"LET. ME. GO!"
I roared, thrashing wildly in my chains as screams and whimpers ripped through the castle walls.
Guards stood at the cellar door, uncomfortable, terrified looks on their pathetic faces as I snarled out, the silver sinking into my flesh. Burning the fickle skin.
"Sirus!"
I snarled, hearing my name attached with the utter pain and fear that Esmeralda was going through.
She had awaken last night with pains, and that instantly had me ushered out of the room, with the servants and midwife taking over.
Supposedly she had been in light pain the rest of the day, I was able to visit her twice. She just cried and asked for Edwin. Which I could not do. He was a child.
Once the real pain had began, multiple guards and Rowan had drug me down here to the dungeons. I had injured and ended many of the guards lives. My beast incredibly angered that they were taking us away from our mate and our child. "Your punishment will be death!" I roared. My words coming out odd as my teeth began to sharpen and elongate as my wolf called out to his mate. Wanting to be by her side.
Rowan stood with the guards, giving me a wary look. He had attempted to ware me out by fighting with me. We had fought brutally for only the moon knows how long, before both of us were in bloodied heaps. Once I was at my weakest they chained me up. They would all die.
"Brother, you are aware you cannot be in the room when she births! That is tradition." He rehearsed this line over and over again until it felt like that was his immediate response anytime I uttered a word.
"I do not care! Do you hear her? Do you smell the blood?" I snapped. Everyone in the castle was aware of the pungent odor of blood coming from her as she pushed out the next heir.
Chelsea was running up and down, all over the castle delivering message of how she was doing to us then rushing back to Esmeralda.
Edwin was completely distraught over hearing the loud cries of his sister and Rowan had to wind up making the boy slip into sleep. I did not know what methods he used but Esmeralda would have a fit if he were physically harmed.
I heaved out a deep breath, my eyes stinging as blood mixed with sweats rolled down my forehead into my eyes. I snarled pulling at my restraints. I was ready to see my son and my wife. Not pretend prisoner down here.
"Mother!...please help me!"
Everyone visibly stiffened at her words. Esmeralda has been interchanging me and her mother. Sometimes crying for both of us to come and help her.
"Rowan, unchain me!" I demanded as he stayed put. "This is the least you can do for me, brother!" I knew he appreciated when I called him so. I could pull at his woman like emotions.
The corners of his lips upturned before shaking his head. "No, cousin. You cannot be present for the birth of the child! If your beast loses temper from seeing Esmerelda's pain and all of the blood you can wind up killing the midwife or worse. You will not ruin this. She. Will. Be. Fine," Rowan stressed, wiping at his bloodied mouth.
Her screams made me want to claw at my ears. Smash my head against the brick wall. Anything to stop me from hearing them. My body continuously trying to shift and the silver preventing that. Creating waves of pain to lace around my body. Incapacitating me at times.
My head which was hung in defeat, suddenly lifted when I heard the screams and loud sobbing cease...
"Rowan let me go. Something is wrong."
The worry in his face was evident as he whispered something into a guards ear. A guard that was not fatally injured by me. That guard quickly left.
My fingers dug into the cuffs, using all of my strength to rip at the left one. Crimson liquid and breaking skin greeted my fingers tips, but my movements did not falter. I repeated the action for my left wrist.
"Sirus," Rowan warned. His position angled to battle me once again as I pried myself free from the shackles around my ankles. "Sirus, no."
"He is born!" A female voice shouted, as we heard loud steps rushing down the steps. Chelsea had stumbled down the steps.
She had blood stains all around her dress and her hair was a bit unkempt. My beast rising a bit looking at the female who was covered in our mates blood. Three words saved her from my beast taking control and ripping her heart from her chest.
"H-he is born!" She exclaimed, tears in her eyes as Rowan opened the cell with a smile on his face. His eyes still stuck towards me, as I stared at his mate. I knew she was a help to Esmerelda but to convince my beast...
"How is Esmerelda?" I questioned, as Chelsea took a few quick breaths trying to gather herself.
"She...she is very weak..." the way she said and the way she did not meet my eyes was what worried me.
My body began to tense. I will kill her if she dies. She is the one who has yelled at me telling me that she will not give me the satisfaction of her death yet she has the audacity to be severely ill!
I began to move towards the stairs. "Your majesty you cannot go up their yet she is not done being cleaned and...." Chelsea's voice died down at the look I gave her.
