Chapter 7

He would give just about anything to see her able to hold one meal down.  It seemed she brought them back up as quickly as she got them down.  It had quickly become a battle to get her to even try eating, she just wasn't interested in food.  He couldn't blame her really, but she was already so thin, he hated to think of what would happen if she lost any more weight.

Life was good for both of them, mostly.  Estrella still woke several times in the night, and if he wasn't in the bed she went into a panic.  She still heard the voices whispering threats and promises to her, she didn't tell him, but he could see it in her eyes.  Despite all that, she seemed intent on living for the moment, and that moment included him, a very lucky, happy him!

They did everything together, whether it was gardening or fishing, or visiting relatives and friends they were inseparable.  Neither of them minded, they both seemed to have this intense need for constant touch. Their nights were lit with the flames of desire. He would have never guessed the passion that would flow out of his tiny bride, the enthusiasm she would have for lovemaking.

That faded away shortly after the vomiting had begun.  Now she seemed to have little energy for more then the daily work they had to do to survive.  He was worried about her afraid she had caught the same illness that had destroyed his family.

It ended as quickly as it began, one day she woke up starving, and the vomiting stopped.  He didn't understand what it was, couldn't imagine a virus just disappearing like that overnight, but he didn't care, she was well and soon she had put back the weight she had lost.

"Trae, I think I'm having a baby."  she looked so tiny and fragile standing there, wringing her hands,  "I haven't  been visited in almost four months now, and there are other things that are different."  It was as if his eyes had been shut and he hadn't really seen her until she made the announcement, now he could see it, her breasts were fuller, her belly had the tiniest hint of a bulge, why hadn't he noticed or thought about it.

He grabbed her in his arms, "Are you certain? We are going to be parents?  Blessed be Moldar!" He spun her around and she squealed and laughed as he set her back onto the ground.  He wasn't sure what made him happier, knowing they had created a life, or knowing she didn't have some mysterious illness that would kill her.  Childbirth was natural, she was going to be just fine!

The next months there was much to do, a bed had to be fashioned for the baby, and of course there were clothes to be sewn, and blankets to be knitted.  As Estrella grew larger she found the weight of the baby slowed her down.  It was harder to breath, harder to move.  By the end of each day she was happy to sit by the fire with her Helran and work quietly on the baby things and just talk.

She was miserable, he could see it in her eyes, her careful way of moving about the house, he knew that it couldn't be much longer before the baby came, and he couldn't wait.  He wanted his Shelan back, the full of life, bouncing all over, endless energy girl he had married.  He could see her wince every time she bent over, or stood up. He felt her tossing and turning every night in their bed, and had noticed how many nights she would get back up to walk the floors, unable to find a way to sleep.  "It's time little one, come out of your Mama, you are too big to be in her any longer."

Estrella paced about the house unable to get comfortable in the bed.  She had been having pains for several days now, but when she asked her mother about them, she was told they weren't regular enough yet.  Her mother had given her a tea to drink, it was suppose to strengthen her uterus and make labor quick and easy for her.  She had been drinking several cups of it every day for the past week.

She decided she might as well do a bit of cooking to pass the time when another pain ripped across her abdomen, this one was different, and with it came a gush of fluid pooling at the floor.  It was time, finally the baby would be here.

She moved around a lot in the early stages of the labor, walking, and leaning on the wall when the next pain would hit, he felt so helpless, the best he could offer her was a shoulder to lean on, or a massage when the pain was at it worse.  Hours later she still didn't seem much closer then she had been, but her energy was waning, and he was growing concerned for her.

They tried putting her in a squatting position, hoping it would help to move the baby on down, and it seemed to work, the pains came closer together and the pressure increased, until she was certain she couldn't take it a moment longer.

After twelve hours, she no longer could stand to walk or squat, and so he lifted her on to the bed and held her as each pain left her breathless and exhausted, and they kept coming, one after another, with no signs of stopping.  "Birth is natural,"  became his chant as he tried to keep himself calm for his Shelan, "This is all natural, women are made for this, it's all going to be ok."

Darkness came  yet again, and another dawn, still no baby, he wondered if it would ever happen, she had been in agony now for over twenty four hours, but something had changed, she was shaking now, and had thrown up twice in the past hour, and in the last few moments she had begun making tiny moans followed by what sounded like little grunts.  

Estrella was exhausted, she didn't know how she would do anymore then she had already, her body had other plans, and the pressure was unbelievable, as was the pain, she had only one choice, to push as if her child's life depended on it. She could feel the baby moving down the canal, the head trying to come out of her, but each time she stopped pushing it would slip back inside.













