The Midnight Forest

[Ravenloft]

Marie's dream:

Within her dream, the boy stood in the middle of the forest, wearing moss green cloths, a tall slim woman walking up behind him, placing slender, boney fingers upon his shoulders. Her eyes were pitted and shadowed in blackness, but her jaw was set proudly, her lips turned up in a smile. Marie recognized her... It was the shade of her grandmother! Standing there silently, with the boy before her, she reguarded Marie with a loving expression but did not speak.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

In her dream, Marie reguarded her grandmother. The proud jaw, and loving expression that she knew so well. "Grandmother?" her dream self whispered. She tried to move closer to the little boy, and her beloved Grandmother, but it seemed that her astral form was unable to move from the spot.

 

[Ravenloft]

Grandmother:

"Hush, my grand daughter, it is I... Yes... Do you really think I would have left without saying goodbye?" Her voice was a paper thin whisper. "No, dear child..." The boy looked up toward Marie's grandmother with a smile. "That is not the only thing that has brought me to you though..." She said softly. "No, my dear..." She squeezed the childs shoulders lightly then. "You are with child... My last gift to you, daughter... And our last hope..."

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

In her dream, Marie's hands flew to her stomach. "With child? Grandmother, what do you mean last hope?" She loved her grandmother dearly, and knew that if she was seeing the last of her family in her dream, it was a True Dream, one of a spirit's visiting. She felt the emotions war within her, she was glad the balance of the forest had taken hold, new life for one lost, but she did not know Thomas, and definately did not know how he would react.

 

[Ravenloft]

Grandmother:

"Dear daughter... I have little time left here... The morning is crowning, and soon you will wake..." The ghost paused, its voice seeming to waver, whatever was sustaining her here was dwindling. "Thomas was..." She stopped. "Your half sister, baren, Thomas was sent to us, for her... Things went poorly... Knew it was doomed... You and he were united here, in this forest... To... Continue... Our line..." Marie's grandmother was fading slowly, her words weaving in and out of audibility. Finally she was gone, and the boy came forward, not speaking a word, he reached out to take Marie's hand.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Trying to catch the words that her grandmother spoke, Marie sighed when the shade finally disappeared. Without thinking, she took the boy's hand and closed her eyes, trying to lock in the last memory she would ever have of her grandmother.

 

[Ravenloft]

Boy:

The boy became as insubstatial as a ghost as he held marie's hand, his shimmering green eyes sparkling as he looked up into her own. Slowly he began to insinuate his way into Marie, as light as a vapor, it was as though he sunk into her through her very pours. Slowly she felt the essence settle deep in her womb...

She was startled awake by a sharp kick... That came from within her body... She ached terribly...

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Gasping at the kick, Marie's eyes flew open. She tried to sit up, but realised two things were holding her down. One was Thomas, sprawled on top of her still, and the other was the fact that she seemed to be pregant, and very far along. She groaned slightly at the ache. It felt as if she had been drained, but the after effects of the night's pleasure also made themselves known. "Thomas" she spoke softly, her voice slightly ragged from the tiredness she felt. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and shook him gently.

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

Waking with a start, Thomas looked into Marie's eyes. "Mmm, yes?" He asked, sleep in his voice. The baby kicked again, and this time Thomas felt it as well, pushing himself off of Marie. He fell sideways and focused his eyes upon her fully rounded belly. His eyes showed surprise at the sight of it. "Marie? Oh my lord! How?!" He asked in fearful wonder. He reached out to touch her, but stalled his hand.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Looking up into Thomas' eyes, Marie looked stunned. "I'm not sure, but I think my grandmother might have done something across the boundries of the worlds." Just then she laid her hand on her stomach. "The child. . . how long do you think?"

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

"I... I'm not sure, from the few women I saw with child with the Vilhouns... They were... About this size in the last month or so... But... If this has happened while we slept..." He trailed off, placing a gentle hand upon her belly, looking into her eyes with awe.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Suddenly, Marie felt like a vice was being wrapped around her stomach, pulled tighter than a corset, and twice as strong. She let out a soft moan of pain and looked into Thomas' eyes before nearly fainting with the pain. "Oh Gods" She whispered, her eyes tearing.

