Farewell Dark Rose
by Banerd of KoJ

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He sighed as he watched Mavralyn heading off out of sight. He wanted to reach out to her and say his farewells. He saw her and felt the anguish grip his heart in its iron talons.  He looked upon her for what might be the last time. He saw her beauty and what he knew as her gentle hand. He bit his lip and turned his head as she too disappeared from sight. As the last drow stepped from sight Banerd stepped forth into the clearing, a beam of moonlight cascading across his features.

As he stepped forth he brushed his long white hair past his pointed lobes. His ebony colored skin seemed to mask him from sight as he made his way towards the temple doors. Banerd stepped within, seeing all to be quiet and seemingly peaceful. Unusual for a temple of Lloth. Banerd slowly approached the altar with his bag in hand gritting his teeth in the winds of sorrow and pain.

He thought of her once more and wondered how possibly he could ever feel this way for one such as her. As he reached the altar he placed one hand into the bag and began to spill out its contents. As he bit back the tears he placed a single red rose trimmed in silver upon the altar. Swiftly following was a scroll tied with a crimson ribbon. Banerd took the rose once more and smelled it's sweet fragrance one last time remembering the beauty that seemed to haunt his very soul.

He set the rose down upon the altar and made his way for the temple doors. As he passed through them he looked back.  Banerd's eye caught the altar one last time as the flickering torch light graced the gleaming petals of the gentle blossom and the aged parchment whose secrets seemed untold. Banerd allowed a single tear to stream down his cheek as he loosed a sigh from the very depths of his soul.

"Aluve' Mavralyn."

Banerd turned and sealed the doors, departing into the loneliness of the night once more for what might be... an eternity.

My blessed Mavralyn,

Even though I leave these lands, I leave my heart as well. Alas only these words could describe your touch upon my heart and upon my very soul.

Perhaps another day or another time we shall meet again. Until that time my heart you keep, alas my soul nay shall set free.

Banerd

With the air so humid that you could almost wring it like a damp cloth, Ambrlin excused herself from the page's presence. "Please forgive me, but I must take my leave. It has been a long day, and I believe the weather is taking its toll on me." Expressing a deep concern, the page offered to escort her home, laying her hand gently on his arm, she assured him that she would be fine.

People jostled her about as she headed for the cooling depths of the Neverwinter Gardens. She always marveled at the night ferns, and the moonflowers as they reached toward the sky, trying to catch a few of the moon's rays as they filtered through the garden's canopy. She stooped to pick an Irish lily, breathing deep of its ambrosia. Closing her eyes, she pictured Starbeard, his muscular body, and that loving face that does greet her every morn. "Love, I am in the gardens, will it be long before you will join me?"

"Nay Love, it shouldn't be much longer till I am at ye's side."

"Grand, I will just find a seat along the trellis of roses and wait for thee."

Carefully, she stepped along the stones that littered the path, making her way deeper into the gardens. When she was but a few yards from the marbled bench, a pain within her abdomen doubled her over, knocking the wind from her. Falling to her knees, she wrapped her arms about her middle, struggling to control her suffering. The gushing of fluids bathed her legs, causing her gown to cling about her, hindering her efforts to gain her footing as she tried to stand. Giving up, she eased herself to the ground, rocking back and forth and praying to Tyr for help.

Starbeard's heart fell to his feet as he rounded the bend in the path.  Rushing to her side, he placed his cloak beneath her head. "Love, what is it?" His brow furrowed with worry.

"It's... time." Ambrlin replied between huge gulping breaths.

"Time? Time for what?" He asked, fearing that he already knew what her reply would be.

"Ye must find a midwife. Hurry Love!" She gripped his arm and screamed like a banshee as another contraction wracked her body.

Starbeard stood, his mind filled with the conflict of not wanting to leave her side, and the overwhelming need to find help.

"Vendui cousins," Mavralyn snickered, wondering if she may have caught them in the act of something unbecoming to knights.

"Mav!" Starbeard's helpless look met her eyes. "What is a midwife?"

It was then that Mavralyn noticed the look of terror in Ambrlin's eyes.  "Star, go fetch some hot water and clean cloths," she commanded and brushed him to the side.  Kneeling beside Ambrlin, she laid her hands upon her extended abdomen, feeling the positioning of the small forms within. Mavralyn's eyes flashed with anger as she realized Starbeard's hesitation in leaving. Motioning to Zaknefein, "Take him to the inn, he is of no use to me here." 

Ambrlin watched as the Shadow Master led Starbeard from the gardens, and her unease grew as Mavralyn pulled a dagger from her bag. Ambrlin  did not know her cousin by marriage very well, and her eyes grew large as she watched Mav inspect the instrument's edge.

"It is to cut the cord. I will not hurt you." She said firmly and set the dagger to the side. "Just remember to breathe, pant like a dog," Mavralyn said, looking rather amused. 

"What can I do to help?" Fair Star's voice wavered as she approached. 

