Origins Unkown

chapter 7

"When you were at your mother's. After discovering what I did, I knew I needed to find a place for us to hide, so I created this place."

"Well I'm glad you did, but where will we sleep and eat?" She asked with one eyebrow raised and a smirk on her face.

"Come this way." He said grabbing her hand and pulling her to what appeared to be a window. He pushed on the edge of the window and it opened like a door. He stepped aside and let Tess through first.

Tess was amazed. She had stepped into a window and on the other side was a bedroom with a small kitchen inside.

"Well, isn't this crazy?"

"You don't like it?" Rylan asked stepping in the room behind her.

"No, honey, I love it. My only question no is, where are we going to put the baby when he comes?"

"I was going to wait to show you, but since you asked." Rylan waked to the other end of the room and flipped what looked like a light switch. The wall beside it slid in a little, and then slid to the side. Inside was a perfectly decorated baby boy's room.

"Oh, Rylan!" She said wiping a tear that had fallen down her cheek.

"Do you like it?"

"I absolutely love it, but what if it's a girl?" She said laughing. She new full well it was a boy, but wanted to see if Rylan had anticipated her questions.

"Not a problem." He said. He pulled a string next to the door and everything turned and flipped and the room was pink.

"How adorable. I know it's going to be a boy, but I can hope can't I?" She said throwing her arms around his neck.

For the next few months, they lived without help from servants. They cooked, cleaned, and dressed themselves. It was the best time Tess had had in a long time. Even though she had been at the castle long enough that the servant's help was routine, she enjoyed doing things for herself for a change.

It took Rylan a while to get used to doing things for himself. When he finally got the hang of it, though, he came up with a system that worked like a charm.

Tess spent her last few days of her pregnancy in the baby's room reading children's stories to her belly. One night, while Tess was, again, moving things around the baby's room, her water broke.

"Rylan!" She hollered, gripping the crib with both hands.

"What's wrong?" He said coming into the doorway with a dishtowel in his hand.

"I think it's time. My water broke." She said looking down at the puddle on the floor between her legs.

"Oh! Okay, let's go to the bed." He said, taking her hand and leading her into the other room.

He helped her undress and climb in bed. He threw off the heavy blankets and left only the sheet.

"Okay you try to breath and I'm going to get some warm towels and cool water." He said dashing into the kitchen.

Tess tried not to scream as the contractions came faster and faster.

"Oh! He's coming!" She grunted between contractions.

"Okay, I'm here. Just breathe and get ready to push."

He pushed back the bottom of the sheet so her bottom half was exposed.

"OH my GOD!" Tess screamed.

"Honey, you need to push."

Tess pushed her hardest through four contractions. "I can't do this, Rylan." She said exhausted as another contraction hit.

"Yes you can. I can see the head. You have to give me one or two more good, strong pushes."

With the next contraction Tess pushed with all she had left I her. She felt a sudden empty feeling, and then heard a noise. The baby was crying.

"Is he okay?" She gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"He's perfect." Rylan said handing the baby to her.

Tess cuddled him close and began to cry. Rylan kissed them both on the forehead and then started to clean up.

Tess started to get out of bed and Rylan rushed over. "You need to rest."

"Nonsense. I'm fine. Besides, you have to change the bed. I'm going to give our little guy a bath and then try to feed him."

"Okay, just take it easy."

Tess filled the sink with luke warm water. She carefully laid the baby down into the water, careful to keep one hand under his little head. She hummed softly as she washed him. When he was cleaned to her satisfaction, she raised him up and quickly wrapped in a towel. She rocked him gently as she walked to his room.

Tess picked out the warmest outfit and dressed him. Then she got a blanket out of the little dresser and wrapped him up like a little burrito. He was sound asleep, so she laid him gently in the crib and crept out of the room. She closed the door a little and looked around for some clean clothes for her. There, on the freshly made bed, was a long-sleeved nightgown. She changed into it and lay back down.

"Rylan?" She said softly.

"Yes, my love?" He said crossing the room to sit beside her on the bed.

"We need to give the baby a name."

"Yes, I know. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Well, I've always liked the name Marc."

"I've always been kind of fond of Danyal."

"Okay. How about Marc Danyal, then?"

"That's perfect. Now you get some rest before little Marc wakes up and wants to eat."

Tess turned onto her side, closed her eyes, and quickly drifted into a deep sleep. Rylan left the bed and walked softly towards the baby's room. He pushed the door open just a hair and looked at his beautiful new son.

Marc was fast asleep and Rylan couldn't believe he was finally here. Marc began to stir, but then quickly went back to sleep. Rylan backed out of the doorway and went to lie beside Tess.

"Everything's going to be okay." Rylan said out loud to himself as, he too, drifted off to sleep.

Tess tossed and turned with the nightmare she had had before.

'This is not going to happen!' She said to herself. She slipped out of bed and crossed the room. She peeked into the baby's room and saw him sucking his thumb.

She opened the door just enough for her to slip through, and then closed hit quietly behind her so she wouldn't wake up Rylan.

She picked up little Marc, sat in the rocking chair and pulled open her gown. She smiled as he cuddled up to her breast to eat. She didn't know there was this kind of love in the world. She would do anything for him. She would die for him.

"I hope you realize some day how much your father and I have sacrificed to keep you with us and safe. I love you Marc Danyal and I hope you grow up to know what that love is." She said softly as she stroked his little head. She watched his face as his sucking slowed and then stopped. She carefully lifted him up, fixed her gown, and then wrapped him back up snuggly in his blanket. She carried him over to his crib, laid him down, and watched as his thumb found his mouth again.

She crept out of his room and went to lie back down. Her happy thoughts were suddenly clouded with what the dark man had told her. She was sick with the thought of losing her only child to such a monstrous person. She closed her eyes and soon was asleep. The nightmare was back, but she kept on sleeping. She was bound and determined to learn whatever she could from them and use it against the Keeper. She controlled her fate, not them.