The First Spell Weaver of Airendell: Book Two of the Airendell Chronicles (11 page)

“I didn’t either.  But I was convinced that I was pregnant and sought out a healer to confirm it.  Mordir told me this isn’t a typical child or a typical pregnancy.  It will progress very, very rapidly.  He said that Gullveig can explain it all to us.  She has had some experience with this.”

Luca sits down and draws her into his lap to hold her close.  His heart is filled with joy but also with fear.  He has heard stories of vampires who would take mortal women as lovers.  The women often did not even survive the encounters.  Luca knows from experience how hard it is for his kind to control themselves in that context.  But he has also heard wild rumors that sometimes the women would die after becoming pregnant by the vampires…  It would simply be too much for their frail mortal bodies to endure.  He prays his wife is strong enough to survive.  Perhaps they should consider terminating the pregnancy.  He can’t survive if Morna dies again.

Morna pulls back and looks at his face.  “What’s wrong?”

“Should we let this pregnancy progress?  I won’t risk losing you love, even for a child.” Luca says.

“NO WAY!  Lucian Invictus Bellona Michaels!  Do NOT even consider asking me to end this pregnancy!  I will not even talk about it!  It would be murder!  I will not kill our child!” Morna snarls at her husband.

Luca takes her face into his hands and kisses her gently.  “I won’t lose you Morna!”

“You won’t!  I am capable of doing this.  Mordir believes it to be true.  He is one of the most skilled healers in all the realms.  Besides, he says that Gullveig can help us.  Go find her, she can tell us about her experiences with this.  She has helped mortal women survive this, she can certainly help me.” Morna says emphatically.  “But whatever she says, I will not even consider ending this pregnancy.  This child is gift from God and I will do whatever it takes to protect him.”

Luca runs his hand through his hair in frustration and sighs, “Morna, I wouldn’t ask you do anything you feel is wrong.  I honestly feel the same way, but I would still do it to protect you.  Please don’t hate me for feeling that way.”  Luca pleads as he kisses her face and holds her close.  “You are my life, you know that.” 

Luca holds her and lovingly rubs her back until she is again calm before asking, “Do you want me to go find Gullveig now?”  When Morna nods, he gently sets her on the settee beside him and gets up.  He takes her hands and says, “I won’t bring it up again.  Please try to forget I mentioned it.”

Morna stands and kisses him, “I couldn’t ever hate you Luca.  You know that.  It is already forgotten.  I know you respect human life too much to callously end a pregnancy.  You were just worried about me, but I am confident that this will work out.  We will be blessed with a healthy child, and I will be just fine.  After all I have survived a great deal in this past week, carrying a vampire‘s child to term should be as easy as pie.”  Morna giggles.

Luca chuckles at that.  He loves it when she giggles, it’s a sign that she is truly feeling joyful.  He knows that she faces all challenges head on, with optimism and determination.  He also knows that she would go forward with this even if she knew she probably couldn’t survive it.  Her commitment to protecting life is that strong.  “I will go find Gullveig.” 

He kisses his mate gently and walks toward the door.  Morna laughs when he opens the door and finds Gullveig and Mordir waiting out in the hall.  She is surprised that they didn’t hear them out there, they must have really been focused on each other and their news. 

The pair of healers step back into the room and shut the door behind them.  “Sorry, Lady Morna.  We waited here, we thought you two might have some questions for us.  Lord Lucian, I am certain that you are worried about your wife being able to carry this child to term, but we are both confident that she can do just that.  She is truly an amazing being.  As a person and as a medical wonder,” Mordir beams at them.

Morna scoffs dismissively at that and Luca looks at her in frustration.  He wishes she could just accept a positive comment about herself once in a while.  But he immediately turns his attention to Gullveig, “Morna says you have had some experience with this?”

“I have.  Morna dear girl, I am mated to your Father, but we are not as you and Luca are.  We have not been as constant and true to those we love.  It’s a sad failing of many of our kind.  But I digress.  I, like your Father, have had numerous other loves over the centuries.  One of my long standing lovers was a vampire.  His name is Octavius.  He like, your Luca, refused to feed off of humans.  But he also hunted those who victimized humans.”

