A blessing in tragedy

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

It had only been a couple of weeks since she'd last seen Sir Brandon, and in those few weeks, her pregnancy had been announced to the kingdom. She'd hoped that the King would hold off, but he hadn't. Since then, she'd been hiding herself away from him, attending to what business she could from behind closed doors. He didn't seem very happy about her pregnancy, so she tried not to flaunt it in his face. Nalaac wasn't even sure if he knew that it wasn't his.

So it was that this morning she woke in her own chambers, feeling something odd in her lower abdomen. Her stomach was only just beginning to swell, and the midwife had told her that she might feel the child quicken soon. Maybe that was what the feeling was. Either way, Nalaac had work to do and she got up from the bed, only to feel something let loose. A sharp pain lanced through her stomach and she cried out before falling back into the bed.

Something was definitely not right here. "Someone call the King and the midwife, quickly" She called out to her servants as she panted through the pain that crawled through her stomach. Tears sprang to her eyes as she clutched her stomach and waited for the doctors to arrive.

[Elizabeth Aura]

Elizabeth hummed a little as she worked, having thankfully gotten some better dresses for her to work in which were a little higher in the front but lower in the back which helped her wings out so much! Also it made the King look at her less.... Hungrily she supposed would be the word, thankfully she wasn't turned on quite so easily in the past 60 years as Elizabeth wrote in her second Journal, the one about Travelers.

Writing into her journal a little about James with her quill and ink (that took some getting used to! Again....), Elizabeth sighed a little as she was about to pen where he was from as a servant knocked rapidly on her door. "Come quick! It's the Queen!" The servant stated quickly, Elizabeth kicking into high gear as she picked up her skirts before running upstairs towards the Queen's quarters.

Slowing her gait a little into a quick hurry, Elizabeth came into the Queen's room and approached swiftly but with a strange aura of calm, almost radiating off her as she knelt down by the Queen. "Deep breaths, your Majesty." She instructed before placing one gentle hand on the Queen's lower abdomen and the other on her lower back as she sensed what was going on with the child.

Thankfully she had been made aware that the Queen was with child and, just as thankfully, Elizabeth has had plenty of experience with pregnancies most particularly mixed species.

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

Nalaac looked at the strange woman that entered her chambers, then quickly scrambled away from her when she attempted to touch her. Her voice rose and she huddled against the pillows, with arms over her abdomen. "GET AWAY FROM ME! WHO ARE YOU?" Nalaac didn't know this woman, and she wasn't going to take a chance on anything with this child. She knew that she was going to lose the baby, but she wasn't going to let a total stranger touch her.

She turned to the guards at the door of her chamber. "Who let this woman in? Who is responsible? Where is the midwife?" Nalaac screamed wordlessly as another cramp raced through her stomach followed swiftly by a sudden warmth and the bright red of blood. The queen moaned softly, tears flowing down her face, and slumped against the pillows, the truth of the situation undeniable now.

The aura of calm that Elizabeth put off was not helping in this case, likely because Nalaac's own empathic abilities were completely engaged in her own agony. Silently, she was screaming Brandon's name, knowing that he would be just as crushed to know of the miscarriage as she was.

"Get me the midwife!" She called out, still moaning against the pain and agony ripping through her midsection.

[King Blaine Manning]

Blaine's weapon clashed with Jamie's and he smirked.
"Very nice. Well done on the block and parry. "
Jamie tilted his head to the side his own face holding a smirk of its own.
"Sire..."
His head even bowed a little for the compliment. That's when the servant came down to them, rushing to stop a few feet from the match.

The King pulled back and turned to look twirling the sword in his hand lazily. Jamie was about to do the same thing when the sword clattered to the ground. Jamie quickly snatched it up again when the King turned to give him the eye and he gave the king an awkward smile but his fellow nights had seen the embarressing scene and were now snickering all around Jamie.
"Your Lordship! Your Lordship! Please forgive me! But the Queen... she's ill. " The Servant doubled over and panted having run to deliver the message.

Blaine paused for a second along with the gathered party there then tossed his sword to his knights who caught the blade. He started passed the servant, pulling off his heavy training gloves and dropping them along the way.
"Send for the physician."
"Done Sire."
The Servant was having trouble keeping up.

And there was an army of knights behind Blaine marching toward the Queen's chambers. There was not a citizen in Albanon who did not love the queen. Some loved the queen more than they loved the King but when it came to the knights, they could not love their King more if they wanted to. He was a friend to all of them and they were a friend to him. If someone took the time to get to know the King, they two would learn to love him. Even Jamie was starting to grow fond of the King.

