Never will
616 Words
Time for tissue ❤️
One Month Later
*Marsden*
I don't know what's worse: the two days of screaming or the sudden silence. I down the remnants of my scotch. I've been downing it ever since Linnie went into labor, but it hasn't helped to numb my senses. If anything, they seem sharper than ever before.
There's no place in this residence where I can't hear her agony. Once I thought of trudging down into the mines that provide an income for the castle, but I can't abandon her. In truth, I want to be at her side, but the physician is insistent that it would only make things harder for her because she'd worry about me. Yes, she worries about everyone except herself.
I leap to my feet at the sound of rapid footsteps. Sarah Barnaby bolts into the room.
“It’s a boy, my prince,” she announces.
The joy at having my heir spears me. Although to hell with Linnie’s prediction that I’d have four sons. I am not going to let her get with babe again, am not going to have her suffer through this torment in order to provide me with even a spare. One child is all we need, all I require.
“But something’s terribly wrong, my prince.” She says, sadness in her eyes.
I swallow, “With my son?”
“With the princess. You’d best come quick, my prince.” Sarah bursts into tears and sinks into a chair.
Trepidation slices through me, cold chills dance along my spine. I run. Fast and hard, my heart pumping as quickly as my legs. I burst into Linnie’s bedchamber. Chalky white, she lies in the bed, her damp hair plastered to her face. She gives me a weak smile. My knees are stiff as I begin moving toward her. Suddenly the doctor, young and almost as pale as Linnie, is standing in front of me.
“I can’t stop the bleeding, my prince.” He says, shaking his head.
“Then what are you doing standing here? Get back over there and try.” I growl, feeling panic squeeze my heart.
He shakes his head again. “She’s lost too much blood.”
“Then you’d better damned well figure something out.” Shoving him aside, I hurry over to the bed and sit down gently on its edge. “Hello, my love.”
“Isn’t he beautiful?” she whispers.
Only then do I notice the babe with a thatch of black hair, wrapped in swaddling, cradled in her arms. Tears burn my eyes. “He is indeed.”
“You’re going to have to love him for both of us.” She says softly.
Shaking my head, I lower myself until I’m certain that she can easily gaze into my eyes. “No, Linnie, you’re not going anywhere.”
“I was wrong about the four sons.” She mumbles.
“One is enough. We’ll be happy with one.” I tell her.
She sighs, “I’m so tired, Marsden.”
Gently, I brush back her hair. “You can sleep for a bit, but only for a bit. Then you’ll start to get strong again.”
She gives me a sad smile. “I fear the old gypsy was right.”
“No. She was a stupid she-wolf.” I feel my lips tremble.
She shakes her head. “I’m not long for this world, my love.”
“Don’t say that, Linnie. For the Goddess's sake, please don’t leave me.” I beg her.
“I won’t, Marsden. I promise. I’ll never leave you.”
Only between one heartbeat and the next, she does.
- Writer
