Tears of A Sapphire

A Stormy Welcome

Thunder crashed its way through the skies, making the bright and already startling flashes of lightning even more frightening to the inhabitants of the land. This did little though to cover the cries of a mother as she struggled to force the newborn from the comfort of its womb.

"The baby doesn't want to come, you are going to have to make her. Push as hard as you can miss!" The young witch exclaimed.

"You don't think she knows this?" The older witch reprimanded with a cuff to the teen's ear. "Make yourself useful and use that rain to fill the pitcher and heat it up when you come back! Might as well make use of this terrible situation outside."

A panicked mother laid on the bed, accompanied by her worried husband, who knelt at the bedside with a firm grip on her hand. "Will the baby be okay?" She finally ground out between gasps.

The old witch softened and came closer to the other side of the bed. "Of course, but first we have to take care of the mother so that if said baby doesn't make it, she can have more."

The mother's eyes hardened at that statement. "Promise me that if it came to a choice between Lila and I, that it will be her," she fiercely commanded.

The elder grew saddened by that. "I don't know if-"

"Promise me mother!" The woman snapped.
The soon-to-be grandmother hung her head in defeat. "I promise," she relented with a sigh.

The father's mouth dropped open in shock. "Greyhel, you can't-"

"I am now bound to my word Hannigan. And you know I always keep it." The elder witch interrupted.

The man quieted his protests. He knew well that there would be no use and chose to save his breathes for supporting his wife in such a dire situation.

"Now one more push and you'll have your beautiful baby you are so bent on protecting," the grandmother encouraged.

"Okay," the mother sighed. She knew that the long hours of labor would soon be worth it when her baby girl was in her arms.

The family soon became overjoyed at the sounds of the sudden cries of a newborn babe. Too happy to even notice that the young witch had never returned.