A Dream Come True

In the gracefully adorned drawing room, Aliona and Lady Manchester sat comfortably on the plush chairs, engrossed in a lively conversation. The ambient glow of the room's tasteful lighting highlighted their bubbly expressions. Aliona, with a radiant smile, gently cradled her heavily pregnant belly.

As they exchanged stories and laughter, the expectant mother joyfully reminisced about the days she spent eagerly searching for the blessing of motherhood. Her eyes gleamed with gratitude as she spoke of the journey and the anticipation of welcoming a new life into the world. The room echoed with warmth and the shared happiness of two friends savoring the beauty of the present moment.

She still could not believe that months after the incident with Josephine and Mimulke, she could be carrying a child of her own. Glad to have put the past behind her even though the scene of the strange woman in labour still lingered, she hoped what she saw that night was an illusion as Nickolai had stated but a tiny little part of her believed otherwise.

Discovering she was expecting a child had be a pure miracle, she had felt as normal as any other day when she made her way to the garden to work and also watched the kids play until she felt the sudden need to drink blood. She did a double take when one of the human kids looked so appetizing to her, focusing on their smooth soft neck, her finger tingled in anticipation of drinking their fresh blood as her fangs extended.

With the little string of sanity withholding her from taking a chunk of skin from one of the kids, without a word, she fled to her room. Unable to control the her fangs that kept extending, she had buried herself in the pillow, instructing Vivian to get her a cup of blood after her incessant knock on the door.

The door had burst opened the moment Nickolai kicked it in, "what happened? I could hear the race of your heart from the study"

Ali couldn't wait for Vivian to come, "I need to drink now!" She yelled before latching on Nickolai's neck, she sipped his blood, caring less about his reaction.Drained, she let go of him and slumped on the bed.

The cool hand of Nickolai feeling her forehead brought her to consciousness, feeling spent, she looked around to adjust to take in her surroundings,she noticed it was now evening which meant she had been unconscious since morning, with a hoarse voice she asked, "what happened?"

Nickolai peered into her eyes with concern, "I have no idea but I think we will find out soon" hearing the arrival of the person he had sent for.

In seconds, Herbert knocked to announce her arrival, "she is here"

"Take her to the drawing room, we will be right there" Nickolai helped her up, dressing her in a comfortable cloth, "there's someone I want you to meet. I had to beg Eric to send for her. She's a witch, whom Eric and I have known for a long time" seeing the scared look on Aliona's face, "don't worry, she's a white witch. You've been unconscious since morning, the beating of your heart, even though it was slow was the only indication that you were still alive"

Beckoning her, "come, let's go see her, perhaps she would have an explanation to what went wrong, I have to warn you though, she's a little eccentric and tends to do things first and ask questions later."

Aliona stared at the witch before her, dressed in a simple cream gown, with another white material wrapped around her shoulder, a sling bag hung on her arm as she brushed her white grey hair backward, showing her face clearly.

"Good evening, Brenda, I'm sorry for the inconvenience but I need your help" apologetic, Nickolai pulled Aliona forward.

The dark skinned witch smiled softly as she took Aliona's hand in hers. An unexplainable sensation passed through Aliona's veins, boosting her energy as well as vigour.

Brenda apologized, "apologies for holding you unannounced"

Nickolai who was used to Allysa's eccentric behaviour, nodded at Aliona to not worry about it.

Taking a seat, they all settled as Nickolai narrated the event that led to calling for her. Brenda calmly spoke, "it's understandable to act strangely when one heart becomes two. Observing the look on Nickolai, "what do you mean?" He asked.

"Aliona is carrying a new life in her womb"

Ali's eyes went wild, she placed her hand in her stomach as she went on her knees,creeping teary upon hearing the incredible news "you mean I'm with child"

"Yes and the reason for your sudden crave of blood was purely because of that"

Nickolai had been silent for a while, he couldn't understand how they hadn't heard a heartbeat, before he could ask, Brenda answered, "it seems the baby's heart beats exactly as Aliona's, this is why you couldn't hear the heartbeat."

Benda decided against telling them another worrying thing she had discovered, perhaps she could be wrong. Grateful that she knew how to keep her emotion without being noticed, she watch Nickolai who seemed to have an inkling that she could be hiding something. Before he could say anything, she stood, "you can call on me if anything strange happen which I doubt. Your craving for blood will subside over time, just rest a lot and drink Nickolai's blood, since that has been the first blood you tasted since it happened, it will be the only blood appealing to you till the child is born"

Placing her hand on Aliona's stomach without permission, something Nickolai shrugged at, Ali felt a rush of energy again before she dropped her hand.

The good news of Lady Aliona's pregnancy spread few weeks later, seeing the changes in her. She had stopped her early morning ritual of visiting her garden for the mean time.  Being the only source of food for his family, Nickolai had been staying home more often, going to the upper House only when really necessary.

As her tummy got larger, Ally had been embracing the joy and the discomfort that comes with pregnancy.

"Earth to Aliona" Lady Manchester spoke, watching the musing look she was wearing.

"Pardon me, I was carried away for a while" Aliona grunted slightly as she felt the hard kick in her stomach. She was sure she would see a red mark if she lifted her clothes up. It has become a norm for a red mark, like welts to appear on her stomach, whenever the baby kicked.

After sharing her concern with Nickolai who had fetched Brenda again to check it out. She had given them a salve to rub on it every night.

"Are you all right?"

Smiling, "I'm all right. Just felt the baby kicked"

"They do that often, especially when nearing the time to come out. Perhaps, it's their way of informimg us to get ready to welcome them" Jasmine Manchester spoke.

"And who are we welcoming that I have no knowledge of?" Nickolai asked as he, Henry and Eric Manchester entered the room.

Feeling his arms around her, Ali sniffed his scents, "we're welcoming this soon" pointing at her stomach.

They all engaged in small talks as they passed the evening.

***********

The air heavy with the scent of herbs and the soft crackling of a fireplace, Brenda sat hunched over a crystal ball with shadow swirling around it. Her hands traced the surface, revealing glimpses of the future. Shadows danced on the walls as the flickering fire cast an eerie glow, amplifying the mystical atmosphere. She stared intensely at the ball seeing the swirling shadow briefly turned from black to purple. Blinking, she saw no trace of the change of colour as the shadow disappeared totally.

Her white grey hair framed her face, and her piercing eyes reflected the visions she had witnessed. As Aliona's unborn child's fate unfolded before her, her fingers trembled. The room seemed to resonate with an otherworldly energy, creating an unsettling yet captivating ambiance.

The sound of rustling leaves outside mixed with the distant howl of the wolves, enhancing the eerie atmosphere surrounding Brenda's dwelling. The air hung heavy with anticipation as she contemplated the destiny woven into the tapestry of Aliona's unborn child.