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An eternity. That's how long it took. Manawyhn helped her every step of the way. But it was grueling. Every fiber in her body screamed and burned. She moaned and screamed, clutching at his hands and thick purple robes through the entire struggle. The pain that lanced through her belly with every contraction made her beg the Goddess to die. It would be sweet release from the agony being inflicted on her. And that was just the climb to the tower!

She barely remembered entering the tower. Or the trek to the infirmary. But she could remember in vivid detail everything about the infirmary. The smooth, white limestone walls polished to a glass-smoothness. The lumpy mattress they laid her heavy body on in the middle of the room. The smell of the soaps barely masking the scent of blood and medicine. The cold air and the even colder stirrups they lifted her legs up onto.

Three elves had been there, dressed in white. They pulled her clothes off of her and started to wipe her body down, cleaning and preparing her for the birth of a creature a young angel like her was never supposed to carry.

They tried to shoo Manawyhn out, but she had demanded he be allowed to remain. Modesty was the least of her concern. Hell, she'd just fucked him on the beach an eternity ago. Him there to see her naked body was nothing. But she needed someone who wasn't all business. She suspected he had to stay in the infirmary himself afterward due to her breaking the bones in his hands, but at the time she didn't care.

Every agony she'd felt climbing the island to the tower's gate had been just a taste of her torment during the birth. For hours, too many for her to count, she pushed and screamed and wailed. The healers had worked tirelessly and never left her side. Neither did Manawyhn, but she didn't exactly give him the choice.

Every moment, every sharp pain, every screaming tearing through her throat, she remembered all of it. She knew at last she had broken her insatiable lust. She never wanted another -anything- touching her vagina again. Going in or coming out! This was an experience that would stay with her for the rest of her life. But there was one thing she would never forget.

The first wailing cry that wasn't hers filling her ears washed all of the pain away in an instant. She'd blinked the tears away and looked up to see the healers wiping the blood and muck away from a white-furred little foal that wiggled and writhed. Her heart had swelled and in that moment, there was only one thing in the world that mattered to her.

She had been more eager to hold the newborn than she had been for the pain to go away. They laid the little foal beside her. His pristine little white horse body nestled carefully against her side while his pale torso laid across her chest. He latched right on to her dark nipple and began to suckle. It was an odd sensation, but one that made her heart flutter with joy and affection for the little life she had only just met. He nursed for quite a while, but then again he was as exhausted as she was.

When Alcmene finally lost consciousness, her newborn son was still suckling at her breast, himself half asleep. When she awoke, he was still going at it. Or maybe he was nursing again. She had no way of knowing. She'd had a blanket draped over her naked body at some point and the stirrups had been removed from the bed, allowing her to lay comfortable with the infant centaur. When at last she felt his wee little lips fall away from her sensitive skin, she lifted her head and smiled down at her son's sleeping face. He was so peaceful and calm. Beautiful in his innocence and newness.

There was a small nagging in the back of her mind, like she'd left a window open in her chambers. But it was small, unimportant. She paid it no mind as she watched the infant sleep.

The door opened and she looked up to see her human friend slip quietly into the room. Manawyhn offered her a smile and moved to kneel at her bedside and stared in wonderment at the bundle snuggled beside her. For all of his skills and abilities, it looked as though he were seeing magic for the first time.

“He's beautiful," Manawyhn whispered, careful of the sleeping babe.

“Yes he is," she agreed softly. “Hard to believe he came out of me!"

Manawyhn stifled a laugh and nodded his agreement. He reached down, gently caressing the babe's fuzzy head. “The healers say you need to stay in here for a while, so they can keep an eye on you. It shouldn't be too long before you're out being a Warden again."

“I can't wait," she said and dropped her gaze back to her sleeping child.

There was a long silence that settled over them as they watched the infant's peaceful face. Neither of them wanted to soil the magic of the moment with speech. It never felt awkward for Alcmene. She didn't care if Manawyhn was there or not. She just laid there and watched, reveling in the wonder and awe of having given birth.

“What are you going to call him?" Manawyhn finally asked, looking away from the baby for only a moment.

She pondered for a moment, unsure really. She hadn't given it much thought. Her lips slowly curled into a smile as a name came to her, as if from the celestial itself. “Orion."

“Orion," Manawyhn tried it out. “I like it. It's very unique." Again, the young man caressed the child's fuzzy head. “Like him."

Alcmene nodded her agreement and was silent again.

“I had your clothes brought down," he said again. “The ones you were wearing were washed and put in your wardrobe." He glanced over his shoulder at the door and smiled. “They're on a chair outside. I'll bring them in here before I leave."

“And my scepter?"

