Soon, the columns give way to an area where the temperature is much cooler. This is the much older portion of the Temple; friezes in high relief line the wall panels showing the story of creation, rebirth, and destruction that their worlds had suffered through. At the end of this passageway, two doors of white veined marble glided in mythril open up. That delicate face-lifts up as her form goes ridged in his arms, the hand holding the collar of his shirt drops to grasp his forearm tightly. The sound of plashing water hits the floor as her water breaks, washing them both. He nearly glared at the observing women as he continued down the path. Before he passed through the door, he felt her tight grip. He paused, about to question her sudden tense when he felt himself go wet. "Well, that answers my question," he smiles a bit, he would not worry about the wet clothes now, as he resumed the trek at a quicker pace to their destination. Once across the threshold, the chamber opens up into a high vaulted ceiling with a dome. The fringe of the dome is line in gold and mythril. There is an opening directly a large pool of dark mirrored waters; steps disappear into the darkness of the waters. Here is the matron of the temple meets them. She quietly nods meeting his eyes and then gauge her Mistress' state, "it will come to pass soon enough, Ta'is," quietly says. Her calm eyes lift to meet his again, "please follow me. We have much to do before the baby arrives," turns to lead him to an area of the chamber that is shrouded in floor length panels of white chiffon and silk. She holds the curtain aside for him. There is a birthing chair. Ta'is looks about the chamber she had not seen in years, immediately her gaze falls not on the chair but on the table with the implements, just in case they would need those.

The Marquis said nothing as he only nods to the woman following her to the other area of the chamber. Letting her hold back the curtains, he gently set Si’ down upon the chair. Glancing to her, fingers brushing her hair from her face as he kissed her temple lightly, just to remind her that he's there, though he was probably more nervous that she is now. Standing up once more, glancing to the woman for further instructions. She got as comfortable as she could on the chair, pushing the bulk of the womb up. The woman's brow knotted in thought for a moment, "one step at a time," she spoke to herself. Then tore her gaze away from the womb to meet his gaze, "disrobe her and place her legs on each leg of the chair. I need to get the healer to consult. Keep her comfortable, my lord," she said with heart felt smile before turning with nod and nodding to her Mistress in the traditional customary fashion of arms over the chest, then straightening and taking three steps back before turning around and leaving to get the other healer. He nods once to the woman before turning back to Si. "Now lets see if I can undress you without getting turned on for once," trying to add a little humor within as his fingers graced over her clothes, finding ways to take it off her. After a mere moment, he managed to get her into the nude and placing her over as instructed. He glanced over her with a nervous smile. "It sucks being at a wrong time, non?" She manages a strained chuckle, "as if you would find my form attractive so plump and round." A veneer of sweat had built up over her flushed face, clear salty beads rivulet down the slope of her neck to pool at the collarbone. She pushes up with a slight grunt to get height on the chair, palms pressing harm into the arm rests.

"Just hope I don’t have to disrobe either for those females will be lil’ more than curious about me," he manages to smile some. Finding a small towel, he took it up to mop some of her sweat away from her face and neck. "Oh, buttttttttttt," grunts into a whimper, "you will have to....nothing mundane can touch the waters," manages to smile despite the strain. "They are used to nudity." Stops her moving feeling exhausted. Looks down over her form, her belly button is poking out do the tautness, the areolas are a darker rich color, "maybe you should carry the next baby!" Her small feet dig into the foot rests of the chair. "To hell, I’m carrying the next baby!" Louis with a fat rounded tummy.. with his attitude, no one would be near him, not even his own kids. No, it isn’t happening. Glancing over to the woman once more as she returned. His hand moves to Si's shoulder, rubbing softly from her outburst as he sighed, hearing the women. "Just do what needs to be done.. with no harm to either one." They look to him from the Mistress, all of the sudden feeling paralyzed. He is giving them lead way and the other had voiced the contrary. They move about the chair just looking that ankle and wrist cuffs. Last time, Ta'is gave birth a few almost ended up in the infirmary for weeks. His gaze followed the women's to the cuffs. His hand rose, stopping them from doing so. "Do not cuff her.. unless if its really needed for the legs. Keep her arms free." He did not want Si’ to feel restricted and unable to move. They nod, "Milord, as you wish," softly they said. The second healer when to do a soul and body scan, warm gentle hands came to rest over the slope of the lowering moving mass. Her eyes close trying to get a mental image of the baby within, "the baby is healthy," smiles nervously, "but her wings are larger than usual." Ta'is sits up and slaps the hand away, "I want to try it naturally FIRST," hisses. The other woman steps back, the other steps back several paces behind him. Great, if she strikes, he will be smacked first. To hell with that getting smacked by a hormonal avatar, so he does the only sensible thing, side stepping, he pushes one of the women forward toward her once more. "You heard her. And no running when she does snap, or I will have your skull." Glancing toward Si’, his hand takes one of her own sweaty hands in a light squeeze.

