The Baby
524 Words
Morning came creeping through the high windows. I struggled to keep my eyes clothes as the light invaded my consciousness.
With a moan, I rolled over into my side and snuggled into something warm. I heard a soft laugh and I smiled into Felix's chest.
"Are you ready to see the baby?" He asked softly. I nodded as I looked around the dirty room. With a sigh, I stood and stretched.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he stood as well.
"Cleaning up. Fancy helping me?" I asked as I picked up an empty bottle.
"Yes," he said as he stood and began helping.
We finished by the time the rest of them woke up. Jade and Maximus let out a loud moan as the woke and looked up at us with tired eyes.
"Good morning," Maximus said as he stretched. Jade just grunted in greeting.
"Are they meeting us or are we meeting them?" Maximus asked as he leaned against the table.
"Hello," her voice came just like it did the day before. Quiet and unexpectedly.
"Hey there, lady," Maximus said, "do you have to sneak up like that?"
"Alaina," she said, ignoring his question, "you, and only you, are to follow me. The rest of you will be entertained."
"But-" Felix started before I cut him off.
"It's fine," I out of the room. I could feel their eyes on me as I left.
"They don't need to worry about you," she informed me as we walked down the cold road.
I remained quiet as we entered in a building that looked like a shop. There was an older man leaning against a counter and there were many different kinds of merchandise from arrows to pillows.
"Hello," he said as he opened the counter and let us through to the hallway that stood behind the counter. We walked down a narrow hallway and the smell of dirt hit my nose.
"Why is she kept down here?" I asked.
"Because it's the safest. Down here, she can not be sensed by magic. The only was she would be found is if someone was told."
I nodded as we entered a cool room. There was a bed in the center and there was the mother holding a bundle in her arms. She didn't look like she was doing too well with her pale skin and her messy hair. Her arms were just skin and bone as her unfocused gaze stared at something behind us.
"Is she...?"
"Dying?" The woman asked with a sad voice, "unfortunately, yes."
"What are you going to do with the baby?" I asked.
"Our village is small and up in the mountains, food is scarce," she said, "the food we prepared for you was very hard to pull off. Besides, there is no one to care for him. There is no mother who will take him, no family willing to take him. They know what the mark means."
"So, you want us to take him?" I asked.
"It's that or we leave him to the wolves," she said.
"So, I don't take him, he dies?" I asked, surprised. Who would leave a baby to die?
"Yes," she said, "he doesn't belong here."
"Oh, dear," I muttered as I stepped towards the bed.
Felix was going to kill me.
- Writer
