Pulchra And Akaru

  ***

  That evening, a cold wind blew and rain fell in steady drops. Pulchra huddled in her tent but she couldn’t sleep. Pain gripped her entire body. She could easily feel the now strong presence in her belly, and was agitated. The child was coming that night.

  Celisha and Carmina tried to make her comfortable and spoke encouragingly to her, but they kept looking nervously toward the forest. Pulchra didn’t pay attention to this until she heard rustling in the underbrush not far from the tent.

  “What is that?” she cried sitting up.

  “Shh, lie quietly, mistress,” Celisha said and pushed her back down.

  “But something’s out there.”

  “Yes, mistress,” Carmina said. Her voice was shaking and Pulchra finally realized why. Beyond the presence in her belly, Pulchra felt a very large number of greater daemons not far away.

  “Who are they? Why are they coming here?” Pulchra cried in panic. Tears streamed down her face. “Why are they coming now?”

  “I don’t know, mistress. Please try to stay calm,” Celisha pleaded with her but there was worry on her face too. More rustling came from the forest, growing closer and closer. What could they do if a daemon found them now? Suddenly the tent flap flew open and an orange, furred head peered inside.

  “Tobart!” Pulchra sighed with relief. “What are you doing here?”

  “Lord Akaru sent me to find you after Mistress Aleckasia joined us,” Tobart said and entered the tent. He wore a short sword strapped to his side. “Then he called a withdrawal to lure Tykar into a trap near here. It would be best for us to move into Angustia during the battle.”

  “But, Tobart,” Celisha protested. “The magistrate has-”

  “Exiled his daughter,” Tobart finished and patted the sword at his side. “Which is why I am coming with you.”

  “The child is coming,” Pulchra gasped.

  “All the more reason to hurry,” Tobart said as loud crashes sounded from the forest. He leaned down and easily scooped Pulchra off the pile of blankets. “Come quickly.”

  Celisha and Carmina grabbed some of the blankets and a skin of water and followed Tobart out of the tent. Pulchra squeezed her eyes shut as pain gripped her again, but she did not have to see to know that the battle had begun in earnest and daemons sped frantically throughout the forest.