" Lin, what happened? You are... You are injured.
Was it him? "
His Nana caught him limping towards his room.
" Nana. This is fine. It's nothing. But yes. It was him. And it's getting worse. The thing is . Both physical and intangible ways. Moreover it knows where Mia is. It's just a matter time before he gets there. "
Lin held his Nana by the shoulder. His eyes were desperate.
" But even if he knows she is there Lin, how will he reach the depths? "
Nana was a little disoriented. She didn't seem to grasp the gravity of the case.
"It is now capable of taking over bodies. It can use anybody who has taken a dose of the Water
Breather. Even the fake one will be enough to help him reach Mia. "
Nana stood perplexed.
" What are you two discussing? Lin my boy, are you hurt? "
It was Lin's father, who was taking a stroll, the Fox king.
Lin explained the situation to him.
" Hmmm. This is grave. How much longer is your wife due, my boy? "
The King's question hit Lin right at his heart.
He had completely forgotten about the birth of his child in all the commotion. It was soon. It 't very far. Just may be another month till the little baby will be in his hands.
" Umm, I think it's just another month. "
" One more month? Will we be able to hold this thing for that long? "
The king was immersed in a deep thought.
" I think this might work. But it's as crazy as it gets. I don't even know if it will work... "
" Just tell me father. Nothing around us right now is that very logical. "
Lin was impatient.
" One more thing, father. I don't trust the mer-witches that much as well. "
" Why so? "
Both Nana and the King asked, astonished.
" Hmmm. That's grave. Then listen to what I wanted to say boy. I will vo visit the Wolf king myself. We might have to abandon the comfort of our homes for the time being and the entire plain into a fortress. If what you say is true, we will be responsible for the humans well. We will need to create a battle formation, ready at all moment in alterations. Along with joint Protective Shield Barrier. That might be the old way to hinder its attack. At Least till is able to come up with an alternative. "
He looked at Nana from the corner of his eye.
" I am working on it. I am hoping we will find a proper end to all this very soon. "
She excused herself and walked inside.
Lin turned towards his father.
" Father, May I? "
He took his fathers hands and kissed them. Then suddenly rammed himself into him with a big .
His father was pleasantly startled.
He picked his hand up and patted his boy's head.
" Lin, my boy. Are you alright? "
" Thank you father. "
" Huh? "
" Thank you for standing beside me like a rock even after I turned the entire empire upside . I don't know how we would have survived through this without your support. I never you would pardon a criminal. "
There were tears in his eyes.
Suddenly when they talked about the birth of his child, realization of his fatherhood struck him and hard. Suddenly the bond he shared with his own father became prominent under a light.
" What criminal? What nonsense? "
" The curse... "
" You idiot. It was fate, destiny. Can you not see yet? There was no way either of you could known. It was meant to. To give us a chance to rectify our old mistakes. It's a chance from . "
He hit Lin hard at the back of his head.
"Don't you dare go self-doubting ever again. There's an invincible enemy in front. This is no time slug away. Buckle up and get some sleep.
We will be heading to the Wolf camp, early in the morning. "
Lin nodded.
He walked towards his empty room. All alone. Reluctant. As loneliness stung him. Scared him.
Stopped again mid track as the light from the moon fell on his face.
" Lin, doesn't the moon look so lonely? Hung there, all alone in the night sky? '' Mia's innocent rang like a sweet music in his memory. Her smile and innocence when they were in the human world. Oblivious to the rest of the world. Just the two of them and their little life. Her hands on his neck, her lips on his neck. Her gentle snuggles and her smell.
They way she let her hands through his hair as their lips lost themselves in each other's . The first time she let him know about her pregnancy. Guiding his hands over her .
" Do you have a stomachache? " Lin laughed like an idiot as he remembered his foolish . Now regretting every opportunity he missed to be with his wife and unborn child.
" Ahh! I never should have left you alone Mia. I am sorry. Forgive me Mia if you could. I could protect you. I could not keep you safe. "
He slammed his fist against the wall. Breathing heavily. Heaving. His eyes wandered here and .
He was suddenly feeling a deep sense of longing. For Mia, for their child. It was more like they him. His presence. He felt restless from within.
" Mia, hold on. I will come to you very soon. I promise I will bring you both back home. Just a longer Mia. "
He raised his hands towards the moon. His Mia seemed more distant than the celestial object.
******
Arrival
Mia was stretched out.
Her breathing is getting heavier.