The moment they reached the castle entrance he twisted and held up his hands to stop his knight.
"I know you all love the Queen but right now.. I think she needs peace and quiet rather than a battalion to defend her from the shadows. Sir James will accompany me. Go back to training. I will send word with a servant."
The knights visibly slumped when they heard the Kings words.

Blaine twisted round and started running. Jamie followed finding it harder to keep up in the heavy chain mail.
"Sire? Why me?"
"She might need you for herbs and things."
Jamie rolled his eyes behind Blaine. Great... he was a nurse and handmade now.

Blaine twisted round the corner and dashed into the room just as he heard the queen scream and many of the servants bowed their heads respectfully when they saw him. Jamie and Blaine rushed to her bed but the moment Blaine saw the blood he doubled back placing a hand on his forehead and dropping his head. Jamie beside him, lifted a hand in horror to his mouth. The King might not have known what was going on but in a world where nothing was hidden anymore Jamie had seen enough movies to know what was happening to the queen.

Gently Jamie approached the queen in a crouch respectfully lowering his head.
"My Lady. I am Sir James or just Jamie if you prefer. I'm rather new and the King has informed me the other day that we now have a physician here to take care of you and any other medical problems that might be encountered. "
He offered her a soft smile and grabbed a cloth from a bowl a servant was holding out. Slowly he slipped onto the bed and slid in carefully behind the queen to prop her up.

His hand moved to grip at hers from behind grateful he'd kept his gloves on. With the cloth and his free hand he began dabbing at her forehead and her neck but kept on a soft whisper of regretful words. She must have known she was loosing the baby...
"Aren't you supposed to get herbs .... or something Sir James. MAKE THE BLEEDING STOP!"
His anger was torn between Elizabeth and James.

"What's wrong with her?!"
And then Blaine started to pace, rubbing at his chin, arm folded across his chest. Jamie frowned at the king and gave a heavy sigh, reaching out for the basin and wetting the cloth again when it was brought closer. His eyes found Liz's
"Isn't there something we can give her for the pain at least?"

[Elizabeth Aura]

Elizabeth knelt by the Queen before looking straight into the young woman's eyes, her own green eyes calm but understanding as she spoke equally as calm, "My name is Elizabeth Aura, your Majesty, and I am the Court Physician.... I can help you through this, but only if you'll let me." She stated, from what she sensed from the woman's feelings as well as what she felt before the Queen moved away....

Her heart went out to her, truly. Standing, Elizabeth went to the side to one of the servants with some swift instructions for a bowl of hot water as well as towels, thankfully someone had gotten cold water as Jamie leaped into action like a good man. Better than the King anyway....

Sighing as she rolled up her sleeves before tying them into place, Elizabeth stated carefully to the King, "Unless the Queen has a specific wish for you to be here, I'd suggest you leave your Majesty." She then fished into her small side pocket for a vial. Thankfully she'd spent a good deal of time making some pain relief potions, easily recalling some from Dr. Magnus' notes back on her world which could be made from the ingredients she had here as she approached Nalaac carefully.

What the Queen may or may not have known from her own turmoil, was that Elizabeth was seeping her own strength to the Queen whilst very slowly taking some of the Queen's pain into herself as she nodded at Jamie, "My Lady, this will help with the pain a little.... I can help more, but only if you'll let me..." She stated, having felt the Queen's own Empathic powers fighting against her own as she helped set up the towels at the same time.

At a closer inspection, Elizabeth's eyes were recalling her own pain, knowing exactly what Nalaac was currently going through, oh so well. But she would know if the Queen accepted by a simple transfer.

She would know.

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

Dimly, Nalaac heard Blaine and Jaime enter, and Jaime's words calmed her a bit. If Blaine brought him here, he must trust the other man, so she sagged back into his arms, allowing him to hold her up. She squeezed his hands instead of screaming now, regaining that composure that had been so drilled into her. Although her voice was rough with pain, it was calmer when she spoke.

"Everyone who isn't skilled in midwifery is dismissed." There was a scurry as her ladies in waiting departed, leaving the room empty except for one wizened old lady, the doctor, Jaime and Blaine. Nalaac looked at the woman that claimed to be the physician and somehow instantly distrusted her. However, if Blaine had accepted her, then she would strive to be polite.

"Ma'am, I do not know you, and I do not like you being so close to me at this time. Please remove yourself from the my bedside. Eliana!" Nalaac caught sight of the one lady that had remained behind and the elderly Elven lady approached the bedside. Nalaac released Jaime, taking Eliana's hands. There was a short, quick conversation in Elvish, and Eliana nodded before placing a hand on the Queen's head, and then her stomach. Another spate of Elvish from the older woman, and Nalaac nodded as she looked to Blaine.

