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Inrai, the Child-Seer
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"Mama?"
Irnai sat up, staring into the darkness. In the month since the Battle for Rathausak Castle, the new refugee camp was beginning to resemble an actual camp. The lady knight had insisted that New Hope's barracks be built before the headquarters, and now the children had a warm, dry room to sleep in.
Irnai sat in her cot, staring as a vision played in her mind. Her ears buzzed with a young girl's voice.
Faces: Sir Nealan, a Yamani lady, a hybrid child.
"Mama, Da, I want to be a lady knight."
Irnai smiled. Sir Nealan would like this. His emerald-eyed daughter faded, and Irnai was left staring at a battle field.
An axe fell, blade gleaming in the sun as it raced towards a Tortallan soldiers' arm. His eyes squeezed shut as blood splashed the ground around him. His agonizing cry filled the air.
Irnai sat up in bed, screaming. She tried to clear her mind of the image, but it refused to go away. That soldier- it was Sergeant Domitan, the kind man from the King's Own. Some of the other children stirred at Irnai's panicked screams.
Within seconds a tall, solid woman burst into the room, sword drawn.
When she saw Irnai, she dropped her weapon and hurried to the girl's side.
"Shh. It's okay," Lady Keladry whispered, pulling Irnai into her arms. The girl began to feel safe and warm. When she'd stopped crying, the lady knight spoke again. "Are you alright?"
"Mmm-hmm," Irnai lied in a mumble. She didn't know how to tell Lady Kel that she'd seen the man that the lady knight had eyes for cut down so brutally. Lady Kel seemed to sense the lie, and she hummed softly, gently rubbing Irnai's back. The girl began to feel sleepy. Lady Kel's embrace was warm, and her heartbeat was comforting. Slowly Irnai drifted back into a sleep. Another vision overtook her.
Lady Kel was lying on a chaise lounge in the arms of a brown-haired man. He pressed his free hand to her belly and she smiled, blushing.
"Dom," she said, moving his hand. A wedding band glimmered from her ring finger. It was a gold ring with a modest stone, perfect for a lady knight.
"But it's a baby, Kel. Our baby," she said, pulling her close for a kiss.
"I hate to say it," Dom said when they pulled apart. "But I'm glad I had to leave the Own when I got hurt last year. If I hadn't, little Kel-or-Dom wouldn't be on the way."
His fingers wandered down to Kel's belly again, and this time she didn't bother to move them.
"I'm glad too."
When Irnai woke up, she felt secure for the first time in a long time. Lady Kel was still holding her, but now she was asleep too. Irnai gave her a brief hug. Lady Kel would be a good mother.