Merry were the days, Alfharja was carrying a basket within her hand filled with dinner's ingredients. Her step was considerably slower than it had been a few months and it made her smile as she laid a hand on her growing belly.
She could feel the kick within from her first child that was not long anymore from being brought into the earth. She hoped it was a boy, that would please her husband and she herself figured it appropriate. A boy first, to watch over the sister that hopefully would follow. She had always loved children. When she neared the cottage where Turic was carving out a small statue from wood. The depiction of a dragon that rested on stone it was. "Today we eat mushroomstew.", she said, her man pushed out his lips and beckoned her with a finger. Recognising such an obvious cue she went to him and gave him a kiss. "Again? Is that a giant you are housing inside of there?", he jested while laying a hand tenderly over her belly. She giggled, "Maybe there is more than one in there. Wyldefrau said that she once helped a woman that had three children tumble out!" She placed one hand over his and she smiled, the child kicked again fiercer than ever before and it did not take long before she cried out in pain. Turic's eyes widened as he could see her rosy face go pale, "What is it? What's wrong?!"
Within moments the man lifted up his wife and carried her to their bed. He was crying out her name, but her eyes fell shut and she could do not and lost conciousness.
After a while she could hear faint voices and the warmth of her husband's hand clenching hers. Her eyes fluttered open and the blurred image of Cradoc the healer stood at her feet. And there was another voice, highpitched crying and tears welled up from her eyes. Her hands instinctively reached out to grab her newborn. "It is a boy sweetheart.", the wisened man said. The man lay the child close to her chest, "I will be outside, I am so sorry I could do only so much. You should say your farewells to one another."
It was silent for a moment, Turic reached out to kiss Alfharja's forehead, "He said that the boy will live my love and ..", the man's voice cracked, "That we do not have long together anymore." She clutched her child that now lay silently breathing on his mother, "Freca, call him Freca.." She looked down at the child's form, sleeping peacefully. Then her eyes went blind and she teared up once more, "I am sorry husband." She could feel him laying down his head next to hers, "Nobody is to blame for this, do not be sorry." The man looked at her and kissed her again, the last one he could give her as her last breathe left her. The child stirred and began to cry again.
Alfharja felt so saddened, so deeply saddened as she ever had. She was in a dark room, the loneliness weighted heavy on her and it lasted a long while till she could cease her cries of anguish. It ebbed into a softening cry till she had spent all the tears she could. Her eyes were shot and she looked around herself, trying to comprehend what was happening. She could hear the snare of music in the air, horns like those of the king's huntsmen and the bark of menacing dogs. Her hands went before her eyes and as she peered through them once more she could see the cottage. It was dark and abandoned. No wait, not abandoned. Her brother was there, she tried to call him, but he could not hear her for some reason. She must be in a terrible nightmare. Her brother's wife with all their little children.. since when did they have so many children? Defenitely a cruel dream.. her heart got stuck in her throat. What had happened to Turic? She rushed to find her blonde giant inside, but nothing. All the furniture he had made seemed to be gone.. except for the decorated table he had crafted for her last birthday.
Slowly she went in to explore further and for what she could see most of the place was neatly kept. Then remembrance returned and she clutched her stomach while painfully glancing at the bed, "Was all a- EEK!" She fell on her backside as she could see an old man sitting there on the bed. His legs spread wide and his eyes to the ceiling was he having a stomach ache? She was about to ask if he needed help, but then she realised that this odd one was mimicking giving birth. He sat up and looked at her, "You can see me?! Please tell me you can!" She rushed to him and carefully, but desperately had to grab his hands. They felt .. massive. There was no other word she could've found for it. The figure smiled, "Do you have a tale to tell?"
"Well nobody can see or hear me.. I can not find my husband .. my .. my..." The figure helped her to the table and in a chair, he took one across from her. "My son..I can not find them!", she tried her best not to break out in tears again. The figure was sitting there, an empathic fold of his thick brows showed her that he must know something. "Will you not help me? Please! I must be with them again. Turic can not even cook an egg and .." The old man rose his hand and she instantly fell silent, "You have no tale to tell?" She lowered her face a moment, "I uhm.. Alfharja is my name. I live here.. used to live here. I do not know what is going on. I have always lived in this village with my mother and my father. Ohhh.. I am nobody special. I and Turic knew eachother from childhood, I always knew that he would marry me. It took that hunk of mine long enough to find out, but we did and I just love to cook and make dresses for the girls in the village. I used to help the elders with the yule celebrations and that is it. .. Then I got a boy and I .. I ..." The old man held up a hand and it appeared that he had heard enough, he reached out a hand, "Come.." She took it, "Where are we going?" "it will not take long, but we are going to see if we can find them.." She smiled thankfully, only managing a humble nod she went with him..