"Estrella, push little Shelan, push hard, it's time for our baby to come out!"  He was worried, she had been pushing for over two hours and nothing seemed to be happening, and he noticed her pushes were getting weaker.   Estrella heard her Helran through the fog, heard the worry in his voice, and somewhere deep inside her a strength awakened, she pulled herself up and pushed with everything she had.

"I can't something's wrong, its stuck, Trae, the baby isn't coming any further!  It hurts!"  She screamed again, a familiar sound as their infant's head had finally begun emerging out of her, tearing her.  Now the head was delivered, and once again her pushes were not producing anything.

Trae heard a voice inside his head, soothing and strong, "Turn the baby Trae, the shoulder is stuck, just give it a little turn and help it out."  He did as he was told, as his Shelan screamed in pain, he finished bringing their child into the world.  He knew then that Moldar had been there with them through it all, and with a shudder wondered if the outcome would have been much different without his help. His Shelan fell onto the bed exhausted as he wiped off their little one and wrapped the baby up.

"A beautiful baby girl, we have a girl Shelan!" Never in the world's history had a papa been so happy to see his first daughter, "We should name her Kyla, our beautiful baby girl, look at her my Tiny Star, look what we created together!"  Estrella sat up as far as she was able and gazed down at her little daughter, a smile spreading across her lips.  Their love have made her, and their love would surround her.

Trae tiptoed out of the bedroom after helping Estrella get cleaned up and changed, carrying his daughter with him, he looked down at her tiny face, and over at her mother, both of them sleeping peacefully.  He knew he would go to hell itself to save either of them.

Chapter 6

Being a humanoid had it's advantages, Estrella was healed from her injuries days after the event.  Her emotional scars ran much deeper though. Estrella was no longer able to sleep out in her hut alone, her mother had taken to sleeping with her.  The nightmares prevented her from ever getting a full nights sleep.

Fire was another hurdle she had to overcome, every part of their life dealt with fire, from the candles that lit their homes at night, to the flames that warmed them and cooked their food.  Being afraid of fire wasn't really an option, but Estrella was terrified of it.  Oseron did his best to help his daughter overcome her fears, looking at her each day and watching her, he knew she would never be the light hearted sprite of the past, they had stole that from her.

The wedding had been postponed by almost a year to give Estrella time to recover from her ordeal.  The men had searched in the year for the ZeeGogs, but had not succeeded in finding them.  Finally the day had arrived, Estrella had kept busy all morning fixing food for the feast that would follow the wedding, trying to settle the wedding jitters that fluttered in her stomach.

As she stood there under the arch with Traezek she wondered how she had become this girl, a year ago she felt so young and full of life and believed they lived in an eden.  Now she knew the boogeymen were real and they were still out there waiting and whispering to her. She cleared her mind and focused on her groom, happy that he was to be the one to take her to the marriage bed that night.

Her family and friends had all gathered to watch, it was a wedding in the grandest of Fae styles, not ones to ever skimp on a chance for a celebration of love and beauty, the wedding had been planned since the day she was born, trees were transplanted, flowers sown, all to be ready for her big day.

After the ceremony the cake was cut and the feasting began, her mother had outdone her self with the confectionery delight, layers upon layers of sweet strawberry cake, filled with a rich cream frosting.  Everyone exclaimed over not just the cake but the entire event.  It was decided, when it came to weddings no one outdid the Fae.

Estrella mingled with the guest a bit longer, but finally sought retreat back in their home, there her brother and his new wife joined her and her new husband.  Daray was expecting and Estrella gazed at her growing belly with a tinge of envy.  She couldn't wait to have children of her own, she had been taking herbs for the last month, a mixture her mother had made up that was suppose to increase her fertility and give her children easier.  She just hoped they worked.

Finally the time had come for them to leave to their new home, everyone came out to wish them the best, and the jokes began about the wedding night. Estrella tried to hid her nervous fear, smiling as she hugged her parents goodbye.  They were only moving across the path, but right then it seemed like a million miles from the safety of her parents home.

The home was breath taking.  Her Helran had outdone himself in preparing their new dwelling, he had thought of every convenience she thought.  She stood in the bedroom, waiting for him to join her, wondering what the night held for her.

Trae walked in and pulled her into his arms, he could feel her trembling just a bit.  "It's alright, I won't hurt you if I can help it my little Shelan." He gently kissed her, and began helping her out of her gown.  His hands sliding down with the gown as it hit the floor.

He lifted her up into his arms and softly laid her across the bed, kissing her as he lay down beside her.  His hands caressing her arms, and brushing across her nipples. His fingers trailed down, brushing over her navel, and slipping into her soft folds.

