Chapter Fourteen

[Outside of Glastonbury, England, middle February]

“Must you go into town, honey? I’m scared that while you’re gone I’ll go into labor!” Annalia winced inwardly at how whiny she sounded, but she was scared. Talin was going to go into the town of Bristol to meet with the local doctor there to make sure that he would be available when Annalia’s time came. They had lucked out in finding a midwife, Isabella Gerhardt, who also happened to be a follower of the Old Ways. She was also someone that had known Talin for many years and Talin had come to care for her as a surrogate grandmother. So that in itself had relaxed Annalia and helped her to forge a trusting relationship with Isabella.

But they also knew that they would need a doctor present, so Talin had contacted Doctor Giles Leander at Isabella’s recommendation and had made an appointment to meet with the elderly doctor for an interview before he allowed the doctor to see his girlfriend. However, Annalia wasn’t happy since her boyfriend would be going to a city that was four hours away with an impending snowstorm coming down from Wales. The risk of an accident made her nearly sick with worry and very clingy, especially since she was paranoid that she would go into labor, even though she wasn't due for another three weeks.

“My love, I will not take that long in my meeting and we shall return later today if all goes well. I will make sure that we do not run into the storm,” Talin said as he straightened from making some appointments for later that week on his laptop. He turned to her and smiled lovingly before gathering her into his arms. “I know you are worried and this is not good for you and the baby. Please calm yourself and believe in me. I made a promise that I would never abandon you and that I would protect you no matter what. I will know if you are in danger and will return, but you are safe in Avalon’s care.” He nuzzled her neck tenderly as she relaxed in his arms, soothed by his loving words.

“I-I know. I just can’t help worrying,” Annalia murmured softly as she snuggled closer. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but we also promised to be together in everything. Why can’t I go with you?” she asked quietly before looking up at her love.

“Oh sweet one…if it were safe, I would have you there. But tis not. I know that you would most likely be in pain and do not deny it. I have noticed that, even with my massages, you are struggling,” Talin pointed out gently and cupped her face as she looked away, shame-faced. “Do not be ashamed, my love. Tis natural at this stage since the baby is shifting in preparation to give birth,” he said soothingly and smiled as she smiled up at him warmly. “Now, I will have my cell phone. And you have yours in case the phones are knocked out?” he asked as he went back to making his preparations.

“Yea I do. And I have Isabella’s number in case I go into labor,” Annalia confirmed as she pouted slightly before sitting down at the table as he finished up. She didn’t like it. Something felt wrong and she was worried that she wouldn’t see Talin again. She looked up as her fists were covered by his gentle hands and sniffled as she gazed into his understanding eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m just so worried that something will happen,” she whispered before turning and hugging his waist, burying her face in his stomach there as he ran his fingers comfortingly through her hair.

“I know, my love. And I am sorry that you must worry. But trust in me. I shall return as soon as I can,” he murmured peacefully as he rubbed her head tenderly. She nodded and sniffled against him which caused him to smile at how childlike she was becoming. “Now, I must go and I shall return soon,” he stated briskly before leaning down for a deep kiss. He cupped her face before heading for the door. He waved to her before leaving and shut the door firmly behind him.

Sniffling as she wiped her face, Annalia stood up and went to the window to watch him drive away. She knew he was right, but she still felt uneasy about him leaving when she was getting close to her due date. She rubbed her belly and looked down at the swollen area. “Arthur my sweet son, I recommend that you at least wait until tomorrow before joining us, if you wouldn’t mind,” she commented quietly, then grinned as she felt a resultant kick to her kidneys as a reply. “Fine, fine…you are as stubborn as me I guess. You’ll do what you want when you want,” she retorted fondly before resuming her cleaning up the kitchen from their breakfast. She then settled in her favorite chair with one of her preferred books and glanced out the window occasionally to check the status of the weather as quiet music played in the background.

She stopped reading after a while and just stared out the window as she thought back on all that had happened since she and Talin had moved to England. They had moved into a semi large cabin on the edge of Glastonbury’s town limits. It was, in their estimation, the closest they would be able to get to Avalon, since that land was sacred and both agreed that to build a house on that land was not really an option. Not long after they had moved in, they had been in the town buying groceries when Isabella had approached them to comment on Annalia’s condition. Annalia had taken an instant liking to her no nonsense way as well as her warmth, but had still been wary. But Talin had been the kicker which led to her trusting the older woman.

After that, it had been Christmas time and, while they both had wanted to be with her family for Christmas, it had come to the point that it wasn’t wise for her to go on a jet. So they had settled for a private dinner and had spent hours on the phone with her family as consolation. The weather had been the real problem with unpredictable snow storms and ice threatening to cause Annalia to slip. She had eventually just taken to staying in their home, but hated every second of it.

It was about three weeks from when she was due and she was at that point where she wouldn’t mind her little one being born anytime soon. But not at that moment, with Talin so far away and a storm on its way. Absently, she rubbed her stomach again with a soft sigh. She glanced at the clock and frowned as she saw that only two hours had passed since Talin had left. She whined and stood up, then went over and began washing the kitchen counters and cupboards. She needed to do something.

Humming along with the music as she worked, Annalia relaxed as she worked out her frustrations on the wood and ceramic tiled areas of her kitchen. She stopped though as a sudden noise interrupted her ruminations. She straightened and looked over at the door and frowned as she heard another noise that sounded very much like a ‘thump’ against the door. She looked out the window and paled as she saw how dark it was outside. She glanced around frantically as the lights and music flickered and then died suddenly, scaring her as she was plunged into near pitch black darkness that was warded off barely by the fire that was roaring in the hearth nearby.