“He trailed one such monster across Europe whom had a fondness for taking mortals as lovers.  The sick bastard seemed to enjoy the fact that they would be so helplessly attracted to him and would give themselves to him so eagerly and yet would rarely survive the encounters.  One mortal girl did survive.  Actually, three of them survived.  But the first one we found was in Greece.  Her name was Melina.  She was a sweet, tiny little woman.  She barely survived the mating with the beast.  We found her and nursed her back to health.”

“It quickly became apparent to us that she was pregnant.  It took a great deal of my magic to keep her alive because the beast had ravaged her body so badly, but she lived and the child did as well.  He still lives in Greece.  He’s a fine man.  He survives on food and occasionally animal blood.  He is an immortal, nearly five hundred years old.”  Gullveig walks over and takes Luca’s hands into his own, so you see Lucian, your Morna can survive this and you will have another child with your mate.”

“Prophesies have foretold of two magical sisters that will give birth to a new race of magical beings.  We have recently realized those prophesies spoke of Morna and Breena.  We just didn’t understand how it would be accomplished, but this development has made it plain what is happening.  This race will be hybrids of a sort.  Half magical human and half vampire.” Gullveig says with a smile.  “Prophesies tell us that these children will be strong protectors of humanity, they will be powerful, honorable, valiant and strong.  I believe that will be due largely to the fact that Lucian will be the head of the clan.  His character, his innate goodness will guide this race to become a blessing to all who encounter them.”

“But Breena is not mated to a vampire…” Luca begins.

Morna chuckles, “Not yet.  She and Damian are very infatuated with each other.  I suspect they will be fully mated soon.  I have suspected for days that they are true mates.”

Gullveig laughs too.  “I am certain that you are right Morna.  I have seen those two together.  They are deeply in love already, they are just hesitant to act on it with everything that is going on around them.”

Luca smiles at that thought, but he is fearful for his sister in law.  “Breena is not as strong as Morna.  Will she survive such a mating?”

“Breena is much stronger than you give her credit for.  Physically, emotionally, and morally Breena is truly a rare specimen.  She, in her own way is just as spectacular as your mate.  That young vamp Damian is a rare gem as well.  I suspect he will be a devoted mate to Breena and father to their children” Gullveig says with conviction

“What is that young man like?  The one you mentioned in Greece.  You said he was a fine man, how so?” Luca asks.

“He is a builder by trade.  He builds homes, and community buildings for impoverished communities.  He moves to other countries every ten or twenty years, because he doesn’t age.  But he does good, wherever he goes.  Luca, he is much like Morna is now.  He is strong, and fast.  But he is flesh and blood as Morna is.  He is venomous, but he can withhold that venom when he feeds and he doesn’t live as a vampire.  He is a fine man, but a tragic man too.  He fell in love once and was devastated when she died of old age.  He remained with her until the day she died.  He was truly devoted to her.  I am proud to call him friend.”  Gullveig says.

Luca nods thoughtfully.  He had always assumed that vampires were vile fiends by nature.  Perhaps he should rethink that belief, perhaps there is hope for his kind.  But more likely this man is such a fine creature because he is half human.  “How will this pregnancy progress?  What will happen to my mate?  What will we need to do to keep her healthy?”

“The pregnancy will progress very rapidly.  The child will develop at an astounding rate.  The fetal development of this child will be approximately equivalent to a week to ten days’ worth of growth in a day.  About thirty-five to forty days from conception to birth.  Morna could be considered on level with six to eight weeks along.    The changes are very rapid, and it does take a massive toll on the mother.  But Morna is not a typical woman.  She is much, much stronger than a typical woman and she will come through this challenge with flying colors.”

Gullveig pauses to let them absorb this information.  “But I caution you, I must be near Morna during the last weeks of the pregnancy.  When the child is ready, he may try to chew his way out of the body.  His teeth will be like Luca’s.  And he will be venomous as well.  I nearly lost Melina because I didn’t realize this.  The amniotic sac is much like your skin Lucian.  It is very durable.  I had to use a knife blessed by a Stone Breaker to cut the child out.  Your friend George can bless the instruments we will need to deliver this child.  But she cannot deliver naturally.  I am not comfortable taking that risk.” 

