As a child, you would wait and watch from far away
But you always knew that you'd be the one
That work while they all play
In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme
Of all the things that you would change
But it was just a dream
Here we are, don...
As Raina drifted in and out of consciousness, the dense woods enveloped her like a protective cocoon. Her dragons were left behind, and her grandfather, with furrowed brows, and her knight, Alden, remained by her side.
"Raina, open your eyes," her grandfather urged, worry filling his voice. Raina's eyes fluttered open briefly, her head was spinning as her mind seemed to slip away again. "We need to get her out of here," he said, looking to Alden.
"She can't ride like that," Alden said, his eyes darting around. "We should move her; we don't know if someone is still here," he said as they both slowly moved Raina.
The moonlight cast an ethereal glow through the thick foliage. A soft breeze whispered through the leaves, carrying the scent of earth and damp moss. Raina's body lay against the forest floor, surrounded by the sounds of the night.
Raina's body jerked as a scream left her mouth, her fingers digging into the cold ground beneath her as she opened and closed her hand in agony.
Her hand snapped up, gripping tightly on her swollen belly as another surge of pain shot through her. The moonlit shadows danced around them, and Raina's consciousness wavered like a flickering flame.
In her moments of clarity, Raina could feel the hands of her grandfather and Alden, their attempts to comfort and support her. Her breaths quickened, matching the rhythm of the approaching contractions.
The forest seemed to hold its breath, observing the unfolding drama beneath its canopy. Raina's voice echoed through the trees as she cried out in pain, her screams blending with the night sounds.
"Stop it!" Raina cried out, one of her hands grabbing onto her grandfather's arm. "Please! AHHHH!"
Her mind wandered between reality and dreams, memories and anticipations. Visions of battles fought and lost, faces of loved ones.
Raina's head turned to the side, her half-open eyes moving around the darkness when she saw what looked to be a boy. Raina opened her eyes a bit more-it was him.
"Luke?" she mumbled.
"Hey, Raina! Look at me, focus on me," her grandfather's voice pierced through the haze. His eyes reflected concern as Raina's gaze met his briefly before she succumbed to the grasp of another contraction. Her eyes rolled back; Corlys's hands found Raina's face, holding her head up. "Raina, you need to stay awake and push," he said, though he really didn't know what to do; it looked as if she needed to.
Time seemed to lose its hold in the enchanted woods. Raina's breaths quickened, and beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. Her body pushed itself forward as she strained with effort.
The moment her body relaxed back, her consciousness dipped again, slipping into a dreamscape where shadows danced with figures from her past. Whispers of prophecies echoed in the recesses of her mind, mingling with the primal sounds of labor.
The pain was like nothing she had felt before-searing, relentless, and unyielding. It engulfed her like white-hot flames that refused to abate, leaving her body feeling like it was on fire, her mind blank and her body shaking uncontrollably.
"I... I can't," Raina whispered, her eyes closing again.
"No, Raina, look at me," Corlys said, pulling her back up, but Raina didn't open her eyes. "Raina!"
"Raina," her eyes opened to look around. "Hi, Raina," Luke said. Raina looked shocked as her hand moved forward slowly to touch his face.
"Luke," Raina said, now both of her hands holding his face. "I'm so sorry, Luke. I'm sorry," she said, and he only smiled at her.
"It's okay, Raina," he said, his brown eyes locking into her blue ones. "But you have been sleeping a long time. You need to wake up, sister. They will be here soon," he said. Raina looked at him, confused.
"What?" she said. Luke shook his head.
"Be strong, Raina," Luke said, pulling away from her. "It's almost done," and then he was gone.
"LUKE!! AHHH!" Raina's eyes snapped open. Her body was consumed by pain and pressure, and she pushed with all her might.
As the night wore on and the moon traversed the sky, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor, Raina's resolve flickered like a candle in the wind. Then, as the cries of the newborn broke the stillness, Raina's eyes fluttered open, a mix of exhaustion and triumph etched on her face. The moonlight, now softer in the predawn hours, bathed the scene in a serene glow, a sacred cry was heard.
The grandfather cradled the newborns, presenting them to Raina. "Twin girls," he announced with a smile, the joy of new life contrasting the remnants of the night's struggle.
Raina, though weary, extended her arms to hold her daughters, her heart swelling with a complex blend of emotions. Her eyes moved down to look upon the two tiny babies, their fuzzy white hair atop their heads and beautiful tan skin.
"They look like you when you were a baby," her grandfather said, gently touching their faces before looking up at Raina. "I thought I lost you too, Raina," he said, gently pressing his lips to her forehead.
"I'm not going anywhere, not yet," Raina mumbled, her voice hoarse. Her eyes moved to meet his with a small smile. The forest, witness to this intimate moment, seemed to exhale a sigh of relief, and a sense of renewal settled within its ancient embrace.
As the dawn approached, Raina, her newborn daughters, and the small camp in the heart of the woods became a testament to the cyclical nature of life-the interplay of battles fought and won, losses endured, and the persistent flame of hope that continues to burn in the face of adversity.
~~~ ↓
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