Chosen

Had I known then the impact that their friendship would bring, I never would’ve joined in the fight at the beginning and kept my people from the horrors inflicted upon the other races. Things not now forgotten by all, but still lingering in the essence of our segregation. Kingdoms and towns, devoid of what had once been the dream of the titans, now grow and expand with that same mindset. She saw none of that, regardless of her upbringing. Someone I’ve loved since we first met..

Waking from a sound sleep, Kavayen’s eyes snapped open as he looked up into the dark room. A sense of danger, but was it just imagined? Part of a dream? Something he lingered on for a moment until his desire to make sure prompted the carpenter to push himself up. Glancing to his right, his wife Elizabeth still slumbered.

Sliding out from under the knitted blanket, he rose and moved to his boots at the foot of the bed. Leaning over, he slipped both on, then did his best to remain quiet as he moved out of the room. Quiet remained downstairs as he glanced left, listening for anything out of place and realized that if someone had broken in, he was unarmed. Turning, he opened the bedroom door once again and walked in, then moved to his weapon belt hanging on the headboard, on his side. Lifting it off of the knobbed post, he turned and buckled it on as he resumed his search.

Moving across the short hallway, Kavayen opened the door to his daughter’s room, peeking in to see her bed empty. Brow furrowed as he opened the door wider, searching to see if she was up, reading. He instead found no lit candle nor sign of her. Perhaps she’s downstairs.

Closing her door, boots beat quietly upon the wooden floor as the owner moved to the head of the stair, keeping his senses peeled for any sign of trouble, or movement as he descended. Still quiet.

Scanning to his left and below the ceiling, he noted the kitchen was also devoid of life. Now he became concerned. Bianka had never been one to sneak out at night, especially now that she was pregnant.

His pace quickened as he moved into the living room and turned, rounding the base of the stair and through the kitchen. Right hand reaching for the iron slide which normally locked this door, he found it already pulled aside. Pushing the back door open, cool air wafted in from the small yard as he scanned quickly toward the stable and his workshop, both open to the night. Dark within, he passed the well and soon heard whimpering in the stable. Rushing inside, faint moonlight soon picked out the source.

Kneeling at her side, his concern overwhelmed him. “Bianka? What happened?”

Choking, her body trembling and covered in sweat, she cried. “Dad…”

“What happened,” his emotional plea as he slipped his left arm beneath her shoulders and slid her up onto his knees. Turning he shouted, “Elizabeth! Get down here!”

“Daddy…,” her sobbing soon turned to groaning pain. “It’s coming…”

“What?” He noticed her hands move to her swollen midsection. “Alright. It’s going to be alright,” he tried to convince her. “Elizabeth,” he shouted again desperately.

Choking as she then groaned in pain again, Bianka held his hand in a deathgrip which he feared for a moment might crush his fingers.

Great One, mother of all life. Help me..

“Just breathe,” he tried to calm her as well as himself. “It’s going to be alright. You’re going to be alright.”

Her labor pains continued as he soon heard his wife run up, faint light from the candle in her hand illuminating the scene which he hadn’t been aware of and made all this much worse. Blood coated the left side of her neck as well as her tan colored, woolen tunic. His heart fell at the sight, but the baby was coming regardless.

“By the gods,” Elizabeth exclaimed, eyes wide as she knelt at their daughter’s feet as Bianka screamed in pain, pushing.

Placing his left hand over the wound to her neck, through her blonde hair, his vision clouded with tears as he felt her body cooling, even through the sweat. “Bianka,” he leaned in, grabbing her brief attention. “We love you,” his words pushed out, chin quivering. “You’re going to be alright.”

She faintly smiled, then choked more, blood spattering her lips and chin. Eyes rolling back, she soon faded in his arms, her spirit now rising up into the arms of Elminoir.

He never heard his grandchild’s first cries as he wept.