The pain came without warning.
Brutal.
Uncontrollable.
Lythiel fell to her knees, clutching the fabric of her own dress.
"Now…" Madhalene murmured.
There was no time. There was no choice.
Right there.
On the forest floor.
Among roots and earth.
The birth began.
Lythiel's breathing became irregular. Her body reacted instinctively. The pain consumed any attempt at control.
Madhalene did what she could.
With what she had. With what she knew.
Time seemed to drag on.
And then…
it was over.
Silence.
Heavy.
Wrong.
Madhalene held the child.
Waited.
One second.
Two.
Nothing.
"No…" she whispered.
The baby didn't cry.
Didn't move. He wasn't breathing.