Lulla-Bye

[Arkelos 1027]

The usual bright and cheery morning of Solace is instead greeted by overlooming shadows, a sign of ominousity. Kyral lays in her bed, the day of her children’s birth draws even closer, Kyral still sick groans and tosses in agony, she had twins before, but not of this size, two males who were above average height and weight kick violently in their mother’s stomach as she gasps and cries out, unable to take the pain.

Kyral’s mind, filled with dreams and strong nightmares keeps her attention for a while, dreaming in bare slumber as she breathed raggedly, maids rushing in to check the sheets and clean Kyral up. Kyral breathing heavily as her eyes bolt open

Something was wrong, something was VERY wrong, she let out a piercing shriek as she began to look around, the babies kicked hard as a puddle of water formed near the bed. The maids looking at Kyral in horror as they scrambled, calling for James and Lancel, Ryder and any and all waiting downstairs.

The group rushed up as Arzota, Areon and Selina took the head, Kyral panting heavily as she shook her head. Eyes wide in fear as she screamed, Selina comforting her gently as Areon and Arzotas prepared her for the birth.

The group, included the following

King James, Prince Lancel, Princess Ryder, Areon Baldwin, Selina Demones, Leyun Silverstar, Aron, Taera, Damien, and Lynesse.

They all watched, waited, James taking her other hand as she whimpered. Looking around.

Hours passed as the first child came out, a large boy that would remain unnamed, but there was one more. Kyral could not hold on, she could not do it. The group pushed her, encouraged her. Kyral, in shock and fear, did what she could.

Hours passed again as the second one came out, everyone looking at the child as they smiled, another large boy.

Before they could celebrate, before Kyral could hold her babies, her eyes closed, body convulsing in shock as it died down, Kyral only able to muster the strength to mouth the words.

"I love you."

to James, before her grip faltered, her body pale as she became lifeless in movement, the clerics and the druid rushing in to take James and the group down to the stairs so they could try their best to save her.

They walked out, trying to comfort everyone, making sure they were alright. Kyral, lays on her bed.

Lifeless.

[Roxforbraynz 251]

Leyun wanders around the keep, staying nearby for when Kyral has her children, waiting patiently. When she hears the scream, she rushes up to help in any way she can.

While the event unfolds, she stands there, waiting to see if she could help in any way, but she just watches. "It must be painful..." she thinks. After they're born, she watches Kyral dying slowly.

Afterwards, Leyun stands there, unsure of what to do. This is her first loss in her new life and the loss of a trusted friend... She stays silent for a long while... not sure how to deal with the emotions she feels right now... She begins to cry...

Both people whom she cares for very much, Kyral and Zarovia, have been gone for a few years. Not sure of what to do anymore, she gathers up her things and runs off, leaving a note that says "I'm going away for a while. Van'ayla. -Leyun"

She begins to leave... she stops at the gatehouse and sits against the wall, crying for a while.

[Nummy 413]

Ryder looked to her grandmother, her eyes wide in shock. It was all happening so fast, the sudden joy of the children being taken away so quickly. She was confused, what was wrong? The druids were pushing them out of the room and downstairs, she kept pushing against them, wanting to be with her grandmother.

She felt a cold and sudden fear come over her, tears fighting to come out of her eyes. She tried her best not to show the weakness, to keep calm as she waited to see what had gone wrong with the birth. She breathed calmly, staying with her husband for comfort.

She felt an overwhelming sense of confusion and grief.. but oddly enough.. she felt relieved.

[Lynesse {Celia/Jazzy} 398]

Something so precious is life. Curious that minutes, seconds, hours it slips away. Oh how cruel fate is.

The moans and the shrieks of her mother could be heard from where Lynesse was sitting, her father casually assuring her that her mother was just fine. Lynesse was no idiot. Her mother was pregnant, she told Lynesse that almost a year ago.

The piercing screams are loud and clear to Lynesse. She had read about pregnancy in some book of hers. It was known to be very very painful. Then it happened. Like the calm after a storm, the screaming and the moaning grows to a quiet whisper, not able to be heard by Lynesse.

