Year1098ofthePeacekeeperEra: NewLife
Vinfalder, North Province
The young apprentice midwife stood by the bed and worriedly watched the woman laboring to bring her babe into the world. Outside in the hall, the father paced back and forth.
"Push, Milady! Your child is almost born!" The head midwife ordered.
The woman let out a whimper but bore down. There was a moment of silence and then the wail of the infant filled the air.
"Milady, it's a girl!" The midwife stood and held the baby up.
"Ah, my child." A tear slid down her cheek as the new mother leaned back and closed her eyes.
"Milady?"
The apprentice touched the Lady's hand and jerked back with a gasp. She turned sorrow-filled eyes to her mentor, who had finished cleaning the child.
"Mistress Yelena, Lady Parnte has died."
"I know, Celena. She was frail to begin with. Now, Lord Parnte must raise this child with love," Mistress Yelena explained. "Come, Celena. Let us present the babe to her father."
The midwives, with the babe, walked out to the receiving hall. Yelena watched as Lord Parnte stood, his face draining of all color as he stared at the baby.
"My wife?" he demanded, his voice hoarse.
Yelena shook her head. "I'm sorry, Milord. The birth was too much for her. She has died."
Lord Parnte backed up, caught himself and froze. Anger, disbelief and then grief swept across his face.
"Milord, here is the babe. You must find a nurse for her."
"No. I don't want it. Take it away! Give it to someone who wants it!" He snarled.
Yelena glared. "Milord, please. You are upset. You need to rest. I can take care of the babe until you…"
"No! Did you hear me, Woman? I want nothing to do with that, that thing! It killed my wife!"
Celena gasped and Yelena straightened. When she spoke her voice was filled with scorn. "Pathetic and weak man! You will regret this day. I will save this child, for I know your wife would want her daughter to survive. May the elements drive you mad for refusing this baby of your blood."
Celena whimpered in fear. Lord Parnte growled and stepped forward menacingly. Yelena coldly smiled, held up her hand and called the wind. A strong breeze ripped through the house and flung Lord Parnte backward.
"Move closer to me, Celena, and hang on!" Yelena ordered as the wind formed into a giant hand that scooped the two women and the baby up. It howled loudly and smashed through the nearest wall and out into the night sky.
Yelena could feel and smell Celena's fear. Her apprentice had a lot to learn about the Elements and about life. She was amazed that the newborn had quietly slept through all the noise of her Kasam's rescue. Thoughtfully, she stared at the tiny girl and a glimmer of an idea formed. She knew where to take the little one.
"Luft, take us to the village of Mangevind."
Her Kasam howled and changed course. Happy with her plan, Yelena settled down to sleep, with a slumbering Celena and the small newborn nestled trustingly against her.
Aguafluin, South Province
What had started out as a beautiful day, was swiftly descending into ominous darkness. Daleah and her husband, Lavi, were out fishing on the sea. They had not been successful and Daleah fretted.
The sea, which had always been so ample with its bounty, now seemed to be against Aguafluin's inhabitants. Despite their cries and offerings to the First Ones, the sea continued to produce little life. There was talk in the village of abandoning the small fishing town for other places to live.
She didn't want to leave. This was their home and she wanted it to be a home for her unborn child. Lovingly, she stroked her belly and smiled. The baby would be arriving any day now. Both she and Lavi were excited, for this was to be their first child. Both of them had grown up as only children and looked forward to having a large family.
Lavi walked up to her and hugged her. "I don't like the sky. I think it's time for us to go back. There is nothing biting anyway."
She heard his worry but she had no way to ease it. Instead, she snuggled closer to him. "Let's go home."
He kissed the top of her head and went to the oars. Daleah took her seat and kept one eye on the sky as he rowed them toward shore. They were halfway there when the downpour began. The sea became turbulent and she feared for their lives.
"We're not going to make it!" she yelled over the loud booms of thunder.
"Yes, we will!" he vowed and rowed harder.
Daleah blinked, rubbed at her eyes and then yelped in fear.
"There's something out on the water! Look, Lavi, look!" She pointed at the object coming toward them.
Lavi squinted and paled. "What is that?" he shouted and started to row faster.
She clutched her soaked shawl closer to her body as terror seized her. Was it one of the monsters of legend, coming to eat them?
A hard wave rocked the boat and she screamed as the water swept in and knocked her overboard. She floundered, was pulled under and then yanked above water. She gasped and coughed as she flailed her arms.
"Stop that, foolish girl!"
Daleah whimpered and stopped moving as she was hauled into a boat. The rain stung her face and she tried to wipe her eyes to see who her rescuer was. Her eyes widened and she ignored the bite of the seawater in them. "You!" she whispered, too stunned to say more.
"Be still! I will get you to land. You shouldn't have come out here, not with the lateness of your pregnancy."
Daleah couldn't believe that Telena, the Midwife, had saved her. Boggled by this turn of events, she tried to force her mind to focus on what was important. "Where is Lavi?" she croaked, her throat raw from swallowing seawater.
Telena didn't answer and Daleah sat, miserable and cold, as the midwife got them safely to shore.
The fierce storm had begun to die down and Daleah frantically searched the beach for Lavi. After a few minutes, she ran back down the beach to Telena who stood looking out at the now calm sea.
"Do you see him?" Daleah demanded as she stopped and stared at Telena with hope.
"Your husband is dead," Telena stated coldly.
Daleah let out a moan and sank to her knees, shaking her head in denial. "You lie," she whispered as her tears fell.
"I have no reason to lie. He is gone."
Daleah didn't want to believe it. Anger, hot and bitter, rose and she lunged at Telena who easily sidestepped out of reach. Daleah landed on her hands and knees, tears choking her throat. She jerked her head up, and furiously swiped at the tears running down her face.
"You! You should have saved him! Why didn't you save him?"
"You and your child were more important," Telena answered with a shrug. "Now come, your baby will be born this evening. You need to rest." Without a backward glance, Telena walked away.
Daleah watched, her mind only just registering the fact that Telena was dry. Not a drop of water was on her. She stood, threw back her head and wailed.