Months went by. Nothing extraordinary happened, except my size. I only had about four weeks left Hiila said. I was so huge moving was near impossible. I had stopped attending my meetings, or court. Raven, Ash and Nicky took over everything. The children now came to me to visit instead of me going to the nursery. Neil who was now twelve, was still staying with Mother Willow and Father Oak. He would until he turned thirteen, he would then come home for a year before moving to be fostered by William the Red.

Isabella who at nine, now refused to be called Iz, was a huge help with her (soon to be three) brother Hawk. She was also excited about the new babe and would sit and talk to it everyday. The following week went by and I was confined to my bed. I was grumpy, whiny and snappish. I was much relieved when my water broke the follow day.

It was worst this time than last, much worse. Again the people came to witness the birth of the new child. Again I had to suffer in silence. This time took much longer, I was too weak and big to push without aid. Hiila and Father worried the people would doubt the strength of their Queen. Raven worried for the life of the babe as it seemed it was stuck. My water had broke in the early morning hours, by the next morning the people had gathered and I was moved for them to view. Now, evening was approaching and nothing was happening. I had pushed and pushed into exhaustion.

Finally Mora announced the babe was stuck and must be turned, however as she reached between my legs, she moved back shaking her head. “No, Not turned, just huge and stuck, I will have to help a little, Hiila stand by me a moment and block the view” she said. With that Hilla stood beside her, Mora reached down to grab the babe telling me to push and I did. I pushed and pushed, while she helped the babe along, until she shoved Raven in place 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 as done with Hawk. This time it was much harder to now stop the babe from coming while he perform this. Mora replaced him quickly nodding for me to push again. I pushed as she pulled until searing pain racked my body and she pulled out the babe. I watched in pain as she rubbed it, shook it, and it began to cry. I remember thinking how I hope it was a girl, the answer to our problems. She handed the baby to Raven and looked at me shaking her head no, that terrified me, was something wrong with the baby, then she said “Come on my Queen , you are not done, push, hard, harder than you have ever pushed.” And I did, tears flew down my cheeks, I felt like my entire body was being pulled apart and then out of no where, well, another head. As Raven made his way to show the people the first baby, Hiila grabbed him, again he must perform the ritual on the second babe, and he did, barely finishing before the other was born. This time Mora nodded that it was over, she was cleaning me up, both babies were squalling.

Raven took the babies and held them out on the balcony, the people were cheering. Hilla and Father went to stand beside him, taking one of the babies. Raven held out one to the crowd “Torin, Prince of Goldenbrook” Raven announced and the crowd cheered. Taking the next babe, he announced “Tiernan, Prince of Goldenbrook”. The people were frenzied! Twin sons born to the Queen and King, a good omen in deed!

Twins they were indeed with twin golden blonde hair and green eyes! Two beautiful huge sons, I instantly fell in love with, but still no daughter to protect our world from outsiders.