“I would not either,” says Luca with feeling.

“I want my godson to deliver this child,” Morna says quietly.  “Micah is an OB/GYN.  He is a skilled healer and you can teach what he needs to know to deliver this child safely.”

“Madam, I would be happy to assist Micah in this.  I respect the Spell Weavers greatly.”  Mordir says with a smile.

Gullveig laughs, “Unfortunately, Mordir is a rare man among our healers.  But I don’t see a problem with Micah being your physician Morna.  But I must insist that Mordir and I work with him.  Our combined medical and magical approaches will make the perfect medical team to safely get mother and child through this.  But my empathic abilities will be needed in the last weeks.  That’s essential.”  Mordir nods his agreement.

Heimdall arrives and looks at his goddaughter.  “So you know, Baby Girl?”

“We know,” Morna says with a smile.  Morna stands and walks over to Aideen.  “Is she aware of us?”

“Not really.  She is relieving her past mistakes.  I have called another Vanir in who is… especially capable to help her.  Heimdall also believes your friend Rinda should be here.  Valliant has gone to fetch her.”

Heimdall clears his throat and says, “We need to discuss Aideen’s recovery.  But I don’t want to do it here.  I don’t want to risk her being aware of what we are discussing.  Guldfey is here Gullveig, she can take over for you with Aideen and Ari.”  Heimdall looks at Morna and Luca, would you two please join Gullveig and me in my study.  We have much that we need to tell you.  I know your heads must be swimming with the news of the pregnancy, but we need to make plans to restore Aideen.” 

Morna nods and stands, “Lead the way, Godfather.”  She looks at Mordir and asks, “You will come get us if anything changes with our Aideen?”

“I will Madam,” the healer assures her with a nod and a smile.

Luca, Morna, Heimdall and Gullveig have comfortably settled into Heimdall’s luxurious sitting room.  The room is an eclectic mixture of styles and periods from all over the world.  It is very comfortable and bright room. Morna is enjoying her second icy Coke.  She had marveled when the servant brought her exactly what she had been craving.  She thanked the young Ingrid profusely, and drank half of it immediately.  Morna had chuckled when Ingrid said, “I see you will be wanting another quickly.  I will be right back.”

Gullveig and Heimdall both are enjoying their second mug of Asgardian mead.  Heimdall informs Luca about the animals in his park and that he is free to hunt anytime he wishes during his stay.  Luca thanks Heimdall warmly, but is growing impatient to discuss his daughter’s condition.  Heimdall chuckles and says, “Lucian, we so called gods could learn a great deal from you and your mate.  We should make an effort to have a little more humility and respect for others as you two do.  In most ways, you two are just as powerful as us, yet you act as though you are no different from any serving girl you encounter.  You are both truly an inspiration.”

“Thank you for saying that Heimdall, but I really would like to discuss our daughter.  We are very worried,” he adds as Morna squeezes his hand.  Morna is sitting on the sofa with her feet tucked under her, snuggled into her mate’s embrace.  In one hand she holds her soda she is sipping and with the other she has been caressing his right hand.  Luca leans down and lightly kisses the top of her head.

“Forgive me Luca.  I can sense the impatience in both of you.  Even though you are both much too polite to show it.  But I also sense your great love and affection for each other.  It’s very, very pleasant for me, as an empathic of meager ability, to be around such emotions.  And I fear I have been delaying starting the conversation for another reason.  We have called another Vanir to join us.  We think he will be most helpful with Aideen.”

Gullveig clears her throat and says, “I have been keeping a secret.  It’s a shameful secret.  But I must confess it now.  I believe that it is my daughter, Morna’s half-sister that is behind Ari’s actions.  I have not seen her in almost six hundred years.  I didn’t even know if she was alive or not.  I have not been able to locate her.  But Valliant says the shadow image that assaulted Ari was definitely our daughter.”