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

His eyes went wide as he saw Marie contract. She moaned with pain. Quickly, he grabbed his shirt, that had been discarded the night before, only a couple feet away, he balled it up and came to Marie's side. "Okay, stay calm Marie..." He said softly, his eyes showing nervousness as he eased his shirt under her head. He had no clue what he was doing, he was just acting on instinct and the few scraps of knowledge he'd gathered from simply living around gypsies. He scuttled down and knelt at her feet, looking up at her, he blinked once. A gush of water broke forth from Marie.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Groaning, Marie curled up as best she could, the pain like a hot vice. She felt the rush of liquid between her legs and realized that the contractions were getting closer together. The labor seemed to be as accelerated as the child's development.

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

Knelt between Marie's legs, Thomas was in shock when he saw the baby's head crowning only mere minutes since she began labor. He reached his hands out as another voilent contraction pushed the babe out farther. Its head rested in his hands and it began to whail, its face scrunched taught, as its arms wriggles about. A moment later he held it lightly in his hands, looking in shock between the boy-child and his mother. With a perplexed smile, Thomas looked up. "Its a boy..." Was all he could think to say.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Laying there, trying to catch her breath, Marie looked at Thomas and their son. She was dazed, hardly believing this was real. "A boy?" She asked in a voice that quaked. She didn't know how to take care of children, or even how to name them. How was she going to be a good mother?

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

Nodding with a smile on his lips, Thomas drew up next to Marie, holding the baby up for her to see after he had cut the umbilical cord with a dagger from his belt. It cried, its eyes squinted shut as its little hands rubbed at its nose. He looked into Marie's eyes. "Do you want to hold him?" He asked, extending the baby toward her.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Holding her arms out, Marie took her son carefully in her arms. She rocked the child back and forth carefully, looking at Thomas. "What should we name him?" she asked in a hushed voice, feeling the baby find his way to her breast and begin to suckle.

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

Watching as the babe settled against Marie's breast to nurse, he smiled. "How about Tristan?" He asked simply.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

"Tristan? I like it" Marie said, smiling at Thomas. "I'm sorry you got hauled into this mess, apperantly my grandmother is ever a match maker, even from beyond the grave." Marie then looked down at little Tristan, and her smile softened a bit, almost sadly. She'd never thought of having children, but it seemed that she was to have this one. A tug made itself known at Marie's heart. She loved the child, and she would somehow learn to be a good mother to him.

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

Smiling down upon Marie as she held Tristan, Thomas reached out and ran his finger tips along the babe's head, brushing the few strands of hair the child had already grown. "Don't be sorry Marie... I am not." He smiled. "You're grandmother was a good woman, wise and strong. And if she thought me worthy of a beauty such as you..." He couldn't finish his words, his eyes went glossy as he looked between the contented child and Marie's fair face.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Looking up at Thomas, Marie smiled slightly. "You mean that? Honestly?" She moved closer to him, idlely stroking a fingertip along the tiny left arm of her son.

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

"I do." Thomas said, his smile growing larger as he reached out and brushed his finger tips along Marie's cheek. "Part of it was always written in destiny, the other is that... Well... I am taken with you Marie..." And with that, he leaned foward to kiss Marie's brow.

 

[LadyDarkFire]

Marie:

Her eyes drifting shut, Marie felt utter contentment. She loved Thomas, and Tristan, and she had what she had never had before. A family. Opening her eyes again, Marie tilted her face up and kissed Thomas softly, not willing yet to whisper the words, afraid of his reaction, but hoping that the kiss would let him know how she felt.

 

[Ravenloft]

Thomas:

Sinking his soul into the kiss Marie gave him, Thomas sighed against her lips, an echo of her contentment. He slipped his hand under her head, to support her to him, and as the kiss continued, he eased her back down, following down with her, not wanting the kiss to break. He rested on his elbow as he spooned to her side. The hand above his head toyed with her long, silken hair as his other reached over to caress her far cheek. Loving passion poured ethereally from his lips.