Her contractions had increased rapidly. Probably after hearing about Lin and the situation . No matter how ready she was to give up everything, her heart was clenching at the . Both from the labor pains and the lamenting.
" My Queen, we need to do something. Her blood pressure is rising rapidly and so is her . It will not leave us with the option of turning the child around. "
The midwives looked helpless.
" What happens if we deliver the baby just as it is? Feet first? "
Jade asked.
"It can be done. But it might jeopardize the baby. It might, it might not. It's almost a half and half . "
" NO! The baby can't be hurt. "
The queen's shout brought everyone back to attention.
" Aaaaaahhhhhhhh, "
Mia wailed as another jolt of contraction tore her hips apart.
" Stand back. "
The Queen ordered.
" Mia. I would need you to create the air pocket that you had created earlier for your husband. I need you to lodge yourself inside that. Do you think you would be able to do that? "
Mia first nodded. Then as soon as another jolt hit her back she shook her head.
The queen went beside her.
She placed her hand behind her.
" Mia, I know this is difficult but it's for the sake of your baby. There is no more time for the to intervene. I will need to turn your entire uterus upside down. If I do that while you still under water, I will not be able to bring it back to normal. If you can create an Air Pocket yourself, I will help you deliver your baby inside that. Then when we are done, the Waters heal and bring your inside back to normal again. Do you understand what I am saying? "
Mia nodded again with difficulty.
She drew every remaining strength that she had in her veins.
" Yeeeeaaaahhhh",
It looked at every breath she had to form the bubble around her.
" Great.
Mia keeps going. "
The queen urged her on with words of encouragement.
Jade and Ruby however looked a little uncomfortable. Nevertheless they watched with caution.
Mia closed the bubble around her with much effort.
"That's great.
Now everyone stands back. "
The Queen pressed the water around the bubble like a compressing bag. She held Mia by it and the entire content of her stomach upside down.
" AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! "
Mia shrieked as the excruciating pain ripped her organs.
The water in her uterus gushed out like a river.
" Her water broke. Her water broke. Is the baby coming now? "
Ruby exclaimed as she watched Mia almost faint.
" Just a little bit more, "
Jade was also worried but she comforted Ruby with her gesture.
" We need to wake her up, "
The Queen ordered .
" Yes your Majesty, "
The midwives sprinkled something over the bubble that pierced the layer and then got absorbed Mia's skin.
Mia found herself back in those fields. Where she walked with Lin beside the wild streams. She a vision from what seemed like a distant past. Lin ran after her, under the clear blue sky as laughed and kept her lead.
"Catch me if you can, " She teased him as he darted ahead and caught her by her hips. They over together over the soft green grass.
" Careful, " Lin whispered in her ears as he cushioned her into his arms.
" You are pregnant Mia, maybe you should run around a little less. " He pinched her nose and nuzzled his face.
" What do I want to fly? "
She teased him as she bit his ears.
" Then it's all on me. " Lin laughed as he picked her up with both arms and they sped over the landscape.
" Lin look, the ocean, " Mia pointed towards the never ending waters as they crossed over that.
Lin looked a little frightened. But Mia jumped inside. Lin followed behind her.
Suddenly Mia found she was unable to breathe.
Her stomach started swelling as pain kicked behind her hips.
She wanted to call Line but found no voice. Lin extended his arms towards her just then Mia the color of the water around her change to red blood.
Lin looked too. His face had joy mixed with fear.
He swam towards her and held her hands.
" Mia, breathe. Our boy is coming. Breathe Mia breathe. "
He whispered again and again as he held her hands tight.
Mia grabbed him with her hands tighter.
" Mia, don't drift away. Open your eyes. Breathe . Push. Mia, your boy is almost there. Just a more. Keep breathing. "
Suddenly Lin's voice became feminine. But it kept repeating the same things.
Mia opened her eyes. She was upside down in the bubble. The Queen aiding her contractions her boy kept pushing from her inside. Her aunts were shouting words of encouragement. The doing their best to relieve her ailing.
But there was no Lin around. She realized again that she was so far away from him that he 't even know that his son was due. Not due anymore, he was almost there. He didn't hold hand as her bones moved apart. As she bled. He wasn't there cupping her face with his or whispering words of encouragement. It was all a mirage. A dream that came when she lost consciousness for a while.
" Yeeeeeaaaaah, "
Mia screamed as her yell ended with a flush into liquid around the bubble and then followed with wail.
" Weeeeeeeee, "
Mia really stopped breathing as she heard her boy cry. Still tied with her through the umbilical . Floating in the liquid around her.