They both take a deep breath, "please help her relax at least, Milord. Her body is tense, she can choke the baby as it lowers through the birth canal," thinks to herself if they manage to get to that stage. Glancing toward Si.. giving her another squeeze to her hand as he leaned over, kissing her temple. "It'll be alright, m’amoure, just relax and things will go much easier for everyone." The healer, positions herself between Ta'is' parted thighs and sits on a low stool. The High Priestess stands near by. They both had delivered all Ta'is’ children. It had always been difficult. The other woman went to step behind her Mistress, "remember to breathe and push," softly. Ta'is’ delicate sweaty hand gave his a tight squeeze as she pushed up to sit. Her feet slid back into the rests with bent legs. Within, the baby had started to lower even more. She clenches her teeth straining trying to remember to breathe and to push. The back of the chair is soaked with sweat. He is glad he can take pain pretty well, for her tight squeezes did not bring a flinch to him, no matter how tight she would squeeze. His fingers brushed her hair from her face, soothing her quietly as he peered toward the healer watching carefully. The healer kept watch over the dilation of the birth canal expanding more. Above, Ta'is kept pushing in between snapping at everyone in sight through clenched teeth. Then she fell back into the chair whimpering her fingers caught what ever is at hand tightly as her form went ridged and she released a frustrated scream of pain and agony. The healer, looks up to him quickly seeing a trickle of blood, "Milord, please let us go against her wishes, she can tear and I sense the baby has shifted positions."

Louis glances as his Heart screams tensing a bit, a mask of worry and fear flashes briefly over his otherwise stoic composed expression. He barely hears the healer's request over Si's cries. Then regains his focus turning to the healer with pursed lips in a moment of thought before answering, "very well, only if you are sure this way will non work." The healer rose and quickly placed her hands on the womb to feel again and see. She allowed that image to flow out freely so he could see what was going on within. Tas'min had moved out of position so that the wings, which would normally cocoon the child, were now spread out a bit one leg was caught twined over the umbilical cord. Then the image faded as she nods to the priestess. That shared image of their unborn daughter in peril causes him to flinch silently. His dark brows furrow watching the ladies carefully. His cool fingers still stroking through Si's hair trying to keep her calm at least. Si’s sweaty fingers and hands, twine over his tightly as she started to relax looking toward the two women with a sad tone, "I know...I have been down this road before, just do it," whispers softly in a hoarse voice. Her gaze falls to meet his with a tender worn smile. The priestess' hands came to rest on Ta'is bare shoulders tightly. She kept her gaze on his face, "what they do now, trust them, and be strong for us both, my love," whispers again. He glances to the women before peering to Si', meeting her gaze with a light nod. He placed a light kiss to her forehead before glancing briefly to the ladies.. giving Si's hand a squeeze. Her gaze did not waver from his for one moment; he would be what would hold her grounded to this plane of existence.

Photograph Copyrighted to Anne Geddes

I’m a bit bigger here. I’m still so cute though! My wings are hidden from sight again and that funny dragon under me is my brother Tylen. He is one of my many siblings. I have too many brothers and one sister with a few other baby siblings in pods. Pssht, don’t let it out, but Papa fixed things so that I could enter the Flesh Time. Meanies, always pushing me to the back of the line in the Hall of Souls. I was to be born last of all things. Papa did sure put those Guardians in their place making sure I was to be the next godling in line to be born.

