'Oh, my son. To have you with me, finally... Thank the Twelve!'
'It does not feel real. It all feels too marvelous to be true. It seems like mere weeks ago I was rejoicing the good news, and now you're here. Time really does fly, doesn't it? Why isn't that comforting?'
'I feel as though there's a rope around my neck, tightening slowly. I fear that, once I grow too attached to you, it will hold fast and pull me away from you forever...'
'No. I'm sorry little one, pay no mind to your paranoid mother. Your father often calls me that. Paranoid. Yes, just paranoid...'
Angelica Dramaour's Thoughts From Within Her Deep Sleep|
Angelica woke with a start, and all her memories came flashing back. She looked around in a panic, seeing her empty bedchamber and feeling her heartbeat quicken. It was only when she looked down at the bed that she noticed her newborn son beside her, peacefully asleep. Her spirit calmed, and she immediately felt a sliver of the peace her son was feeling. She relaxed yet again, and lay down closer to him.
Logan had left at some point to go deal with a few matters, and had reminded the staff not to disturb either of them until Angelica woke up. She could still see his imprint on the bedsheets.
After adjusting herself, Angelica lay down and looked at her son until he, too, woke. She fed him, then decided to get up. When she first tried, there was an awful pain, and she remembered that she had, indeed, been in labor not so long ago. She closed her eyes and, with the baby still in her arms, started to chant:
"Divine Fae, healer of all things, accept my humble prayer and grant me a ray of your nourishing light."
Golden strands of almost tangible light seemed to just appear out of thin air, swirling around Angelica in a graceful dance. They started from her head, then danced their way down, passing by the child in her arms without bothering him in the slightest. Strangely enough, just a tiny speck of those golden strands was pulled toward the baby boy, too fast and inconspicuous for Angelica to notice.
He stirred, and she rocked and shushed him, to which he responded by stirring some more.
"If you had to chant for Low Heal, you really shouldn't be getting up."
It was Logan, who had entered the room with a large silver platter. He had heard Angelica chanting for a spell she could usually cast without saying the chant, and immediately paled when he realized she was about to get up.
"I just had a baby, Logan. Of course I'm going to be weak for a while." Angelica turned to look behind her, then watched as Logan approached with the food. "At least I have magic to aid my recovery. There are lots of women that don't."
Logan shook his head, "Magic or no, you need to allow both your body and spirit ample recovery time. Now then, here are your options."
He lowered the platter to allow her to look at the items on it: A sandwich on a plate, a bowl of soup, tea, some simple snacks and a glass of water. Angelica motioned to the bed and he put it down, then his eyes found the baby still in her arms.
"He's quite lively, isn't he? Maybe the Twelve will give him a name like 'Spirited,' or 'Strike.' What do you think?"
Angelica chuckled and shook her head. "This is why we leave the naming to the Twelve, dear."
Logan huffed, but smiled, taking the child from her arms. He was still wrapped up, so his arms could not move about as much as he was trying to make them, yet he did not stop trying. Logan was amused by this, and took the child's arms out so that he could move them freely.
Angelica turned away from her food and smiled brightly at the sight. "He really is energetic. I wonder what kind of name the twelve will give him. I hope it's as lovely as he is."
"If that's even possible," Logan added as the baby grabbed hold of his finger and tried to shake it. All the while, the boy kept babbling.
Angelica finished eating what she could manage to eat, then they both lay down with their son, enjoying his and each other's company for almost an hour.
"So the preparations are complete?" Angelica asked this once the baby had fallen asleep. Logan nodded, but there seemed to be something on his mind.
"Yes, everything's taken care of. We'll go to the temple tomorrow, and bring him before the altar there. I've arranged for Sidha to conduct the ceremony."
Angelica nodded, then started to chant for another healing spell. Logan waited for her to be finished, then asked, "Even Great Heal isn't something you've needed to chant for in years. Do you think you'll be well enough for the trip to the temple?"
Angelica smiled and nodded. "I'm just being careful, honey. I don't want to overwork my spirit by skipping chants."
Logan nodded and sighed, "It's just that... Well... I've never seen you in that much pain."
Angelica's expression softened, an affectionate smile already on her face.
"Not even when you broke your leg, or had your arm pulled off by that Lesser Golem. I've never seen anything phase you that much. It was... frightening."
She held out her hand and Logan took it, then their eyes met. "It was, I admit, the worst feeling. But the fact that it was more painful than anything I ever felt is, in and of itself, the most frightening."
Logan's eyes narrowed, and he raised himself up a bit to look at her better. "You mean, it was as painful as that?"
"Yes," Angelica closed her eyes and sighed, "it was perhaps just as painful as a spiritual injury."
When he heard this, Logan let go of her hand and got off the bed. He instantly started pacing, taking a moment to glance at their son before he continued pacing yet again.
"Even after all those warnings, I didn't think there was any chance of it happening," Logan folded his arms across his chest, deep in thought.
"I always knew a child of ours would be special, but I could never know just how special they would be. To think that his birth caused spiritual pain... That's unfathomable."
Angelica nodded in agreement, looking at the sleeping child with nothing but love.
"He's just a baby. He wouldn't be able to control something like that."
Logan halted his steps, then knelt at the foot of the bed and looked to both of them.
"It happened, Angelica. That's why, even after healing yourself, you chanted for a spell you can cast without chanting. It's not your body that's damaged, it's your spirit. Our child took a piece of your spirit with him when he was being separated from you."
