Alone

Death and new life

What do you guys think of my new cover? Made by yours truly...#proud

The day had finally come. Months in the waiting but now all the clans had finally arrived and it was time to lay my beloved sister to rest. Her body has since been prepared in the traditional way for the deceased Hedas. She was embalmed with salt, herbs and liquid gold and then wrapped in the softest of silk man could buy. Her body was not visible as after the months of waiting for the funeral it would not be pleasant nor suitable for all who loved her to gaze on her crumbling face.

I stood with my arms wrapped around Clarke, holding her trembling form as she watched her true love and the other mother to her unborn miracle be set to rest. My own mother and father stood apart for the formality of the event and I would soon have to leave Clarke to stand beside my father as representatives from the ice nation. Anya led the TreeKru mourners, her strong form an imposing sight as she gazed upon her oldest daughter's body. Giving Clarke one last squeeze I left her at the stand for the SkyKru, the empty stand with only Clarke from her whole kind. I knew with a deep certainty that if they had been permitted both Bellamy and Kane would be standing either side of the shivering young woman.

The ceremony was beautiful, all leading members of all the clans paid tribute to the fallen Heda in their own, personal ways. When it was the Ice Nations turn my father turned to me and announced,

"My daughter, Princess Mina of IceNation will be sending her sister of the heart to rest."

My heart began to pound rapidly as a clans woman handed me the most beautiful bouquet of frozen roses that I had ever seen. With trembling hands I accepted the tribute from her while grabbing the matches of my father at the same time. I took slow, measured steps towards her closed coffin. My eyes watered with tears I would not shed as I raised the frozen roses up for all the clans to see. A sudden hush echoed around the chamber of people, louder than any shouting could have possibly been. Lexa was our commander and we all loved her. She was one of a kind and would never be replaced even though the Heda trials still continued to do that exact impossible thing.

With a sudden burst of confidence I struck the match against the flint and watched as a bright light engulfed the wrapped body off the beloved, yet fallen commander and her frozen bouquet once and for all.

My knees began to tremble moments after striking the final fling. They shook so much that it was only a few seconds before I collapsed completely to my knees with my head buried into my hands. It was all over, Lexa was officially laid to rest. I felt strong arms encircle me, Trian, and seconds later smaller yet just as strong ones gently pushed some of my hair away so she could gaze at her only surviving child's face, fistraught as it was. Clarke and my father did not touch me but they had no reason to. I could feel their love projecting off of them in waves that pushed me wake forward into the deep blue sea. Always the dominating leaders, they did not move from their stands although Clarke cradled her ever growing stomach with a growing mothers love.

Sharp pangs erupted from inside my stomach causing me to scream out in a completely different kind of pain. A physical pain, not the ever present emotional one that just wouldn't go away these past few months. It wasn't until water surrounded me however that I finally realised I had gone into labour. Panting my desperate eyes searched frantically for the icy blue ones that would reassure me I was not alone in this feat. Brown to blue. There he was. Trian suddenly grabbed me and swung me into his arms with all the care of a mother bear, huddling me close and screamed at my mother,

"Anya! Quick, the goufa is coming."

My mother remained kneeling on the floor, motionless until another scream ripped it's way through my vocal cords. Leaping up from her position, my mother immediately took her natural role of bossing everyone around.

"Trian, take my daughter into your own tent, she will be most comfortable there. Clarke, grab as many towels and things as you may need and meet as back at their tent as quickly as you can! Rowan..."

My mother stopped when she heard no acknowledgement from my father when she addressed him. He stood with gapping eyes, still in the IceNation box even though everyone had quickly left after paying their respects to their heda's burning corpus. Anya rolled her eyes at my father's form and as quick as anyone had ever seen anyone move she ran over there and slapped the living day lights out of the King. Immediately sounds of protests and anger were voiced by my father's angered people but he quickly shut them up by placing a possessive kiss upon my mother's forehead.

"Rowan, are you finally listening to me? Send for one of the birthing experts I know you've been keeping around and then join us back at our daughter's tent, okay?"

When my father sheepishly nodded my mother clicked her fingers and sent everyone on their merry way to complete the jobs she had assigned them.

________________________________

"TRIAN!"

I scream out to my boyfriend as I clutched onto his hand for dear life.

"WE ARE NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN OKAY?"

My boyfriend blushed a little but mostly ignored me, choosing to focus on the birthing specialist who was attempting to pull my goufa from my stomach.

"Push, Mina!"

Clarke screamed at me while I glared at her with as much energy I could muster up in my current predicament.

"AHHHHHH!"

With one last, and excruciatingly painful,  push Accalia Cage of Azgeda was welcomed into the world with a screwed up face and lungs the size of Venus.

"Pass her too me, let me hold my daughter."

I breathed out in between gulps of air as my daughters screaming over took the room, and man if it wasn't the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. A few moments later a twitching, tiny little bundle was laid on my chest from the caring arms off my mother who looked on with tears in her eyes and emotions all over her face. Indra wasn't much better, her eyes glazed over as she looked on too the breathtaking sight after rushing in here when she heard the news.

Accalia's tiny fingers fanned out across my breast as she snuggled into my familiar scent and warmth. I couldn't take my eyes off the beautiful creature I had created. And either could Trian, tears freely flowing down his cheeks while his hand rested excruciatingly softly on our daughters back, his other hand caressing my arm in silent encouragement.

"We did good, Mina. We did really good."

I'm sorry it's so short and it took so long but I kind of lost motivation to do anything half way through this summer holiday! Never fear though an Epilogue will be coming soon...as soon as I get my act together. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please comment I love to hear your views on everything!