William's birth (1st day in confinement)
This short story is set when Zarek and Elianda have been married for about a year. This story is set when their new son is born: William. Elianda is a deer shifter and Zarek is a bear shifter; and as shifters are not allowed to live, they have to keep their shifting ability a secret, because Zarek is the second in command to the King, it's even more dangerous for them. In this story, Zarek mentions Bielo, who is his best friend and the first in command of the King's Guards. Bielo knows about shifters and wants to make sure that shifters can live in peace. Him and Zarek are working on stopping the massacre of shifters, something that's been happening because of the King's father's decree (allowing people to hunt shifters and hurt, rob and kill them).
I am currently working on the first book of 'A deck of cards' where all these characters live in. In terms of timeline, this story happens about seventeen years before the story in my book.
The rain falls heavily outside but he doesn't really care. Hair soaking wet, he drops his jacket just inside the house, near the front door. His newest sculpture stands there, in the living room that he currently uses as a work space. Walking passed it quickly, Zarek finally bursts through the bedroom door. The room is dark apart from a couple of candles near the bed. His wife's eyes will be too sensitive so soon after the birth, the same as their newborn baby, if Zarek's nose tells him the right thing. He's never been wrong before, the beast inside him reminds him.
The rain falls heavily outside but he doesn't really care. Hair soaking wet, he drops his jacket just inside the house, near the front door. His newest sculpture stands there, in the living room that he currently uses as a work space. Walking passed it quickly, Zarek finally bursts through the bedroom door. The room is dark apart from a couple of candles near the bed. His wife's eyes will be too sensitive so soon after the birth, the same as their newborn baby, if Zarek's nose tells him the right thing. He's never been wrong before, the beast inside him reminds him.
That much is true.
He blinks a couple of time. His eyes take everything in, from the messy bed sheets with blood on it, to his wife currently holding a small baby in her arms. His animal self lets a soft noise through, something that Zarek approves, for once. His fingers comb his long hair back from his eyes, asking at the same time:
'Are you okay? Are you...?'
'I'm okay. We're both okay. Come and meet your son.'
'My... My son.'
Zarek walks nearer, fully aware of his big feet hitting the floor, echoing through the room. Elianda, his wife, moves the newborn away from her skin. The baby's nose scrunches up, clearly unhappy about the new position. Zarek opens his shirt quickly just as angry cries fill out the room. Making soothing noises as he carefully moves his baby to his chest, he looks over at his woman. Her usually long auburn hair is in tangles right now, something that she would be upset about on any other day. She is a bit paler than usual, but she won't feel like eating until later. Right now, she is probably in that pain/happiness threshold, won't care about anything apart from that little boy.
He knows that love is showing in his eyes, plain to see for anyone with eyes in their heads. 'I love you' he murmurs passed a constricted throat. Tears flood Elianda's face just as she moves aside with a wince. Normally, Zarek would say something. Right now though, he knows that he shouldn't speak. He isn't the one who just pushed a new life out of his body. With his son still cradled against his chest, he sits down carefully next to his wife. She moves her head to rest against his shoulder. The scent of family is all around him, making him sigh happily. His bear rubs contentedly inside him. Elianda touches their baby's head as she whispers:
'Zarek? Meet William, your son.'
Zarek lets a sound close to a purr settle in his chest; a sound that Elianda mirrors. A sound that tells their son that he is with his family, safe. A sound that tells the boy that he isn't alone. A tiny sound leaves the boy's chest: Zarek's beast stops, keen to hear that cherished sound just as Elianda's beast stops too. She laughs, startled.
'My animal doesn't seem too sure about this sound he is making...'
'The chance for his animal to be a buck are not that strong...'
Elianda smiles.
'You're right. But as long as he is healthy, I don't really care.'
Zarek swallows painfully.
'I'll keep him safe. When we got married I promised you I'd keep you safe and now I'll do the same for him.'
'I know you're here for us. Just do whatever you can so that Shifters may live free. I don't want our boy to struggle like we do.'
'Don't worry, I'm working on it. Bielo's got a plan. We'll make it. I promise.'
He kisses her forehead while his heart is ready to run out of his chest. This is a big promise he makes. He realises it. There's no way he can mess it up. He looks down at his newborn son, asleep against his chest. No way to mess it up.
He blinks a couple of time. His eyes take everything in, from the messy bed sheets with blood on it, to his wife currently holding a small baby in her arms. His animal self lets a soft noise through, something that Zarek approves, for once. His fingers comb his long hair back from his eyes, asking at the same time:
'Are you okay? Are you...?'
'I'm okay. We're both okay. Come and meet your son.'
'My... My son.'
Zarek walks nearer, fully aware of his big feet hitting the floor, echoing through the room. Elianda, his wife, moves the newborn away from her skin. The baby's nose scrunches up, clearly unhappy about the new position. Zarek opens his shirt quickly just as angry cries fill out the room. Making soothing noises as he carefully moves his baby to his chest, he looks over at his woman. Her usually long auburn hair is in tangles right now, something that she would be upset about on any other day. She is a bit paler than usual, but she won't feel like eating until later. Right now, she is probably in that pain/happiness threshold, won't care about anything apart from that little boy.
He knows that love is showing in his eyes, plain to see for anyone with eyes in their heads. 'I love you' he murmurs passed a constricted throat. Tears flood Elianda's face just as she moves aside with a wince. Normally, Zarek would say something. Right now though, he knows that he shouldn't speak. He isn't the one who just pushed a new life out of his body. With his son still cradled against his chest, he sits down carefully next to his wife. She moves her head to rest against his shoulder. The scent of family is all around him, making him sigh happily. His bear rubs contentedly inside him. Elianda touches their baby's head as she whispers:
'Zarek? Meet William, your son.'
Zarek lets a sound close to a purr settle in his chest; a sound that Elianda mirrors. A sound that tells their son that he is with his family, safe. A sound that tells the boy that he isn't alone. A tiny sound leaves the boy's chest: Zarek's beast stops, keen to hear that cherished sound just as Elianda's beast stops too. She laughs, startled.
'My animal doesn't seem too sure about this sound he is making...'
'The chance for his animal to be a buck are not that strong...'
Elianda smiles.
'You're right. But as long as he is healthy, I don't really care.'
Zarek swallows painfully.
'I'll keep him safe. When we got married I promised you I'd keep you safe and now I'll do the same for him.'
'I know you're here for us. Just do whatever you can so that Shifters may live free. I don't want our boy to struggle like we do.'
'Don't worry, I'm working on it. Bielo's got a plan. We'll make it. I promise.'
He kisses her forehead while his heart is ready to run out of his chest. This is a big promise he makes. He realises it. There's no way he can mess it up. He looks down at his newborn son, asleep against his chest. No way to mess it up.
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