Chapter 20: A New Thaughbaer

Sweat poured down Airk's brow as his helmet stifled him. He was weary and his shoulder ached something fierce. He had not had a rest as they traveled up the mountain pass to intercept the Nockmaar soldiers. His mind drifted to Raina and their child, but he had to leave them. If his mind was not on the battle, they would not survive.

"Nervous?" Ronan asked.

"Of course," Airk replied bluntly.

"Good. At least you're honest," Ronan replied.

"My shoulder is killing me and so is my a**, and my horse could really use a rest," Airk said wearily. "but if we don't fight these b******s, we're all dead."

Ronan smiled. "You're a good man and a better general. I think daddy would be proud."

A scout rode up to Airk. "General, the Nockmaar troops are in our range."

"Then now is the time," Airk replied.

Airk turned to Ronan. "Are you with me?"

"Who else is gonna save your a**, General?" Ronan jested.

With that, Airk raised his sword to signal the attack. "Archers, take your aim!"

Airk readied his bow and waited as the thunder of hoof beats came flooding into the valley. As the Nockmaar soldiers came into range, Airk and his men released their arrows in a flurry of arrows, taking several Nockmaar soldiers with them.

"Draw again!" Airk cried.

Airk and his men drew their bows again and fired into the oncoming storm of Nockmaar soldiers.

"Swords! Swords!" Airk shouted.

The Nockmaar soldiers stormed closer and closer to them, like the tide upon rock.

"Forward!" Airk bellowed.

Airk and his company charged forward, swords drawn like spears. Alas, Kael and his men encircled them, trapping them in a pincer movement. Airk and his soldiers fought through the red chaos, swords clashing and shields splintering. In all the chaos, Airk could not breathe with his helmet on. As soon as he removed his helmet to breathe, his horse was stabbed, taking it out from underneath him. Airk was sent flying, landing flat on his back. He barely got to his feet when a spear came hurtling toward him, piercing his left shoulder. Airk cried out as he ripped the spear from his armor and tossed it toward a Nockmaar soldier, hitting him in the chest. Airk had lost sight of Ronan in all of the chaos of the battle. Galladoorn troops had piled into mountains among the bloody chaos. Airk could not tell his own men from the enemy as they lay piled on the blood red valley. He was suddenly hit from behind as he looked up to see Kael towering over him. With a fierce cry, Airk found a discarded shield and blocked the general's deathly blow. Over and over, the Kael bashed Airk's shield, giving him no release. Airk looked around the ground and found a bloodied spear. Seizing the moment, he blocked another blow by Kael and stabbed him in the knee, giving him an escape.

"Airk!"

Airk turned to find Ronan behind him with a horse. He was soaked in blood, but whether it was his or the enemy's, Airk could not know.

"Pull everyone back. We have to retreat," Airk commanded.

Ronan wanted to protest but he knew Airk was right. "Retreat!"

Airk and his men raced off for their lives from the bloody valley, into the snow covered mountains, desperately seeking refuge.

In the snowy village cabin, Raina languished in childbirth. Her pains had not ceased and she felt ill to no end. Despite the pains, her water would not break, much to her agony. Larissa Thaughbaer attended to her as she suffered through the beginnings of her childbirth.

"Mother, can I push yet?" Raina asked, thoroughly exhausted.

"Your water has not broken, child," Larissa whispered.

"It's been hours!" Raina cried, frustrated and exhausted.

Larissa placed her hand on Raina's bulging belly. "That was a good, strong kick. This child will be strong and healthy. I don't think it's time yet though."

Raina groaned loudly and nearly screamed as she felt another kick. "Was Airk this stubborn?"

Larissa laughed. "I labored with him for at least a day, maybe more, so yes."

"So of course his child should be as stubborn," Raina groaned.

Raina almost screamed again when Larissa cupped her hand over her mouth and drew her sword.

"There's someone here," Larissa whispered.

Raina took every ounce of her strength to prevent her from screaming as Larissa took shelter behind a wall as their predators came down the stairs. As their quarry inched down the stairs, Larissa saw her moment. She pounced and grabbed her prisoner, drawing her sword at his neck.

"Hello Mother. Good to see you, too."

"Airk! I almost killed you!" Larissa cried. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, hiding," Airk replied.