Angelica smiled wryly, but shook her head. "Better for him to have as much of me as he can, even if it is my spirit. We still don't know how much time we have until-"
"Don't you worry about that, honey. He only just got here, but I cannot bear to part with him."
"Yes," Angelica smiled, "I could never leave his side now that he's here."
The two spent the night talking, laughing and, eventually, sleeping together.
When they woke, they both got themselves prepared with the help of the servants, and got their son ready as well. A diaper was put on him along with a tiny vest, and he was wrapped in a fresh cloth. A little cap was put on his head as well, then they departed.
The carriage ride to the temple was mostly silent, then once they arrived it was silent all the way to the doors. They bid the driver wait for them, and so he led the horses to the stable.
The temple itself was a large stone building, with a massive dome-shaped cupola, purely golden. Just looking at that dome could inspire one to stare at the sky and offer a word of prayer to the Twelve.
Once they were inside the empty temple, a woman in full religious garb rose up from a spacious prayer mat, dusting the lower part of her dress. Staring at her pink eyes, Logan and Angelica both knew that it was Sidha.
"Sister Sidha," they both gave a curt bow in greeting.
"Brother Logan, Sister Angelica, welcome to the Temple of the Pierce." When she noticed the child, Sidha paused and moved closer to stare at his peaceful personage. "This Little Brother is... quite cute." The child's parents smiled and also focused their eyes on him, agreeing with her assessment of the boy.
"Now then, let us approach the Eye of the Twelve." With a directing hand, Sister Sidha led them out of the prayer room, across the polished floor, and onto a narrow corridor leading to the temple's heart. To the left of them was an indoor flower garden with a glass ceiling, through which the morning rays came forth and afforded the garden a surreal atmosphere. It caught Angelica's eyes.
Suddenly, Sidha stopped and bade them stand closer to the garden.
"In the light of the Morn-Bringer, let us first give thanks to the Twelve." She raised her hands and bowed her head, shutting her eyes and entering a brief state of prayer. Logan and Angelica bowed their heads as well, saying their own prayers.
Once they were all finished, Sidha looked to them and smiled.
"It is nice to see old friends again, even after such drastic changes in our lives."
"Likewise, Sidha," Logan smiled.
"It has been too long. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten Logan and I."
Sister Sidha shook her head, "I thought the same of you. Imagine my surprise when I saw Logan's seal on my scroll. I grew so excited that I immediately accepted his offer, and so I missed the opportune window to leave for our pilgrimage. Still, it is an honor to look after the Temple while they are away."
They shared a moment, reminiscing and catching up, then Sidha brought their talks to a close with a question.
"What do you know of the naming ceremony?"
Angelica looked to her husband, but he shook his head and said, "I know only that a child's parents are the only ones allowed to witness it- besides the priestess, of course."
Sister Sidha nodded, then Angelica spoke up.
"I heard from a traveler many years ago that, during the ceremony, a child is brought under the light of the Twelve, judged and named. Beyond that, I have no clue."
"A very knowledgeable traveler, though they should never have shared even that. I thank you both for your honesty, and beseech the blessings of the Twelve on you."
The two stiffened, and Sidha giggled, "I have to say that; customs and whatnot."
"Now then, before we enter Their Eye, I must tell you some things. Naturally, I ask that you repeat these things to no one. As decreed by the Twelve, the secrets of this ceremony must be known only to a child's parents. None other."
Angelica nodded, and Logan followed. At some moment, they both glanced at their son and saw that he was still asleep.
Sidha began, "In the golden light no secret is hidden, of a child, that the Twelve will not see. The combined bloodlines of this child will be openly perused, his fate and spirit will be thoroughly observed. You will hear the Voice of the Twelve only when they have all come to a decision. Whatever decision they make is final, and will determine forever the kind of person your son will grow to be..."
Sidha spoke on for a short while. When she was finished, she ensured they understood, told them once again not to disclose the information, then led them along the corridor.
Before long they were within a closed space at the very end of the pathway, in the heart of the temple. It was a circular room atop which was the dome, with golden light filling it thanks to the color of the dome itself.
"Welcome to the Eye of the Twelve, the heart of the Temple of the Pierce, and the sole Chamber of Naming within the Eastern Province." At the center of this chamber was a dazzling golden altar, and Sidha motioned for them to place the child on it.
Once he was one it, they both stood back and allowed Sidha to begin. She stood before the child, her arms outstretched at either side, and looked at the sky through the very tip of the dome.
"To the Twelve Who See All, I offer this prayer. To the Twelve Who Nourish All, I offer this child. To the Twelve Who Create All, I offer this prayer. To the Twelve Who Protect All, I offer this child. To the Twelve Who Destroy All, I offer this prayer. To the Twelve Who Love All, I offer this child. In your light and in your truth, let him be judged. In your grace and in your wisdom, let him be named."
Once Sidha was finished, the golden glow of the room vanished, startling them all. Something seemed to be blotting out the light, but nothing that any of them could see. In that chamber and that chamber only, it was as dark as night, or perhaps darker.
The three of them felt, though for only a moment, that they had been taken to another place.
Sidha turned around to look at Logan and Angelica, about to say something when a silvery glow lit up the room. The three of them gasped after seeing that the baby himself was the source of that glow. Seeing the looks in each other's eyes, it was clear to them that none of them had any idea what was going on.
They did know, however, that it was not at all normal.