"Release me, you goddamn prick!"

"That is not going to happen."

"Fucking hell, release me!" Caydrick roared, struggling against the chains that confined him. It cut into his skin as another scream was heard. "Fuck! Let me go, I swear to God if you do not—"

"Stop it. It will all be over soon enough."

In the distant, he heard Bethia scream bloody murder, a scream so ear piercing, Caydrick cringed. Immediately, he started thrashing against the chains again. "She is dying! It is killing her, I have to help her! Release me now!"

"Just stop. There is nothing you can do. You knew this would happen, it is just how life works. Besides," Moteith glanced at him, running a hand through his tousled curls. "Labor is always painful."

As Bethia screamed again, her voice carrying all the way over the hill from the cabin she was in, Caydrick made a pathetic whimper and sagged against the tree he was chained to; They had to do that when he would not stop flipping out. She was in so much pain and there was just nothing he could do. "God, I cannot stand it, Mo. What if... What if she dies?"

Moteith came up to him, his tallish thin frame more well-nourished than it had ever been. He placed a hand on Caydrick's shoulder and offered him a reassuring smile. "She is strong, my brother. If she survived marrying you, I am sure she will survive this too. Do not worry."

Caydrick had no choice but to take his words as comfort. Even if they did not work, it was all there was. Childbirth could kill a woman and he could not live without his. His beautiful, generous, kindhearted, stubborn I-want-to-live-in-the-mountains-with-a-view-with-only-limited-midwives, who was currently trying to birth his child.

Caydrick went completely limp just as her screaming stopped and was replaced by another one. A lighter, more high-pitched, and certainly the most beautiful sound he had ever heard, traveled into his ear and heart. "Oh my God."

"Congratulations, daddy," Moteith grinned, padding him on his shoulder. "I think you just became a father."

Caydrick could not breathe. His chest constricted, his lungs refused to fill up with air and his mouth went completely dry. He was a father.

He had not even registered Moteith going around the tree to unfasten the chains until he suddenly collapsed on the ground with a thud when they no longer held him upright. Letting out a garbled sound, he shakily tried to stand up. "I... I... I am..."

"Come on, up you go," Mo came to help him, trying to drag his 200 pound body up with his skinny arms. "Do you not want to go see your baby?"

Which one? Was all Caydrick could think. The wails of the newborn baby still echoed over the hill, jolting into his heart like a lighting. But he could not hear Bethia anymore.

"Come on, one foot in front of the—alright, you're running!" Mo tried tried to keep up as Caydrick finally found the usage of his muscles and bolted across the hill.

She is fine, she is fine, she is fine, he consistently chanted in his head. There was no other reality he would accept.

Finally he came to their cottage, stopping dead in front of the door. The cries of the baby had stopped too, and now he could hear muffled voices speaking inside. Slowly, with a shaky breath, he opened the door.

Light shun into the dark little cabin, and there, in the bed laid Bethia, her skin glistening with sweat and her hair stuck to her forehead. Blood stained the bedsheets and the midwives were removing something that made Caydrick's stomach want to turn, but there – in his wives arms, Bethia nursed something so tiny, so pink, so fragile. Once she looked up and saw him standing frozen in the doorway, she send him a tired but absolutely lovingly breathtaking smile. "Caydrick."

He felt his knees wobbling beneath him as he took a hesitant step closer. She was alive and well. "B-Bethia."

"Come here," She whispered, giving him a heart-throbbing look. "Come see our child."

Slowly, not sure if his feet would carry him, he walked over to the bed, hands shaking. His eyes landed on the bundled-up lump in her arms – and then his heart melted.

The most beautiful, tiny little baby with blond wisps of hair on its head clutched its little hand against his wife's bosom, while gently, with the most enchanting sound, suckled on her nipple. Eyes closed as it drank its nurturing milk, he had never seen anything so beautiful.

"It is a boy," Bethia gently whispered, smiling at Caydrick's love-stricken face.

Caydrick choked on something and realized it was love. His love for this beautiful little boy that was his son. A completely innocent, careless free boy who did not know hurt yet and never would. He would make sure of that. This tiny little creation which had been growing in Bethia's beautiful belly for nine months was now here, more beautiful than he had ever imagined.

With a small satisfied plop, the baby released Bethia's breast from his mouth, stretching his little hand into the air. Like that, Caydrick automatically sagged onto his knees, kneeling next to the bed.

"Would you like to hold him?" Bethia whispered, giving him another one of her ever loving stares. Looking back at her, he only now found the moment to actually look properly at her.

Dried tracks of tears were evident by her eyes and down her cheeks, and sweat gave her skin an illuminating glow. Her lips were bruised from biting into them so hard and her eyelids were heavy with exhaustion. But her chocolate eyes shun with pure love and nothing – not even the strength it had taken to deliver their baby – could describe the happiness that claimed her face. Fresh tears of joy welled up in her eyes and Caydrick – without hesitation – leaned in and pressed a long, loving kiss on her lips. She kissed him back, and for what seemed like hours, they stayed like that, lips pressed together. It was only until the baby in her arms started to feel neglected and begun making a fuzz, they pulled apart.

A smile broke out on Bethia's lips as happy tears rolled down her eyes. "There there, sweetheart. We love you."

"I love you," Caydrick said, pressing a kiss to her forehead when she made small cooing noises to soothe the baby's gentle cries. "And I worship you," He then said. "Both of you."

As if the baby could already understand his words, it stretched its tiny hand into the air again, grasping for invisible things. Caydrick could not stop watching him, even as he fuzzed.

"I think you should hold him," Beth said, giving him a little smile. "I think he wants his daddy."