Hee,hee, then I sure did turn up the heat with kidnapping Drake right up to the Hall of Souls. Now the Guardians had no choice either. See what happens when you push a baby around? I’m tiny and may look like I don’t know much, but I’m an Imajian female! Now back to dragon, he looks worn out cause I beat him at a game of wrestling. Yeah, Lil’ Tas’min is one fierce baby! I learned from watching Drake and Tam’uel play wrestle all the time in my other aspect. Only my Ghost Moon, Petri, can rest on my plump tummy, chest, and wings. Wait until he finds out about my cuter form!

"Milord," the priestess spoke to him, "keep her near your thoughts and when I ask you, call for her, your Heart. What I do now, will require she walk through the corridors of death," that final word spoken quickly. Then the woman focused and slowly, she channeled the power through key lays below and into the Unseen Veil. The warm eyes that had been watching him close slowly, her warm hand slips out of his to fall down on the chair as her body temperature lowers until the avatar form becomes cold and an alabaster white. Great! But he knew he must trust these women. Peering towards Si’, he did a damned good job concealing the worry in his eyes, for can only his calmness and love for her are reflected. He watched her fall into that deathlike phase. The flesh takes on a translucent quality; the area around the womb becomes insubstantial so that the flesh is easily passed through. The healer' reaches through the folds to carefully, untwine that tiny form and slowly draws the baby out. The little one is stilled covered in fluids and mucus of the womb and birth canal she had tried to descend through. The healer does not lift her gaze from the tiny form, but speaks to him, "take the knife and cut the cord then call to your, Heart." Turning, his gaze from his Heart to watch the healer do the work at hand, he takes a brief few precious seconds to recompose. He had been witnessing to things no mortal creature whether mundane or supernatural has been privileged to experience. At the healer’s, command, he reached over and took up a knife from the table. His lips lowered to brush over his Heart’s cold pallid temple, speaking softly to her. "Si, mon amoure. Come back," though his eyes were to the babe, positioning the knife where he easily sliced the cord in two, still calling for Si.

Her essence had been hovering nearby watching them all. Then his called pierced through the nebulous state she is suspended in and rushes back into the empty cold husk. Lids flicker open once, twice, trice. The priestess focuses helping the Mistress re-enter the Flesh Time, slowly that form starts to take on the more substantial aspect, solidifying. The whiteness of cold pallid flesh melds into the healthy sun kissed tinte of her normal self. "Milord," there is urgency in the healer’s voice now, "the baby needs to be dipped in the pool. We will tend to your Heart. Now, tend your daughter. Disrobe and descend into the pool in the other chamber, submerge her, and call out her name to lure her here to this plane," she turns to walk towards the pool area holding that small stilled form. Her heart races and eyes tear seeing in her arms what they all had been waiting for countless ages. Stops and looks over a shoulder to watch him, a silent prayer of thanks is offer, for through him the Maiden had come. Then stands by the pool waiting to hand him the baby. He smiles, seeing that Si' safely returned to her body. Hearing the healer's words, he glanced to her and stood, immediately shedding his clothing that is still damp from her water. He cared not he was being watched this time. Turning toward the healer, he reaches over, taking the stilled wet form from her arms. He peers down to the stilled newborn girl with a rare warm smile before glancing to the woman once more. Then, turns and steps down the wide set of steps that disappear into the waters, hoping silently that the waters are not too deep for he can’t swim. He then brought the tiny body under the waters, taking in a deep breath before he closed his eyes, calling for Tas', beckoning her to him and to the body.

The healer did not even notice his nudity. Being accustomed to nudity whether male or female it was nothing. In a realm, where the body is worshipped nudity does not draw attention to the self. She bowed and returned quickly towards the Mistress' side to deal with the final task at hand. The pool is not that deep just go to about shoulder height. Stilled dark waters feel cool, as he calls for the child to join the flesh time, the waters start to churn in a wild dance. Over head, a maelstrom of waves forms frothing whitish and spilling over the sides of the pool's rim. First, a one little leg kicks out, then the other follows suit. Soon, in his arms and hands he can feel the small form withering and moving about. Her small wings try to beat against the currents created by the moving waters. He paid no mind to the waves being focused on the babe. The moment, the movement is felt, his eyes flew open, peering down. Not wanting her to drown with lack of air, whether she needed it now or not, he pulls the newborn girl out of the waters to look at the wiggling wet form with a chuckle. "There's my lil Tas'min," not wanting to lose grip for the babe was still a bit slimy and soaking wet, he pulled her down against his chest, his arms wrapping about her form as he turned, moving out of the water. His hand supporting just the way Feyl taught him. Placing a kiss to the babe's forehead, he glances over to one of the women to see if anything else needed to be done to Tas'min or Si’. They are helping their Mistress with the final task of expelling the afterbirth; the mess of the placenta comes out. It is collected and taken away by the priestess. The healer is helps the Mistress get clean.

