It had been slightly over a week since Richard Snow had left to go hunt for venison in the Beast forge, but to Theresa, it felt much longer. Richard had been a quiet comfort and salve to her aching heart,since she couldn't have children. That revelation had dealt a heavy blow to her heart at the onset of their marriage, and what was clearly a beautiful marriage was tainted by their barrenness.
She shifted restlessly in the bed, strongly yearning for Richard's comforting embrace to calm the unrelenting emotions that were now plaguing her. Why could she of all maidens could she not bear children?Why did the high god Deanna be so cruel to her to withhold such a thing from her? she thought. Theresa had seen Richard brooding in silence,alone when he thought she wasn't looking, but she knew that he really wanted a son.... a house full of children making noise everyday and mischief.
At these thoughts, she turned away in the bed,burying her tears in the fluffy pillows. As she was marinating in her self-hate, she heard the unmistakable foot-falls that could only belong to her husband. Theresa flung away the blankets and rushed to the door expectantly,relieved that he was back. She threw the door open and was met with Richard's grinning face. He was holding something small in his hands.
" I bring good tidings, my love!", said Richard.
"Get in here first ,honey! I was worried sick and was this close to coming down there myself to find you," she breathed,"what is that you are holding??"
" I have brought you a son!", he announced as he stepped into the cosy cabin. The emotions on Theresa's face betrayed her immediately. She hurried to her husband's side and peered curiously at the swaddling bundle in his arms. When her eyes beheld the sleeping infant under the wrappings, her eyes brimmed with tears. Richard looked curiously at Theresa's face, which had a thousand emotions all wrapped into one: disbelief,amazement,fear, then the unmistakable expression of unbridled joy.
She quickly and silently extricated the light bundle from his arms, and stood trembling enjoying the feeling of holding a baby in her arms. The baby was beautiful, that was a given, and his surreal face held a complete picture of contentment and peace that could not be bested in any sleep.
Suddenly, the baby opened his eyes, and Theresa's breath caught in her chest. Such striking blue eyes!, she thought.
"Where did you find him, Richard??", she asked as she took a seat on the wooden chair, wisely proffered by Richard as he sensed the unsteady way she stood in amazement and joy.
"Deep in the Beast forge,my love. I stalked a Neralak for the last five days and just when I was about to kill it. I felt a powerful bout of mana. The aura literally killed the neralak before I could do it myself even. I then heard and followed the sound of an infant's cries,this infant's cries, and found him!",he said," isn't he beautiful?", he added, drawing closer to his wife who was now focused on crooning the baby.
"Yes, he is. But where did he come from?What if someone is looking for him?Surely we can just keep him without first trying to find his parents, right?", she inquired.
Richard had thought of these things as he was returning home. "The clearing I found him had a mana creation aftermath printed. This baby may be from the gods themselves. Look here-", he said, gesturing at the baby's belly."He has no traces of a umbilical cord"., he finished.
Theresa stared at the baby's belly, where,indeed, the place where a belly-button should be was just even like the rest of the infant.
"Then we have to notify the village elders of this as soon as possible before we can keep him", she said. Richard had always admired his wife's practical and logical approach to everything, moreso in this very instance. They can't just appear suddenly with a baby, given everyone knew that they were barren. " I will go to them first thing in the morning. But right now, I think we need to give him something to eat. Speaking of food_", he said,producing the rune-covered stone that contained the neralak,"where do i put the meat?",
"Leave it on the table. I will prepare it as soon as I conjure something palatable for the baby. Right now he is my priority", she said, winking at him. " Go take a bath. I love you but you smell like a dead swine. Deanna forbid I have you in my bed in that state!".
Richard's face reddened and he inhaled his armpits to verify. He pretended to faint, sharply twisting his nose,"Yes, I almost killed myself from the odor!", they both laughed and embraced.
