The Journey, Chapter 10 = previous chapter
Chapter 11; Hidden
Upon hearing the news through the mouths of the maids, for if anyone is to know anything it is they, and those very same maids liked Julia very much. Julia had heard of the king's intentions. Vivi was not about to let anything happen to Julia, it would go very much against his nature if he did, babies are blessings, the future of every race, and are by Elven lore deemed innocent at birth regardless of the nature of the child's parents, had personally placed several wards of protection on Julia. Therefore rendering her hidden, providing of course she was quiet and made no sound.
A search party was made at the order of Rubian on behalf of the king, but it was to no avail. Rubian’s frustration became evident as he destroyed properties while looking for her, even the neighbouring villages were not spared of his wrath.
Julia of course was under their noses the whole time, hiding in the home of the wet nurses sister. Vivi was being kept as busy as possible by the king, sending him on many pointless journeys as a messenger or a tax collector. The king suspected that Vivi had something to do with Julia’s disappearance.
The city became a standstill, everyone was scared to step outside of their homes for the fear that they’d be targeted by Rubian or the King. Julia had become well known for helping people, with medical salves, or giving them bread and fruit when she could, she was well liked. Julia had made a name for herself despite her background, that surprisingly very little was known about.
In the midst of a cold stormy night, a scream pierced through the city. Julia had gone into labour. The clamour and clickety clacks of hooves on cobblestone came to a standstill, the mounted guards listening carefully trying to figure out the location of the screams. Julia in an alley covered her mouth with her shawl and bit down trying her best to stay quiet. Rubian who was walking on the ramparts also heard the scream, his eyes flashing red in the dark as a smirk formed on his lips. He jumped from the ramparts onto a thatched roof, slid down and landed on to a balcony, then deftly did a vaulted jump landing on the street with a soft thud.
Julia dug her nails into the palms of her hands trying to stifle her pain and screams, as she slowly but carefully worked her way through the alleys. Stopping more often than not as soldiers walked past on the main streets, charging into peoples homes tossing them upside down on the search for her. Julia noticed the door of the inn cracked open as an elderly woman's head stuck out looking around everywhere, through the din of the heavy rain, she spotted Julia and beckoned for her to come.
A group of dogs started barking and snarling at the other end of the city, all soldiers started to run in that direction excitedly, Rubian following closely behind them.
A small cat-like girl appeared from behind a tree taking Julia’s hand and guiding her to the Inn, in which the old woman let her inside quickly closing the door behind them. Julia gasped in surprise as she noticed the appearance of the cat-like girl who gave Julia a toothy grin, before walking away and curling up in front of the fireplace.
“Oh don’t mind Blacky!” The old lady said fussing, helping Julia out of her wet clothes, “She’s a harmless werecat ain’t you my dear, a strange name though, but insisted it to be she did.” Blacky looked up with her head tilted, and then closed her yellow eyes.
“Vivi, where is he? I need Vivi, please!” Julia hissed through the pains of her contractions. “How did you see me?”
“Necklace, orange glow!” Replied the old lady as she pulled a white dressing robe over Julia. “Vivi is on his way, stay strong young lady,”
Meanwhile the Rubian and the soldiers had found the reason for the dogs barking, and snarling. The gamekeeper had forgotten to feed them earlier in the day, so the dogs had got excited as he threw food out for them to eat, Rubian in his frustration punched the gamekeeper in the face breaking his nose.
Vivi watched from the darkened corner of the alley, and found himself smiling inwardly at Rubian’s frustration. With the unequivocal ability of the Elves, they had silent footsteps, Vivi was able to skirt around the town to avoid everyone, although he got hissed at by a cat.
A small tweet came from a nearby tree, Vivi looked up and saw his friend Meera the Swallow, her tweet a signal that he needed to move quickly. Vivi glanced around and noticed a small group of soldiers staggering out of a tavern. Instead of patrolling they’d been drinking and entertaining themselves with the ladies of the building. Another small tweet…
“Yes, yes I know Meera, I know…” Vivi hesitated, but then stood up straight, and walked through the courtyard towards the Inn. The soldiers noticed and shouted. “Who the hell are you?”
Vivi stopped his hood draped right over his face and called out with a northern accent “Me name Andrew, got lost lookin’ for t’Inn I did, too fookin’ big this place is!”
