CHAPTER 24

~ The Birth ~

 

Kazar scoops the Amazonian sized form of his new mate into his arms and growls at the warrior mage.  “You two can discuss Callie’s role as Dragon Queen later.  Right now she needs to save her strength to safely deliver our child.”  Despite Callie’s amazing transformation, Kazar cannot help but be worried for his mate’s wellbeing.  Child birth is dangerous, even for Immortal females, and Callie is so newly transformed.  Surely, she is weakened by the process and the struggles of her taxing pregnancy?

He settles his mate onto the massive bed and turns his attention to Morna, the First Spell Weaver of Airendell and healer, who was summoned by Blood when Callie’s water broke.  The healer has been monitoring Callie’s difficult pregnancy and is best suited to help with the birth.  “Madame Spell Weaver…” his voice trails off and Morna laughs sweetly as she quickly and efficiently assumes the role of midwife. 

Positioned between Callie’s open legs she smiles delightedly and announces; “The babe is crowning.  Kazar, Nyle, grab her legs behind the knees and help her remain open so that she can begin to push.”  Morna’s hand is on Callie’s swollen belly and she is sending healing energy to mother and child as she grins up into Callie’s happy but very nervous gaze.  “No worries, Ruathar Bànrigh, women have been doing this since the dawn of time.”  Callie nods to signal she understands.  “On the count of three, give me a big push, and let’s deliver this impatient little princess.”

Before Callie can follow Morna’s instructions, she screams in agony, wrapping her arms tightly around her baby bump and drawing her knees protectively toward her belly.  A frantic Morna does a quick healer’s read and begins to swear softly right before a flood of crimson blood rushes from Callie’s body.  “Luca!  The baby has shifted forms and is trying to claw and bite her way out.  Help me before I lose them both!”

“Save my baby,” Callie pants breathlessly before darkness overtakes her and she falls into the protective and supportive arms of her mates.

Lucian Michaels is instantly at his mate’s side, the two powerful Spell Weavers work together to weave healing spells, and send a message of peace and relaxation to the panicked infant who is unwittingly killing her own mother.

“What is happening?” Nyle demands harshly, as he tears his panicked gaze from his beloved Callie’s face.  “Save her!” he commands forcefully.

“Keep her upright, and maintain an open airway,” Lucian instructs Callie’s mates as he works with his mate to deliver the child before she can inflict more damage upon her mother’s body in her desperate bid to be born. 

The situation is fast getting out of hand, so Blood, the leader of the Twin Ravens and last remaining guardian of the Red Earth Dwellers, approaches to assist.  Calling upon his ancient abilities, he soothes the infant enough to allow the Spell Weavers to safely deliver the child.  Blood smiles reassuringly at Morna when she hands him the squirming being before turning her attention to healing Callie.  Wrapping the small, winged hellion in a soft baby blanket, he speaks soothing words to the child as Morna and Lucian work to save the mother’s life.  “Be at peace, child.  This form is not of this world, so calm yourself.  Change back to the form designed to dwell here among us.”

As though his very words contain the power to effect the desired change, the winged, clawed, and fanged infant slowly shifts back into a very normal looking human child with a tuft of red-gold curls on the top of her head.  Once the transformation is complete, the ancient sabretooth shifter sets about cleaning the child, all the while speaking soothing words in a language that only he and the ancient Red Earth spirits understand.

Feeling the angry gaze of his enforcer upon them, Blood looks up with disappointment plain in his eyes.  “Do not blame the child, Nyle.  You will only break Callie’s heart and drive a wedge between you and your mates if you hold on to the fury growing in your heart.”

Kazar looks up from tending to Callie.  Casting a questioning glance at Blood before searching his lover’s face.  “Nyle?” he queries.

“That… that thing nearly killed our mate!” Nyle spits out angrily.

“Enough, Nyle.  That thing is a dragonling.  Our dragonling.  The young of our beloved mate.”

“What if the vampire who sired that thing somehow tainted it with his darkness?  What if the child continues to pose a threat to Callie?”  Kazar can see genuine fear in his mate’s eyes.  He reluctantly admits, if only to himself, that he too harbors some fear about the child after seeing what she could do upon the moment of her birth.  In other shifter species, when the babe transforms in the womb, it is usually because the newborn beast is a rogue and intends to kill its own mother. 

“Nonsense,” Blood barks out.  “This child is not tainted,” Blood decrees in response to Nyle’s statements.  He glares at both of his enforcers before addressing Kazar’s unspoken fears.  “Nor is she a rogue hell bent on killing her own mother.  She is dragonkind.”  Kazar nods.  Logically, he knows his leader is correct, but his concern for Callie’s wellbeing is in danger of igniting a pyre of distrust and resentment toward the child.  “Do not give in to your fears,” Blood commands his enforcers. “Do not fail Callie and your duty as her consorts.”  He looks from Kazar to Nyle.  “Either of you.”