Daddy. He was a dad. Caydrick could not fathom it, even as he hesitantly, and more carefully than ever, scooped his tiny, weightless son into his arms and gently cradled him. When he stopped fuzzing, Bethia smiled pleased. "I told you. He is already a daddy's boy."

Caydrick could hardly comprehend his world anymore. He was looking at it, watching as his son made some small garbled sounds, before slowly opening up his eyes. Meeting his son's eyes for the first time, he looked into the most beautiful amber eyes with flecks of green in them. He looked right back, watching his dad with curious interest.

Bethia suddenly reached up to Caydrick's cheek to wipe away what turned out to be a tear. His eyes could leave his son's, even when she stroked his cheek with her thumb. "He loves you."

"Bethia..." Caydrick did not know what to say. Never in his life had he valued his sight so much as he did in this very moment – not even when he first laid eyes on Bethia, even if was close to. Seeing his kid and seeing him staring back at him, seeing his amazing wife with that look in her beautiful eyes... He had never cherished his own so much.

"Knock-knock," A careful voice suddenly said from the door. Moteith appeared, carefully glancing inside. "May I come in?"

Bethia was the one to reply. "Of course, Mo, come on in. Come meet your nephew."

Caydrick lifted his eyes to meet Moteith's and saw him looking just as touched as he felt. Mo had never had any family himself and the fact that he got to be a part of theirs – he felt truly blessed, Caydrick could tell.

"Come over here, brother," Caydrick hoarsely got out. "Someone here wants to meet you."

Carefully, Mo stepped closer while Bethia covered herself up. But Mo never even as much as gave her a glance. Like Caydrick, he was completely hypnotized by the baby in his arms. "Holy God. It's... beautiful. Boy or a girl?"

"Boy," Caydrick replied. "I have a son."

A wide, happy grin stretched on Moteith's face as he looked up at his friend. "I am happy for you, my brother. You have come a long way. What are you going to name him?"

Caydrick glanced back at Bethia who with a little smile, nodded. "We talked a little and..."

"Yes?" Mo excitedly asked.

"We decided to name him Moteith," Caydrick said, smiling at his friend. "Like his uncle. Without him, he would not have been brought into this world. Without him... His parents never would have met."

Every expression dropped from Moteith's face and so did his jaw; Without further ado, he tilted over on the floor, landing on his back in a bundle of limps.

"Mo!" Caydrick exclaimed, startling the baby in his arms. With a soft murmur, he pressed a kiss to his son's forehead which immediately calmed him down. After than, he carefully crouched down to his friend who had passed out from the shock. "Mo, brother, wake up. Do not make me put down my child so I can pull you up myself."

"I think it was a little too much for him," Bethia tiredly chuckled. The effort of childbirth was finally tearing on her. "Maybe take him outside for a walk. Get some fresh air. I think you could use some as well."

"I'm not leaving your side until I die," Caydrick said, glancing down at his son. "Nor you, Moteith."

Mo groaned from the floor at the sound his name being used on the baby. "Good God, Cay, are you trying to kill me?"

"Nay, but I am trying to get you up off the floors we built together. Come now, brother. Get up so you can hold your nephew."

Looking faintish again, Mo shakily got up, wobbly on his feet. He looked at little Moteith, then his lip quivered. "God, Caydrick. God has been so good to you."

Caydrick smiled and looked first at his son, then at his wife. "He has. And to you too, Mo. Here, hold him, why do you not?"

Mo's eyes widened again and he swayed a little on his feet, but then he gulped and spoke, "Mayhap I should sit down first."

Caydrick agreed, looking down at the fragile little treasure in his hands, then at Mo's wobbly legs. "Good idea."

Mo took a seat by the foot of Bethia's bed, Beth smiling warmly at him as Caydrick handed over his son to his best friend. "Careful, support his head," She instructed, watching the swap sharply. She even sat up a little.

But Caydrick trusted Moteith fully to be gentle with his son. "Easy, my love," He said, watching as Mo now held little Mo. "Look at them. I think little Mo likes his uncle."

Moteith cried – the big one of them. He did so silently as he gazed down at the tiny baby in his arms, and Caydrick now realized this must have been how he had looked himself. So touched, so completely shattered by all the love that little child had brought with it upon its arrival in this world.

Caydrick turned his eyes to Bethia who had leaned her head up against his arm, blinking tiredly, but still smiling. He brought his lips to the top of her moist hair and pressed a long kiss to it. "I love you, Bethia."

"And I you, Caydrick," She whispered. Her eyes closed, but Caydrick did not mind. She had done so good today.

Softly getting up, he made sure to tug her in nicely, then looked at Moteith. He was still so mesmerized by the baby in his arms that he did not notice Bethia conking out. Caydrick therefore padded his shoulder and brought his attention to him. "Come. Let us leave her to rest."

As if snapping out of a daze, Moteith looked at Beth, then at Caydrick. "Oh, of course. Here, you should take him back before I faint again and indent your floor permanently."

Caydrick chuckled silently and lifted his son out of his friend's arms and brought him into his own.

He heard Moteith whisper a short goodbye, then he went out the door, closed it behind him. The midwives followed shortly after, giving them a moment alone as a family.

- Because that was what they were now; A family. A thing that Caydrick had never had.

"I solemnly promise you," He said, looking down at the beautiful baby boy in his arms that was sleeping soundly, making the smallest fuzzy sounds every now and then, "You will never not be loved, my beautiful son. Your mother and I... we will keep you safe forever. And trust me, my boy," He said, leaning down to press a kiss to his velvet forehead. "I work until my family is pleased."