The babe wiggles and kicks those tiny little legs out, the soft silken soles of such tiny little feet skim over his chest as her legs extend. Damp soaked wings flapped about, then on instinct that tiny little mouth searches about for a teat. Soft dewy tiny lips suckle along his chest. A fierce little cry is released as she sucks harder but gets nothing! He blinked, feeling the suckling. He glanced down to her as she suckled at his chest. He did smile a bit, carrying her over to Si' and the healer. "I think she's hungry or something," sure, he'll get hickey marks on his chest. Their daughter has already claimed her father,he has to laugh through tears of joy. Joy, happiness, are things rare for a man who has led a hard life. Through a warm smile, Si’ gazes to her Heart and their baby, "she has wonderful father, but she needs to be cleaned and dried, my love." Too worn to move, she lays there in the chair watching them both. Tas'min continues that frantic, not knowing any better; she frantically suckles hard until her face becomes red. The healer discreetly steps behind him and drapes a large warm quilt over his shoulder than leaves, letting them both have their privacy with their daughter.

He nods as he moved down beside Si’, finding a small bit of room on the chair. He glanced to the healer as she did put a quilt over his form, grateful for that too. He glanced over, finding a clean towel, he took it down and gently moves it over the infant's form, wiping away the sticky stuff along with some water. Grabbing another towel, he repeats the process till she's clean as he can get her to be. Finally, he took a smaller blanket and wrapped it about Tas’ lil’ form, soothing the child with little strokes here and there. "She is beautiful m’amoure.. just like her mother.." the first birth of his children he has ever witnessed. Pangs of regret for having missed the birth of his other children momentarily eat at his heart. He is a sorry for never being present for Anton's or Lawrence's births. This is a moment in time; the Marquis will never forget and will treasure for many years to come. Once, the baby is cleaned up, he holds Tas' for Si’ to hold if she's up for it. "You are wonderful with her already. One would never know you did naught deal with little ones," slowly sits up to take their daughter. Cradles the baby in her arms that little head resting in the crook of one arm. Guides that little mouth to a teat. Looks up to him from the tiny little thing in her arms, "she is beautiful indeed. She has your hair," the wings were large indeed. Now she had to chuckle, "she is more wing than anything."

Arm slides around her form, drawing her closer so until her back rests upon his chest easily. He places a kiss to her temple before peering down to the babe. His fingers dancing along her feet and fingers, making sure she had the correct number of fingers and toes.. along with feeling the softness of her baby flesh. "But she has your beauty more than anything," damn, a rare moment to find the Sadist Marquis so tender. Those tiny little feet did flinch in reflex to his touch, she smiled seeing the baby strong and healthy. "You got your Little Princess, my love. The baby girl you wanted so much." Her tiny little hands shook a bit as she fed rather hungrily. Tiny wings still damp flopped a bit erratically. "That I do. Mon Lil’ Princess." His fingers trailed down over the damp wings, pushing it lightly so it would not dangle in an uncomfortable position. He then peered to Si’ as his rugged cheek nuzzled against her jaw lightly, placing a light kiss. "But how are you feeling?" In response, the new mother, nuzzles into his face tenderly, "I feel worn, but very happy. I have you by my side and our little one. Our love produced this beautiful little one," peers up to him from the still nursing baby.

Concepts of Tas'min, Ta'is, the Imaji Realm, and all related materials are protected under international copyright law and are the intellectual property or G.E.Blessing B. (GEBB), © 1990 - 2002.

Concept of Louis and all related materials are protected under international copyright law and are the intellectual property of Phil A., © 1997 - 2002.

Conceptof Drake, the Seraph of death and all related materials are protected under international copyright law and are the intellectual property of Dan A., © 1996 - 2002.

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