A complicated birth

Mortis was worried about Helga and lifted her up to carry her to bed. Once she was in bed, he changed his clothes and sat beside her, cuddling her as she occasionally flinched due to her increasingly frequent contractions. Mortis stroked her with one hand as he fretted over her. As Helga dozed off when there was no pain, Mortis wondered what he could do to help. He remembered that he had not been in his soul sea for a long time and still wanted to find out who Gillas was. So, he focused on his soul sea and was surprised by what he saw.

The souls that he often used were sitting or wandering around in a world filled with mountains, lakes, and forests. Mortis wondered what was happening here. It seemed as though the souls were distributed depending on where they felt most comfortable. When he saw Sarah playing chess with Marshal, he thought he was losing his mind. In the forest, the soul of the herb gatherer, whom he had not yet named, was with the bear that was letting him scratch its belly. Mortis did not want to disturb them and went around to find the soul of the woman, if there was one. After all, it was a dungeon, but Mortis felt that he had stored more than 40,000 souls. So, this dungeon was not ordinary. But no matter how much Mortis searched, he could not find the soul of the woman. The souls that came out of the dungeon did not even know why they were there. Mortis only felt that they finally found their peace.

Mortis opened his eyes and was back in the normal world, where Helga was trying to sleep next to him and endure the pain. He continued to stroke her tenderly and then took out the Holy Book of Primus to read this time. If he had quiet moments, he might as well use them. He was not tired anyway.

Mortis read half the book during the night. Early in the morning, there was a knock on the door and Jochen came into the room with Fiora to check if everything was okay. It was then that Mortis realized how late it was. He put the book away and asked if something had happened. Fiora reassured Mortis and said, "No, nothing has happened, but now I'll be looking after Helga. Marlene is coming to check if everything is okay with Helga."

Suddenly, they heard someone running in the hallway, which made Mortis curious, as he wanted Helga to rest. But before he could say anything, Lumina burst into the room.

"Lumina, what's going on?" Mortis asked somewhat annoyed.

However, Lumina ran towards Mortis, hugged him, and said, "A big perverted boy is after me."

As soon as she said that, a young man entered the room. He was tall with broad shoulders and brown hair. It was Jürgen, the son of Jochen and Fiora.

"Jürgen, you're finally here. I wasn't expecting you for a few more days," Jochen said happily.

Fiora immediately hugged her son and combed his hair with her hands. Then she asked, "What happened, or is it true that you are now chasing skirt tails?"

"Excuse me? No, I was just wondering who she was, and when I approached her, she ran away. So I followed her," Jürgen said nervously.

Helga woke up abruptly, wondering who the woman clinging to Mortis was. But just in case, she had already dug her fingernails into Mortis' side, causing him to flinch to the side.

"Sister, how are you?" asked Lumina immediately when she saw Helga waking up.

"Not so good, as you can see," Helga said.

"Let me see," Lumina said. She took her hand and put it on Helga's belly, but suddenly she jumped up and yelled, "All men out! Get the witch! The two children are on their way!"

"Everyone said in unison, 'Like two?"

"Yes, they are twins. Quick, get the yard witch, clean towels and clean hot water. Otherwise, the men stay outside."

Mortis ran to Marlene while Juergen hurried to the blankets and towels. Jochen was calmer and sent servants without losing his head. But suddenly the door to the room opened, and Lumina yelled into the hallway, "Valeria to come in, and faster than usual!"

Valeria was in her room wondering when to eat or what to do when she heard Lumina's voice. They barely knew each other, but it seemed urgent, so she ran as soon as she heard the voice.

With all the speed she could muster, Valeria managed to get to Lumina in six seconds. But just as she was about to ask what was wrong, Lumina pulled her into the room and said, "What took you so long when a nurse needs your help?"

Valeria was shocked and didn't know what was going on, yet she was immediately made to feel guilty. Valeria caught sight of Helga for the first time in the room and immediately wondered if she was Mortis' first wife.

Helga was pregnant and it seemed that the delivery was imminent. Lumina could guess Valeria's thoughts and said, "Yes, this is a wife of Mortis, but no, the children are not his." Helga was shocked and looked at Lumina strangely. But Lumina stroked her head reassuringly and said, "I'm a witch, we can see and feel blood ties. Mortis never said anything about it. Stay calm, she is also your new sister and what we know, no one else will know."

