17 years ago.
"Push!" Zaya, Eris's sister, exclaimed. "Wow! I can almost see it now!"
Eris pushed with all her might. She felt like she was running out of air. Her bones ached, her muscles ached. It looked like she was going to explode.
"Push!" Zaya insisted.
The day that Eris feared so much had arrived: the day that she would give birth. The woman had managed to keep the pregnancy hidden from her. For months she 'traveled herself' away from her men so they would not notice the inevitable expansion of the belly.
Many times she thought of throwing herself down the hill, to cause an abortion. Once she was about to do it, but she backed out at the last minute.
'I promised not to have children,' she repeated to herself. 'I promised that this cursed blood of Lemuria would die with me. But I couldn't keep that promise...'