The drunken soldiers laughed and waved him off, making fun of his accent. Vivi knocked on the door of the Inn, and the old lady let him slip inside.
Vivi pulled off his hooded cloak letting it drop on the floor by the doors, swiftly moving forward to Julia, he placed the back of his hand on her forehead. “It’s time dear Julia” he said softly.
Julia lay down on the floor, her head propped up on the old lady’s lap, her legs open and spread apart. Vivi looked but couldn’t see the baby's head. He gently paced his hands on Julia’s stomach, and pushed a little but to no avail. Tears started to run down Julia’s face, “You know what you need to do Master Vivi” Vivi stuttered and stammered trying to think and find reason…
“No, Master Vivi, no but’s or if’s. Just do it.” Vivi took a deep shaky breath and nodded.
“Margarette I need a sharp knife, towels, bowls of water, and a basket of hot coal.” The old lady nodded. Vivi glanced around, and noticed Jonathon, Margarette’s husband wearing a thick belt. “Jonathon, I need that belt you are wearing.” The man didn’t hesitate, he quickly handed the belt over. Margarette moved quickly, in the matter of moments everything Vivi had asked for was laid before him.
“Bite down on this Julia.” With that Vivi lifted up the dress robe exposing the pregnant belly, he took the now hot sterilised knife and pressed into Julia’s skin just along her waistline making an incision. He cut through until he came across the amniotic sack holding the baby, he pierced it carefully and pulled the baby out, Margarette was there with towels to wrap around the babe, she rubbed it’s back and and stomach firmly, Vivi cut the umbilical cord, as he did a loud flash of purple thunder cracked outside, the baby started crying loudly, it’s eyes opened and flashed purple.
Vivi and Margarette looked at each other surprised. Vivi snapping back to his focus started to use words of the ancient language to heal Julia, spilled blood started to flow back inside of her, as muscle and sinew started to stitch back together and heal until nothing but a faint mark of where the incision had been made remained.
Vivi took the baby from Margarette, “Julia, it’s a boy, you have a beautiful boy” He said as he laid the baby boy in her arms.
“He’s beautiful, I name him…” But no name came from her lips, as she died right there with the baby boy in her arms.
Chapter 11; Hidden
Upon hearing the news through the mouths of the maids, for if anyone is to know anything it is they, and those very same maids liked Julia very much. Julia had heard of the king's intentions. Vivi was not about to let anything happen to Julia, it would go very much against his nature if he did, babies are blessings, the future of every race, and are by Elven lore deemed innocent at birth regardless of the nature of the child's parents, had personally placed several wards of protection on Julia. Therefore rendering her hidden, providing of course she was quiet and made no sound.
A search party was made at the order of Rubian on behalf of the king, but it was to no avail. Rubian’s frustration became evident as he destroyed properties while looking for her, even the neighbouring villages were not spared of his wrath.
Julia of course was under their noses the whole time, hiding in the home of the wet nurses sister. Vivi was being kept as busy as possible by the king, sending him on many pointless journeys as a messenger or a tax collector. The king suspected that Vivi had something to do with Julia’s disappearance.
The city became a standstill, everyone was scared to step outside of their homes for the fear that they’d be targeted by Rubian or the King. Julia had become well known for helping people, with medical salves, or giving them bread and fruit when she could, she was well liked. Julia had made a name for herself despite her background, that surprisingly very little was known about.
In the midst of a cold stormy night, a scream pierced through the city. Julia had gone into labour. The clamour and clickety clacks of hooves on cobblestone came to a standstill, the mounted guards listening carefully trying to figure out the location of the screams. Julia in an alley covered her mouth with her shawl and bit down trying her best to stay quiet. Rubian who was walking on the ramparts also heard the scream, his eyes flashing red in the dark as a smirk formed on his lips. He jumped from the ramparts onto a thatched roof, slid down and landed on to a balcony, then deftly did a vaulted jump landing on the street with a soft thud.
Julia dug her nails into the palms of her hands trying to stifle her pain and screams, as she slowly but carefully worked her way through the alleys. Stopping more often than not as soldiers walked past on the main streets, charging into peoples homes tossing them upside down on the search for her. Julia noticed the door of the inn cracked open as an elderly woman's head stuck out looking around everywhere, through the din of the heavy rain, she spotted Julia and beckoned for her to come.
