There was one thing that I had learned since becoming the queen of hell. Show no mercy. Falter, and they watch you, feeding upon the inadequacy. So when I found one desperate demon trying to tempt Anton into her arms, I knew that I could not let her get away with it. No amounts of apologies or reasoning could help her now; I had to make an example out of her.
Anton smiled approvingly, looking upon my handiwork.
"Well done my love, everyone that looks upon her will know that this is the price that they will pay if they upset their queen."
"Thank you."
He turned back to the demon that I had strung up by her wrists in the courtyard, hanging over a chasm that was the pit. Her legs were being pulled down by the winds of the damned, but the rope was strong enough to last for a week. It was long enough for everyone to walk by and see the spectacle, to read the document that was pinned to a board at the edge of the chasm. It told of her crime and her punishment and warned others that their queen would ensure that anyone who thought her actions were just or her punishment was inappropriate, would meet the same fate.
"I was told to do this!" the woman screamed out. "This is not fair; I was doing as I was ordered. Michael made me!"
The name sent a shiver up my spine, haunting me with a memory that I wished I could forget.
Anton waggled his fingers in her direction, and her mouth was sealed shut.
"Much better." He said smugly as he took my hand. "Now my darling, what was the reason that you came to visit me?"
He asked because he didn't like me wandering around by myself, it was risky even if the gates were locked. Slowly we began to walk back to the castle, ignoring the muffled cries of a woman who was about to be damned, in a week of course.
"Well, I actually came to tell you that my waters broke."
Anton looked at me peculiarly. "Can't one of the staff fix it?"
I chuckled, shaking my head.
"You know, I think that you need a baby book."
"There is no point, my love, we do not have a normal baby. We have a little devil."
I wanted to say that I knew that already. I'd suffered the worst morning sickness ever; even Rowan commented that she had never had it as bad as what I had. Indigestion, bizarre cravings, bloated feet, cramps and general discomfort. But through all the suffering and the pain, I'd loved every single minute. I was not complaining. Even now with the labour pains that were slicing through my body like a hot knife, I was the happiest I'd ever been.
"Anton."
He smiled as he looked up at me, leading me through the black trees.
"Yes, my love."
"I'm in labour. That's what it means when a woman says her waters have broken. It means that the child is about to be born."
Anton stopped walking and stared at me. With a frown, he pursed his lips together in a long thin line.
"So why are you walking around like this? Why isn't there staff fussing over you and helping you ready for the birth?"
"Because I've had labour pains for several hours now, the staff are ready; the room is waiting. All except one vital component."
He took my hand and made us disappear and reappear in the room he'd set aside for the birth. Anton took me to the bed and waited for me to change into more appropriate birthing clothes.
"You know, it is said that walking assists the progress of labour."
"Is that so?" he said with no humour.
The nurses entered the room, helping me into a hospital gown and onto the waiting bed.
"I'd rather walk a little more."
"We will see how far you have progressed my lady."
My feet went up into the stirrups as the sheet covered my lower half.
"Much, further along, you are almost fully dilated."
"That means what?" Anton asked looking concerned.
"Ready to go my Lord."
The nurse shifted her gaze to me. "And how are the contractions fairing my lady?"
"Oh about a minute apart."
They looked at each other and then to Anton.
"Did you go walking through the underworld when you were about to have the child?"
"I tried calling you Anton, but you were a little distracted." I snapped back.
Sensibly, he shut his mouth.
"My lady, next contraction please push." She turned to her cohort. "Have the doctor called."
She looked back to me or rather to my exposed side.
"You are crowning, are you in pain?"
"No, the relief you gave me is still working well."
"Too well," Anton grumbled. "Why is this so easy? I heard Rowan complaining about childbirth, is something wrong?"
"Anton." I chided. "Rowan birthed triplets, and I can assure you this is not easy, and I am in pain even if I have been given pain relief, it's just not very strong pain."
The door opened, and the nurse returned with the doctor. As a contraction began, the three of them stood by my feet, discussing what needed to be done.
"Okay, in pain now." I groaned.
"We can see the head, my lady, keep pushing."
It felt like my body was being ripped in half, the burning sensation was horrendous. Anton wiped the tears from my face as he held my hand, offering his support with his assuring words. But it did little for the pain.
"Push, you're almost there. You're doing great." the doctor offered as her encouragement.
My body ached as I howled with the suffering. I could feel the skin tearing, stretching with force as his head pushed through. Then, when I thought that I couldn't take it anymore, I heard someone cry.
His scream pierced the almost quiet air, even over my own sobs of pain our son cried his protest.
"There we go." the doctor cooed as she put him onto my chest.
Tears soaked my cheeks as I looked down at the unhappy child, dragged from his warm bed and brought into the world. The nurse moved to the other side of the bed, helping me ready to feed and soothe the baby.
As he happily fed, I looked to the quiet man beside me. He had not said a word since the birth, watching on in silence. Anton had a soft, contemplative smile on his face as he looked down at our son. Then one droplet of red seeped out of his eye, soon joined by another from the other eye. They hit his cheeks and soaked a line down before he wiped them away.
With a smile that deepened, he leaned down and kissed me.
"I am stunned beyond belief as to how well you did my love, I am and will always be grateful for you and everything you give me."
He kissed me again and looked upon our child, his hand smoothing over his tiny head.
"He is amazing, just like his mother."