Eliana then left the room, and the Queen looked at the bed before looking back to her husband. "The elder says that this child was not meant to be. There will be more children, many many more, according to her." Nalaac choked on the words, then clutched at Jaime as another pain ripped through her. She looked over to the other woman in the chamber. "The elder says that you can care for me, but you must not do anything other than care for the physical body. She says that you need to stop siphoning power."

There was a lot more that Eliana had said... but Nalaac was not going to repeat most of the message in mixed company. Instead, Nalaac chose to get through this with what dignity she could, and lay against Jaime, panting softly.

[Jamie Lane]

Blaine shot the woman a glare when she told him he should leave.
"Just one more time. You tell me what to do one more time and I will have YOU executed."
Jamie winced when the king gave his warning and shot Elizabeth a disapproving look. Blaine was uptight and stressed right now. She had to understand that and it was good for the couple to be together during this rough time. The Queen was loosing her baby, she needed her husband with her.

Jamie's mouth opened a little and his eyes closed in silent pain as his hand was squeezed shortly after the protest. Blaine was still pacing, shooting glances over to her. Worried glances that she might... at any point just slump dead.
"Physician. If You let the Queen die, you'll pay with your own life! I swear it!"
Blaine growled darkly at her as he paced behind her, still shooting worried glances from Jamie to Nalaac.

Jamie winced when the group departed and somehow felt like he should be going with them. He began moving but his eyes caught Blaine who froze instantly and pointed a warning fingers at Jamie. Jamie shifted slightly again as if he was simply getting comfortable, that was all, offering Blaine a slightly apologetic smirk which was rather innocent as well. He knew the King didn't want to be alone between the two fighting hissing female cat fight that was about to start.

Jamie gently tried to help prop the queen up as the elder woman came closer and for the first time he heard elfish. His mouth dropped open and he stared in awe as the two had a conversation. It was like in the Lord of the Rings. Oh God! Bell would flip if he heard this. Jamie's mouth snapped shut. Bell. Jakie. His little brat brother. He missed the little brat. Before he could go on with pouting about Bell, the Queen flopped back into his arms and against his chest. Her tiny pretty hands found his again and he smiled softly down at them stroking a gloved thumb across each of her pale hands.

His brows then narrowed. She was about to give birth to something that didn't even stand a chance of developing enough to be a still born baby. She couldn't even carry the child to term. This was a sad, sad thing and Jamie felt his heart actually ache.
"Don't you have any magic to take it out? Do you have to do this? This is horrible. "
Jamie whispered at her as she began to pant, letting her grip at his gloves hands, stroking his thumbs across her hands.

He realized he'd missed something out and quickly added.
"Your majesty..."
Into her ear. He held firm giving her the lift she needed. Thank God for TV! Jamie shot a look at Blaine when his wife mentioned that she had lost the child and saw the King's eyes glisten for a moment but there was a bittersweet strange smile on his lips as he turned away from her. He kept his back to the queen staying like that for several moments before heading for the door.

"Sir James? When you are finished here come and report to me."
There was an edge in his voice... a shaky edge... The door behind him shut suddenly and with a sudden finality leaving now, only three people in the room. Jamie pulled a hand from the Queen's hand and stroked the damp hairs from her forehead before looking down at Elizabeth.
"You shouldn't have chased him out Elizabeth... "
Jamie sighed and looked back at the queen in his arms his face full of tender concern.

"What if you had a sleeping draft? You can't do this, your majesty? I can't... How are you able to do this? It's horrible, horrible and if there was a more powerful way to describe it I would because horrible is an understatement."
His eyes flashed back to Elizabeth.
"She won't bleed out will she? I mean..."
Jamie dropped his eyes to the blood on the bed and turned his head away just as quickly, quickly taking the hand he dropped back in his own and holding it tightly.

[Elizabeth Aura]

Elizabeth sighed as she moved back from the bed before she acknowledged her Queen's orders by nodding and then began to take in as much of her Empathic energy from the room as possible not able to hear though what the others were saying, it was tougher than perhaps anyone actually realised before she opened her eyes again before she simply stated. "The Queen won't die.... She is strong.... Stronger than most of us here...."

She looked back at the Queen and nodded, "I understand, your Majesty....." She replied as she kept a hold of the pain relief vial, her mind ticking over what else she could do to relieve pain. Thankfully, Jamie was doing all he could from his end, unfortunately she couldn't have arrived earlier to have at least met the Queen prior to this moment.