“It wasn't in your chambers," he said with a shrug, “and it wasn't with the clothes they washed. I'd assumed they left it in here with you."

Alcmene's heart thundered as panic rose in her chest. “It isn't in here." She looked around, as if to check that her memory of the past few hours wasn't faulty.

“Maybe it's still on the beach where you and I-…?"

“No, I grabbed it before we left!" She looked around, suddenly frantic as that small nagging feeling exploded.

“Well it can't have gone far. I'm sure it just got lost with the laundry." He offered her a smile, but she knew his words weren't true.

“No, they would have kept it with my clothes. It can't get lost in a pocket!" She licked her lips and tried to sit up. She had only just braced her arms beneath herself when it hit her like an anvil. “The ones in Medinah…"

“What was that?" Manawyhn asked, his brow creasing. “Who in Medinah?"

The angel shook her head and sat up, careful of the sleeping babe beside her. “When I got the scepter, this group of people in dark clothes tried to steal it from me. They killed my friend and tried to do the same to me. I thought they'd just give up when I got away, but…" She reached up and ran her hands through her knotted hair, to the best of her abilities. “It's got to be them."

“We've got to tell the Protectorate," the young man said, standing up. He straightened his robes and looked over his shoulder. “I'll ask the healers about speeding your recovery as much as they can. We have to get that scepter back."

“We should go right now!" she said, trying to swing her legs out of bed.

Manawyhn was there instantly, his hands on the blanket covering her still bare legs. “No, no!" he said. “You won't be any help to anyone if you leave before you're given the go-ahead and collapse!" he shook his head slowly and motioned to the sleeping babe. “Stay here with Orion. I'll go talk to the healers."

Begrudgingly, Alcmene laid herself back down and snuggled herself up against the child once again. She watched Manawyhn slip through the door and breathed a heavy sigh. This was not happening! She lost her scepter! That had been her final test! The talisman had reshaped itself to fit her! Now it was gone, taken by the Goddess knew who!

The healers came into her room only a few minutes later and made her drink vile, thick yellow sludge. She was sure she felt chunks glide over her tongue and slide down her throat in thick globs, but she didn't focus on it. If it would help her to regain her strength quicker, then so be it.

It was not the next day, but the following when she was allowed to leave the confines of the infirmary. By then she had dressed and her baby had already taken his first, wobbly steps on shaking legs. He was moving around, albeit a little awkwardly, but already so soon! Much quicker than any other species, she was sure! Then again, she'd heard pure centaur foals take their first steps within hours. She still felt pride swell within her breast and momentarily make her forget about such things as Wardenship until the door opened and Manawyhn peeked his head in.

“The Healers said you are free to leave now," the human said, then glanced over his shoulder to look at something behind the door. Alcmene didn't have to wait long to find out what. He pushed the door open and one of the elves who had helped her give birth stepped into the room.

“I will watch Orion while you speak with the Protectorate," the green haired woman said.

Alcmene was almost unwilling to leave. She stared at Orion as he walked around the room, exploring every little corner and crack in the smooth stone. He would be fine. There was nowhere safer for him. And she had responsibilities she had to tend to.

“Okay," she finally said then stepped toward the door that Manawyhn held open for her.

“The Protectorate has agreed to speak with us," he said as they began the long, slow climb up to the top of the tower where the Doujin's leaders kept council in their crystal hall. “I've explained the situation as best as I can, but there aren't many details we can go off of other than what you told me."

“It'll have to do," she said, her mind flying in a million different directions as worry filled her heart. She was certain they were going to excommunicate her, banish her from the order forever.

She'd climbed to the top of the tower several times, but somehow the journey became a struggle half way up. She knew she was weak and sore from giving birth to her foal, but this was still unexpected. She had to reach a hand out to the nearby wall to steady herself on more than one occasion, but she kept pace with Manawyhn nonetheless.

When they finally crested the last stair and started down the crystalline walkway that led to the massive crystal hall suspended over the courtyard on top of the tower, Alcmene felt a new energy rush through her limbs. The hard part was over. They had made it.

From where they stood, Alcmene could see two of the other walkways extending from the spires placed at each of the compass directions on each side of the large courtyard. The other, of course, was on the opposite side of the Protectorate's hall and she couldn't see it from where she was, but the view down into the lush, green courtyard was as breathtaking as ever.

At the end of the walkway, two armored Wardens stood guard in front of a door that looked more like an intricately cut diamond than any conventional door. The Wardens were dressed in pale gold platemail and matching helmets that hid their faces. Both of them held a greatsword in front of him, their hands idly resting on the pommels while the bare tips touched the glassy floor.

