Bertrice Small - The Twilight Lord

“I see the boy’s head,” she said excitedly. “His hair glistens like gold, my lady!”

Lara gazed out at the night sky that was now, after several hours, beginning to glow faintly with the coming dawn.

“Push, my lady! Ah, yes, that is it! His head and shoulders are now free. Oh, he is beautiful!” Aminta said excitedly.

Her son! Their son! Lara could barely wait now to hold him. What would Magnus name him? she wondered.

“Push, my lady! He is coming! He is coming!” Aminta said, her voice trembling with her delight. “Mila! Have the warm oil ready to cleanse him! One more push, my lady!”

“Welcome my son to Terah!” Lara cried with a loud voice as she pushed the infant entirely from her body and heard his strong cry. “Oh, let me see him, Aminta!”

The midwife held the squalling child up, beaming with pleasure. “He looks just like the Dominus, my lady! The nose! The high cheekbones and forehead!” She handed him to Mila. “The Dominus will be so pleased, my lady,” Aminta said. “But now we must attend to the rest of this business.”

Suddenly Lara cried out in genuine pain. Distressed by the sound of it the midwife bent once again beneath the birthing chair. “The pain! The pain!” the Domina cried.

“There is another child,” Aminta gasped, “and it wishes to be born now. Push, my lady! You must push!”

“Nay, there cannot be another!” Lara said angrily.

“My lady, there is, and the child will not wait. It comes!” Aminta said.

Pain such as she had never before known racked Lara. In spite of herself she screamed, her cries of agony mingled with her cries of fury. There could be but one heir to Terah! Ethne! she called out silently to her faerie protector.

Be calm, Lara, Ethne’s soft voice counseled her.

I do not understand! I wished a son for Magnus. One son, not two!

Then it will be one son, Ethne assured her.

A female? This child is a daughter? I did not ask for a daughter! Only a son! Tears began to roll down Lara’s face. Find Kaliq for me, Ethne! He will know what has happened. Find Kaliq! Find Mother! I must speak with them!

I will bring them to you, my child. Now let this infant be born, Ethne said.

“Push!” Aminta instructed her. “Push!”

Lara bore down with every ounce of her strength and the child slid forth in a rush from her straining body. Her shriek of final pain echoed about the room mingling with the furious cries of the child.

“A daughter!” Aminta cried out. And then she grew silent.

“What is the matter?” Lara wanted to know. “Show me the girl.”

Aminta held up the baby for its mother to see.

Lara stared. The infant had a head full of black curls and pale skin.

“Why, she favors my great-aunt,” Ilona, queen of the Forest Faeries said as she appeared in her usual haze of mauve smoke. “She will be a great beauty one day. My son-in-law should be well pleased, daughter.” And she bent to kiss Lara’s moist brow.

“WHAT GREAT-AUNT?” Lara demanded to know as Aminta handed the female child to Mila and began attending to her patient.

“My grandfather’s sister,” Ilona said calmly. “She was the offspring of his mother and a mortal who was as pale as the moon, and had hair as black as night and deep violet eyes. She became a Nix, a guardian of a beautiful pond and had many lovers both mortal and faerie. Her name was Marzina.”

Lara’s heart was beating furiously. Her mother was lying. Why was her mother lying? But she could hardly accuse her before Aminta and Mila.

“And she was not the first dark-haired faerie in our midst,” Ilona prattled on. “There must have been others, for now and again one will be birthed. And of course, your father’s mother had dark hair as a girl, too. I shall now go and fetch Magnus, Daughter.”

“Lady Persis is here,” Lara said.

Ilona smiled sweetly. “She will be quite jealous that I have seen our new grandchildren first.” And with a wicked laugh she exited the birthing chamber.

“One more push, my lady Domina, and the afterbirths will be expelled,” Aminta said briskly. “Then we must prepare you and your children for visitors.”

The windows beyond revealed a glorious dawn breaking. It tinted the snows on the far peaks of the mountains a rosy golden peach. It would be a beautiful day and all of Terah would rejoice with the news that the Domina had birthed a strong son. Lara was exhausted with her long night’s labors. And she was distressed by the dark-haired female child who had followed her son. Something was wrong. She had planned a son. She had not planned another daughter, nor had she planned twins. And her mother knew something. And where was Kaliq? Why had he not answered her cry of distress?

Aminta had finished with her. The midwife lowered the birthing chair so Lara might stand up, which she did. Her children had been placed in the willow basket. Mila quickly sponged her mistress with perfumed water and dressed her in a purple silk robe trimmed with gold and sparkling crystals. Lara was then settled in the birthing chamber’s large bed where she would remain for the next several days, recovering. A knock sounded upon the door. Aminta hurried to answer it as Mila brought the babies to their mother, fitting one in each of her arms.

Ilona, having taken complete charge, tripped into the room with the Dominus, Lady Persis, Dillon, Anoush and Zagiri. “Ah,” she trilled, “here we are to see the newest members of our cojoined families.”

Magnus Hauk stepped forward and took his son from the curve of Lara’s right arm. “I name this child, my first-born son, Taj, which means exalted. ” He smiled down into the baby’s smooth little face. The boy’s eyes were tightly closed, his thick sandy lashes touching his cheek. The Dominus touched that smooth rosy cheek. “He is beautiful, Lara, thank you.”

“And he looks just like you!” Lady Persis approved. “I am not so old that I do not remember the day that you were born in this very room, Magnus. I am well-pleased.”

The Dominus handed Taj back to his mother with a smile. “And what have we here?” He took the infant girl from her mother’s left arm. “I name this child, my second-born daughter, Marzina, which was the name of her faerie ancestress whom she strongly resembles, Ilona tells me.” He turned to Lara. “You did not tell me you would give me both a son and a daughter, my love.”

“We needed a son,” Lara said, “but I thought Zagiri would enjoy having a little sister to play with and I was not of a mind to wait, Magnus. I hope you are not too distressed with me. I wanted it to be a surprise for you.”

Well done, my daughter, Ilona murmured silently.

Where is Kaliq? I want an explanation! Lara snapped irritably.

Patience, Ilona replied.

The children now crowded about the bed so they might better see their new siblings. Anoush observed that Marzina looked more like her and Dillon with her tuft of dark hair while Taj was more like Zagiri and their mother and the Dominus. Dillon stared hard at his new sister and Lara knew he suspected something. Zagiri, however, was delighted to now be the big sister of not one, but two babies.

“I shall compose a song for them,” she said. “Master Bashkar will help me.”

“We must leave your mother to rest now,” Magnus Hauk said quietly. “She has had a busy time bearing your new brother and sister. Mila, take the twins to the nursery and arrange for another nursemaid to join the one chosen for Taj. Aminta, I thank you for your services. You will be well rewarded for this fine night’s work.” He turned to his mother and mother-in-law. “Leave me with my wife now, ladies.”