The Unamed Heir
#6 of The Princess and The Knight
Months went by until it was almost time for the long awaited royal birth of Saline and Bronns child all preperations were made in the royal bedroom for the newborn except for the decorations until they found out if it was a boy or girl. Saline was in a rocking chair in her studies reading up on the latest spells and looking out the window dreaming of bringing her child into the world when suddenly the lights went out and everything went black.
Bronn had just come back from a deer hunt with the soldiers with a boquet for Saline but when he arrived he found her room ransacked with a dagger pinning a note to the wall.
"If you ever want to see your wife and child come and find us...*crushes paper* CAPTAIN!!"
Meanwhile in a desecrated forest four bandits sat around a bonfire with Saline tied to a long wooden stake near the fire so she could stay warm.
"Grr! you monsters! I demand that you release me at once!"
"Easy your higness those ropes have been dipped in a special potion so that you can't cast any spells."
"And besides you don't want to have a miscarrage do you?"
Saline sulked her head a bit giving them an annoyed look, if it weren't for the baby still in her she would be able to untie herself and turn them into stone with just a wave of the hand, while they waited around the fire Bronn lead a company of knights following a trail that lead from Salines room into the woods.
The moment the trail got cold Bronn ordered them to dismount, leaving two of the men with the horses as he caught a whiff of smoke in the air. Back at the camp one of the bandits sharpening a sword noticed Saline with that look on her face and smirked to himself as he got back to sharpening his blade.
"Why do you smile?"
"You know that Bronn is a drong slayer right?"
"Yes."
"Well do you know what happens when a child is born of a dragon slayer? a son to be precise?"
"....No."
"Hm....if the son of a dragon slayer is born that child will be gifted with ALL the skills of a master hunter and will be born without fear of battle or death and such a child like that can be dangerous, especially to men like us."
"Just what are you saying?!?"
"If your child turns out to be a girl then we simply let you go and never show our faces here again but if it's a boy well...you understand don't you?"
"No...You will not harm my child-AAH!!"
Saline suddenly felt a sharp pain and a small amount of wetness. Her water had broke which is just the thing the mercanaries were waiting for until a sudden roar was heard. Bronn and his men charged in ambushing the camp, the sound of clashing steel was soon heard followed by the cries of death as Bronn faced the mercanary next to Saline who struggled to keep her contractions under control.
"RAAAHHH!! HA! HAA!!"
Bronn attacked head on not giving his foe a chance to strike back as his blows were parried and blocked until his opponent made the mistake of blocking a thrust as Bronn slammed his shield to his chest sending him crashing to the ground when the roots of the trees suddenly came alive snaring all four of them.
"Sorry i'm late. we had to replace the hot water."
"Arbitus!"
"No time to talk! we've got a baby to deliver-ARISCUA AGIT!!"
Arbitus teleported them back to the castle leaving the captain and the rest of his men to chain up the mercanaries. The moment they arrived at the castle Saline was laid down at the edge of the bed as her pains grew more intense, hours went by with painful screams as she cried pushing out her baby with Bronn and her brother to help her.
"You're doing great Saline! now just breath and push when I tell you."
"AAARRRGGHHH!!!!"
"Squeeze my hand Saline! i'm right here!"
"Grr! *pant!* I wouldn't have it any other way....AAH!!"
"Alright here we go! and push!! push!!!"
"GAAAAGGH!!!!"
One last push was all it took as Salines pain suddenly faded away and the sound of a newborn baby crying filled the room. Arbitus cleaned the child off and wrapped it in a blanket smiling before handing it over to Bronn who was waiting while Saline rested for a moment.
"It's a boy."
"Ha....Saline look...it's our son."
Bronn handed the child over to his mate who smiled with pure happiness as she felt her baby being cradled in her arms for the first time as it wriggled in the blanket settling down.
"Hello my little prince...."
The lovers gave each other a quick kiss before looking back on their new baby boy and on his arm Saline saw the same mark that Bronn had on his hand and the words of the mercanary that spoke with her began to fill her with a bit of dread but that would have to wait for another time as they watched the baby fall asleep.
The next morning the announcement of the unamed prince was heard through all of Schrade and the people held a feast in honor of the child but while they celebrated the mercanary that Bronn had fought quietly escaped among the crowds, leaving the others to be excecuted after the celebration.
The End.