Through Tears and Bloodshed

Ten||Life and Death

A sharp, agonized cry permeated through the hot desert air. Hot, sweaty palms reached out to me, grasping my clothing as I heard the cries of pain push into me like a stone wall collapsing on my lungs, suffocating me into silence. Unsure of what to do, I sat with the woman under Nax's wing, drawing her pain away from her body and into my own. It shot through me like a blazing fire but numbed within seconds and repeated the agonizing progress. Having the sun blocked from bearing down on my head was a small mercy at this moment as I stared down into Helah's dark brown eyes that scrunched in the corners as another contraction rippled through her.

"Almost," Sigrid murmured, adjusting her stance as her brow beaded with sweat droplets. "It shouldn't be long now."

I swallowed the lump in my throat as my teeth ground together. Helah had been in labour for two hours, and I wasn't sure how much longer she could take it. But I offered her what I could in such a situation.

One final cry and hours later, Helah's baby was born. Tiny fingers stretched toward the sky as the baby announced its birth for all to hear. Sigrid placed the child on Helah's chest, enveloping her in a protective layer of clothing against the harsh heat of the desert.

"A girl," Helah breathed lovingly. As I observed the pair, I saw the adoration flowing through Helah's brown eyes—a baby she could finally hold, raise, and love born into a world with new beginnings.

I gave Helah some space and walked in the direction of the camp. We didn't wander away too far, but it was enough to provide the privacy Helah needed to deliver the baby. As I peeked over a dune, I stared down at the moving people conversing within the makeshift camp. A slow hush fell over the people as their eyes landed on me walking through them.

No one dared breathe a word as they waited in anticipation.

"It's a girl," I spoke, a sliver of a smile splitting my face.

Collectively, the camp broke out into cheers of joy. I breathed a sigh of relief, thanking the gods for this glorious moment.

Walking down the sandy slope, I manoeuvred through the crowd, which wasn't all that hard because everyone moved out of my path. My thoughts were aimed at checking in on the feline. I had to make sure her shoulder was still in good condition.

"Rider," A male's voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned my head to observe the man who called out to me. He stood taller than I, with his weapon of choice tightly within his grasp. Brown facial hair peppered with grey hairs poked out in an unruly mess, and weathered green eyes stared into mine. "It's only a few more days of travelling until we reach the Helios mountains. What is the plan afterward?"

A few stragglers overhead our conversation and decided to stop and listen in. "I plan to get everyone home, wherever home may be," I started. I knew not everyone was from Pontheugh, but I would make it my responsibility to ensure everyone reached where they needed to be. "But first, we must get medical attention, food, and rest. We'll head to the Academy of Rhydderek. The school was burnt down in a fight against the Kellso, but the infirmary was untouched."

"The Academy was overtaken by the Kellso?" An alarmed voice called from behind the older man who spoke to me first.

I swallowed hard as memories of that night flooded my vision. "We fought them off as best we could, but the building burnt down in the fight."

"Are we going to have a home to come back to?" A question with heavy weight behind it. I could neither deny nor confirm, but I had to give them hope to keep moving forward.

"The Kellso may have overtaken the Academy, but that doesn't mean all of Pontheugh is gone. We have a strong army who can handle taking care of business." I believed it to be true. Why else would the Kellso King make it his number one priority to break me down? He needed me. "We'll figure it out once we get there."