Untamed Light

Pain shot through Lady Helga as she pushed and strained, squeezing her husband's hand as another contraction quivered through her. They were coming quicker and it wouldn't be much longer before their child would enter the world. The thought sent great joy through her heart, although at the moment it felt like a thousand knives were slashing through her womb.       "My dear, is there anything I could do to help comfort you?" Lord Cullen pleaded as he gazed down at her, worry glistening in his blue eyes as he ran his free hand over his wife's sweaty face.      "Nothing would work I'm afraid, I'll be fine love don't fret," she whimpered as another contraction came and went by.       "To see you in such pain is unbearable," he sighed as he rubbed her slender hand against his cheek to try and distract from the pain.       "You hovering around her like a watchdog isn't helping the process my Lord," Tyrrine huffed as she entered the brightly-lit room, dropping the new set of blankets and towels on the wooden table at the foot of the bed. "She needs air and some honey-tea to calm her nerves. The babe is almost here, it's crucial my lady is sedated slightly before it arrives. A wee walk to the window and back might help ease the pain too."      "Oh I would love some honey-tea Tyrrine if you could spare the moment to call for it. I am absolutely patched from all this sweating business," Lady Helga gasped, sitting up as she felt the baby kick her.       "No worries mistress, it's almost done and the cook will send it down as soon as the kettle goes a-whistling," Tyrrine chirped back as she shooed Lord Cullen out of her way.       Pulling back the covers, she helped Helga scoot to the edge of the bed, letting Helga use her should to lean her weight on as she slowly stood up. Even though she was nearly half a foot shorter than Helga, Tyrrine was stout and didn't flinch as Helga wrapped her arm around her and added more weight onto her hold.       "Darling could you fetch-oh!" Helga moaned as another pain seared through her, this time stronger than the rest. Her legs buckled as the pain began to intensify and a pressure started to build between her legs.       Lord Cullen moved swiftly to help hold her up, the two of them getting their teeth as they tried to lay her gently back onto the bed. "Hurry, call for the tea and the maidens! It's time!" Tyrrine barked at Lord Cullen as she helped Lady Helga rearrange herself on the bed, another moan ripping from Helga's throat as pain shot through her lower back followed by yet another contraction.       "Maids from quick!" Cullen yelled as he rushed from the bedchamber pale-faced, nervous as a group of young women rushed towards him from down the corridor. "The baby's coming!" he croaked, his voice breaking in his excitement and fear. This was their first child.       "Oh no, I'll get that tea! Everyone else hurry off to her, get the spread out and make ready for the babe," one of them ordered, giving a sympathetic glance to her Lord as he continued to breathe heavily. "Don't worry sire, you will see both of them soon enough," she assured him before scurrying off to get the honey-tea.      He paced the entire corridor, trying to block out the fears of the birth by thinking of his duties that he should be attending to. Treaties with the northern barrens were becoming fragile, invasions of the Wraiths from Fangwood Forest harassing efforts to unite the crumbling empire of Gheren. With the City of Kings in ash due to the recent assassination of King Mathew, there was no central power in control.       His thoughts shattered as he heard the cries of his wife ring out into the hall, great screams of pain ripping his heart into shreds. Turning away from the window he had been gazing out of, he broke into a run down the hall towards the cries.       "Helga!" He yelled, frightened but excited as he threw open the door, breathing hard as he took in the scene before him.       Helga laid down with her legs spread wide, her hair a tangled mess behind her sweaty face. All around her stood the maidens, who were whispering words of encouragement as yet another scream ripped through the room. Tyrrine was placing a sterilized knife on the night stand next to the bed while giving out orders.       "Girls she needs room, the babe is coming! Grace, help me with the delivery! Everyone else, go and tell the priests that the child is coming forth, do not delay!" she barked at them, taking ahold of Helga's hand and letting her squeeze out the pain as the others hiked up their dressed and fled the room. "You can come help too my Lord, you can cut the cord," she grunted at Cullen as Helga screamed again and tightened her grip.      "What-how?" He stuttered, fumbling his way to the end of the bed.      Rolling her eyes, Tyrrine muttered," Men and their stupidity. They can handle battles and war but not deliveries." Looking down, she gasped as the top of a head began to show. "Lord Cullen, get your ass over there and get the knife! The baby is here!" she shouted excitedly, letting go of Helga's hand so she could support the little bugger with Grace's help.       "One more push my lady, one very big and hard push," Tyrrine told her gently, looking up at Helga as she gave her the command.       Gritting her teeth, Helga gave one last scream and pushed as hard as she could, her entire body shaking with the effort. There came the sound of water gushing, searing pain intensified at her entrance and then there was nothing but the pain as the babe slide out the rest of the way. Silence filled the air except for Helga's gasping as she tried to take in air, the moment quickly over as Tyrrine and Grace used the edge of the birthing blanket to remove the birth away from the babe's nose and mouth, giving it's butt a light smacking.      "Waaaa-wa-wa-waaaa," the little one cried out with its first breath, lashing out with both legs and arms.      "Hurry up with that knife Lord Cullen, I sure can't clean up your daughter with this cord attached to her belly!" Tyrrine shouted over her shoulder at the stunned man, his face frozen in awe.      Shaking himself awake, he grabbed the knife and hunched over his daughter. Tyrrine bunched up the cord where it needed to be cut and how to do it. Holding his breath, Cullen made quick work of the cord, moving back as Tyrrine quickly moved their beautiful daughter to the table for cleaning. The little one continued to squall, thrashing about like a fish.      "Oh Cullen, isn't she just the most feisty little thing you've ever laid eyes one?" Helga chuckled listening to her child's protest, wincing from the pain and tears spilling down her cheeks. "Isnt she beautiful?" she sniffed, love filling her heart more than she had ever felt.       Grinning proudly from ear to ear, Cullen bent down and kissed her, "That she is my love, absolutely beautiful and I'm sure one day will be just as strong willed as her mother. Although we might have our hands full teaching her manners, if she's got any of my hot-bloodedness in her."       He looked up as Tyrrine came over to them, the baby swaddled inside a soft pink blanket. Holding out his arms, Cullen cried as his child was placed into his arms, finally seeing the glow of her pink skin for the very first time.       Turning around, he knelt down so his wife could see her as well, marveling at the blonde hair that was almost as white as snow atop her head. She was a little chunky and wrinkled her nose constantly, turning her head whenever a noise was made. As she turned, Cullen noticed a strange mark on her left cheek.      "Do you see what I see?" Cullen gasped as he turned his daughter's face to the side, gazing down at the birth mark.       "Do you think-could she be the chosen one of prophecy?" Lady Helga breathed as she looked upon the mark.      It was shaped in the form of a unicorn's horn with the moon ringed around it. Although not bigger than the end of a pinky finger, it could clearly be seen. Unlike the usual pink outside of normal birth marks, it was outlined in a milky pearl color. The baby began crying again, kicking out as it moved it's head back and forth.       "Chosen or not, she needs to feed," Tyrrine clucked and took away the birthing blanket carefully so as to not spill anything on it.      Handing over their daughter to his wife, Cullen rubbed the back of his neck and nearly cried out in frustration. His daughter couldn't be the chosen one, the thought of burdening her with such a duty and life was unthinkable. Unbearable. Yet, her birth mark was valid proof that couldn't be denied.  "What do you want to name her?" he sighed, refusing to let his thought dwell on the matter as he leaned forward to kiss Helga on her head and watch the babe suckle on her tit.      "I was thinking Carrie, do you like it?" she replied softly, looking down in awe at the perfection in her daughter.      "Carrie-what a wonderful name! I love it! So Carrie she shall be from this day forth," he grinned and pressed his lips to her forehead. "We must keep her mark a secret though my love, nobody can know that she is the chosen one. Her very life will be in danger," he added gently as he looked down with love at Carrie.       "I understand my dear. Tyrrine!" she called out as her old nurse came into the door. "Hurry please, it is of utmost importance!"      "No need my lady, I already knew what you two would be needing. I've fetched the creams of concealment and matched it to her skin tone. It will help hide the mark from unwanted eyes until we can get a spell cast upon it," Tyrrine smiled sadly as she walked over to them.      "You always could read my mind," Helga laughed as she switched Carrie to her other tit.      Shooing Cullen out of the way, Tyrrine quickly applied it to Carrie's mark. After applying it twice the mark disappeared, instead looking as rosy and smooth as the rest of her skin.       "The priests are nearly here my Lady and Lord, so I need to let you know that this is waterproof. Worry not of the mark being exposed, only that they not hold her too long in the light," Tyrrine smiled at the two of them as she closed the lid and wiped her fingers off on her apron.       "We owe you a debt that could never be repaid Tyrrine. Thank you," Helga cried as she gazed down at her child.       "If there is anything you need or desire, all you have to do is ask and it shall be granted," Cullen added, nodding to Tyrrine in respect.       "Now you two just calm down, all I could ever ask for is to be little Carrie's nursemaid. That's the best place for me to be in my opinion," Tyrrine replied modestly, as she bowed her head to the both of them.       "If you truly desire it, then the position is yours," Helga smiled brightly at her with joy dancing in her eyes. She bared a great love for the old woman and it would of been heart breaking if she had asked to leave their services.       The sound of many feet pounding down the corridor gave away the arrival of the priests, everyone in the room sighing at the sound.       "Well I'll go and announce to the messengers to spread the word of Carrie's birth," Tyrrine bowed as the footsteps drew nigh.       "May Mrythid guide your way out of the crowd dearest Tyrrine," Helga blessed her as she gazed down at Carrie's sleeping face.       Cullen kissed Carrie's forehead softly and whispered, "Welcome home my little princess." He lifted his eyes to his wife's as the priests burst through the door. It was going to be a long evening for the three of them.