Her Healing Touch.

Chapter 4.

      "Push, Margret,  Push! You're doing fine, I just need you to push a little harder."

I tiredly and calmly requested Margret, as I stood between Margret's open legs and was trying to bring her child into the world. Margret was bathed in sweat, her hair was plastered to her forehead, and she was gripping the sheets in a fierce squeeze. She shook her head from side to side and panted for breath as she bared down to the incredible pain that shook her body.

     "I can't do this Bella. It's impossible. I know that I am going to perish along with this babe... please Bella, take it out of me!"

I screamed as I pleaded with Bella.

I wiped my hands on the cloth that was attached to my belt, then I grabbed the bowl of cool water, soaked another cloth, wrung out the water and placed it upon Margaret's head. I was worried that Margret might indeed perish in childbirth; the Bairn was coming out feet first. From what Granny Skye said about breach births, that they were very difficult to attend to, and the healer had to be very careful. I didn't want Margaret to know of my own fears, so I laid my hand upon her shoulder and reassured her that she was NOT going to die! Suddenly, there came to be a violent beating upon the door.

"Oh No."

Margret cried. I made my way over to the window to peer outside. When I saw who it was, I grunted in annoyance. For on the other side of the door stood the drunken fool who happened to be Margret's husband... Robert Crane.

    "OPEN UP! You Dammed Woman!" 

I screamed. Soon the wooden door that was blocking me from entering this wretched shack that was once my home, started to creak and groan, and I sneered, "You cannot block the entrance woman, when I finally get in there, I'll wring your neck, you witch!"

 Bella.

I hoped that whatever was making Robert scream in anger would not impede me in my work of safely birthing this babe. But unfortunately, what I was wishing won't happen, didn't come true.  The door burst open, and sharp shards broke apart and blew inward. Margret screamed in absolute fear. 

Robert.

As I made my way over to where the witch stood and violently pushed her aside, which caused her to scrape her hands against the rough flagstone floor. Then I stood over Margret and began beating my sickly wife. I could see from the corner of my eye that the witch was wanting to get up off the floor and rush me, in order to stop me.  Again I pushed her away from me by a violent shove and watched as Bella fell to the floor and hit the back of her head on the wall. Watching her trying to  shake off the sudden dizziness, and take a breath, I held her up by her throat and started to squeeze her throat and shake her, violently.

     "You bloody Demon, How dare you put your evil hands on my woman!"

I screamed. Bella tried to loosen the grip he had on her throat,

      "Please let me go, Robert! Margret needs my help with the baby." She said as she tried to loosen my grip on her neck.

              "No!!"

I screamed again. Just as I could see that the witch was  starting to feel her lungs tighten, my grip slackened and I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head and I collapsed into darkness.

 Bella.

I was suddenly released and I landed on my stomach when I fell. Coughing, to bring back some air, I looked up and saw Cambryn choking the very neck with what seemed like more strength then what Robert was using on me.

               "How dare you, Sir."

With that I threw Robert across the room. When I saw him not move, I made my way over to Bella and helped her get back on her feet. But our little moment was shattered when we both heard Kellan screaming for his mother. Bella and I rushed to Margret's side, I watched as Bella tried to feel for a pulse, or to see if there was any indication to see if  Margret still lived. Bella sighed with relief, when she could feel a faint heartbeat. 

Margret opened her eyes, looked at her son and wiped away the tears that were running down his face,

              "Be brave my Boy, and listen to Bella for me."

With the last of her strength, Margret gave one final push and died. Kellan screamed and threw himself at his mother's still body and wept. I laid my hands upon the boy's back and tried to comfort him. But then his wailing was silenced by another wailing. 

Bella reached under the blanket that covered Margret's legs and pulled out a red-faced squalling bairn. She gathered the babe into her arms and rocked the babe back and forth. Then I made my way over to the rocking chair that she sat on and watched as she held the baby all the more closer. Soon the baby ceased crying and hiccupped a tiny bit. As Bella rocked the babe, she began to sing softly to the babe. I then realized that it was the same song she sang to me, when I was sick with fever. 

 I wasn't completely lost in my thoughts that I couldn't sense Cambryn standing behind me, so I looked up at him and smiled. I then felt Kellen's hand as he laid it on my arm. I stopped rocking and gently pulled back the blanket that covered the babe's little head.

       "What would you like to name your new baby sister, Kellan?"

I gasped in wonder. "Sister?" Bella smiled at me and nodded.

    "Since you are now the man of the house, and you are her older brother now, I felt that you would want to name her." She said as she smiled at me. I looked back at my mama's dead body, closed my eyes and sighed. "I want to name her after mama. I like to call her Maggie. But I am still a little kid, Bella. Can you look after the both of us?"

She was about to answer when I saw Cambryn lay his hand upon her shoulder and give her a reassuring squeeze.

        "Bella, are you wanted here, in this village? Do people seek you out for your care?"

She hesitated for a brief moment, but before she could reply, Kellan spoke up before she did, and shook his head.

      "The Villagers believe that she is a witch, and they bully her whenever she is within any distance of the village. You would think, that since she is the half-sister of our Laird...,  Rickard Baldie,  that he would see to her safety, however, I am ashamed to say that he doesn't. In fact, he even encourages his men to have their way with her, if she is ever caught alone."

I stiffened when I heard Rickard's name. I then looked down at the sweet face of Ms. Bella, surely what the lad said couldn't be true. She couldn't be the sister of that vile man. Rickard Baldie was known throughout the lowlands and the highlands to have a violent and evil reputation. So without furthermore thought, I gathered Bella and the babe into my arms and made my way out of the cottage.

        "Wait, what are you doing? Put me down."

I softly demanded, not wanting to awaken the sleeping babe.

       "You will accompany me back to my lands, my people are in need of a talented healer, and your services are needed, please say that you will come."

I thought for a brief moment, then I sighed heavily and agreed. "Very well..., Cambryn Mckladdon I and Kellan and little baby Maggie will accompany you."

 I smiled inwardly and made my way back to Bella's cottage so that she could gather a few items that she would need, then we started our journey back to my keep and my lands.