Chapter 1: A Spell

"Just one more push, my lady." The midwife said, her voice urgent but gentle.

The lady of the house had been in labour for hours and she was exhausted. With one last push she collapsed to the bedsheets, her hair drenched with sweat and her breath heaving. Her tired eyes opened when she heard the cry of her baby. The midwife patted the baby dry and swaddled it in linens, "It's a girl, my lady." She said with a smile as she handed the child to her mother.

The tired mother smiled as she received her newborn baby. With gentle fingers she stroked her baby's face and soon her daughter's eyes opened. Her smile widened when she saw it, but her face darkened when she saw the unnaturally pale irises of her daughter's eyes. She waved her finger over the baby's eyes but her baby continued to stare blankly ahead of her.

She heard a gasp next to her and looked up to see the midwife looking down at her from beside the bed, "She's blind, my lady."

The mother looked up with an angry glare, "You will not speak of this to anyone." Her steely gaze moved to the two other women in the room, the midwife's helpers, "You are all sworn to secrecy. If any one of you so much as utters about your being here, it will be your head on the chopping block."

All three women bowed their heads and nodded mutely.

The newborn blind child began to cry and the midwife helped the mother to feed her baby.

While the baby ate the mother thought of what she could do for her poor child. No one could know that the daughter of Lady Eilir and the now deceased Lord Broderick was blind. Not one soul could know of such a disgrace.

The day after the mother ordered that only the midwife be allowed in the room and that none of her own personal staff were welcome. Though the mother was still recovering she persisted in her self-appointed task of finding a way to heal her daughter.

Her butler brought ancient texts and books to her room and the midwife would bring them to Lady Eilir. The respected lady pored over the leaves of the books for days. Her baby would cry and she would feed her; but other than that act of motherly kindness, she did nothing for her child.

On the seventh day after the child's birth the Lady Eilir proclaimed with a happy voice, "I've found it!"

The midwife, who was rocking the wailing child back and forth in her arms, looked at the mother of the child warily. Petting the baby girl's soft fuzz of black hair she cooed gently to the baby. In the days that had past the baby girl had been named, Caitrin, for her pure white eyes.

The midwife smiled when she saw the baby looking blankly around for her.

"Give me my child." The mother said, her voice harsh. The midwife reluctantly handed the fragile child to its mother. The mother walked out of the room in her willowy nightgown. Her staff all looked at her and the small bundle in her arms with surprise.

The housekeeper ran to her lady's side, "My lady, what are you doing out of your bed? Should you not be resting?"

"I am fine, Dyllis. Tell the coachman to ready my horse."

The housekeeper gave her lady a worried look but quickly ordered a footman to go and retrieve the lady's mare.

The Lady Eilir exited the house and entered into a cool evening, the cold atmosphere did not affect her as she descended the stairs and to her horse. Ignoring the proffered hand of the coachman, she mounted her horse and sped off.

The wind whipped her face and she smiled with a smile that bode ill intent. The poor babe in her arms was frightened by the sudden change in temperature and by the strange wind. She cried into her mother's bosom but the mother ignored it, her thoughts focused on something else.

As the Lady Eilir raced through the dark trees all draped with moss she repeated the script through her mind. The script that would give her daughter eyes.

Finally arriving at her destination she brought her horse to an abrupt stop and nimbly jumped from her mount.

Sweeping her black hair out of her eyes she looked at her screaming baby and said to her in a quiet voice, "Shh… my daughter. All will be well soon."

Before them loomed a cave, the mother was familiar with the dark abyss and walked through the black with ease. As her feet stepped down onto a coarse sand. She smiled and with a clear voice she said, "Ton."

A light began to burn and it soon spread to light the entire room. She looked up and sighed in excitement. Setting her still crying baby down on a pedestal she set to work. Her pale hands grabbed a quill and parchment.

As she began to write the spell down she looked up and perused the circular room. The fire that she had lit was crackling faintly and she nodded silently to herself as she remembered the key ingredient. Grabbing a jewel encrusted knife she sliced her index finger and began to mutter the words.

The baby was sobbing for comfort from the alien surroundings and receiving none. As the warm, sticky liquid was rubbed onto her eyes her cries only increased.

Eilir clicked her tongue, "I know my darling, but this must be done. All will be better soon."

Once she had completed the written spell she lifted Caitrin into the air and began to speak the sacred words aloud.

"Give this child sight as clear as the night. Give her hearing as powerful as the thunder. So that she may see the world in all its might. Seize from those who do not deserve their great gift. Seize their sight, as brilliant as the sea. Seize their ears, that my child-"

The baby in her hands began to fight her grip ferociously as she felt a painful burning from the mother's hands.

The mother smiled instead of worried. She cleared her throat, preparing to continue in the spell when she saw a sign that the spell had worked.

Her child's shadow began to morph and break off from the main body. With utter awe and satisfaction Eilir watched as the creature of shadow ascended and disappeared through the opening of the cave. She was reminded of her child by its loud cries.

She cradled her child against her chest and hummed happily to herself.

When she arrived back at her manor she walked triumphantly up the stairs, her frame still donned with her wisp of a nightgown. Her housekeeper was waiting at the door for her, her eyes wide with anxiety.

The lady of the house walked past her without paying heed to her naggings.

The next morning, the midwife found the child awake, her eyes a deep turquoise.