Chattan Bride

Chapter 13

A/N: Just a warning: This is a very, very dark chapter. You've been warned.

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It was a birth that was doomed from the start. The baby was too early and simply could not survive on his own. So Annie handed the tiny infant to Rose and turned to see Isabel trembling terribly.

"The baby will not live, there is no question. Why do you shake so, child?" She asked in Gaelic.

Alysandir looked up at his wife when he overheard Annie's inquiry and did note that Isabel looked unusually pale. His wife's heart was so tender, he decided, that seeing the pain of her first in command brought tears to her eyes. He went to her side and pulled her into his arms, but she stiffened. He looked at Annie who shrugged. They had lost other babies and mothers and Annie could not explain Isabel's behavior either.

Isabel brushed the tears from her eyes and prepared a tincture to calm down. This was the only logical course of action, she reminded herself. But every feeling revolted against necessity.

Within hours of Andrew's son's birth, quiet prayers were being uttered for his death. Rose was groaning and Andrew broke down. Alysandir brought him outside while Isabel collected the dead infant's body from Rose's lap and gave Annie the sedative for the mother's nerves. Once the bereaved woman was asleep under the spell of herbs, Annie returned to Isabel's side and smelled the myrrh.

"What are you doing, Isabel?" she asked.

"I need this baby, Annie. I do not know how to do this as well as you. You must preserve him."

"No! I cannot do that again. Bury him and send the innocent to God."

"Annie, you will do as I bid." Her expression demanded no less than obedience and Annie could not help but comply. She began to work quickly and Isabel's assistance speeded up the terrible process. "He has one more thing to do on this earth before he can rest," Isabel whispered as they completed the seemingly interminable preservation process.

"I can't see why you drag an innocent child into your schemes Isabel."

"There is no other way."

"To do what?" Annie asked.

"Aye, Isabel, to do what?" Alysandir asked from behind them.

With one glare Isabel demanded secrecy from Annie. Hadn't Alysandir told her only hours ago that she had no ability to lie? So hide the truth she must without speaking a lie. "To prepare the child for burial. Soon Annie, you will see that you can trust me." Her eyes were so sincere that Annie just nodded in agreement. The dead infant had been bundled and was so small that Isabel could tuck him into the basket of tinctures she carried. An identical sized wrapping was handed to Annie for her to pass off as the body. She made the sign of the cross as she unknowingly accepted the fake bundle.

"You are exhausted, Isa," Alysandir said gently as he pulled his wife into his arms. Her shoulders were slumped and her head was bowed. He could have sworn he heard her sob a little. "Come, my beauty, let's get some rest."

Isabel disappeared in her chambers for some time. Alysandir decided that he would have to fetch her back to his bed before he could get any rest at all. He knocked softly and within a moment Isabel came to the door with tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes. She could not bring herself to pray just yet though she was in way over her head. She was going to hell to save her sister's baby, to save the heir to Bamborough. Though the fiery torment of hell was frightening, the idea of spending the afterlife without Alysandir was what had her sobbing into her pillow. How could she sleep until she was certain that Gillian's baby was safe? When she heard the approaching footsteps, she knew it was her husband coming to comfort her. She was aching to tell him, to share this terrible burden with him, but then he would either prevent her from the only course of action that could save Gillian's child or he would have to go to hell with her for their actions against this tiny innocent child who already had the misfortune of an untimely death. No, she would not allow her Alysandir to suffer in hell. That much she could do right, despite Eva and Emma and all of her other mistakes.