I've Been Waiting for You (10 page)

“I will wait for you
,” Thor whispered before rising from his knees.

Katherine awoke and felt the baby give a violent kick, keeping it up for a few seconds. She had been stretched out on the couch, reading, and then had dozed off, so Elsabet had gone to the kitchen to make her some hot cocoa. Other women from the coven had been in and out, watching over their new Queen, and expectant mother.

Elsabet came in with a tray and saw the strange expression on Katherine’s face. Since Katherine had the gift of second sight and was able to see certain things, past, present and future
, she knew it was one of those times.

“What’s the matter dear? You look like you’ve seen a ghost
.”

“Elsabet, the baby is acting funny
.”

Elsabet sat the tray down and then sat down next to her daughter-in-law. Laying her hand on Katherine’s belly
, she felt more kicks and pushes. The baby’s feet were pressing outward.

“I feel like all of a sudden this baby has a personality
, I can’t put my finger on it, but something seems different.”

Elsabet smiled, “Maybe the baby has gotten its soul and spirit
. This baby has taken on the spirit of someone departed.”

Elsabet then knew what Katherine knew. “Oh
, my God.”

“Yes
,” was all Katherine could say.

They stood in a tight group, all except for Sally, who was in a wheel chair. Katherine, the Queen, was in bed, having just given birth to not one baby, but two; twins. A boy, who had been born first, then a girl. Not a little girl, either, but a chubby, red head who even after three days old, was obviously going to be running the nursery, her parents, twin brother, family and coven.

Odin pushed Sally’s wheel chair up to Olivia’s family
, to pay her last respects and talk with them. Little Fatima had not let go of Sally’s hands the whole morning. When they turned to leave she tried to help Odin push the wheel chair.

When they got up to the Humvee, Fatima was helping Sally stand. Sally placed a kiss on the child’s cheek then looked up at Odin. He smiled down at her and the little girl. They had buried Houda within 24 hours of her death as was Muslim custom. She had a plot in the same cemetery that Olivia was buried at, over
looking the ocean.

Sally sat with Odin’s arm around her on the ride back to the compound. She had felt a need to be nearer to her mother so they had taken over her old room and Fatima had been put in the adjoining room. Colum
, ever thoughtful, had had his carpenters make a door so Sally could get to the little girl quickly in the middle of the night. Even though she had her legs cast up, she could still move, it was just hard to stand for lengths of time.

As it was every night since their return
, Fatima ended up in bed with her and Odin. When they awoke in the morning the little girl was usually nestled tightly in Odin’s big arm as he also gripped Sally’s shoulder. The death of not only Olivia, but Fatima’s mother, had been especially rough on all of them.

Pulling up in front of the garage
, Sally reached towards Thor. “Will you come and see the new babies?”

Thor shook his head. “I can’t, not now
.”

Sally was not to be deterred. “Please
?”

“OK
,” was all she heard.

They walked into the nursery
, Odin behind Sally. Fatima was holding onto Sally’s hand but then reached up to Odin. Odin scooped her up and held her tightly. Thor was behind them. Colum had gotten back before just them. He sat holding Katherine’s hand as she nursed the twins.

Sally could hear little noises coming from the two babies as they nursed. She couldn’t remember when her mother had nursed her youngest brother Patrick. She went in close and kissed her mother’s cheek who smiled up at her. She looked like a Madonna. Her skin, a lovely ivory color touched with rose, lips a beautiful natural shade of red. Her hair falling in waves at her shoulders, a lush auburn.

“You are beautiful, Mom.”

Katherine looked up at her oldest. “I feel pretty good, considering the birth wasn’t the easiest.”

Sally sat and watched as the babies nursed. She could feel Odin and Fatima right behind her. Listening to the suckling noises she then reached, brushing back the silky hair of her little brother.

“His hair is so soft
,” she was fingering it, lost in the smell of the babies, and the gentle noises that the babies made, when she heard a noise that she wasn’t sure of, at first.

Katherine wasn’t sure she had heard the baby make the noise she thought she did
, either.

