Three Flames: They Were Happy

8. Life

Michael heard the screams upstairs. The midwives were there with Riya. Arthur continued to wrap Michael into his arms as they cuddled on the bed. "Arthur your wife is in labour" he reminded.

"So?"

"What do you mean so? She is your wife. She is giving birth to your son. Your heir. The heir to the kingdom. You should be there."

Arthur kissed Michael's neck. "Too kind. "

Michael did not understand people telling him this. He wasn't kind just sensitive to things that happened around him.

"That woman has midwives looking after her she is going to be fine. Plus I married her because she is strong enough not to die in childbirth."

Michael breathed holding his stomach. "Auh..hn"

"What is wrong?" Arthur asked quickly. Worry on his features. He and Michael sat up on bed. Michael held his hand.

"Arthur call my mother."

"What is happening? Are you okay?"

'Ahh!" Michael screamed again. Squeezing Arthur's hand. "Call my mom! "

Mona was a midwife. Michael didn't want anyone else helping him to give birth than his mother.

"Breathe my son breathe." Mona encouraged as the king held Michael's hand in support. A cloth wiping at his forehead.

Michael took deep breaths. "Ahh!" He loved the child. But this was really a painful exit. He had his legs to the air as he pushed with all his might. There was only one place this child was getting out of. The same place it had gotten in.

"You can do this." Arthur said kissing Michael's forehead.

With that encouragement Michael pushed again. Putting his entire strength in it. And finally he was rewarded by feeling like a huge bomb had left him. And then the cry of a child could be heard in and out of the room. The cry of the new life. The new prince of the kingdom. And the new heir.

Michael could not believe that he could actually produce milk. He was now breastfeeding his son. Who suckled hungrily. He kissed the forehead of this precious gift of his.

"He's so beautiful" Arthur said as he got into the room. Looking at two important people in his life. "And so are you"

Michael blushed. "Is this the time to flutter me? My king you just became a father to two children. I should guess you should probably be with your wife as well. How is the first son doing?"

Arthur sat down on the bed next to Michael. "This is the first son. And since he is suckling his milk I should think he is greater than fine. "

Michael frowned. " My king be serious."

Arthur smiled sadly. " I might have not shown any feelings for the child but I did not want her to die."

This shocked Michael. Now that he thought about it though last night the only child's cries were those of his own baby. He never heard another baby's cries. But how come? This was a sea witch's baby. Why would it not survive? It was very strange.

Arthur saw the worry furrows being created on Michael's forehead. "Now why are you worrying so much? Maybe it was destiny. Either way life has been given in this kingdom. We have been blessed to have this little one. Our son. "

They both looked at the small creature who couldn't even see yet. "I love you Mike. And our baby, do tell me what will we name him?"

Michael said the first name that got out of his mouth. "Garry" his mother would never let him live without actually naming this baby the name of her choice.

Arthur smiled. "I found out something else"

"Not another death please. I don't know if I'll be able to handle it. "

"No-no nothing like that. Well it is like that but opposite. My husband it turns out I am not dying. "

Michael looked at Arthur. " Not dying? So you found a healer that could cure you and you never told me?"

"No need to get angry for silly reasons. I wasn't dying in the first place. Turns out it was all a conspiracy." He continued explaining. "Riya and her mother were eying the throne. So the quickest way to get it would be her getting married to me. How would she do that? I was refusing to get married to anyone I wasn't in love with."

"So she made up the whole disease so you would be forced to only think of the heir." Michael finished for him impressing his husband with his quick thinking.

Arthur nodded. "Exactly."

Michael has always know there was something very fishy about Riya and that wasn't just the sea witch part.

"So what are you going to do with her now?"

Arthur kissed at the baby's forehead. "She disappeared. Leaving nothing to follow by. I just hope she disappears forever. I wouldn't want to see her again. "

Michael hoped so too. She was still very dangerous. Especially now that she has lost her child. Michael did not want anything happening to his Garry. This little boy meant the world to him.

"Mother I have been wronged!" Tears fell from the beautiful sea witch. As she cried for her injustice. "They took everything! Mother I have lost everything. "

The queen of the sea stood on top of the water that she ruled over. "You have cost yourself that loss."

"Mother how can you say that to me?!"

The queen gritted her teeth. "You were the one who strangled your daughter even before she could cry once in the world."

"She was a female child! I needed an heir. A son. Not a daughter. "

Riya was sure what she had done was the right thing. Her mother had taught her that she was to give birth a son. A son for the king. A son that would make sure their take over in the kingdom.

"So because she was female you decided to kill her? Then I should have killed you at birth too! Because I too craved for a son."

"Mother you're confusing me. Wasn't it the right decision? Didn't I do the right thing?"

"The right thing? You killed your own daughter! A child from your own womb. A child you had carried. That was breaking all the rules I had told you as a child never kill one of us. And you went ahead to kill your own flesh and blood. You say they've wronged you. I say you've wronged yourself. I say you have cursed your mortal life. You will never have peace after this. I your mother. I your mother am telling you this. You are hereby banned from every sea in the five nations. Go and build another life somewhere far away from here. Go!"

"Mo-" the older sea witch had already vanished into the tears of the sky . Riya tried to do the same but she found that she could not. "Mother?! You have put me in this trouble now you leave me?" She profusely nodded. Tears fell like rain from her eyes to her cheeks. " Fine! Riya Morgana will leave this kingdom. I will find another nation to trouble. But I promise you that anyhow everyone will pay! This is my vow. I will make you all pay! For causing so much hurt in my heart. Starting with you mother! I will make you pay. Even if it is in another life. Everyone should be very happy with this little happiness of theirs because it will not last. I promise it won't!"