Lynesse's eyes dart up from her book. "Mother?" she asks inquisitively. The expressions of the people in the room grow lifeless. "Mother?!?" she shouts as she attempts to push her way through the crowd that surrounds the bed. Sighing sadly, two guards rise, holding Lynesse tightly, an arm in each of the guard's hands.

"Quiet, child..." the guards say darkly, as Lynesse is removed from the room, kicking and screaming.

[Agnub 605]

James held her hand and whispered words of encouragement as the first baby - a healthy boy - was born. The King smiled as he held the newly born baby before the servants could clean him off and said to his wife,

"We'll name him James."

Some hours later when the second baby was born - another healthy boy - King James was grateful the ordeal was about to be over, but his anxiety was not yet over. He felt her grip on his hand begin to weaken and was just able make out her words, "I love you."

Fear overtook James as his wife's body went lifeless, he could not believe that the one woman in his life he truly ever loved could be dead. The servants in the room motioned for him to leave the room with the two babies and the rest of his family.

James did not leave without a struggle. He demanded he be by his wife's side whilst the servants tried to save her. However, after seeing the tears on the faces of his children and family, he reluctantly bade them all to wait outside where it was quieter.

Now seated on one of the palace recliners, King James held the two baby boys - one in each arm. He looked at little James and then at the baby in his left. He tried his best to smile and conceal the fear on his face and said,

"We'll name you Gabriel, because we'll need all the strength the Creator can give."

The King then resumed waiting for any news whilst attempting to comfort his family.

[Roxforbraynz 251]

Taera awakens to her mothers screams. She cries out "Momma?!" and quickly gets out of bed and rushes out of her room and towards Kyrals. The guards hold her out until the screams die down. Afterwards she rushes in and sees her mother lifeless on the bed.

She begins to cry and runs out of the room and down the stairs and out of the keep. She doesn't go far though before she sits down on the cobblestone path leading up to the keep, bawling. Shortly after, a servant finds her and brings her back to her room, still crying.

Taera refuses to leave her bed for days... crying every waking moment. She can't stop thinking... "Momma's gone..."

[aron. 427]

Aron eagerly watched as two new Hightower's were being brought into the world. The joyous occasion grabbing hold of his thoughts and feelings, Aron now wanted another child. As the first boy was delivered, he glanced around the room, at the many recognizable faces, and their expressions of happiness. The event of childbirth had brought them all together.

As things took a turn for the worse, Aron caught hold of the great deal of pain Kyral was in. He had seen enough women give birth to know when something was not right. His expression turned solemn, as the arrival time of the second child grew near, his jaw locking with disappointment and sadness. As he was escorted out of the royal bedroom, he knew what lay ahead. His queen. His friend, had lost her life giving birth. As Aron slowly climbs the stairs down to his room, he wonders what will become of things in salvus, and his life as he knows it. Child birth comes at a sacrifice, he somberly thinks to himself

[Botar 39]

- Botar lifts his head from his work, trying to prepare his home and goods for travel, far from the frozen shores of holm when he stops, raising his head feeling something big has just transpired, and for a moment, feels a pang of sadness, unsure why he goes on with his work, wiping away a tear -

[Areon 947]

Damien stood there, joy(and slight disgust) on his face as his new brother came out. Yet something seemed wrong. Silence. . . The room went completely quiet. Hours, No, Days seemed to pass but the pause in time was broken from his sister's screams. Quicker than it actually was they were out of the room, all but him seemed to be crying. As a Servant brings one of his sobbing sisters back in, Damien broke down. . . Sobbing pitifully.

[Shadeleaf 1021]

Kyral giving birth? It had been a full term, yet Arzota couldn't seem to wrap his head around it, he couldnt let that into his mind though, he had to help with the birth. He allowed Selina to handle the first child, standing at Kyral's side and administering a few key herbs here and there to keep her strong enough. From the time the first child came out, he knew something was wrong, the child was to large, he couldn't imagine the pain she would be going through, the damage that is being caused. As the hours passed, Arzota monitored her, keeping what little hold he could on the situation, leaving the majority of the work to the clerics, he comforted her, kept her sane to a point. Soon the second child came, To large... he continued to think, and his suspicions were confirmed only moments later when Kryal gave out on him, spasms racking her body as she spoke those words "I love you". A tear comes to Arzota's eye, yet he soon gathered himself in the comption, screams were blocked from his mind as he steadied himself mentaly, as he reluctantly let go of Kyral as he rushes down the stairs to comfort those who were watching. Arzota nods to Selina as he jogs out, implying he will be back shortly, his face stoic and unchanging when he forces his way past the Shields, planning on keeping the peace.

