"No, you were right to save her but we must discuss what will come of this. I need to know if you are attracted to her. Have you lusted for her, Lucian? Before or perhaps as you tasted her blood tonight? I see the way in which the two of you spar. There is a tension. Is it sexual? I cannot allow you to bed my wife's dearest friend then toss her aside. Human women, well, they have feelings, and grand notions of love."
That Mikhal’s own heart had been stolen was a fact both of them were well aware of, but Lucian would never bring that up.
"Yes she fires my blood. I admit to that. She is stubborn and high spirited and beautiful and ... intelligent. There is an attraction, has been from the beginning I imagine, but I would never act upon it."
"And she? Has she seemed amorous? Interested? Has she used her wiles upon you or acted as if her blood was stirring as well?"
Lucian let out a small chuckle at Mikhal’s question about womanly wiles. Natalya certainly had never and would never do anything such as that. Oh he imagined she could, quite well actually, but she wasn’t that type of woman. Twas one of the things he found so very appealing about her. She was much more apt to show her fiery spirit than to flirt.
"No My Lord, far from it. Most times she does her best to sit away from me on my horse, and that sharp tongue of hers corrects my errant manners whenever she sees fit.
“We have reached a comfortable sort of friendship I suppose you would say, considering she is human and a woman, but she maintains her distance both physically and emotionally. There has never been the batting of eyes or coquettish smiles from that one. She has the notion that women are independent."
"So there has never been any type of intimate exchange? No kisses? No touching?"
Lucian cast his eyes downward at the question in a manner that told all with the one simple gesture, and Mikhal knew at once that something had happened between the two.
"You are able to lie to me now, Lucian. The spell is gone. Perhaps I should not tell you that, but I feel as if I can trust you. Natalya removed the Empathy curse. I know not what is in your head, but your manner tells me volumes."
"It twas nothing much, My Lord. A kiss shared after I healed her burns the day of the fire, a bit of teasing on my part to get her dander up the night I found that Hannah had not been attending her as she should, and tonight... there was a kiss. I... she had blood on her lips and I wiped at it with my thumb but..."
"But still it called to you. You knew the taste would be that of you both."
"I know not what possessed me to kiss the Lady. Only that I did."
"And does she respond when you kiss her?" Mikhal was hearing far more than he wanted about the goings on between Natalya and his first in command. He'd trusted the man to leave her be, but apparently, Lucian hadn't been strong enough to resist such a sweet morsel.
"She does, the fire is there, inside, but she becomes flustered by its spark. I believe she was never taught pleasure in her marriage bed. Tis common."
"And you wish to teach her?"
"NO! She is yours."
"What does the blood bond you now share mean to you Lucian?"
"I feel as if she is mine, but only in the way of protection. My blood flows in her veins and she is now my responsibility for life. If you tell me to stay away I shall because you are my Master and I do as you wish, but there is something inside, running through me, roaring through me, that says I must not ever allow her to come to harm."
"And the lust?"
"That will be quelled as it has been from the start."
"Very well. I shall not tell you to refrain from being in her presence. Andor may be dead, and I do commend you on a job well done there, Lucian, but Marishka is still out there. This may have been a random attack or they may have been watching us all along.
“I shall continue to place Natalya under your protection since you feel the strong need to care for her, but be warned, under your protection does not mean under your body in your bed. If Natalya confides to my wife that she has feelings for you, we will discuss this further. It is possible that the exchange of blood will not affect her much. You say you only had a little of hers?"
"Twas a mouthful or two as I bathed the wound. Her blood was flowing heavily but I was able to heal the tear quickly."
"So be it then. You shall not be punished. You saved her from rape, saved her life, and killed Andor as well. Things turned out well. Natalya is now attending my wife as she should be so we will put an end to this matter unless I hear word of any misdeeds on your part regarding the Lady."
"Very good, Sire. Thank you."
"You are dismissed. I prefer to wait in solitude. Being banished from one's own wife's chambers does not sit well."
