Once Upon Many Times

The Bloodline's Prophecy, Part 2

As the queen takes the provided chair, Seraphina moves towards the back where there is a fire pit with a kettle above, its steam causing a loud whistling sound that fills the hut. Carefully removing the kettle, she pours the boiled water into two cups with prepared tea leaves inside. Placing the cups on a tray along with a ceramic sugar bowl she had received as payment along with the sugar, she brought the tray to a little table where she had left the queen. Amberleigh grabs a cup and sweetens her tea to her liking, taking a sip, waiting patiently for Seraphina to speak, suspicious of what she needed to say while also trying to keep her hands from shaking.

“So, you said that the Moon Goddess spoke to you about me and my impending pregnancy. What did she say to you? Why is this baby so important?” the trembling queen asked as she held her cup with both hands. Finally calmed, the queen stares at Seraphina and waits.

Taking her seat again, Seraphina sipped her tea as well, readying herself to divulge what she needed to say. Placing her cup down, she turns to speak.

“The Goddess told me that you will be blessed with a daughter who will one day unite the supernatural worlds. There would no longer be wars between the groups. She would come into great powers bestowed by the Goddess to ensure that she succeeds once she finds her true fated mate and claims each other.”

“But be warned. There are forces who do not want her to succeed. They will do everything within their power to keep them separated. Chaos will ensue, a shift in powers, everything will break down into despair. No one will truly be safe and fear will reign.”

Taking a minute to gauge if the queen understands what she said, she sees shock and fear in her green eyes, her complexion dulled, giving a sense that the queen may become sick. Grabbing a bucket she had placed near her for this response, Seraphina brought it forward just as the queen had indeed lost what little she was able to eat earlier, all now spewed into it. The seer offers a clean cloth for the queen to wipe her mouth, as she does while her hands shake. Queen Amberleigh looks beseechingly at the seer, pleading with her eyes, a silent begging for this not to happen. She, in fact, has a question that flits within her mind, wondering if she truly wishes to know the answer to her unspoken question, and fears the answer as well. Before she had even spoken her hidden query, Seraphina answered her.

“You wish to know what would happen if you were to not have your daughter. The answer is not good. The Goddess believes you are the best vessel to carry this child, and without you, chaos will ensue. The Royal kingdom will be destroyed, your sons will be scattered throughout the world, unable to reunite, the bloodline will be diluted until it no longer exist. Wars will decimate the wolves population, fighting against numerous enemies, too many to truly win. The dark forces, who have formed a coalition, are working against us; they will ensure the outcome will be in their favor. They are wishing to eradicate all those who work against them, like me. No one knows who is in the coalition, so it makes it difficult who to trust.”

Tears stream down the queen’s face, her breathing becomes shallow, as she digests the words of the seer. She is trying hard to fight the need to run away, to leave behind this hut of horrors, a trail of fear lingering, wrapping itself around her, squeezing her, tormenting her, breaking her. Gripping the arm of her chair, her nails turn into claws, scraping the wood, leaving curled tendrils falling to the floor. She shakes her head, as if this will help clear the images that flicker behind her eyelids, wishing to erase them forever. Neither of the choices are great. She can either terminate her pregnancy and risk the world as she knows to be doomed; or continue the pregnancy, and risk the possibility she and her child will die, as well as there is no guarantee there will be a positive outcome regardless. Taking a deep breath, Amberleigh exhales, squares her shoulders, looks at Seraphina and says, “Let’s have a baby.”