She shrieked in terror as lightening flashed and was followed by a sharp clap of thunder that rattled the windows dangerously as the wind picked up to terrifying speeds outside. She screamed as she saw several faces outside of the windows all grinning evilly at her as they worked to come into their home. She turned and ran out of the kitchen to her bedroom and was grabbing a heavy coat and shoving her feet into her boots frantically as she heard glass being broken out in the kitchen area that she had just left. She grabbed her cell phone and put it into her pocket before running for the sunroom, which, thankfully, was free of the invaders.

Not taking any time to wonder on that, she ran outside and away from her house and escaped into the woods closest to the lake while crunching through the piles of snow as fast as she could in her condition. The wind whipped around her as she fled through the shadow enshrouded woods and she panted for air fearfully as she ran through the low hanging skeletal branches that grabbed at her clothes as she dodged them. She whimpered as she heard shouts and chanting begin that choked her with fear as she struggled to find safety away from them.

Her hand came up unconsciously to her pendant that her grandmother had gifted her with and she prayed silently as she ran. ‘Please Mother Goddess! Protect me and my child! Send Talin home! I need him!’ She stopped abruptly as she saw a small pathway leading into a group of bushes that the wind seemed to part for her. She breathed heavily as she stumbled for the area and ran swiftly down the path and she was amazed at how little snow there was, which helped in hiding her tracks. Thanking the Goddess silently, she ran until she passed by a small grotto of trees that were packed so tightly together that they almost formed a cave. She crawled inside and hid behind one of the ancient trunks where she leaned her head back as she struggled to catch her breath and slow down her pounding heart, all the while listening for the sounds of her pursuers.

She closed her eyes as some tears leaked free and trembled in relief as she was given a respite. She rubbed her belly, which was upset most likely from her turmoil, and worked on soothing the baby as well as her own mind. Suddenly, she gasped sharply as a shooting pain went through her body starting at her stomach. She curled up, trying to breath through the throbbing as her entire body seemed to seize up at the agony. She clutched at the trunk she sat on and shook in pain as the spasms eased slowly. ‘What was that?!’ she wondered as she relaxed slightly against the tree, shaken by how much it had hurt.

Rubbing her belly as she continued to breathe deeply, Annalia closed her eyes. She gasped again as the shooting pain bolted through her once more and caused her to cry out softly in shock and hurt. As it eased once more, she felt a warm wetness spread from between her legs and puddle out. She looked down in horror to see that her pants were soaked as a clear liquid spread from her. ‘Oh no! My water’s broken! I…I can’t be in labor! Not now!’ she thought desperately with tears rolling down her face in her terror as she looked around frantically.

Freezing as she heard voices nearing her hiding spot, Annalia covered her mouth and tried to remain silent, hoping they wouldn’t find her tracks or any other traces of her. Darkness seemed to fall around her as the wind became chill and wild while whipping at her even in the safety of her grotto. Another sharp lance of pain shot through her and she could barely contain the yelp of pain that escaped her while she doubled over. She panted harshly through the agony as she clung to the tree and sobbed quietly in her alarm. She couldn’t do this alone!

She felt a cold wash of dread fall over her as she heard the crunch of boots in the snow nearing her as well as some chanting that made her heart grow numb with fear. She sat stiffly against the tree, struggling not to move in the hopes that they wouldn’t find her hiding spot. She bit her lip hard as she heard the foot steps stop close by her sanctuary and another contraction hit her hard, nearly causing her to sob in pain before she held it back.

Suddenly, a leather gloved hand shot into the entrance way of the grotto and latched around her neck, choking off her scream of terror as she was dragged out roughly. She fell to the ground, grasping her neck as she coughed and panted in her panic. She looked up and whimpered as she shifted away when she saw who had found her for the first time.

The man towered above her dressed all in black as he sneered down at her. His long black coat swirled in the wind, adding to the sinister air that was almost palpable to her as he stared at her with glinting eyes. To her horror, she saw that, instead of pupils, he had only black eyes, no white whatsoever, which added to the evil that radiated from him.

He smirked evilly as he grabbed her by the coat collar and pulled her up while ignoring her weak attempts to break free as he stared at her. His smirk grew into a gruesome grin that resembled a skeleton as he put a hand on her spasming stomach. “So, the child is on its way, hmm? Well…that will not happen now. You gave us quite the run, but without the Merlin guarding you and Avalon’s power weakened, you are no longer safe, Chosen One. I would start saying your prayers for, once we are done with you, there will be nothing left for the Light to salvage of you…or your child Arthur.” His voice scratched on the air around them and hissed like snakes, yet was as heavy as a threatening storm before it struck.

Terrified, Annalia screamed for help as she sobbed and cried out in pain when another contraction hit her hard. She trembled as he bared his teeth at her in a silent snarl before she felt herself being twisted around and thrown. She watched as the scenery changed before she hit something hard that sent a much sharper agony through her body before she collapsed to the ground. As her vision faded, she watched as the man approached her while his followers appeared. ‘Talin…help me…’ she thought weakly before falling unconscious.

The Shadow Lord stood over his prey and smirked as his followers gathered around him meekly, awed at his power. “Take her and prepare the ritual. This day shall be the beginning of the end for all of the Light. Nothing shall stand in our way,” he proclaimed loudly as he pointed at Annalia where she lay crumpled on the ground and his servants scurried forward to do his bidding. He laughed menacingly and sent tremors of fear through any good creature that heard it before he cast the day into darkness as he raised his arms in calling to his brethren. He watched as the cowed humans jostled Annalia’s body around before managing to hold her in a fairly safe cradle between two. His smirk reappeared as he saw her belly shudder in a contraction. The time drew near indeed.

Striding away swiftly with his followers in tow, the Shadow Lord led the way to where the ritual was to take place: Stonehenge Circle. Soon, all things would come through and the Pendragon’s soul would be banished to the four corners of time and space, never to be called upon again.