"I imagine not, Master. The outcome will be most joyous though. Soon you shall have a son."
"It had better be soon or I shall tear her chamber door from its hinges."
Lucian gave a small smile then left quietly, leaving Lord Arcos to his tormented solitude, as Mikhal once again filled his tankard with scotch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alliana lay amid sweat drenched sheets, panting, and then clenching her teeth to keep from screaming. It had been hours, oh so many hours, first walking, and now hanging from the loop above her, Natalya allowing only tiny bits of rest from the position at a time, but the babe still would not come.
The pains were coming fast, but the child was not progressing as quickly as Alliana would have cared for, and though Natalya repeatedly told her that everything was fine and that things were progressing normally, Alliana simply wanted it to be over.
Time after time, Natalya had looked between Alliana’s legs to make certain her body was preparing itself. Her friend told her that yes, her opening was widening, and soon it would be time, but to Alliana, time was at a standstill. Natalya also continuously felt Alliana's stomach to feel if the child was in position, and assured her that he was ready as well. All this was said in a very soothing tone as Natalya ran her finger gently around and around between Alliana's thighs to slowly stretch her womanhood so there would be no tearing of her flesh.
She was so weary, so hot, so thirsty, and Alliana knew she had become a shrew. Natalya instructed Thalia to drip droplets of water into her parched mouth and bathe her forehead. But neither action gave Alliana much relief. All in all, Alliana knew Natalya was doing everything she could, and her labor was going as normal as possible, but still, she simply wanted the child out!
The clock had turned to midnight without much notice, the medallion hanging between her breasts, forgotten during the course of other more pressing matters. The fact that she had just come of age did cross her mind once, but it had been during a hard contraction, one that had sent agonizing pain throughout her belly and across her back, so if she felt any different because of her new magickal powers, it was not evident.
She wanted to scream at Natalya and ask if something in her new found gifts would help move the babe along, but she held her tongue, both because of Thalia's presence and because she knew there was nothing magick could do.
Natalya once again lifted the sheet draped over her to see if it was time for Alliana to push, then smiled at her friend and finally said the words Alliana had been longing to hear.
"Tis time, sweetie. When you feel the next pain, and it should be very soon, bear down, help him along, your body is ready and he will be crowning soon."
The pain did come quickly and it shot through her like nothing she had ever felt before. Tears clouded her vision as the contraction ripped through her. Alliana gripped the knot in the loop above her and bore down; pressing her heals deep into the mattress, trying to help the babe along, wanting him out, needing him out.
The contraction ended without her son being brought into the world and she slumped over, exhausted, until the next contraction hit her. Time after time, for what seemed like an eternity to Alliana but was in actuality only a short while, the contractions came and she bore down with all her might.
"Do som
ething, Natalya. I can't stand this. Please. I'm so tired." Alliana pleaded as tears ran from her eyes and slid down her flushed cheeks.
Natalya felt tears of her own, but she blinked them back furiously. It wasn't that she was afraid, no, everything was progressing normally; it was that she hated to see Alliana suffering, but this was the life of a mother. Babes never came easily.
She moved upon the bed and looked once more to see the babe’s progression, then looked up at Alliana, smiling.
"He is crowning, sweetie, I see his head. When the next pain comes, push with all your might and it shall be over. Be strong Alliana, just for a little while longer." Natalya gently reached up and placed her hands on Alliana's thighs, waiting, knowing soon that she would have a slippery infant in them.
Alliana did as Natalya had told her as the next pain came and dug deep inside her exhausted body for a last ounce of strength, using it to push and push and push, as she let out a scream. Finally she felt the babe slide from her body, and looked down with dazed eyes to see Natalya cradling her newborn son.
Thalia was smiling and crying as she supported Alliana's shoulders, and watched as Natalya held up the squirming infant, cleaning his nose and mouth quickly before he gave a loud squalling cry, declaring for all to hear that he had entered the world.