Helga tried to calm down according to her situation, but it was difficult for her. A young man nervously knocked on the door to bring blankets and towels, but when Valeria opened the door, he didn't know what he wanted anymore. Valeria was used to this situation and just took the stuff from his hand and slammed the door. Shortly after, an older woman was heard yelling, "Put me down, I can walk by myself." This was Marlene, who was carried to the room by Mortis in a hurry. Jochen came leisurely with several servants bringing tubs and buckets of water.

As the servants opened the door, Lumina yelled, "Not you!" The servants all stopped, startled, not knowing what was going on. "You are sick, go to your room, wash and rest, and best of all gargle your mouth out with salt water. And you," she pointed to a second servant, "you better wash properly. You don't go near the newborns." Marlene was amazed at how quickly Lumina realized everything. But when Marlene saw Lumina's eyes become like a snake's, she wanted to fall to the ground and pay homage to her goddess. But Lumina immediately spoke to her follower in her mind, "Not a word about who I am, understand?" Marlene just nodded and set about preparing everything, with healing potions, potions that added some vitamins to the body, and potions that would help with childbirth.

"We won't need those," Lumina said, "get everything ready for a C-section, we're getting the kids now. The umbilical cord has wrapped around the neck." Marlene nodded and did everything her goddess asked. She got out sharp, clean knives and other utensils that were necessary for the birth.

"We won't need these," Lumina said. "Get everything ready for a C-section. We're going to get the babies now because the umbilical cord has wrapped around the neck." Marlene nodded and did everything her goddess asked. She fetched sharp, clean knives and other utensils needed for the birth.

Valeria wondered why she had to go through all this. But Lumina could see it on her face and said, "Soon you too will have a child, and then it will be your sisters who will support you. That's the way it is when a man has several wives. They should always stick together, especially in times like these. That strengthens the bond."

Mortis, Jochen and Jürgen stood outside while all hell broke loose in the room. Mortis almost fainted from nervousness. He didn't know this feeling at all, to be so worried about another person that you almost lose your breath. Juergen was nervous because it was the first time he had been so close to a birth. Jochen smiled and remembered what it was like when Juergen was born.

Juergen wondered who Mortis was and asked him point blank. Mortis replied, "I am the new Count of Bamberg. Nice to finally meet you, Jürgen." Juergen was astonished, for Mortis was hardly older than himself, but yet he was already to lead the county. Jürgen then said, "It's a pleasure. And I see your wife is inside too?" "Three of my wives are inside," Mortis said monotonously as he looked around the room, forcing himself not to use his vision to see souls. "What, three of your wives are inside? But besides my mother, there are only.... Oh, so the two beautiful women are yours?" "Yes, all my wives are beautiful," Mortis said.

Baby cries sounded from the room and a moment later the door opened. Fiora brought Jochen in so they could each hold a baby. Then the two of them went outside with the babies to show Juergen his new brother and sister. Juergen didn't know what to feel. He wanted to accept the children, but he didn't know exactly where to put his feelings. But when he looked up into the ceiling and saw the little girl Fiora had in her arms, all thoughts were gone. And when the baby reached up and held onto his finger, he inwardly swore to himself to always pay attention to his sister and to his new brother.

Mortis was happy with this picture of a happy family and he was about to go into the room to join the women when he noticed that everyone was getting nervous. "Why isn't the healing potion working? It's a strong one of good quality," Lumina said nervously. Marlene and Valeria were already getting nervous too, because the injury was not closing. Helga even woke up and slowly looked at Mortis. She didn't say anything, but her look said everything. I'm sorry. She tried to be awake, but her eyes kept falling shut.

Mortis rushed into the room and stroked Helga's head. "Stay with me," he pleaded, overcome by his feelings and helpless by the situation. He kept telling her to stay awake and be with him. But Helga was getting weaker and weaker, and breathing was also becoming more and more difficult. Mortis closed his eyes and yelled in his mind, "I'll give you everything, I'll start all over again, I'll really give you everything, but don't take my beloved wife from me again."

A voice appeared in his thoughts, "I can't do much, but you can. Remember what you have read. Primus is not only death, but..."

"She is life, and if she is, so am I," Mortis said.

The ghostly mist burst out of Mortis and then it changed color from silver to gold. Mortis took a deep breath and sucked in the golden mist. Then he leaned over Helga and gave her a kiss, letting all the mist into her. Helga opened her eyes, and they glowed gold. Her body closed the wounds, and she felt an energy she had never experienced before. But the fitter she became, the weaker Mortis became, and he lost his footing, being too weak to stay on his feet. So his eyes went black and he lost consciousness.