Hiila was just as evil as I remember my mother being, Oh no, to think of it maybe even more so. The day waned on and I was tore apart with pain. I laid in my bed, tossing and holding my stomach. The sheets drenched with sweat, I wondered why no one had sent someone to fan me. Through the night I struggled with the pains until I could bear no more. Dawn arrived to my misery, I learned a new rule, to keep our kingdom strong, and to give my children immortality.

Raven was carrying me, I remember moaning and wishing someone would kill me. He laid me on a bed on the high balcony, curtains were pulled around me. I could hear the people, half of the kingdom must have been below in the courtyard and beyond. I could hear cheering, laughing. Hiila, Emily and Mora were at my side.

“Quiet now my lady” Mora said. “A Queen and Goddess you are, you must bring forth this bairn without so much as a whimper, the people must know you are strong” She added. I couldn’t believe what she said. I shook my head violently, and began to yell at her. Hiila quickly slammed her tiny hand over my mouth. “You are ready, it wont be long, find your strentgh, you are Dreya, you must do this” she said removing her hand.

I searched around franticly for Raven. He stood at the head of the balcony. “Good people of Goldenbrook, today your Queen will bring forth into the world a prince or princess of the land, we ask your blessings and that you take part in this most glorious day with us!” he yelled.

He came to me then, the curtains were pulled wide open, I had no privacy, but I did not care. The pain was blinding, blood pooled in my mouth as I bit my lip to stop from screaming. And then Hiila was telling me to push, it burned and ripped, I wanted to cry out. I pushed and pushed until I heard Odin’s voice “Easy Lass, you are doing a fine job, lie back”. And so I did. Raven stood between my legs. “The blood of the Mother give you life, The blood of the Father give you life, The blood of the Mother keeps you everlasting, The blood of the Father keeps you everlasting” he said as he drew a dagger, slicing his arm and letting his blood drip onto the head of the child. With that finished he stepped away smiling, tears glistened in his eyes. “Push now, hard love, bring forth my child” he said. So, I did, all the while straining to keep silent.

Then if by magic, a warm easing claimed me as the child slipped from my body. I could see Raven, Odin, and Hiila fussing with the child. Mora was cleaning me. Raven took the child and held it out on the balcony, the people all went quiet, the babe squalled. “Hawkins, Prince of Goldenbrook” Raven announced and the crowd cheered, clapped and screamed. Flowers were tossed through the air and onto the balcony.

Mora covered me with clean linens and Raven sat beside me handing me our son. He was very pink and chubby. Judging from the other children I had, I would think he weighed about ten pounds. He had Raven’s black hair, and the greenest eyes I had ever seen. They closed the curtain, and Raven bent and kissed my head. Then I slept…

I woke sometime later feeling much refreshed and in my own bed. Raven sat in a chair beside the bed, looking down into the cradle of our son.

“Hawkins” I asked drowsily. Raven just chuckled, leave it to him to name my children after birds…