KEFDracn0w stood not far behind, taking a breath he managed, "Aye, is there anything I can do?"

Ambrlin screamed out in pain, her body trembled as the pressure was becoming too much to bear. 

"Go find the clean cloths and hot water I ordered!" Mavralyn commanded, sending Dracn0w on his way. "Ambrlin, when you feel the need, I want you to push," watching for the head of the first child.

Bracing herself upon her elbows, Ambrlin let out a cry as she pushed with all her strength. "I can see the head. Push, push!" Taking a deep breath, she forced the tiny child from her. Mavralyn quickly wiped his face with the cloth that Dracn0w retrieved, cutting the cord, she bundled the little form, and handed the crying babe to Fair Star. "Ambrlin, you have a fine son.  Lie back and breathe, for there are others to come."

Smiling, Ambrlin watched as Fair Star held little Or1on Star, and the look of awe on her face as she marveled over the little life that she held in her hands. Or1on's face turned beet red as he exercised his powerful lungs.  Getting a bit nervous. "How do I make him stop?" Fair Star rocked Or1on, trying to silence him.

Mavralyn watched Ambrlin closely. "Do not forget to breathe." 

Ambrlin tried desperately to control her breath, as the contractions once again came one after the other. "Tyr help me!" She cried out as she gathered herself together for the birth of the next child. Balling her hands into fists, she summoned the will to bear down again. Sweat rolled down her face, and she could feel the head of her second born make its appearance into the world. She paused for a moment, before pushing her daughter into Mavralyn's awaiting hands.

"You have a strong and healthy daughter," Mavralyn replied as she cleaned Delphines. Her lungs, proving to be every bit as strong as her brother's, joined him in what was music to Ambrlin's ears.

"Mav... I... I don't think I can make... it..." Ambrlin said weakly, her breathing becoming labored. 

Placing Delphines to the side, Mavralyn rooted around in a small pouch containing herbs till she found the ones she needed. Pressing her finger into a mixture of two, she placed the pouch to the side, then back to Ambrlin. "You will make it. Take this, it will ease the pain." Ambrlin eyed her suspiciously, weighing matters in her mind. "You will take this!" Mavralyn yelled as she forced her finger into Ambrlin's mouth.

The bitter tastes of the herbs coated her tongue, but within seconds the edge of the contractions decreased. Her mind wandered, and her breathing returned to a semblance of normal.

"Rest, there is but one more to go" Mavralyn said as she wiped the sweat from Ambrlin's brow.

To Ambrlin, time seemed to slow almost to a crawl. The cries of Delphines and Or1on echoed in her mind, as she fought to remain coherent. Wearily, she struggled to lean forward, anxious for the labor to end. Her heart pounded in her chest as she strained her body, trying to force the last babe from her.

Mavralyn checked Ambrlin again, thinking that she would find the head crowning, instead a tiny foot hung limply from Ambrlin. "There is something wrong," she whispered.

Fair Star's mouth gaped open, "What is it?"

"The babe is breech. Fair, help me. You must cast a sleep spell upon her.  This is going to hurt."  Positioning herself so that she could turn the child within Ambrlin's womb.

Screaming loud enough to wake the dead, Ambrlin thrashed about, trying to move away from Mavralyn as she forced the child back. "Hurry, Fair!  She fights me!"

Setting Or1on next to his sister, Fair grabbed Ambrlin's arms. Holding her down so that she would not injure herself or the child. Hurriedly she cast sleep, and loosened her hold on Ambrlin only when she could feel her falling off into the land of dreams.

"You will have to push for her when I get the babe into position."  Mavralyn directed as she fought to rotate the babe. "OK...now." With no urging needed, Fair Star shoved upon Ambrlin's middle, sending BlazenStar into the world.

"Is he OK?"  Fair asked hesitantly.

"He is naut supposed to be blue." Mavralyn told Fair as she cleansed Blazen’s face.  "He is naut breathing," Cautiously, she placed her mouth over Blazen’s nose and mouth, breathing a small puff of air into his lungs, watching his chest rise and fall with her aid. Pausing only for a minute she massaged his chest with her hand, before resuming the breathing. 

Fair Star looked on, offering a small prayer to Tyr for the little guy.  Soon there after, Blazen was breathing on his own, and he joined his brother and sister in wailing. 

Inconspicuously while Fair Star cared for the other children, Mavralyn nicked her finger with the dagger. Drawing a drop of her own blood, she placed her finger to Blazen’s lips. As natural instinct kicked in, Blazen suckled Mavralyn's finger, taking her blood to mix with his own. Smiling to herself, she thought, "This will be the one to watch."

"It is done, cousin, you may wake up now." Mavralyn said as she shook Ambrlin softly.  Ambrlin's eyes fluttered open, and filled with tears of joy as Mavralyn laid Blazen upon her chest.  "This one is special" Mavralyn replied.

Wrapping her arms about his tiny body, Ambrlin looked into the miniature face before her and then to the others. "They are all special."