 He slowly rubbed until he felt her body begin matching his hands in rhythm, then as the moisture engulfed his fingers he slid them inside of her.  She gasped as did he, he had never imagined a female could be that tiny.  He kept them there, using his thumb on her sensitive flesh, while his finger worked inside her, until he felt safe to slip another one in.

He watched the heat rise up from her chest, spreading across her cheeks, felt her quivering around his fingers, he had managed to work three inside her now, and he hoped it was enough to not cause her too much discomfort when he entered her.  As her body arched up off the bed he watched the way her lips parted in ecstasy  and felt her body clutching his hand inside of it, she continued to arch as he rubbed with his thumb, slowly working himself between her legs.

He knew she was close to climaxing again, without missing a beat, he brought his manhood to her tiny opening , as he began to push inside she cried out, and stopped moving for a moment.  "Relax, my love, don't tense now, please don't tense now, I don't want to cause you more pain." As he spoke he began rubbing her sensitive flesh again until he felt her quivering beneath him, as she arched into him, he pushed into her.

"So tiny, I never thought Moldar would make something so small for someone such as myself!"  He finished and collapsed next to her, pulling her in his arms.

It hurt, it hurt more then she would let him see, she decided.  He had tried to make it easy, but in the end there was blood and pain.  Still she wanted more, she wondered if it was normal, to want something even when it had hurt you.  The pleasure he gave her dulled the throbbing that was now between her legs, suddenly she smiled at the thought, "That throbbing means I'm married in the eyes of Moldar now, I am truly his Shelan in every way."  She fell asleep in his arms with the happy thought dancing around in her heart.

Chapter 5

It was dark in the room, did she really sleep so long?  Estrella slowly became aware of her surroundings, feeling the cold rough stone under her,  realization of what was happening sent icy claws through her body.

She slowly turned her head towards the sound of breathing she heard.

Traezek heard the scream, her scream, it brought him running out of the house, before he realized it was in his head, he heard her scream in his head, heard her pleading for her life, for help.  "We're coming Estrella, please stay strong, we will be there."  It was the best he could do, he just hoped that she could hear him as well.  If she was going to be in his head, he wondered if he would be able to hold onto sanity, hearing her cries and screams made concentrating difficult, almost impossible.

They had all gathered, and began discussing how to find the missing girl.  " The Island isn't that large, I say we split into three teams and spread out, as soon as one team finds them, send for the rest."  Marrok had gathered everyone as soon as Oseron came running to his home with the news that their daughter was missing.

" There's a problem with that, how will we find everyone quickly enough, there isn't time to split, we have to move fast or we won't be recovering a bride, we will be bringing home her corpse."  Oseron paled visibly at the harsh reality Jareth spoke.

Nothing made sense to her anymore, her world had become a kaleidescope of colors, the reds of blood, the black of robes, the green of evil eyes, grey stone, yellow candlelight, colors exploded with each mark placed across her, then she saw the candle being brought over to her, wax dripping onto the floor, and somewhere inside she knew what they would do to her now.
She had no voice left to scream as the hot wax dripped into the open wounds covering her back, tears had long ago dried onto her cheeks, there was nothing left to show the agony they were causing.

" Now we finish this, turn her so I can view the virgin bride we have dedicated to our Master, Moldak."  The High Priest stood at the bottom of the alter, fully robed, he slowly pushed his robe aside, exposing his naked member, "Moldak I annoint this bride for you,  as your servant, my seed is your seed, my pleasure, your pleasure, I feed you so you may grow in strength again.  May this sacrifice be pleasing to you."
He began to climb onto Estrella, now too weak to put up any kind of struggle, to far gone with the pain they had caused her to even notice that her body was about to be violated thoroughly.  The Priests Head snapped over to the side before he was able to finish what he intended to do a sword sliced through the air.

It turned out not to be much of a fight, the ZeeGogs dissapeared  as each warrior attempted to end their life, in the end the warriors stood in the room quite alone, the only sound was a steady drip, coming from the table in the center, where blood pooled on the floor.  They ran over to her, fearful it was too late.

Chapter 4

Every household buzzed with activities preparing for the upcoming Nuptials, there were dresses to be sewn, armor to be polished, meat to be caught and prepared, as well as special traditional dishes to be cooked.  For some households there were other traditions and rituals to be performed in preparation for the big day.

For the Wolves it was the Marking Ceremony, the Groom would be marked with his pack's symbol across his shoulders and down his back making it clear to all what pack he belonged to and that he was now a Helran (husband).  The Bride of the groom would also receive a marking as well, across her lower back, signifying her status as Shellan (wife).  

