Beauty and the Skeksis

Part 18

The guard got to Ha'rar by nightfall, and he was allowed in to see the All-Maudra for a one-on-one meeting.

"What brings a castle guard here to my palace without the Skeksis lords?" The Maudra asked.

The guard undid the scroll message. "I have here a scroll that reads that the one Skeksis, Lord Chamberlain that is married to the human, that they request a baby Gelfling girl to be taken to the castle to be raised by them." He finished reading it.

The Maudra was given the scroll and looked it over. It had Sil's signature and the Emperor's. "I see, Guard. Yes, I'm sure we can do something to appease them then. There have been quite a few babies born here in Ha'rar recently."

"Thank you." The guard replied. He would stay here until something was decided. Now it was just the waiting part.

The All-Maudra didn't want to face the Skeksis' wrath. She knew she had to find a baby girl Gelfling and have the guard take it with him back to the castle with her blessing.

.............

The Maudra called upon her people and ordered that any family that had a baby girl to give up had to give it to the Skeksis lords. It was their decree. Either an orphan girl or one that belonged to a family with many girls already.

The others were flabbergasted at this request. The parents loved all their children, but they knew they couldn't disappoint their lords if they were asking for such a request.

There was one family that had an orphan girl that her mother had died in childbirth and her father had died while taking care of a Landstrider.

The baby had the blondish white hair that Vaprans were known for. Gelfling babies also had fatter and flatter faces than the adults did too, but it would grow out as she got older. Her wings would get more exposed too with age. She currently didn't have a name, but that would be decided later.

With the baby properly wrapped in a traveling carrier with blankets and clothing, plus food for her, she would be good to go. Though she had been breastfed, baby Gelflings could be fed on Nebrie milk too if there was no mother to take care of her. That's what the guard had for the baby to feed on.

The guard was on his way back to the castle the next day with the baby.

...............

When the guard got to the castle and off the Landstrider, he went to the throne room. There, SkekSil and SkekSo were discussing things about the castle.

"Excuse this interruption, my lords." The guard spoke up. He bowed. They turned.

"I have returned as I was told to bring back a baby Gelfling to the castle. I have found a baby girl." He explained.

"Must see her." Sil declared. He came over to see the new baby.

The guard took her travel carrier off his shoulders. He handed the baby to the Chamberlain. She was going to be his surrogate child after all. He took her gently in his big bony fingers and held her up. He had never really held such a young one before.

"Look much different than grown up Gelfling." Sil stated. "Sure Human will like her much."

"Here's the rest of her supplies." The guard stated as he laid them down too. "There's Nebrie milk to feed her on."

The guard was then relieved of his duty to go rest and whatever. Sil brought the baby before the Emperor.

"So, this is to be our new servant." SkekSo decreed.

"Yes, my adopted childling." Sil declared.

"Go, take her to show the human. She will be most in charge of her. Her role is to change and raise the childling to our standards while doing what she can for our purposes." The Emperor decreed.