Tense silence fills the cavern as Blood snuggles the child, all while cooing soothing words to the agitated infant.  The Spell Weavers work together quickly and efficiently to heal the damage wrought by the infant’s claws and teeth.  After several long moments, in which the newly made consorts fret over their mate, Morna finally speaks into the tense silence.  “I have a pet dragon, do either of you know that?”

Both Nyle and Kazar tear their watchful gazes from Callie to stare in disbelief at the leader of the Airendell realm.  The feisty redhead chuckles as she continues assisting Luca in weaving his healing magick.  “Well, he’s not a true dragon, obviously.  He is an Airensaur, a distant cousin of the ancient dragon queens.  His name is Eurig and he is over three thousand years old.”  She smiles at a distant memory of her friend and companion, Eurig.  “He claimed me as his when I was only nine years old.”

“We call each other pet just as a way to tease playfully,” Morna chuckles. “But Eurig is truly wise and a valuable source of information.  He once told me a story about dragons which I had forgotten until this moment.”  She looks up from her work to make certain she has the full attention of Callie’s mates.  “True dragon babies are terrified of cramped, dark places….”

Everyone turns when they feel the presence of another magickal being in the cavern.  “Forgive me, Red Earth Guardian, but I had to come.”  Everyone is shocked to see a giant emerald green lizard-like creature with a huge snout full of sharp teeth, enormous red eyes, five horns, giant leathery wings, and a long whip like tail.  The tail is wagging madly and the creature is screeching and mewling at the same time.  Everyone can feel the creature’s childlike excitement in this moment. 

Morna shakes her head and chuckles.  “Speak of the devil.  I was just telling these dragon consorts about you, Eurig, and then you show up as though I conjured you from thin air.”

“I felt the awakening of the High Queen Mother of the Dragons and the birth of her first child.”  The heavily accented voice reverberates throughout the massive cavern.  “I felt compelled to aid mother and child.”  He looks around and admits; “The wards on this cavern kept me out until the guardian spirits realized I mean mother and child no harm.”

“Damn Eurig,” Blood mutters under his breath.  “I was wondering how you got past my wards.”

“Aye, your ancestors helped me,” the Airensaur admits ruefully.  The beast stomps closer still and peers at the swaddled baby in Blood’s arms.  “She da nae look such a fearsome beastie.”

“You should have seen her a few minutes ago,” Nyle says resentfully.  “The wee beastie must have weighed thirty or forty pounds and had a wing span as broad as a man is tall.  She’s a menace.”

“Nay, young wolfling.  That wee beastie is no more a menace than you were when you gave your animal free reign and he devoured your family’s winter meat supply.  Just as you were simply a child in a wolf’s body, this wee dragonling was simply a frightened babe in a small dragon’s body.”

Luca looks up from working on Callie to query of Nyle; “That was you?  I recall hearing that story.”  He looks over at his mate.  “Unfortunately, destiny had taken Morna and me away from Airendell by that time, but we still heard the tale.”

Eurig nudges Nyle with his massive snout.  “Rest easy, wolfling, the dragonling dae na wish your mate harm.  She was simply terrified.  As Morna told you, wee dragons fear the birthing process because they are being forced through a tight, narrow passage.  In the old days, many a birthing pair died because the babe panicked when something went wrong during delivery.” 

The enormous Airensaur leans over to watch the Spell Weavers work on Callie.  The massive beastie would smile, if he could, when he sees the newly transformed Dragon Queen resume her human skin and stir minutely as strength returns to her body.  “She’ll be fine.” Eurig speaks with such assurance that Nyle and Kazar look to the Spell Weavers, who simply nod their agreement as they continue weaving healing spells over Callie’s body.

“She’ll be fine,” Luca assures the newly mated males.  “Her body was repairing the damage without our help.”  He chuckles.  “Morna and I just added a bit of our magick to speed things up a bit.  She’ll need rest, lots of it, but I honestly believe she will be fine.”  Kazar and Nyle return their attention to Callie’s lovely face.  She no longer appears so gaunt and pale.  Kazar lovingly caresses her cheek as Nyle brushes damp tendrils of hair from her face.  Though her eyes are still closed, they can feel her mental presence and her returning strength.  The long time lovers look up and meet each other’s gazes over their mate and smile wanly. 

Eurig steps back and turns his attention to Blood.  “Next time you attend the birth of a dragonling, Sabretooth, simply work your soothing magick on the babe while it is still in the womb to prevent this sort of drama.”  With that bit of advice, the Airensaur promises to return when the High Queen is fully healed and has assumed her full Dragon form, and then he flashes out of the cavern.