“Did she make a strange noise? Did you hear that?” Katherine looked around at her family that was gathered around the bed.

Sally nodded her head. “I think you did. I heard her growl.”

Sally brushed a kiss on her little brother’s forehead and she heard it again and then a swat from a little hand of the baby girl. Sally sat back and reached out for the little hand of her baby sister. The baby gripped her finger. Sally felt Thor step forward.

“She’s beautiful Katherine. What are the twins’ names?”

He had hardly stopped tal
king when the baby girl stopped nursing, turned, and, opening her eyes, looked directly at Thor. The baby girl was studying him intently. She then turned away from the breast completely. Katherine quickly covered up her breast as the baby seemed to be turning to get a better look at the voice
.

Sally saw this whole exchange. “Thor, say something, it’s obvious she likes your voice
.”

Thor smiled,
“You think?”

He took the baby’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Hello princess
, I’m Thor.”

They all watched as the baby shifted as Thor looked up at his
King. “May I hold her?”

Colum nodded. He knew what was happening. “Yes
, of course.”

Thor scooped up the newborn and put her over his shoulder and started gently patting her back. Burb after burp came from the little one. Finally Thor sat, then placing her on his folded leg. Then he looked down into the eyes of the newest princess.

All stood silently as Thor stared into the eyes of the newborn. Not a sound could be heard except the gentle suckling noises of her older brother.

Thor felt tears well up in his eyes. Here was the
King and Queen’s new baby girl, destine to be a Queen someday. She would rule with her older brother. But that was not any of the thoughts going through his head at a fast clip. No, it was the fact that Thor knew those eyes which looked up at him right at this moment. They were not a newborn’s eyes but the eyes of Olivia. They were brown, which was unheard of for their kind, especially with the mother being from the Fae. No, here was a brown eyed newborn but she had the soul of a young woman. She just stared at him, as he felt tears course down his cheek. They were not blood tears of sadness and of mourning, but clear tears of happiness because here was his girl.

I love you little one. Do you hear me?
He watched for a sign and waited. The baby sighed, closed her eyes and then letting go of his finger reached up and touched his face as he bent down to get closer. A tear came down out of her eye.

You understand little one? I love you now and forever
.

The answer was obvious. She stroked his cheek with her tiny hand and then took his finger, giving it a squeeze. Then her other little hand reached up and grabbed at his hair and yanked it.

“Ouch! That is quite the tug, little one, but then again I wouldn’t expect anything else considering who you once were and who you are now.” He gently unclasped her little fist from his hair and kissed it ever so lightly.

Thor looked up at his
King and his brother who had come around to the front. He saw the Queen crying, felt Sally resting her body on his back, hugging him as she cried.

They all stayed like that for a few minutes until the baby gave a squeal. This was no ordinary baby. This was a baby of a two special creatures. Katherine
, who was descended from the Fae, who was now a created vampire, married to the King of their kind who was half vampire and half fallen angel. No, this baby would be extraordinary and very special. But to this group she was even more special. She was the reincarnation of Olivia. She had her eyes and apparently her spunk and spirit.

Thor laughed as he picked up the baby again, putting her on his shoulder.

Colum leaned over and kissed his wife Katherine. “We might as well name her...”

“Olivia !” Everyone shouted.

Ireland
, 1014

It was a very cold March morning. Slaine surveyed the scene in front of her. The maids and cooks moved tables and brought food from below in the big castle kitchen. Today she was to wed Colum O’ Heachthanna, son of
King Cormac, who ruled the western part of Ireland and, most importantly, the Ring of Kerry where her mother’s folks came from.

She moved to the huge fireplace and warmed her hands. She would admit, she was nervous. She had just got out of an arranged marriage to Sigtrygg Silkbeard, Vi
king King of Dublin. She was now marrying an equally powerful man. But from all she had heard, he was a man of peace who would rather be hunting with his falcons, but was quite skilled in the art of warfare. She also guessed quite skilled in the bedroom, though he had never married and she heard of no bastard sons or daughters running the countryside.