Natalya laughed and wept at the same time as well. Her tears fell upon the babe as she held him up for his mother to see. "He's beautiful, Alliana. A big healthy boy, and perfect, young Lord Mikhalen."
Awed by the sight of the newborn child Thalia helped Alliana slip from the birthing loop so Natalya could place the babe on his mother's belly. Natalya then gathered hot towels to staunch the flow of blood from Alliana's body, before fetching the twine and a knife to cut the cord. Alliana's eyes grew heavy as she looked at her tiny child. Her heart ached just to gaze upon him; he was so beautiful, so perfect, so human.
"I must give him his secret name so he shall be safe."
"Yes, honey. Do it quickly."
Thalia looked at them confused, and Natalya explained. "We believe that a mother must whisper a name for her child in its ear when it is born, only it must be the wrong name. This will confuse the evil spirits who might seek to do him harm during his life."
Thalia only nodded at hearing the information, perplexed by the beliefs of the Gypsy women before her.
After cutting the cord, Natalya began to massage Alliana's belly to aid her through the rest of her labor, when her hands encountered not the softness she expected to find, but the outline of another tiny form. She stopped what she was doing at once, stunned. Could it be? Could the baby boy who had just entered the world been covering the body of another? Was Alliana about to have twins? If so, she knew at once that she had to get the child out before the placenta from Mikhalen slid into place.
"Alliana honey, how...?" Before she could finish her question, Alliana's eyes opened wide in shock and a grunt escaped her as another contraction encompassed her middle. She looked up at Natalya; eyes’ pleading with her friend to tell her this was normal.
"Sweetie, I think there is another babe. Your belly, I feel another child." Try not to push, I must make sure everything is all right."
"Two?"
"Hush, Alliana, twill be fine. Try to relax. Just look at Mikhalen."
Thalia had taken the child from his mother's arms to wash him, and now brought him back to the bed wrapped in a clean linen, her own face registering shock. Alliana reached for him, but Natalya shook her head no.
"You have more work to do, honey. Just hold on."
Natalya moved Alliana into position once more and examined her womanhood, seeing what she had feared. The placenta of the first babe was entering the birth canal. Natalya gently manipulated Alliana’s body, being careful not to tear her womb, feeling for the second babe as she did so.
The child was in position, head down, but then her fingers discovered yet another problem. The cord of the second baby was present. That meant the child could be in grave danger of strangulation.
Alliana moaned, wincing in pain at Natalya’s ministrations.
"Try to relax. I need to see if the cord is around the babe's neck. Deep breaths sweetie, and don't bear down. Even if you feel a contraction, don’t push."
Natalya did as she said she would, and felt for the placement of the second cord. As she feared, it was around the child's neck. The baby was on the verge of crowning, and would be out soon, but would it be soon enough. Her fingers sought to grasp it, to move the cord and slip it from around the babe’s neck so the child would live, even as another contraction came over Alliana.
Natalya said not a word, too intent on her work, but thankful that Alliana was doing as she said and not bearing down. Finally, Natalya managed to slip the cord over the babe's head, and then called out for Alliana to push, knowing time was of the essence.
Alliana did as she was told, and soon the other child came into the world, much to the surprise of everyone in the room. Natalya held her, wiping her mouth and nose, waiting for her to cry, but no noise came from the babe in her hands.
She swept her finger inside the tiny girl’s mouth once more, then held her by her feet, delivering a smack to her backside, and the action finally received the intended result. Another cry filled the room, this one much softer, but it grew in intensity as the babe caught her breath.
"You have a daughter as well, Alliana. She is tiny, I fear her brother has been overshadowing her for sometime, but she appears well."
"Give her to me. Please."
"Not yet honey, let Thalia clean her up. You rest."
"Give her to me. She must receive her secret name or evil will find her."
