The large mansion was far from any civilization. Surrounded by thick spruce trees with only one road as an exit being covered in a light veil of snow. It was obvious that someone had tried to shovel it, but it proved a futile effort. The mansion itself had two stories with a large double door on the front, lavishly decorated with the motif of two cranes with their necks lovingly encircled around each other.
The room on the top right floor was the only lit room, flickering in the night whilst the snow gently fell around the house.
"Aaaah, aah, aaah, aaaah!" The woman screamed out, contractions worsening with each breath. Threatening to tear open at any moment. Her Blue hair was matted with sweat and her whole face looked pale. Her great beauty suddenly incarcerated by a foul expression. She tried to grasp the bed with unsteady hands and breath she seemed like she would suddenly stop at any time.
"That's it Seles just keep pushing. Listen to the sound of my voice and keep trying!" The man said. He had silver hair with a tint of red usually combed backward in respectable fashion but now an ungodly mess since he was like to pull it out any time soon. With a slightly darker colored Short trimmed beard and dark red eyes that looked purple in a different light.
He was ecstatic, terrified, and lost all at the same time. His sweaty palms gripping his wife's feeble hands. Not knowing what to do anymore all he could do was hope. They couldn't get to a healer in time due to the snow, Seles was not to be due for another month so they were caught off guard when the contractions hit early. Luckily the housemaid had picked up a small amount of healing magic. Wren was her name, an older lady with black hair and blue eyes who had been recommended by a friend. Although, her magic was pitiful, Barely enough to stave off a headache let alone the pain of childbirth. He was beginning to regret not learning any kind of healing magic. Instead opting for the destructive fire magic instead.
"Don't worry Morcose everything’s going to be fine.....ugh!!" Seles had saw her husband panicking and tried to comfort him but before she could the pain skyrocketed.
"That's it Ms. Kanda I can see the head." Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of unending worry, In the last push the baby was brought out into the world screaming as loud as it could. Desperately grasping for breath. But all Morcose could hear was white noise, as soon as the baby was out he had felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. There was his child, in all his glory, screaming his presence to the world. He looked at his wife still well, the color returning to her face, he smiled at her and said "Myrddin"........... Then fainted.
".........honey?" Seles looked at her husband on the ground almost bewildered by this.
"Oh, don't worry about this silly man Ms. Seles. Honestly he boasts so much about being a strong military man and can't even handle a little bit of labor pains. I hope his son doesn't turn out to be such a wimp." The Maid mercilessly chided the unconscious man now strewn across the floor with drool hanging from his mouth. This made Seles giggle.
"Hehe, thank you for helping us miss Wren, we couldn't have done it without you." She thanked the made as she handed over the child now bathed and wrapped in a cloth still making noises and stretching his arms around excited to greet the world. "And thank you my little bundle of joy for finally coming to see us. I've been waiting you, you know. Myrddin." She then gently kissed his forehead calming him and sending him into a deep sleep
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a month later when the boy first exhibited signs of his abilities. The small family had been living peacefully in their mansion waking up all cuddled together on the bed. Then reading stories from their bookshelf to Myrddin always making sure to try and get the baby to listen and understand what they were saying while he was looking up at them, curiosity fresh in his mind. Surprisingly the boy never showed much in the way of discontent. He would cry when hungry or when he had soiled himself but other than that it was all smiles and curiosity. Of course they couldn't ask for anything more as parents who had heard horror stories of never having any peace and quiet, or being unable to sleep. Curious himself Marcose had pinched Myrddin trying to get a reaction out of him, it did the trick making the infant whimper loudly, earning the idiot a resounding slap across the face.
During this time Seles had been in the living room painting with Myrddin in his cradle a few feet away fiddling with a small wooden toy, his favorite bird. There were many candles and paintings around the mansion, as another of her hobbies was candle making. Many candles with different colors, they were mostly flower designs and the odd animal, fox or deer carved into the wax. Making the inside of the log mansion look like spring had just arrived. Marcos was down on the ground floor in his study writing letters or exercising when Seles had heard the wooden toy drop from the cradle.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"Oh, did your birdy drop Myrddin. Hear let mommy get it for you sweat pea." She saw him reaching for the bird trying to move onto his stomach and put his arms through the bars of the cradle. She went to put down her paints and stand from the stool she was painting on when she heard an astonishing sound.
"ung... ug... B-bu... bur..dy." It was muffled and somewhat confused but there it was, his first word. 'That's not possible' she thought to herself. She hadn't expected any words from him in nearly 8 months. It couldn't have come from a month old that couldn't even toddle.
"M, Ma, MARCOSE!!! Come quick!" At that Marcos barreled up the stairs almost ramming himself into the doorframe in panic. Fearing the absolute worst he questioned her continuously.
"What! What is it! What happened?" He couldn't see any danger, his eyes now darting around the room, searching for threats.
"It's Myrddin he said his first word!" She told him clenching her hands to her chest looking at Myrddin almost in wonder. Hearing this he visibly relaxed and tried to correct her.
"Come now honey he's barely a month and you think he talked? It's only baby babble you must have heard something that sounded like a word." He said to her with a smug grin on his face.
"What's that smirk you dummy! He said a word, I'm not stupid." She said now angry at her husband for ruining the moment
"Yes, yes dear. Whatever you say." He knew he had made a mistake there.
"And what's that supposed to mean." She said. Now even more irritated.
"B.... Birdy." Myrddin said with tears visibly welling up in his eyes. This snapped the two out of their small argument and back to attention.
"He, he said it." Marcose said now shocked at his son. Seles then smirked at him herself and stuck her tongue at him playfully before quickly running over and grabbing the toy. Then putting it back into his hands which made him show a very relieved smile.
From then on the boy continued to show his little bits of genius learning different words and even solving some simple shape puzzles on the first try. His parents were overjoyed at the child growth but he had more to show them still. On another day in the dining room Seles was holding Myrddin while carving one of her candles, Wren was off to the side of the room. With most of the house chores done she just had to sit by and wait for Seles to be done making her mess. Now two months had passed and Myrddin had learned many words and would babble happily while he watched his mother do different hobbies she was a great artist who loved to dabble in arts and crafts.
“There It’s done.” She said happily giving the finishing touches on the candle. It was a bouquet of small tulips arranged around the wick of the candle.
“Oh finished is it? Then let’s give it a light then shall we.” Said Marcose who had been quietly sitting across the table sipping his Tea, enjoying watching the two having fun. Then with a snap of his fingers without so much as spark the candle was lit aflame.
This stirred something in the boy. He had actually seen his father do this many times but he hadn’t been this close to a flame before. And so before his mother could notice being driven by curiosity he reached out and touched the flame.
“Ahh!” Not surprisingly it hurt.
“Haah. NOOO!!” Once she had noticed Seles reeled back hugging him close and checking his hand. Luckily Wren had a jug of water on standby and quickly poured water on the hand. Myrddin had tears in his eyes.
“Oh no! Honey is he ok? Does he have a burn?” Marcose rushed over as well, showing great concern.
“No I think he’s alright…. Ummm honey what color are his eyes?” Seles said it after wiping the tears from Myrddin’s eyes. She then just suddenly stopped and stared at him with a strange confused expression.
“Of course I know. I’m not that ignorant of a husband sheesh. They’re brown, dark brown are the color of his eyes.” He replied thinking it was a test that Seles gave to make sure he was paying attention to his son.
“Yeah, I thought so too but they seem to be….red.” She said that seemingly dumbfounded by her own statement.
“......Huh?”