The Angels would spend one month is solitude. During this month they were not allowed to touch anything that had to do with the upcoming ceremony, nor were they allowed to speak to anyone or do any sort of labor, they were to commune with Moldar.  At the end of the month they would return to take part in the preparations.

Preparing for the ceremony was left to the Bride's households traditionally, while the grooms were expected to prepare a house to bring their bride too.  Since every household had a bride and groom some things had to change.  It was decided that the grooms would band together to help each other build their new homes. No ceremony could be performed until each groom had provided an acceptable home to bring their new wives too. With teamwork they soon have four new cabins built, each groom hoping that his bride loved their home most.

The day dawned bright and clear on for Daray's Wedding.  She rose out of bed, excited and a bit nervous.  True to Saber form, no fuss had been made for the wedding, it would be simple exchanging of vows followed by a feast for all who attended.  The true marriage would occur after the ceremony, while the guests enjoyed the meal downstairs, her husband would claim her as his own.

She quickly slipped into the gown she would be wed in, her mother had chosen a fine pelt of white Ermine to sew the gown, and her father had proudly presented her with the skin to form her corset from, it appeared to be reptilian, but she shuddered at the thought of the size the snake would have been to make a skin that fit around her entirely.  She knew it was their finest,a gown her family and people would be proud of, but a part of her wished for normal clothes like she had seen the other girls wearing, the finely embroidered gowns made of soft velvety materials. "Why must it always be skins here, why can't we just wear normal clothes made out of cloth instead!"  She shook her head, time was wasting and there were a million things to finish before the ceremony, grumbling would get none of them done.

She would spend the day helping prepare the chambers for the nights activities, the next morning her father would ascend the stairs and collect the coverings from her bed,  it would be declared that she came to her husband pure and untouched and the marriage would then be accepted as final.  She worried though, she was marrying a fae, what if he was too small to leave the evidence that was required to solidify the vows?  She decided she would make sure the evidence was there, no matter what she had to do.

Kern watched his bride walking towards him, he had waited anxiously for the day, for the last three months they had worked without pause, building homes and preparing to take their brides to them.  Now it was finally here.  It was a strange ceremony, stark and barren of beauty in many ways. He thought how different his sister's day would be from this, they had prepared for her wedding since the day she was born, planting flowers strategically and setting the stage for a ceremony that would be a feast to all the senses.  He didn't care though, all that mattered was Daray, soon they would join together and start their own life.

They were allowed a short time to eat a meal, while many guests joked to the couple about needing their strength for the night to come, neither the groom nor the bride could hardly choke down a bite, they were both so nervous.

 Finally the hour had come, Daray was sent upstairs first to give her a bit of time to prepare for her new husband, meanwhile the ribbing continued downstairs for Kern. 

Kern slowly climbed the stairs, the sounds from the party below fading with each step, as he rose up out of the floor his eyes met his new bride's.

 She stood there waiting for him, he marveled at her finely chiseled body, his eyes glanced up to full breasts the nipples already erect from the air brushing over them.  Kern slowly walked over to her, suddenly feeling extremely inadequate and unsure of how to proceed. 

"I don't know what they expect down there?  Will they stay the entire time?" Daray smiled, and took his hand. "Mother and Father won't run them out if that is what you are asking, before the end, Mother said the parties lasted until morning when everyone would wait to see the coverings and for the bride and groom to reappear. I don't know now, those aren't Saber's down there, so they don't do things the same." 

As they both climbed into the bed Daray looked over, "Kern, don't be gentle, if there isn't blood they will think I was used before, besides we Saber's love pain, giving and receiving."  Kern shuddered a bit at the thought, it wasn't in his nature to cause pain, and he definitely didn't get turned on by giving or receiving it.  He was beginning to wonder if this was really a good match or not.

"They are married, the evidence is here!"  Most of the guests had retired several hours before, but Kern's parents had remained.  They watched the newlywed couple walk down the stairs, both blushing.

 Annwn walked up to her new daughter and hugged her, "You are now a part of our family as if you were born into it, I do not call you daughter-in-law, I call you daughter. Welcome Daughter." The ritual was repeated by both Osera, as well as Estrella.   With the blessings bestowed the first of the couples made their way off to their new home.

"Hurry Love, before the guests arrive, let me see how you look!"  Celia walked down the stairs to her mother, "Ravishing, Jareth is one lucky boy to be getting such a bride as you are!"  The day had finally arrived, she would be married, she was no happier with the arrangement,then the night it was announced. If anything the months that followed the devastating news of her match had only increased her discontentment and fear.