"Damien," she exclaimed," let's name him Damien. Thats the name we have always wanted to name our first child...", she trailed as she remembered her barrenness. The thought briefly affected her before she looked at the bundle in her arms. Richard laid a hand on her shoulder and tenderly looked at her with care, "so Damien shall be..."
******
At first light, they arose and prepared to make their way to Sunfall village, where they would see Elder Brinhad. The village was some five kilos from the Snows' cabin, a bit far from the others, since Theresa couldn't bare the sneering comments that had always accompanied her when she found she couldn't have children. For her sake, Richard had found a comfortable place near the entrance of the Beast forge. The location had been ideal for him, since he could easily find mana game in the forest to sustain himself and his wife. Theresa was adept at sowing and so kept herself occupied sewing garments and clothes to sell once a month in the village. And so, with a bit of trepidation, they made their way to the village.
The village was bustling with activity already when they arrived midmorning.The village market catered for wares and resources to keep the residents of Sunfall properly provisioned. However, everyone that passed by cast curious looks at them, noticing the baby Theresa was holding, but none had the audacity to ask them, as people generally felt sorry for them and therefore steered well away from them. The villagers, noticing that they were headed to the elder Brinhad's compound, started surreptitiously following them, eager to hear whatever juicy gossip they could glean there.
"I don't like this Richard," said Theresa, casting a furtive look over her shoulder, at the steadily growing crowd following them.
" I have half a mind to hit them with a fire spell if they came closer," he angrily replied. At these words, he let his intent out and everyone prickled up and scattered. Richard was a powerful warrior and mage, regardless of their child-less demise,no one dared to openly call him out. Which is why, with a certain measure of dismay, everyone reluctantly left them.
They arrived alone at the elder's compound and were greeted by his five-year-old son, Paul Brinhad. The young lad's eyes opened as he caught sight of the baby in Theresa's arms and sped into the house without a word. Knowing the boy had gone to relay their arrival to the elder, they politely waited for him by the door. After a moment, they heard the sound of footsteps from within the house and shortly after, the elder appeared by the door with a welcoming smile on his aging face.
Elder Brinhad was quite advanced in age, which came to everyone as a surprise, when he and his wife announced they were having a son, much to Richard's chagrin. The resulting gossip backlash was unmerciful for the Snow family.( Even that old geezer is strong enough to sire a son and the Snows cant?bah). such was the nature of the gossip. So, because of this, the elder had always felt unending pity for the Snows and was always ready to help anyway he could.
"What is this I'm hearing about a baby, old boy Richie?", he mused as he kindly invited them in.
Theresa responded by turning around so that the elder could have a good view of the sleeping baby. Richard then got into a detailed account of everything that transpired leading to their journey to Sunfolk village. With every word uttered, the elder's face showed his wonderment. After Richard finished, the elder absently stroked his graying beard in thought.
"Was there anything else with the baby that can shed light on his origins?", the elder inquired.
"Just the medallion here," Richard said, handing him the golden medallion .
The elder twirled it in his hands, examining the artifact closely.
"Magnificent...", he muttered under his breath, and handed it back to Richard, who stored it in his knapsack.
" I think the best course of action here is that you tend to the baby for the time being, while i go about asking around if anyone is missing a baby. Though it's just out of the need to leave no stone unturned, given the fact that he has no belly button, it already removes natural birthing from the picture. I will additionally go to the city of Essaf and inquire there with the lords as well. For the time being you, wait for me and take care of the baby", said the elder,"needless to say, in the event we can't get a hold of the parents, we will have to officialise you Snows as the guardians of the infant.", he added with a glint.
" Have you given him a name?",
"Damien...for now any way," said Theresa.
They excused themselves and made their way home, feeling better that that was out of the way. And if everything goes well, they will be the parents of the beautiful baby called Damien.
The elder saw them out and watched as they departed, feeling happy for the couple, who had been through a lot in the past years. Now, at least, they could experience some joy with someone to watch over. He absent-mindedly scratched his beard again as he mentally planned on a journey to the Baravian capital.