As he enters the lobby, he sees the weeping faces of many of Kyral's friends and family, their eyes turning in unison to him as he walks down. Before a single soul can speak, Arzota states firmly "Let this be known, we shall not let Kyral slip into the void. Myself Selina and Areon will not allow this. I plead of you, do not mourn, there is nothing that can be achieved through worry and sadness, only through hope and reassurance." He then looks to James, holding Kyral's children. "Keep strong James." he says with a firm voice ,"Your wife is in safe hands now..." Arzota says trailing off.

For a few minutes Arzota comforts the family, keeping them in touch with their sanity, making sure no one breaks down. Having finished the task, Arzota returns up stairs, casting his Elysian robe aside to reveal the pale green of his dedicant robes as he strides in to the room, heading straight for Kyral's side.,,

[CosmicWhaleShark 2488]

Areon did not know what to make of Kyral's convulsions, however he had enough common sense to know something was indeed amiss. Focused on delivering the second child, he hands it off to Selina, as he now focuses upon his own student's well being. Sending a pulse of energies to assess the situation, he cannot help but leave his hand settled at the bottom of her neck, the pulse had no return. Areon's face deepend into a scowl, as he incants the last rites for his own pupil. Heading out of the palace, he heads to the inn where his son is in the lounge, reading as always. He looks to him for a few moments, as he recounts his own words, "Clerics never live long...". He had lived a long and fulfilling life himself, but he had been strong, trusting, faithful, and above all else, lucky.

His son looks up to him, the familiar blue eyes all too great of a reminder, of his past, as well as the dangers present in Solace. How close they were to his boy. He finally says to his son, "Pack your things, Gregory, we are leaving Oren.". And with that he heads upstairs himself.

[Arkelos 1027]

Hours passed as the group was put downstairs, Kyral, lifeless and without breath laid in the bed that her husband and her rested in. A smile was on her face, her eyelids closed.

Death, a cruel mistress, cold and uncaring, Kyral had died at the right moment, finding solace in the light and with her family. Childbirth had been too much on her.

The trio, Selina, Areon, and Arzota begin to march back into the bedroom where the body rested. Only to be greeted by a sudden, loud groan, one loud enough to pierce the heavens as Kyral's arms twitched.

Death would not have a grip on her, not this time. Her hours long experience in the realm of the dead stopped suddenly, her will to live stronger than the over creeping shadows. Kyral, tired from everything, pale looked at Arzota. Motioning for water.

[Roxforbraynz 251]

Leyun is found crying on the ground near the gates by a guard and is taken back to the keep. There, she continues to cry for a little while before a servant comes and tells her that Kyral has made it. She breathes a sigh of relief and goes over to look in the door, watching the others tend to Kyral, crying more out of joy now. She mutters to herself "I'm glad that you made it..."

Taera lays in her bed, crying for a few hours. A maid quietly comes into her room. She tells Taera that her mother made it and immediately Taera sits up and rushes out of her room once more, bolting for Kyrals room. She looks in the doorway and sees her mother moving, she runs over to hug Kyral, saying "Momma! You made it!", still crying and shaken from almost losing her mother.

[Shadeleaf 1021]

Arzota blinks a few times, his mind blown (across the wall may I add) at what he is seeing, Kyral's face is as pale as birch wood, life seemingly gone from her body, yet she moves, a pulse, thoughts, breathing re-enter her body. Quickly seeing her movements, Arzota reaches into his pale green cloak, pulling a mid sized bottle from within and handing it to her, the water laced a pale gold tinge, a sign of the ground Mandragora stalk that has be infused in with the water. He watches with shaking hands as she takes the bottle, mind still spinning as to how this is even remotely possible...

[The Media Wizard 2958]

Scicle sits on the roof of the Solace Palace, his hair covering his eyes as a single tear drops from his chin, falling to the ground below. His tail lies limpless behind him as he utters the strained words that he had come to Kyral to say:

"... I'm surry..."