Before I reached the steps, my fist went flying into Rowan's face. "Rowan!" Chelsea yelled as Rowan fell to the ground, groaning in pain.
I quickly made my way up to our bedchamber, making sure to adjust my shirt and look presentable for when I was to see my child. I doubt Esmerelda would care of what I looked like.
As I walked up to the room, I watched maids walk out with linens soaked with blood. They seemed surprised to see me and I watched them closely, daring them to say that I could
not come in.
Slowly opening the door, I was hit with a mix of smells. None that smelt particularly well. Blood mixed with other fluids.
Maids and midwifes gasped all alike as I made my way into the room. They all slightly bowed.
I walked over to the bed, my eyes traveling over Esmerelda's form. She was covered in sweat. A maid was wiping her forehead and neck with a cloth. Another maid was in between her legs, wiping away blood with blood soaked rag after blood soaked rag. A young maid instantly held up a sheet, looking away from me. Shielding me from looking at the gruesome scene.
I averted my gaze back to Esmerelda's top half..Her eyes were closed as she slowly breathed in an out. Her lips were chapped. Her heart beat was faint.
"Should she not be awake?" I questioned, wondering about the potion that I had her drink from Hilda to help with her healing after birth. "Should she not be awake?!" I boomed, as the females in the room all flinched at how loud I was being.
The one in between her legs glanced up. She had blood covering her everywhere. She looked as if she had bathed in it. She must have been the one who delivered our child...
"Sh-she has lost much blood, your highness. We do not know...it just must be her human nature that is getting in the way of her healing process," she explained as I watched the rise and fall of her chest. It was incredibly to slow for my liking.
I growled, beginning to pace around. "Find, Hilda, now," I ordered one of the women as I heard something. Something that had me whipping around. It was my son.
"Bring him here," I ordered one of the maids as she began to walk over to me carefully. She handed me the bloodied little child.
His face was scrunched up as he was in the middle of crying. He was small and warm. A tint of pink to him. His hair was void of any real color, a whitish hue to it just like Esmerelda's.
He began to fuss and cry. "Hush, Thorian," I said gently watching the baby tense as his eyes began to slowly open. My eyes widened at his peculiar blue eyes. He took after Esmerelda in every way possible. "Warrior's do not cry," I told him as he continued to blink slowly, his undeveloped and unfocused eyes not paying attention to anything in particular.
The tender moment was shattered as the door swung open loudly, hitting the wall. I snarled, glancing at the door. Getting ready to behead anyone that dare ruin this moment.
"Oh my, the little pup has been born!" A loud voice announced as I snarled, glaring at the elderly woman who strolled into the bedchamber so easily.
I sighed, handing my son off to one of the maids as Hilda made her way over to Esmerelda. "Human Queen how do you fare?"
"She is weak...and has lost a lot of blood," I told her as she shrugged, pulling an old root from her pockets. It was covered in dirt.
Hilda made her way over to Esmerelda. I watched her closely, my beast becoming on edge as she grabbed a candle, lighting the root on fire.
The root began to burn and she held the burning root over Esmerelda, the smoke surrounding all around her face. Hilda's face began to scrunch up as she coughed. "Agh, this smell is killing me!"
Did this wench value her life? "If it is killing you what will it do to her? Hilda I will end your-"
"-Please be quiet, Dog King. She is human she will be fine. How is the strong child? Is it ugly like you or beautiful like your foolish Queen?" She chuckled, a gleam in her eyes as I felt the need to squeeze the air from her body.
"Fix her and leave, Hilda. Before I rip out your tongue and feed it to your odd animals," I threatened her as she cackled and licked her lips.
"You would be wise not to threaten someone of value to you."
It was my turn to laugh at this...this wench. "You would be wise not to test me, Hilda. I do know what you do. Your connections. Your activities. I do let you do whatever you want and live in my kingdom since you have been banned from most kingdoms. If you do not want to live in a cave heed my advice. Shut your mouth and get to work."
The elderly woman chuckled, "Ah threats are sweet to the tongue but actions are bitter! Let us not waste time speaking, let me make your Queen better again."
******
HA. I had you guys SHOOK.
Anyways, sorry for giving you guys heart attacks!
Also the first chapter for Queen of the Dragons is up, It's been a long time coming guys!
Don't judge my cover I'm working on a new one😭 if anyone has any cover ideas message me!!