Avery's pov
Ever since my hair turned white, I had always been aware of the things happening to me. I remembered everything that had happened ever since I was a baby. Of course, I wasn't aware of the incident that transpired before my hair turned white, but everything after that, I knew.
"Your baby is breathing!" The midwife and my aunt Lera yelled ,dropping to her knees.
My mother nodded slowly, staring at me. "He finally woke up– after making us worry for no reason."
She turned to her husband who looked to be in a daze, his face was stained with tears, the pain of losing a child and the possibility of losing his wife to the cold had left him trembling.
"Come here–" she called gently.
Like he was controlled, he immediately went to her. His footsteps were heavy, and the floorboards creaked under his weight. With every step he took, his hands trembled, his shoulders were hunched, and his head was down. He was nervous.
Finally arriving in front of his wife and child, he stiffened. My mother took his hands and squeezed them gently, signalling it was okay, but he wouldn't budge. Instead, he went down on his knees, hugging her legs and nuzzling his head again her thighs.
"I thought…I couldn't move, but you, you, you brought him back to us while I could do nothing. I really am not worthy of you, of any of you. The only thing I could do was to be afraid and cry.." his shoulders heaved as he broke into a silent sob.
She stroked his head with her free hand, "You are worthy of us. It is fearless to be fearful, and it takes courage to cry. My love…stand up and greet your son."
"A son–" he muttered, picking himself up. My father stared at me confused, or was it in amazement? "You've birthed an angel, my love.."
My mother chuckled softly, handing me over to him. I protested, I didn't want to leave my mother's arms, my cries alarmed him, but my mother didn't give him the chance to back out.
His eyes widened as soon as he held me. His hands didn't stop shaking either, but it felt very comfortable. Soon, I cooed and gave a toothless smile. He jerked back instantly, and to all this, my mother chuckled.
"He's so tiny.." he confessed, "almost like a chick.."
"My love, dont compare our son to a chicken…" my mother warned, collecting me from him.
Other conversations were going on, but my eyes were already closing, and there was a slight pain in my belly.
"Waaaaaah!!" I screamed, opening my eyes instantly. The water wasn't cold, but even its warmth didn't cover the pain I felt. It was like my skin was being peeled away.
"Lera! Be gentle!" My mother snapped.
Her voice showed no sign of remorse as she apologized, "I'm really sorry, but there's nothing to do about it. You want your son to have silky, soft skin, right? Then it's only normal to scrub his skin as hard as this…"
Because she had been talking, she had stopped scrubbing, but those last words of hers brought a sense of foreboding to my young mind. I was only a few hours old, but I could tell her words were dangerous, so I did the only thing I could do to save myself–
WAAAHHH!!
My mother was pushed out of the room, and I was left to suffer alone.
She eventually finished her mission to cause me pain, and with how red my skin was, I didn't understand how it would make me have "silky, soft and smooth skin".
I was wrapped in warm clothing and immediately felt all the pain I had endured from the witch midwife dissipate. Soon after, my mother put something in my face, aiming it at my mouth. Curious, I opened my mouth, and she shoved it in my mouth. A liquid and sweet substance flowed into my mouth, and it tasted heavenly. I completely forgot about the wickedness that had been done to me as I continued sucking the divine liquid.
For how long I drank, I wasn't aware, and I couldn't be sure if it was my imagination as a baby, but my father kept sending jealous looks and glaring my way–
Three days passed by in a haze.
The temple was filled with people who had come to dedicate their children, female and male, together.
My parents had both come together as this was one of the most sacred traditions of the Riverine people. Twelve girls would be selected as candidates for the moon's offering. It was an event that occurred every eighteen years.
Twelve girls would be handpicked by the moon goddess, and they would spend most of their time in the temple except their first two years of life until they turned eighteen.
Of course, this had nothing to do with my family as they had not birthed a girl child but a boy child, but it was customary for every family present to witness when the girls would be chosen.
"I'm actually excited to see it this year. How lucky are we that we gave birth during this season!" My mother squealed, giggling like a teenager.
My father, who was carrying a male lamb on his shoulder for the sacrifice of dedication, grunted in reply. He had been saving this lamb for the sacrifice of dedication, so it was quite big and healthy.
The sacrifice of dedication was a compulsory act for all people of the Riverine clan who had just given birth. It was a sign of loyalty to the goddess. Blood was the life force of all things, so it was crucial for the sacrifice. It was the goddess' way of protecting..
"All I know is that the goddess will be pleased with our sacrifice." He smiled to himself.
The venue for the sacrifice of dedication was packed. Different families had come with their sacrifices, and there was even a couple who had given birth to seven children at once, so seven different lambs for each child.
Twelve priests, eight females, and four males soon entered into the room, each carrying a banner that had the emblem of the moon. Behind them were twenty-four apprentices, holding something that looked like a half moon attached to a long rod.
The temple itself had several carvings and statues of the moon, together with a beautiful woman who was the goddess.
"The sacrifice of dedication will begin now!" One of the female priests announced. "The men should begin the cutting of the animals for the sacrifice, and the women should place their children in the moon baskets and start praying for their children. Also, begin the naming of your children as the goddess wishes so we can proceed!"
"Its finally happening."