A Child Is Born.

1. THE HUMANS

"PUSH!" She was at the top of her voice, spreading her daughter's leg as wide as she could. "If you don't push this baby out now, I am leaving you alone to this"

The rain wouldn't stop, and the thunder spiking into the room from the window made her daughter as stiff as a statue. Belena was lying on a wool mattress, legs spread, knees buckled and the wooden bed frame creaking to every move she made.

Her stomach knotted or worse her intestines, she wasn't supposed to feel her mother's fingers inside of her, but she did.

"Mother, please. Easy on me." She cried in a loud voice. The windows in the room danced to the rhythm of the wind and the roof rattled like it was about to pull off.

"Almost. Keep on pushing" the mother tried to talk over the noise of the rain.

"Mother…" Tears were pouring out of her eyes in a triple stream. Yet, she continued pushing, she wanted to bear this child.

"I see the head!" Her mother said. "Gently now, Bel, don't push much." Her hand held the child's head out carefully and the rest of the baby's body followed.

The mother held the newborn, took a clean cloth to remove the debris from its mouth and nose, and the child burst into a loud cry. "It's a girl child." Her eyes were sunken, like this was a mistake.

Without question, she stretched her arm and handed the child to her daughter who curled up with it with tears in her eyes. "You are so beautiful." Her voice had no tempo.

Barely enough to convince her mother.

"Take the child to her father." One hour after the mother had helped Belena clean up and wrapped the baby in a warm cloth, she let out her feelings. "This is my last help to you. Take this child to her father!" If she had a neighbor, they would hear her clearly.

"Mother, please."

"If you refuse to tell me who possesses the child, my roof is no longer a home for you."

Belena's lips opened but nothing came from them except small sobs.

"Tell me, Belena. Tell me who owns that child"

No response regardless and this upset her mother. "You have failed me yet again. I have become the laughingstock of the town, nevertheless, you are not bothered by it." She ground her teeth. "I wish your daughter would do the same thing you did to me." She cursed. "Leave now!" She dragged Belena by her dress. "Leave and never come back!" Her hands were plastered on her daughter's back and she forced her out of the small hut they were living in.

When the drop of rain settled on the newborn skin, her tiny voice rose above the rain "I have nowhere to go" Air seething through Belena's skin, and her teeth chattering because of the late-night cold. "Please, one more night Mother."

"Find the lunatic that got you pregnant and never showed up" her mother spat and shut the door.

Belena could understand her mother's fear was leaving this newborn at her place and running off, but she would never do that. She would never want to let go of her little gift.

"Forgive me, my child, please" As she tied her baby close to her with a shawl, her legs clogged with the mud and potholes in the village as she took to her heels, but she kept running without finding shelter.

Then she decided to make the big decision. Confront the child's father; or better, beg him for help.

She reached the castle, behind the gatekeeper's house where woods were burned under a shade, and rested her back beside the fire for warmth.

After a while, she took a long black scarf hanging on a tree that was big enough for her to disguise her child and then entered the castle. With the familiar paths she took, no one stopped her.

Getting into the palace, she walked behind walls and pillars to avoid being seen. She had just one place she was heading to and would get there at any cost.

Reaching the front of his adorned gold door, Belena's hand almost reached the doorknob, but the door opened itself and she hurried back to hide in a corner.

"The King asked for a private time, ensure that his dinner is sent on time before he sleeps" The voice of royalty and power.

"Yes, Your Highness" the maids all responded at once..

The child's voice suddenly slipped into the thin and Belena immediately latched her lips with her baby's lip to prevent her from making a sound while also pulling her breast out of her clothes. When her mouth left her child's, she replaced it with her breast as the baby began feeding.

The Queen who was about to take a few steps halted, her eyes bulging out as she darted around the castle walls. "Is that a child?"Her voice was low and whispery. She turned to her maids. "Did you hear that? Did you hear a child crying?"

Their heads went from right to left. "No, Your Highness."

"I heard it" she muttered some words looking around the palace. "It was short, it was quick" Her brows furrowed and her lashes settled on each other, but she couldn't figure out where the sound came from, so she just walked away.

"Perhaps, her childlessness is making her insane," one of the maids muttered to the other.

"There hasn't been a cry of a child in this palace for years. She must be hearing things" The maids continued their gossip while they walked away.

When Belena saw that they were gone, she took a bolder step out of her hiding spot, her eyes flickered around, and her hands bent the doorknob quickly. She used the same pace to shut the door behind her.

"I said I needed some private time, Daphne" The King's low growl pierced into the air. His hand clasped his pen as he continued to write on the scroll.

Belena found herself shivering at his voice, even when it had been a long time, the effect in his tone never left. "Your Highness?" She called with a shaky voice.

The pen ceased to write the cursive letter 'e' and the tip pressed against the scroll until it made a hole on the other end. Then the pen fell and the King's chair tilted toward the direction of the door. The light in his eyes dimmed as he was met by a drenched woman in his room. His brows raised in some sort of surprise, and when she pulled her scarf away from her head, his eyes widened.

"You." He muttered, raising himself from his seat.

"Godric." Tears welled in her eyes.

King Godric could only stare into her soaked eyes. "Belena." Her name wrung his tongue when he mentioned it. His big steps extended toward her.

Belena let out the breath she had been holding and then her hand spread, revealing the little bun to him. "Your child, Godric" Her breath shook. "Your child is here." Her words were barely clear..

King Godric's eyes sank into the baby's face as he scanned the authenticity of what was pointed to him.