Across the Midnight Sea

Chapter 9: Adira's Vow

Thank you to the lovely readers who have taken the time to read and comment on this story so far. You have no idea how much your kindness motivates me to work on what I love. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

-

The sound of Lady Warren's labor pains echoed down the stone hallways bouncing off the walls and seeming to grow with each reverberation.

Each scream of pain raked across Adira's skin like nails.

This is my fault, she rubbed her hands over her arms feeling chilled.  I upset her. I should have waited...

An evening which had already felt like whirlwind of chaos, of joy and then terror then hope was not riddled with fear.

Fear for her mother and her unborn baby sibling.

It was too soon for the baby.

Wringing her hands together Adira paced the floor restlessly. She knew from listening to her mother and her midwife that the labor was a full moon ahead of schedule.

An early labor was a risk to both mother and child.

You did this to her, the voice in her head said darkly.

"I didn't mean to," she answered aloud just as another scream split the air followed by the shouting of servants.

She needed to go to her mother. She needed to see her, to say sorry and to beg her to be strong. After her mother had collapsed Lord Warren had ordered her to her room and told her to stay there...but she couldn't. She couldn't not be there. What if something happened? What if she never got the chance to apologize and tell her one last time that she loved her?

Adira reached for the latch on her door and pulled.

The door did not budge.

"What?" Adira frowned and yanked on the door. It rattled. 

Locked in...they had locked her in her room.

A strange and frantic feeling of being trapped and caged washed over Adira pounded on the door with an open palm.

"Let me out!" 

"That's not going to happen miss," came the answer from the other side. It was Lord Warren's captain a man who she had never liked and who had never much cared for the adoptive daughter of his lord.

"I need to see my mother," said Adira trying to force as much authority into her voice as she could muster.

There was no answer.

"I need to see her!"

She pounded on the door.

"Let me out!"

Nothing.

Adira let out a frustrated sound and then she realized there was silence.

Her mothers screams had stopped.

Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

There were no shouts of celebration, nor were there any wails of distress.

"Please..." Adira breathed the word.

She fell to her knees clasping her hands together so tightly that her knuckles ached from the grip.

"Please," She prayed to whatever powers that were above that her mother would be safe and the child healthy.

The hard stone pressed the tiny jewels of her dress into her knees and yet the pain of it was not enough to raise Adira from them. She would pray.