As a child, you would wait and watch from far away
But you always knew that you'd be the one
That work while they all play
In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme
Of all the things that you would change
But it was just a dream
Here we are, don...
"Are the others coming?" Raina asked, looking at her sleeping sons, then down at her belly. She was much bigger than she had been with Aerion and Serion, looking as if she was much farther along than she really was, just about halfway through.
"The army your father has sent is coming," the whispers said as Raina put her hand to her belly. "They will be here for the biggest battle of this war," they said. She let out a breath.
"When will this war be over?" Raina asked. They were quiet. "I will never see the end of this war, will I?" she asked.
"No," was all they said. "You will see the end day of this war, but you will not see the end. Though you will be the reason the war is won," they said.
"How?" Raina asked. If she didn't make it through this war, then how was she the reason it was won?
"Anger," they said. Raina's eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, anger. You will be very angry at the losses," they said.
"Losses?" Raina said. "Have I not lost enough? What are the losses? Battle? People? I need to know."
"The first loss, closer. The other, second yes, very close, will make the strong mind speak crazily. Your strong mind will feel weak, and in that weak state, you will realize everything that is gone," they said. "You will feel pain, pain that will bring you to your knees, and then they will come in the dark of night, under the moonlight, deep within woods with no one who truly knows how to help," they said. Raina really didn't like the sound of that.
"What is this loss?" Raina asked.
"We can't tell you this, Raina," they said. Raina closed her eyes. "You cannot change it, even if you know." Raina's eyes moved to her three sons.
"The second?" Raina asked.
"Will break you," they said. "Screaming, crying, yelling, and it still doesn't answer; it will never be found," they said. Raina looked down at her belly.
"You will be ready to die when the time comes, Raina," they said.
"My children?" Raina asked.
"They will make it to a very old age," they said. Raina let out a breath. "They will carry on what you are doing," they said. Raina shook her head.
"No, I don't want them to," Raina said. "When I die, it ends with me," she said. Raina heard the whispers laugh.
"They hold the seeds of the dragons; they will go on, just like the fire within you," they said. Raina didn't want her children to deal with them.
"Prepare yourself, Raina, you still have a long road ahead," they said. Raina stood up, kissing the three boys' heads before walking out of the room and down to her own.
"Daemon," Raina said when she saw him in the room, sitting on the bed. Slowly, Raina walked to him. "Are you alright?" Raina asked, her hands reaching up to run through his hair. Daemon leaned forward, resting his forehead on her chest, his hand on her hip as he kissed her belly.
"We're in a war," he said. Raina hummed. "And we are having a child," he said. Raina nodded.
"Yes, we are," Raina said, making him look up at her.
"This child is like the light in the dark," he said. Raina smiled at him. "War is all others have to look forward to, but we... we have a new life," he said. Raina looked down at him.
"Daemon, are you alright?" Raina asked. They had been married for over three years now, and never once did he speak like this to her. Of course, they had their moments together.
"You have given me three sons," Daemon said, looking up at her. "I want a girl," he said, his hand moving over her belly.
"A girl?" Raina said, running her fingers through his hair with a smile.
"Yes, a little girl," he said, nodding.
"Well, maybe the gods will answer your prayers," Raina said.
"I love you, Raina," Daemon said, looking at her.
"...I love you too."
~~~ ↓
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