13 The Birth

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Twelve years ago…

Within Xaeviel's castle, two women were ready to give birth, Lady Ermaenye and the queen's former lady in waiting Lady Aenor.

However, two months ago, the latter was supposedly on their way with her husband Sir Knight Louvel Gerboud to his hometown Wrilon Village to take over his ailing father's position as the Village Chief, but Louvel had some issues to settle with the king as a Griftein Knight before leaving. Thus, the delay.

Then when the day came for them to leave, Lady Aenor's birthing pain began.

She held on for a month since her labor pain's gaps were still not that near but early morning on this day, the fifth day of the month before spring she experienced intensive pains. They were afraid she would give birth soon.

Indeed, before the strike of dawn, she gave birth to a healthy boy.

As the boy came out from her, an unusual phenomenon occurred.

The cloudy sky of which about to rain opened as if someone pulled away the clouds to create an opening but no visible hand seen. From the middle of the opened sky, a vast light appeared and roiled to gain momentum and as it transformed into a blinding light, it struck down like lightning to the palace with no damaged done.

Unknown to the outsider's eyes, the lightning was like a living being that strolled rapidly within the halls in the chambers below and circled inside the room where Lady Aenor newly gave birth.

Sir Louvel saw that buzzing lightning and hurriedly stood beside his wife with a sword ready in hand. However, the lightning puffed off at the bed's side, leaving no trace behind.

Louvel turned to check everyone and all the things inside. He also ran out of the hall and looked left and right to check but nothing odd or suspicious was in sight. He went back in and took the baby from Aenor and observed the baby for any changes that could occur after that lightning came. However, the boy was completely fine.

But that was not all, after the lightning, something resembling a shooting star followed and fell straight toward the chamber of the pregnant Lady Ermaenye.

The maids saw a light moved toward the sleeping pregnant princess. A maid ran and stood between the lady and the ball of light but it speedily passed through the maid and floated on top of the lady. They shouted and awakened the princess but the light flew down the floor and disappeared.

Unknown to them, a trail of its light sunk in Lady Ermaenye's belly.

At this moment, the light went into another chamber below and found the tired Lady Aenor and the baby in Louvel's arms. The light instantly dipped into the baby's body, shocking them all as they screamed in fright.

However, they were stunned speechless to see the baby's body glowed as the light sunk in and subsided after. Louvel's hands trembled to see his son's body glowing but held the child firmly in his hands

Louvel couldn't come up with a reason for what occurred. "What was that?"

A thought came, his gaze went directly to the maids and the assisting midwife.

"You are not allowed to divulge whatsoever you saw today. Or I need to execute all of you. Do you understand?" Louvel said with a firm voice. His words may be harsh but these people were his own and knew him well. He wouldn't be rash without reason or rhyme.

They also trusted him and understood his concern to some degree as people who served him for years.

To reveal this matter would create a huge uproar bringing unnecessary people into his doorsteps who were after whatsoever that thing his son received.

If he divulged this to the king, he was certain he would receive the king's protection for his son but it didn't mean those within the nation's bureaucrats could be trusted on this matter. He and his family's life would be in great jeopardy.

Also, if the king learned of this, his son could be taken away from him out of consideration of the phenomenon and together with the secret of which he, the king, his wife, and another person knew that they had to bring this secret to their grave than putting it out in the open.

Another reason Louvel was reluctant to put this into the open was that he had no idea on what was the thing that entered his son's body. It could be evil or good. So far, he didn't sense anything unusual. He decided he had to know what it was first before he would approach the king on the matter.

Suddenly, he heard yellings within the castle.

He asked a running lady. "What happened?"

"Oh, Sire, Lady Ermaenye is now in labor after a ball of light came to her room."

"Ball of Light? What ball of light and did it harm the lady?"

"No, not at all, Sire. Will you excuse me, please? I have to look for the royal physician to assist the birth," said the girl as she ran away.

'Was it the same ball of light that entered my son's body?' Louvel was not at ease.

They had to leave soon before they get caught up with the commotion in case an investigation would take place. It would further delay their departure and a great possibility of exposing what truly occurred.

He prayed and hoped no one else saw the lightning and that ball of light entered their room.

Outside the castle, the guards and the people saw the two objects when it came about.

Whether coincidence or not, that day, there was a very important event that would determine a nation's future that had been taking place in the palace.

The king was having a debate with the representative from another nation with a requisition letter from their king asking for a truce for the five-year-long war between the two kingdoms. Somehow, the fault lay on them. They invaded the borderlands of Xaeviel and declared it as theirs.

The king and everyone in the hall heard the lightning hit the castle. They all went out and saw the shooting light coming down.

"The meeting is postponed tomorrow…," the king said but before he could speak more a maid escorted by a guard came rushing in.

The guard took a knee before the king and said, "Your Majesty, Lady Ermaenye requested for you and Prince Threion to go to her room. She is in labor now but she has something to tell you both of which in great importance," said the guard.

"Court dismissed," hurriedly said the king. The two people requested and with the nurse, didn't tarry and rushed toward Lady Ermaenye's chamber and saw her whining in labor pains.

The attending maid told them what had occurred earlier. The two men couldn't believe what they heard but believe it or not, it happened. But the king was delighted and trusted this was an auspicious sign.

As Louvel suspected, the king made an investigation but only to check for any damage done by the lightning to find a trace of that ball of light. Fortunately, nothing was worth taking notice and the matter was dropped.

The king and the adviser had a meeting that day and concluded that the phenomenon had some significance not only with Theo's birth but also with the truce.

At the crack of dawn the next day, the new prince was born.

The king ended the war of the two nations by simply asking the return of the lands and the people, unharmed. At the same time, the compensation he asked was erased from the signed truce agreement.

This was all done for the sake of Theo's birth, calling it an auspicious phenomenon.

Theodrech became his given name in accordance with the attending wizard's suggestions base from the two cases mentioned. Theo means principle and Drech means rule or rights. As a whole, it meant 'Rule with Principles'.

As for Louvel and Aenor, they name their son Freidrech. It means a man who lived and rule in freedom.

After the king learned of Freidrech's birth, Louvel told the king they would temporarily go back to Amberdrift while the nation was celebrating the new prince's birth before they leave for Wrilon.

His excuse was for his wife's rest since dignitaries and other important personages would be coming to pay their respects to the newly born prince under an auspicious phenomenon.

While Freidrech's birth was celebrated by the time they arrived in the mansion with Louvel's family and friends, subordinates and manor's tenants. The king and queen, with the other Griftein Knights, came as well but the celebration was of a smaller scale.

They also announced that Freidrech was born hours after Prince Theo.