"Very well, but only for a moment, then you must lay back.” Natalya said the words in a tone that was as light as possible, but in reality she was worried, very worried about the amount of blood that was freely flowing from Alliana's body.
When a woman birthed twins, there could be much tearing of the womb when the placentas separated. It was imperative that she expel them as soon as possible, so Natalya could apply pressure with the hot sheets to staunch the flow of blood.
Thalia quickly gave Alliana her daughter and Alliana pressed her lips to the child's ear, whispering a name that would be kept secret for all time. She then reluctantly gave the child back to Thalia and watched her friend.
Natalya pressed down on Alliana's stomach with her hand and began massaging it, wincing as Alliana let out another cry.
"Tis okay, hold on." She tried to reassure Alliana, but she also knew there was too much blood soaking the sheets. Finally, Alliana's body did what it needed and Natalya was able to apply the much-needed pressure with the folded linens.
"Thalia, come here. I need you to do this while I get a tonic for your Mistress. Press hard." Thalia put both babes in the cradle, and went to where Natalya was, looking in dismay at the amount of blood spilled upon the bed. They both then looked back up at Alliana, only to see that she had fallen unconscious. Neither knew if it were from loss of blood or simply the exhausting task of childbirth.
Natalya spooned a bit of tonic between Alliana’s lips, then went back to relieve Thalia of her work. She silently exchanged one blood soaked linen for another time after time, until the tonic took hold, and had the desired effect. Bending forward, she stroked Alliana’s cheek, a worried but hopeful look upon her face.
"Tis best she sleeps. The blood is slowing now. I think it will stop soon. The tonic should make it cease, and will strengthen her as well."
Natalya checked Alliana once more, noting with pleasure that the linen remained clean on the side that was visible and nodded in satisfaction.
"Twas close, but she will live. I wish to clean her up and let her rest." She moved to do just that as the chamber door opened and a near insane Lord Arcos entered.
The smell of blood hit him at once and his eyes sought out his wife who lay still as stone and pale as the sheets beneath her cheek, then he looked at Natalya. He knew Allia
na wasn't dead, could sense her inside of him, but he had been filled with an awful sense of dread nonetheless.
"She will live? Tell me she will live."
"Yes, My Lord. Twas a difficult birth but the worst of it tis over."
"My son?"
"He is fine as is your daughter." Mikhal's jaw dropped open at the news. He stood for a moment, torn between going to his wife, and rushing to see his children, and then chose his wife's side. Sitting down upon the bed, eyes taking in the amount of blood that stained the sheets and soaked the mattress, he again felt worry and fear fill him.
"Are you certain?"
“Yes, the blood has stopped. She needs rest and time to heal."
"You've done well, Natalya. Please bring me my children."
Natalya gave him a small smile, and went to the ornate cradle where both babes lay. First she picked up Mikhalen and placed him in Thalia's arms, and then she picked up the little girl who had yet to be named anything but her secret name, which would never be repeated.
The two women walked towards a stunned Mikhal who was looking at them in awe. He held out his arms and Thalia laid Mikhalen in one, then Natalya laid the baby girl in the other.
"They are beautiful, My Lord. And both healthy, though she is tiny; I fear her brother was a bit rough on her during the pregnancy."
"She was not hurt?" He bent to brush his lips across the forehead of his wee daughter, eyes full of concern and love, his arms trembling with both nervousness and the overwhelming love that filed his heart.
"Oh no, Sire, just that he took up most of the space and more of what Alliana ate. She will be fine. Do you wish to name her?"
"I... I believe I shall allow Alliana to have a choice in that matter. Twas I who named our son."
"Very good, My Lord." If you would return the babes to their cradle, Thalia and I may change the mattress and linens."
"Yes, of course." Mikhal looked at Alliana once more then went to the cradle, laying his son and daughter down. He bent to kiss each in turn, beaming with pride, then went back to the bed and picked his wife up in his arms as if she were the most delicate piece of porcelain.
Beneath The Shadows of Evil... Torn Page 37