When the two approached the guards, both armored figures stepped aside and the diamond doorway melted into the hallway around them like ice on a hot day. Without a moment's hesitation, Manawyhn and Alcmene stepped through into the open hall beyond.

The suspended chamber was mostly open space. A red carpet led from each of the three towers Alcmene had seen to the middle of the chamber. Each carpet was lined with crystalline pillars and enormous gems carved to resemble figures of note in Aslennoran history between them. The three carpets met in the middle of the chamber, then extended directly ahead of them to an upraised dais and a fourth door she knew led to the forth spire.

Upon the dais were six occupied thrones positioned in a semi-circle and behind them a giant golden dragon laid leisurely on his side staring down at the two of them as they approached. As they neared the dais, both Alcmene and Manawyhn dropped to their knees and bowed their heads for a moment.

Before either of them could speak, a dark haired elf, Nostros, dressed in purple robes not at all dissimilar from Manawyhn's said in a booming voice “Losing artifacts of power is not a matter we take lightly."

Alcmene lifted her eyes and felt her heart drop again. She slowly stood up and shook her head. “I understand, Noble Protectorate! I would not have lost it, but-…"

“We know the circumstances and realize they are unusual. It is not often a Warden gives birth in the tower," a fairy with sheer, translucent robes that left very little of her voluptuous form to the imagination said. “You had other matters to devote your attention to."

A dwarf with a thick coppery mane and beard grumbled thoughtfully and lifted a hand indicatingly. “Manawyhn tells us you believe you know who has taken your artifact. How certain are you of that?"

“Very certain," she said, averting her eyes. “I cannot explain how. I only know in my heart of hearts that it is the same group that tried to take it from me in Medinah."

The members of the Protectorate exchanged glances and unspoken words.

“Then the two of you must travel to Medinah. Scour the Abrinin desert until you have found the artifact and reclaim its power," the dark haired elf said.

Her heart skipped a beat. She turned and looked to Manawyhn and felt her apprehension climb when she saw him avoiding her gaze. She turned her own eyes back on the Protectorate and shook her head. “The two of us?" she asked. “I don't understand. What about my-…"

“Attachments can be exploited," the dragon, Arkndrndrran said, his voice reverberating throughout each diamond-like statue and every bone in Alcmene's body. “Even the attachment of a mother for her child. A Warden cannot remain impartial and cannot up hold justice with such attachments. The wellbeing of Aslennor and her people must come above all else, even your child." A thoughtful hum rumbled deep in the dragon's chest.

“Your child will be taken somewhere that he can live a full, healthy life. You will be allowed to say goodbye, but when you have left on this mission, you will never be allowed to see him again."

The dragon's words hurt her far more than the agonies she had endured to bring the foal into the world. She felt the world fall out from under her and her weak knees gave way. Manawyhn tried to catch her, but he was too slow. She collapsed onto the floor and her vision blurred with the pain and the sorrow overwhelming her. “But he is my son, I can't just abandon him." Her voice was so soft, she barely heard herself speak. She didn't have the strength to speak any louder.

“Then you have a choice," an angel with pale blue wings said. Her face was stoic and hard, but if she didn't know any better, Alcmene would have swore she saw sympathy and pain in her eyes. “You can stay with your son. Raise him. Teach him to be a good man. Or you can remain here and uphold your oath as a Warden of Justice."

She slowly nodded, her body slumping as the last bit of strength bled away. “I will uphold my oath," she said at last.

“Good," Arkndrndrran said. “You will leave with the first ship to the mainland tomorrow morning. It's a small supply vessel that will take you to the town of Saril at the base of the Relward. Your son will be taken on a separate ship at a different time. You have our word he will go to a good home with loving caregivers."

“How do I know that?" Alcmene said, staring down at the carpet she sat on. “What assurances do I have?"

“You must trust us," the fairy woman said softly. “For one, we have no reason to mislead you. We are not murderers. We won't abandon an innocent, nor do we assign the sins of a child's parent to that child. We will not punish Orion for the sins of his father."

Slowly, Alcmene nodded and choked back a sob. “I understand," she sniffled.

“Go," Nostros said. “Say your goodbyes. Take as much time as you need. Your boat leaves with first light."

Again Alcmene forced a nod and allowed Manawyhn to haul her to her feet. She barely had the strength to hold her own weight. As they walked back the way they had come, she leaned heavily on her friend. She wept into the purple fabric of his robes and her wings dragged along the ground behind her. She knew she had responsibilities and an oath to the Doujin, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the entire world was falling out from under her, leaving her in freefall.

How could she care so deeply and love so unconditionally a tiny person she didn't know until two days ago?