A Shade Darker ✔️

{Chapter Fifty}

How many months has it been?

January 1st, 2017

Ashley

With the months of August, September, October, November, and December behind me with no further signs of bleeding and increase in weight, the household had visibly relaxed without further inclination that the child wouldn't survive.

But as of now I didn't know if I were going to survive. The house was frozen solid in the early month of January, without heating except for the fireplace in the living room and no electricity from the snow, everything seemed dark, gloomy, and lifeless.

The flowers in the garden were gone, stems and petals frozen and snapped to the ground along with the healthy leaves on all the trees.

The grey sky was now visible overhead, but the forest still so thick that one could not see past a mile or two.

A warm, meaty hand is pressed onto my shoulder and turning to look, a cup is steaming hot chocolate is offered to me by Lucile.

I thank her quietly and take it, feeling instantly warmed with the first gulp of steaming liquid down my throat.

A heavy and loud entrance through the doors to the loft welcomed Mike home in a mess of chattering teeth and snow covered coat.

A few of the maids, Lucile, and I all laugh at the presence before Lucile hurriedly pushes a cup of hot chocolate into his hands as well.

He comes to kiss me in greeting, in which the maids hurry out as if expecting us to begin rolling around the floor dry humping each other at any second.

Unreasonable those maids were, if you asked me. After the simple kiss, he takes a seat next to me, leaving on his coat with a glance over his shoulder.

Quickly, he offers me his hands and begins making conversation.

"I saw Billie in town today..." I raise an eyebrow, intrigued as I took his hands between my own and began to produce heat with a simple thought of a spell.

"Oh? And how...was he?" He shrugs a shoulder is response, sipping free handedly at the hot chocolate on the table in front of us.

"Eh, I did not stop to ask. I was running a quick errand, something for the child. And frankly, I still do not care, even if I would have had the time between then and freezing my manly parts off in the snow" This produces a small laugh from me and an inkling.

"A present, then? The errand? What did you get?" He pulls his hands away, now nice and warm from my doings.

Reaching into the large pocket of his coat, he produces a small paper wrapped back and hands it over.

"I was going to wait till he was born-"

"Or she, go on" I correct, watching in amusement as the blue eyes rolled in their sockets.

"But I could stand no longer to keep it from you, so I thought you must have it today. In celebration of the new year" With a smile I begin unwrapping the small bag and reach inside.

Whatever it was, it must have been metal, for it was so cold that I jolted back in surprise.

"To bad the lad couldn't be born in summer, eh?" This time I was the one rolling my eyes, smiling more slightly when I noticed the handful of maids peeking around the corner of the kitchen.

Nothing me, Lucile turns at the head of the bunch and begins waving her hands in a hushed whisper.

"Off with ye! Back to your chores!"

A small faint movement in the depths of my stomach made me look down with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, rushing me now are we?" A heavier, slightly painful kick replied to my question.

Reaching into the bag once more, I expect the cold surface and pull out the small product.

I smile, shake it in my hand and laugh at the small sound of the silver rattle.

"I love it! It's beautiful" The sterling silver was embellished with designs of Celtic nature. The hoops and folds looking ancient and valuable.

And on the handle, the small engraving that barely caught my eye. Turning it over, I read:

Little Seed

"What happens when 'Little Seed' isn't so little anymore?" I ask with curiosity towards Mike, his smile not faltering in the slightest as he seemed prepared for the answer.

"What all Little Seeds do, I suppose. Grow up into stems, then blossoms, and then flowers" I scoff at his cheekiness and shake some of the snow from his hair.

Taking the rattle, Mike begins shaking it towards my stomach.

"I wonder if perhaps he can hear it?" A series of kicks produces and makes me touch the spot from which they came.

Again, painful, and I start to stand.

"I think she can hear it just fine" He rattles it again and another series of kicks, now painful enough to make me reach out to the wall.

"Stop rattling that thing!" I cry as the kicking increases and the breath is leaving me. A sweat breaks out near my spine and I clutch the kicking, almost angry seeming she or he inside of me.

"I'm not rattling it!" Comes his reply as I look to see the rattle placed firmly on the table.

The tightening of skin across my stomach and the muscle within makes another cry produce. Within a minute, it's gone and I stand breathless and straight again.

Still holding onto the wall for support though, Mike stares at me dumbfounded.

"What was that? Does he not like it?" Picking up the rattle, I stop him with an outstretched hand.

"Rattle that thing one more time and I'm boxing your ears. That you imbecile, I think, was a contraction" I brush hair away from my forehead and watch with a long drawn out sigh as eavesdropping maids file into the room with excited expressions.

I look down at Mike with order.

"Get me my notebook, I need to write this down. I'm pretty sure the official gestation period is six months" I stand up straight again, touch at the feeling of a light kick and sigh heavily.

"Alright, ladies. Has anyone ever given birth before?" A group of curious looks around the group.

Three hands raise.

I point at them.

"Good. I've no experience. Think you can help?"