Elizabeth was too used to people not listening to the suggestion, but only half her words as she rubbed her head to think, though unless the Queen allowed her to approach there was little she could do. "Jamie... I offer you a small suggestion, stop panicing and keep talking to her Majesty to help her through this...." She stated calmly as she looked at him with her calm eyes, keeping all her power at bay despite the growing urge to just use her powers to take all the pain from the Queen and into herself.

Instead she replaced the bowl of cold water with a fresher one before passing a new cool cloth to Jamie. "Alright.... Whenever you are ready.... Your Majesty."

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

"It is how it should be, Sir Jaime." She spoke in response to his comments about magic and if there was a way to make this easier. There was, but Nalaac refused it. The odd woman and the Elder had both offered her a less painful way to go through this, but she knew that she would need the reminder. This child had been conceived in sin, and that was why it was being torn from her body. The very same magic that determined how she got pregnant, determined if she could carry the child, and if it was not Blaine's, she would not be able to complete the pregnancy. That was what Eliana had imparted to her. It was a bit that Nalaac hadn't known, and had she, there was no way she would have said anything about the pregnancy.

When Blaine left, Nalaac crumpled even farther, having hoped that he would stay, and taking it as yet another rejection of her. Another wave of pain bent her double, a fresh wave of bright red, and although the dull ache remained, the worst of the pain was over. The woman released Jaime, and waved him off, listening to him berate the older woman for chasing off Blaine. Nalaac knew the truth though, Blaine didn't want to stay, he didn't care for her, or what happened to her. In fact, if she were to die, he could marry where he chose.

"It's done, Sir James. Please, leave me to the doctor's care now." Nalaac was only adding to Jaime's panic, her own seeping out of her and his contact with her letting it flow into him. It was better that she was left with the strange woman that Blaine had made physician. She looked at the woman and spoke quietly. "You may come and do whatever healing you need to do, then please call someone to draw a bath and change the sheets. Then, we shall talk." If the woman was going to be her doctor, then there were things she'd need to know.

[Jamie Lane]

Jamie gave a soft sigh when he was told to calm down, dropping his eyes for a brief moment before they flashed up to watch what Elizabeth was doing. He gathered up the clothe and again began dabbing at the queen's moistened skin before frowning at her when she mentioned there was no other way except this way. Jamie flinched when she doubled over and leaned forward to release more blood. Jamie felt a nauseating sensation in his gut but refused to let it show. He did however listen to the queen when she waved him off and told him he could go.

Gently he reached out pulled a couple of pillows closer sliding them in behind the queens back as he shimmied backward and got off her bed. He paused at the door then exited the room. The moment he was in the outer hallway he ran to the throne room. The king was where he expected, standing looking out across the expanse of the lower town, being seen from the throne room window. His eyes didn't move from where they were but Jamie could see they were red.

"She lives..."
Jamie whispered softly moving to stand a few feet from the heartbroken king. Blaine nodded and let out a heavy sigh.
"But the child doesn't...."
Jamie dropped his head at the King's words. The king's eyes flickered to Jamie then his hand formed a fist and with an angry scream he punched into the wall beside the tiny window.

His voice echoed in the huge throne room then died away ...

[Elizabeth Aura]

As Jamie left, Elizabeth patted his shoulder. "Gently when you tell him.... But you did well.... Return this to it's place and then see if you can prep a couple of sleeping drafts ready..." Elizabeth stated softly as she handed him the pain relief vial, her hand softly rubbing his shoulder as she spoke with the servants outside of the room about the Queen's orders whilst adding about some fresh clothes for the Queen, quite loose if possible.

Going back in, Elizabeth slowly approached before kneeling by the bed, "In order to do the Healing I can do, I have to physically touch you for it to work at it's best... But I will only do so with your permission, your Majesty...." She stated, she always liked to give her patients a choice, mind the alternative was.... Not something she was going to consider to offer.

"I apologise for not having presented myself to you at an earlier point, your Majesty.... I had only come here a couple of days ago from... Elsewhere...." Elizabeth apologised sincerely as she slightly warmed her hands, they were a little cold and never really helped with Healing if they were cold, her aura only radiating calm into herself as she waited for the Queen's permission.

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

"I apologize for my reaction earlier, Mistress Healer. I was overwrought, I do hope you will forgive me. You have my permission to do what you must do. However, I ask that you do not absorb the pain, it is a reminder of this event, and I will need that." Nalaac spoke quietly, waving off the Healer's comments about presenting herself. The woman had simply come in at a bad time, and Nalaac had reacted badly. It was something that she was sure the both of them would like to do over, but it was not possible.

