The Alphas Forgotten Daughter

Episode 18: Chapter 10 - Nighean bheag ruadh

Amaris pov

My breath caught in my throat as the words left the kings mouth, "Nighean bheag ruadh." Suddenly, it was though I was remembering something that had always been locked away...

21 years ago...

"Sis, come on, you can do this, just breathe with me, please, Vevina." Deòiridh let out a frustrated sigh as she left her sister's side to check on the progression of the birth. The she-wolf who was assisting with the birth looked up at Dee and gave her a worried look as she went back to her work. Deòiridh noticed straight away. The baby was breached, and Vevina was bleeding heavily.

Deòiridh let out a growl of frustration and flailed her arms, "Curses to this nonsense. Goddess, forgive me, but I WILL help my sister and niece see the sun of the new moon." She began to storm out of the delivery room to go and fetch her spell satchel she had stashed away, but before she could reach the threshold, a piercing pained cry ripped through Vevina.

"Dee, please don't leave me, you promised!" Vevina rasped. Deòiridh closed her eyes and pleaded in her head for the goddess to guide them towards the right path tonight. She opened her eyes again and tears were flooding down her face. She furiously wiped them away with the sleeve of her dress and went back to crouch by her sister's bedside.

"Lassie, I am going nowhere, just you hold on, come on, it's almost over."

Deòiridh held her sister's hand as she gave one final pained cry of labor.

"The babe is here, my Luna, a beautiful healthy baby girl! Praise the Goddess!" The midwife said as she cut the umbilical cord and began wrapping the baby as it cried out in its first moments.

"You hear that, Ve?! A little girl, just like I said, listen to those strong lungs. She's going to be a powerful one!" Deòiridh stroked her sister's forehead as she gasped for breath and winced in pain. Sweat was dripping down her forehead, and she was cool and clammy to the touch. She held out her arms for her baby to be placed in her arms. She was nearly too weak to hold her, but her sister braced her head and helped her get her first... and last, look at her daughter.

"My Amaris, my Nighean bheag ruadh, I love you." Vevina kissed her daughter on the head and sighed deeply and closed her eyes. "I'm just going to rest, for... a... " she whispered as she gasped her final breath and passed on to the next realm.

The midwife silently wept as she took the baby from her former Luna. Deòiridh wailed and wept for nearly an hour. Once, silence again fell on the room. The midwife with a clean, dressed, and fed baby Amaris in her arms, walked up to the grieving teen, Luna's sister, with no wolf and now no living relatives but the little bundle in the midwife's arms. The midwife cleared her throat and held the baby slightly out. Wiping her tears, Deòiridh took the baby and gently soothed her.

"Nighean bheag ruadh," she whispered to the babe. "Nighean bheag ruadh"

Just like before, as quickly as the vision had come it was gone again. Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "Your majesty, what does that phrase mean? I'm afraid I don't speak Gaelic". I looked at him pleadingly. He looked at me with sad eyes and smiled and said "Why my sweet girl, it means little red-haired girl or little red girl, the phrases are interchangeable based on inflection and tone" As he spoke he was very passionate about his language, but I could sense he seemed almost angry that I hadn't been taught it, as though it was an insult. I bowed my head in shame, it was my fault for trying to teach myself it. I taught myself everything else. I just struggled with languages without a person to correct my tone and pronunciation. "I am sorry king was not part of my studies. I focused on other subjects. I will endeavor to learn soon. I just need to find a tutor for my pronunciation." I hurriedly added.

I quickly caught a glance of Sylas, who was staring at me with a fake smile plastered on his face, but his eyes were ablaze with pure hatred and rage. This wasn't good. I will pay for that later. I did my best not to show my fear, but my heart beat must have betrayed me because underneath the table Dacres' hand found mine that was resting on my knee and held it gently like it was a fragile butterfly he didn't want to spoil.

The moment he held my hand, hot desire rushed through me. I did my best not to show it but I could feel my cheeks flush. As my thoughts raced, I heard a voice inside my head.

"I hope she's ok. Crap. Maybe I shouldn't have held her hand. Her heart was beating so fast, though she must be terrified of that bastard. Brother let me rip out his throat. Not now, Drathos, she needs support not violence." the two voices came from the same source but were talking to each other.

As confused as I was, though, I realized, I was hearing Dacre's thoughts again. "That other voice he called Drathos must be his wolf. I feel kind of guilty that I can hear him talking as well, like I am in a private conversation I shouldn't be able to hear." I thought to myself.

"Nothing is private from you, Mari, everything we are you can have. No secrets. No lies." I heard Dacre say in my mind.

"Oh yeah. This is a two-way thing. Well, we just need to be careful. Sylas is already angry. I don't want to add fuel to the fire. Let's test something, put your leg against mine and take your hand off." I thought.

"OK," he thought. I felt his hand move and waited a moment. I took a second to look around and see if anyone had noticed. Dacres mother certainly had, but she hid it well. Thankfully, the king was talking animatedly with Sylas about where the good hunting spots were in the surrounding area.

"Testing, testing one, two is this thing on?" I heard Dacre think. I laughed inside my mind. "Very funny Dacre I can still hear you," I thought.

"I don't want you to worry, Mari, even with no wolf you are still my mate. Our connection proves that. I don't care if it only works when we touch, I'll never let go of you if that is what it takes." he thought very seriously.

"Whoah there champ. Calm down. Let's get through dinner tonight and the blood moon ball tomorrow before we start talking about undying promises to one another ok." I thought back.

"OK, I get where you are coming from," he thought.