia smiled.
End of flashback
Placing the book aside she stood up from the blue couch and walked towards the bedroom and then to her vanity. It was a lovely afternoon and she thought it would be lovely to have a walk, she had been feeling extremely uncomfortable for the past days but today was the most uncomfortable of all.
Her back ached, her feet felt more swollen than usual so as her hands and the rest of her body. Her mood wasn't the best either; she could be fine for five minutes and then completely change to an upset behavior. This time she asked to be left alone, she couldn't stand anybody helping her get dressed, she had to anyways because of her very large belly who seemed like it was about to pop anytime.
The recent days she started to experience a lot of pain in her lower back because of the baby's weight and on the lower part of her belly, yes, she felt very tired. No matter how many times Eros told her she looked beautiful she always got upset, start crying and call him a liar.
Placing her golden brush down she managed to stand up from the stool and walked towards the door, when she was about to open the door she felt a very intense cramp, making her flinch in pain, her hands were over her belly and waited for the pain to vanish like she had been doing it for the past days, when the cramp started to fade and she tried to open the door she started to feel her dress get damped. Lifting the hem of her dark blue dress she saw water on the floor and went frantic.
"By all heavens…now I'm going to start urinating myself!" she thought.
When she tried to go back to the bathroom to get a towel to clean up her mess she felt another strong cramp, this time it was more painful than the one she had before, but it was so intense she cried out in pain and kneeled on the floor.
"Why is it hurting so much…? What is happening..?" she cried between her agitated breathing and the pain she felt with constancy.
Aurea was walking to the royal quarters with a tray of fruit, the only thing the queen would eat. She was so cranky she had to please her at least in that; Aurea was humming a soft tune when she suddenly hears Gaia's cry.
Walking faster to the room she opened the door and saw her queen kneeling on the floor with both hands on her belly, there was water spilled all over her that made Aurea think it was time. The queen was going to have her baby.
Leaving the tray quickly on the table next to the door she ran towards the queen "Gaia…what happened?" she asked worried.
"I was about to go out of the room and take a walk when I started feeling a very strong pain…then…something very embarrassing happened…" she started crying.
Aurea panicked "What happened?"
"I peed myself" she cried.
"Gaia…let me help you get to bed…" Aurea said.
"I can't stand…it hurts…it hurts very bad…what is going on with my baby!" Gaia asked frustrated.
"Nothing is wrong with your baby…please, make an effort to stand up… HELP!" she yelled out loud.
After a few cries of help three maids arrived to the room and helped her help Gaia to stand up and take her to the bed.
Aurea turned to see one of the girls with an excited expression "Go and tell Their Majesties what just happened, tell them it's time. Hurry"
The girl ran as quickly as she could to inform the king his baby was about to be born.
"Please help me get her changed" Aurea said the two other girls.
Eros was in the study with Leonidas and King Odell organizing some of the papers they just signed with the three kings.
"It's a lovely summer day" King Odell said.
"It is…" Eros sighed.
"We are finally in peace with the other kingdoms, Gaia's true identity is finally known, no more secrets…" King Odell said again.
"And a baby will be born any day now" Leonidas said.
Eros smiled "Yes…"
"Is something wrong son?" King Odell asked.
"No…is just that, we have fought so much that…this peace is still strange for me…" Eros laughed.
A knock was heard on the door "Come in" said King Odell.
The young maid came in and bowed before the two royals and the general "Your Majesties, Aurea asked me to tell you in a matter of urgency that Queen Gaia is in labor"
The three men stood still with a shock expression on their face, Eros turned to look at Leonidas "You truly impress me"
"You're about to be a father…" Odell said with amazement.
His father's words fell into place; Eros immediately ran out of the study and went to his chambers to be with his wife.
"I'll go tell Narella" King Odell exited the room.
The two maids helped Gaia to get to the bed and change her clothes. Aurea placed pillows on her back to support the pressure and asked the other girl to bring a tray with water and rags to damp.
Gaia closed her eyes in pain; Area sat next to her and smiling started braiding her loose hair, Gaia opened her eyes and watched the maid with a happy expression on her face.
"Why are you so happy?" Gaia snapped.
"It's a happy moment" Aurea said.
"Something is wrong and you're happy!" Gaia said upset.
"Nothing is wrong Gaia" Aurea said.
Gaia flinched again "I'm feeling too much pain and you say nothing is wrong"
Aurea finished braiding the queen's raven hair and turned to look at her "You are about to give birth to your child"
Gaia's eyes widened in shock "What?"
"You're finally going to meet your baby" Aurea said.
The young maid came into the room with what Aurea asked her to bring, Aurea took the tray and placed it aside on the table, starting to wet a towel she placed one thin strip on her forehead and then moistened her lips.
"Thank you…" Gaia said softly.
Minutes later a very nervous king and his general entered the room "Gaia…" he said.
"Eros…" Gaia said softly.
Obelix came seconds later "Little Dea!"
"Obelix.." Gaia said between contractions.
The priest walked and stood next to Aurea, he took her hand "It's time little Princess…"
Eros kneeled next to his wife and smiled at her "I love you…"
Gaia turned to look at her husband "I love you too…" she closed her eyes once again because of the pain.
"Did someone call the doctor?" Eros asked once he stood up.
"Yes, he's on his way Your Majesty" one of the young maids answered.
The doctor came in minutes later and walked to Gaia's side "Your Majesty…I'm so sorry for the delay"
Eros nodded.
"Your Majesty…how are you feeling?" the man asked.
"I feel too much pain…it doesn't go away" Gaia said between moans.
"Your Majesty, the pain you are feeling now will become more intense when it's the right time for the baby to be born" the doctor said.
Gaia flinched in pain once again and moaned.
"Doctor, is there something we can give her to minimize de pain?" Eros asked concerned.
"I'm afraid not, her state is delicate… her contractions are too intense and she's still not ready to give birth yet" the doctor said.
"Dear, how are you feeling?" Queen Narella joined Gaia on the bed alongside Aurea and Obelix.
"I'm feeling too much pain…" Gaia whispered.
Queen Narella placed her hand on Gaia's forehead "Everything will be fine…you'll see in the end this is all worth it"
Gaia looked at the older queen with teary eyes "Thank you, for being here"
"This is a special moment and we need to stay calm, I know it hurts, I know very well its painful…but once you see your baby in your arms this will be just a memory"
Gaia gave the queen a small smile and nodded.
A/N: The moment almost everyone was waiting for, a baby is about to be born, for many of us a longtime favorite... Next chapter will be the final chapter of the first season so stay tunned! it's quite a mistery when is going to be posted, it could be later tonight, tomorrow, or until monday (suspense music) I hope you like this chapter, enjoy!
I do not own SM just the plot and some of the characters.