They were interrupted by the entrance of the servants, and the other women helped the Queen up, quickly stripping the bed, flipping the mattress, remaking the bed and helping Nalaac into a clean nightrail. Once she was re-settled into the bed, the bevy of servants scurried out and it was just Nalaac and Elizabeth once more.

"Come, Mistress Healer, work your magic. I must be well for the King's birthday in two days time." Nalaac reminded herself to get word to the townspeople that the birthday celebrations would go on, despite the tragedy.

[Elizabeth Aura]

Elizabeth smiled softly at Nalaac when she asked for her own forgiveness about her reaction, "There is nothing to forgive for, your Majesty..... If anyone knows what it is like to go through what you have, tis I." She replied as she nodded, "I shall try, however some of the Healing may remove some of the physical pain as a by-product, but not the emotional or mental pain......" She added before the servants came in so Elizabeth went to the side to let the servants work.

When they left, Elizabeth perched herself a little on the bed thankfully having warmed her hands up a little, she listened to the Queen wishing to be well bu the King's birthday and Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, "Physically, yes you will be... So have little fear of that..." She stated, trying to keep any notes of surprise from her voice as she tried to think of what to possibly get the King for his birthday before she decided to forewarn the Queen about something that may happen, "If you see white wings coming out of me, fret nay..." She chuckled before adding, "They are attached...." After that tiny little joke, though also quite serious, Elizabeth gently placed one hand on Nalaac's abdomen, "You may feel a little tingling.... Please try to keep still....." Shutting her eyes a little, Elizabeth let out a sigh as she poured all of her compassion through her hand and into Nalaac, a gentle white glow surrounding Elizabeth's slightly aged hand as warmth filled Nalaac in order to heal her.

Due to her focus on not draining out any of Nalaac's pain as per her command, Elizabeth's prediction of her wings come out were correct as her wings slowly appeared from her back. Thankfully Nalaac was unable to see Elizabeth's back as Elizabeth didn't want the young woman to see her skin rip as the feathers came through. Slowly, the bones knitted themselves together as the Healing was mostly focused on Nalaac but soon Elizabeth was done as she slowly drew her compassion back into herself. As she did so, her wings gave themselves a flick to straighten the feathers, showing the magnificent white wings at their full wing span which reached double of Elizabeth's arm span, though thankfully nothing was misplaced in the room before they folded themselves elegantly behind Elizabeth as the glow stopped from her hand and she opened her emerald eyes with a sigh before a weak smile appeared on her face as she drew away.

[Queen Nalaac Bravenrest]

Nalaac closed her eyes as she lay back against the fresh bedding, allowing the Healer to do what work she could. The Queen was busy formulating what she was going to do and say for the next few days. She would allow herself to stay in bed today and tomorrow, but then she would need to be up and about. There were matters to see to, a birthday to celebrate, and things to do to keep busy so as not to dwell on the pain of losing her lover's child.

It ripped at her heart, but she knew that other than what emotion she'd already displayed, she wouldn't be able to express such things. Tears slid down her cheeks while the Healer worked, and Nalaac cried out to Brandon in her head, somehow hoping he received her message of anguish and understood it. Although she didn't wish him pain, she felt that he should know what had happened to his child. He'd been so excited, but she'd not been able to leave her marriage to be with him. She was to mired in duty to allow herself that.

When the tingling stopped, Nalaac wiped her face and looked up at Elizabeth. "Thank you, Mistress Healer, please, do go and rest, have servants attend you if needed. The King and I appreciate your assistance." Nalaac wanted the rarity of time alone. She wouldn't get long, she could sense Eliana returning, but she wanted a few precious moments of peace before the lecture from the elderly elven woman.

[Elizabeth Aura]

Elizabeth saw the tears but did not comment upon it as she smiled softly at Nalaac, thankful that her wings were not stressing the Queen. "I will do so, your Majesty..... If you have further need of my services, please call for me or Sir James." She stated as she slowly stood up, her wings helping her to balance as she curtsied before starting to see herself out, her feet barely making a sound as she walked.

At the door though, Elizabeth turned a little as she looked at the Queen with her caring and understanding eyes, "If you ever wish to talk, I am at your every command, my Lady." She softly whispered before curtsying again and then leaving.

Once outside, Elizabeth leaned a little against a wall as her fatigue started to kick in before she pressed her fingers into her forehead, shook herself a little and then proceeding down to her new quarters to rest. Perhaps have a cup of tea whilst she was at it.

Passing the Elven Elder, Elizabeth gave a respectful incline of her head to the wise woman as she gave way to the Elder in the narrow part of the corridor before proceeding.