A group of dogs started barking and snarling at the other end of the city, all soldiers started to run in that direction excitedly, Rubian following closely behind them.
A small cat-like girl appeared from behind a tree taking Julia’s hand and guiding her to the Inn, in which the old woman let her inside quickly closing the door behind them. Julia gasped in surprise as she noticed the appearance of the cat-like girl who gave Julia a toothy grin, before walking away and curling up in front of the fireplace.
“Oh don’t mind Blacky!” The old lady said fussing, helping Julia out of her wet clothes, “She’s a harmless werecat ain’t you my dear, a strange name though, but insisted it to be she did.” Blacky looked up with her head tilted, and then closed her yellow eyes.
“Vivi, where is he? I need Vivi, please!” Julia hissed through the pains of her contractions. “How did you see me?”
“Necklace, orange glow!” Replied the old lady as she pulled a white dressing robe over Julia. “Vivi is on his way, stay strong young lady,”
Meanwhile the Rubian and the soldiers had found the reason for the dogs barking, and snarling. The gamekeeper had forgotten to feed them earlier in the day, so the dogs had got excited as he threw food out for them to eat, Rubian in his frustration punched the gamekeeper in the face breaking his nose.
Vivi watched from the darkened corner of the alley, and found himself smiling inwardly at Rubian’s frustration. With the unequivocal ability of the Elves, they had silent footsteps, Vivi was able to skirt around the town to avoid everyone, although he got hissed at by a cat.
A small tweet came from a nearby tree, Vivi looked up and saw his friend Meera the Swallow, her tweet a signal that he needed to move quickly. Vivi glanced around and noticed a small group of soldiers staggering out of a tavern. Instead of patrolling they’d been drinking and entertaining themselves with the ladies of the building. Another small tweet…
“Yes, yes I know Meera, I know…” Vivi hesitated, but then stood up straight, and walked through the courtyard towards the Inn. The soldiers noticed and shouted. “Who the hell are you?”
Vivi stopped his hood draped right over his face and called out with a northern accent “Me name Andrew, got lost lookin’ for t’Inn I did, too fookin’ big this place is!”
The drunken soldiers laughed and waved him off, making fun of his accent. Vivi knocked on the door of the Inn, and the old lady let him slip inside.
Vivi pulled off his hooded cloak letting it drop on the floor by the doors, swiftly moving forward to Julia, he placed the back of his hand on her forehead. “It’s time dear Julia” he said softly.
Julia lay down on the floor, her head propped up on the old lady’s lap, her legs open and spread apart. Vivi looked but couldn’t see the baby's head. He gently paced his hands on Julia’s stomach, and pushed a little but to no avail. Tears started to run down Julia’s face, “You know what you need to do Master Vivi” Vivi stuttered and stammered trying to think and find reason…
“No, Master Vivi, no but’s or if’s. Just do it.” Vivi took a deep shaky breath and nodded.
“Margarette I need a sharp knife, towels, bowls of water, and a basket of hot coal.” The old lady nodded. Vivi glanced around, and noticed Jonathon, Margarette’s husband wearing a thick belt. “Jonathon, I need that belt you are wearing.” The man didn’t hesitate, he quickly handed the belt over. Margarette moved quickly, in the matter of moments everything Vivi had asked for was laid before him.
“Bite down on this Julia.” With that Vivi lifted up the dress robe exposing the pregnant belly, he took the now hot sterilised knife and pressed into Julia’s skin just along her waistline making an incision. He cut through until he came across the amniotic sack holding the baby, he pierced it carefully and pulled the baby out, Margarette was there with towels to wrap around the babe, she rubbed it’s back and and stomach firmly, Vivi cut the umbilical cord, as he did a loud flash of purple thunder cracked outside, the baby started crying loudly, it’s eyes opened and flashed purple.
Vivi and Margarette looked at each other surprised. Vivi snapping back to his focus started to use words of the ancient language to heal Julia, spilled blood started to flow back inside of her, as muscle and sinew started to stitch back together and heal until nothing but a faint mark of where the incision had been made remained.
Vivi took the baby from Margarette, “Julia, it’s a boy, you have a beautiful boy” He said as he laid the baby boy in her arms.
“He’s beautiful, I name him…” But no name came from her lips, as she died right there with the baby boy in her arms.