She stared into the flames and wondered what her life would be like once she was married to this man
, whom she had only known for two months. He had said he wanted her to have these last two months to get to know him. He had never once tried to bed her. He said they would have plenty of time for that once they were married. But they had spent a great deal of time together and with family. When they were alone, they would go for long rides and hunt. He had shown her his falcons and allowed her the chance to get used to them. Women in her class were usually only allowed to use small hawks, not the larger birds of prey.

Those times he would take her hand in his large one and kiss the tops of her knuckles
, stirring something deep within her. Her body would react and she would get very hot and flustered. She would look up into his eyes and see them a different shade, almost a deep violet. Once, he had pulled her onto his horse and kissed her deeply. It held a promise of what she knew he would be like in their marriage bed. She had felt herself trying to get closer. She had never felt that with Sigtrygg. It has always been quick. The first time in their marriage bed after the wedding she had cried and cried. Somehow she didn’t think it would be the same with Colum.

Slaine had found that the more she got to know Colum
, the more she wanted to be with him. That had never been the case with Sigtrygg. Yes, he had been a good and kind husband and had never been harsh with her, but he had sealed his fate when he’d sided with that witch of a mother of his and had chosen sides against her beloved father.

“What is my dear girl thin
king so hard of that she bruises her lips by biting them?”

Slaine turned quickly into the arms of her father. Bury
ing her face in his broad chest, she took in his strength, warmth and love. Around him, she still was like a little girl who loved being in his presence. To her, he seemed to walk with the gods. He was so large and powerful, even in his advanced years. His beard, now a silky white, showed none of the red that it had been reputed to had in his younger days. His eyes, a beautiful blue, were still clear like a summer’s day. He looked down at her and smiled and then kissed the top of her head

“Oh fathe
r, I’m just scared.”

Brian
Boru held his youngest daughter for a moment and then held her at arms-length. He studied her. She was, if he admitted to anyone, his favorite. If he could, he would give her the crown, she was best suited for it. But he didn’t want her to have to deal with what came with the crown, so one of her older brothers would inherit it. The next best thing was have her marry the right man. Since he had been a fool to have her marry Sigtrygg Silkbeard, he was glad she was back and now would marry an ally. Some day she would be Queen, though he was sure he would never see it. She would have a good husband, one who would protect her to the death.

He caught her chin in his big hand. “You are dearest to my heart Slaine
, and I know you will be happy. Colum is a good man and has waited till now to wed. He said he would know when the right woman came into his life, until that time he would wait. You will be Queen some day and with that, a life and love you deserve. I have re-written my will, you will not only be married to one of the most powerful rulers of our land, a Prince from in the Ring of Kerry, you will have two castles, this one included to have as your own, never part of your first dowry.”

Slaine looked up, tears coursing down her cheeks. “Oh father, you need not do that
.”

Brian
looking down at his daughter gave her another hug. “Yes I do, its protection. I give a handsome dowry for you, but these castles are yours outright along with,” he leaned and whispered into her ear.

Slaine hugged her father. “Go raibh maith agat athair, is brea` liom tu` amhlaidh”

“Oh, I love you too and there is no need to be thanking me. I am old, my dear Slaine, and need to get things in order in case I don’t come back from this battle that is surely to happen. If that happens, don’t mourn me. I’ve lived a long life and had you to call daughter.”

Slain hugged her father tight
ly. She took in all his strength from his body. She breathed in deeply, taking in his scent of wood and peat smoke, lavender and his pipe tobacco, creating a memory of her beloved father. She looked up into his face and smiled though her vision was blurred from the tears that still flowed.

“Today
, no tears, daughter of mine, today is a day to be happy,” They heard the bell ring out in the bailey and knew that meant Colum and his entourage were arriving with her younger brother. Brian hugged his daughter one more time as servants scurried to finish last minute preparations for the big feast that would take place later. “Come, daughter, let me escort you to your rooms, before your groom sees you.”