As she walked out the doors to their home, tears filled her eyes, this would be her last day here, tomorrow she would wake up married to a beast, and that would be where she would stay the rest of her days. She looked over at her parents, both of them smiling, waiting to escort their daughter into this life of misery they so willingly agreed to.

The ceremony was simple and beautiful, steeped in lots of rituals, the couple were glad when the final kiss was given and it was over.  They feasted, danced, and drank well into the wee hours of the morning, finally it was time for the bride and groom to leave to their new home.

 Gabriel hugged her daughter gently, "Don't look so sad little one, we are just a short walk away, give your new husband a chance to be loved by you, don't close your heart because of what he is. Your father would not have picked a bad match for his only daughter."

" I can't do it, I can't be married today Papa, Mama was suppose to be here to help."  Her mother had only been gone less then a month, how could her father even think about sending her away now.  It wasn't that she didn't want to be married to Rafe, she did, they had spent much time together in the weeks after the matches were decided and each time he stole her breath away, but now wasn't the time, she was still grieving for her mother, her mother who was suppose to be here.

"Hush little one, dry your eyes, your mother would be horrified to see you acting like this on your wedding day!  She would tell you the same as I am going to tell you.  You must be married today, it is the day we promised to your husband to give you to him.  Do not make us liars by changing that day."  Her father gently hugged her, he too felt the pain of their loss.

They still weren't  certain how she had died, she hadn't been ill, she had in fact been as healthy as a horse, they had all been out for the day and Ayame had stayed behind to work on finishing her daughter's dress, when they returned, they found her curled in a ball on the floor, dead.  The shock of finding her like that had hit them all, and in the next weeks they had walked through the motions of living.  The weddings had given them all something to focus on and they had thrown themselves into with all that they had.  Now the day was here, and truth be told, none of them felt right having the ceremony without her there, but time waits not for the living and cares not for the dead.

Rafe knew the heartache his bride-to-be had suffered, he had held her as they lowered her mother into the ground,  He watched her now standing next to him, her vows to him coming out broken and unsteady, and he could see the pain in her eyes,  the pain he wished he could erase.

There was food served afterwards, but out of respect none of the guests stayed long, each sensing the families need for a private moment before the newlyweds departed.

Marlena's father embraced her before they set off for their new home, "Your mother loved you as do I Marlena, go with Moldar now and make a happy home for yourself and your Hellran."

"Estrella, quit fidgeting so I can finish this hem!" Estrella put her arms back down, trying to stiffle another yawn coming on.  "Goodness child did you get any sleep last night?  You can't be yawning like that on your wedding day, your new groom will think he is marrying a lazy or very bored wife!"  She stretched, glad her mother was done fixing the hem and she was free to move about again. Watching as her mother walked over to the counters, "I tried to sleep, but a dream woke me up."

Her mother turned around from the counter where she had begun preparing yet another dessert for the wedding, "What kind of dream would keep you up all night?"  She looked down at the floor not certain she wanted to share it with her mother, "It was a dark dream mother, I woke up trembling with fright, and try as I could no sleep would return afterwards to me."

She continued on, knowing her mother would give her no rest until she had revealed all the details of the dream, " I was in my bed and a voice, a voice so evil and cold it made me shake just hearing it, kept whispering in my ear, you and your children, and your children's children are mine.  It was Moldak, Mother I am certain of it, but what I don't understand is what it could mean.  He said he had been left unattended too long, and the days of darkness would soon return.  Mother we can't let it happen again!"

Her mother tried to hide the fear in her own eyes as she listened to her daughter's story, "It was only a dream child, nothing to worry about in the light of the sun, Moldar will not allow those days to return, your father, and brother, and the other brothers and Fathers will not allow it to be so. Now go, you might have a bit of time for a nap before the guests begin arriving, and I will get more accomplished without you under my feet!"

Estrella laid down trying not to think about the dream, instead she focused on images of her husband to be, she remembered meeting him at the camp, the picnics they enjoyed together.  They had talked for hours during those short weeks, and in her heart she had prayed every night that he would be the mate chosen for her.

She remembered the first kiss they had stolen, before mates were determined and how frighted she had been that he wouldn't be the one for her, and then how frightened she was that he was the one chosen.  She was certain she already loved him, but still he was so big and she wasn't, and her wedding night loomed suddenly large and very real.

After she was certain her daughter was safely in bed, Annwn called her husband into the hut and relayed Estrella's dream to him.  He sat at the table for a long time thinking. "Perhaps it is time to call together the warriors, it seems that darkness has indeed returned to our island, but you are correct wife, we will not let it overtake us!"

To Be continued.............