Raina managed to contain her pains to focus on her weary husband. "What happened?"

"Nockmaar wiped out all but one thousand of my men," Airk said glumly. "We're all that's left. What's happened to you?"

"I'm having your child, that's what's happening!" Raina snapped. "Sorry, it's just she's stubborn, and apparently you were too."

"Mother, you told her stories about me?" Airk said, turning red with embarrassment.

"The point is this is all your fault, you golden, broad-shouldered, a**hole!" Raina cried, smarting from another pain.

Airk wanted to argue, but he knew it was foolish to argue with a woman giving birth to his child.

"So the child is strong?" Airk asked.

In response, Raina screamed through another contraction and gripped Airk's hand so tight, he felt and heard his bones crunch.

"Raina, Raina, my love, not the sword hand!"

"F*** your sword hand!" Raina screamed.

Suddenly, Raina silenced them. "Shh, someone's coming! I heard it outside. Nockmaar soldiers."

Raina did her best to contain her screams as a new visitor entered the cottage. Much to their relief, these were not soldiers, but villagers as well as the Nelwyn with the Daikini baby Airk recognized on the road.

Then, Airk recognized another face and grabbed him by the shoulder. He was glad to see him, and yet not. "I knew you'd get out of that rat-trap."

Madmartigan cracked a toothy smile before he slammed Airk against the wall. "You left me to die, Airk!"

"If you know what's good for you, you'll take your hands off my husband before I strangle you myself," Raina threatened.

"I probably saved your life," Airk shot back at Madmartigan, "We were slaughtered and I lost a lot of good-"

"Shh quiet!" cried a villager.

There was a crash! as the Nockmaar warriors kicked down the door. As they hid under the floorboards, Raina fought to keep from screaming as her contractions tore through her like sword upon cloth. There was another crash! from above as the Nockmaar soldiers searched the cottage, causing the baby to scream. The Nelwyn quickly shushed the baby as a crow flew overhead, drowning out her cries. Just as the baby quieted, Raina barely stifled a scream as she felt a coldness running down her leg.

"Baby coming," she mouthed to Airk.

Airk winced as he heard the Nockmaar soldiers thumping down the stairs. Prepared, he handed Madmartigan a knife. Slowly, the soldiers drew closer and closer before Madmartigan reached out and grabbed his prey. Madmartigan held Sorsha, at knife point as he forced the Nockmaar soldiers back. As Madmartigan held Sorsha, Airk led the villagers upstairs and then took Raina in his arms and carried her upstairs. As he did, he took note of the Nelwyn and the baby that caused them so much trouble.

"What does Bavmorda want with this baby, anyway?" Airk asked the Nelwyn.

"She's a princess. We're taking her to Tir Asleen," the Nelwyn explained.

"Tir Asleen?" Airk inquired. "Even if you could find it, peck, she's right. You'd never get past Nockmaar army."

"There's an even bigger army at Tir Asleen, if we can just get there," the Nelwyn replied. "And the name is Willow, if you don't mind."

"F*** the armies! I'm gonna slaughter someone right now!" Raina shouted.

Willow and Larissa immediately came to her side as Airk held her hand.

"Raina, your water has broken," Willow said calmly.

"No s***, peck!" Raina snapped. "Sorry, Willow. No, s***, Willow!"

Willow looked at the progress between Raina's legs and gazed back up at her. "Raina, it's time to push now. Come on, chin down. One, two, three, push!"

Raina screamed as Airk held her hand as she sat up and pushed.

"Good, good!" Willow cheered. "Come on, again. Do it, again, Raina."

"You're doing great, my love!" Airk urged her on. "Come on, you can do it!"

Raina held tight to Airk's hand as she shrieked through another push. Raina's hair stuck to her head as sweat poured down her body in buckets.

"Come on, Raina, push!" Willow urged her on.

"Damn it, I can't! I f****** can't!" Raina screamed back.

"Yes, you can! Yes, you f****** can!" Airk cried back. "You're doing great, now come on, and deliver this baby. Come on, my love, push! You can do it!"

Raina shrieked through another push until her body gave out. Her cries were drowned out by small cries of a new child.

Airk cried out with joy as he held a wiggling form in his arms. "It's a girl."