Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 178

Chapter 178: Hush little baby
Anaisa startled at Ewan’s cry. It was louder than any sound he’d made before. Stronger.

Deborah’s eyes widened, and Trace seemed on edge.

The doctor stopped, and the hum faded from the air as everyone listened to the weeks-old infant’s cries.

“Is he all right?” Trace asked desperately.

Seemingly in response, Ewan wriggled, moving his head and even lifting it slightly in the doctor’s arms.

“He seems stronger. Certainly his lungs must be healthier,” The wet nurse observed when the boy’s cries became louder.

Anaisa had to agree. Ewan’s week mewling cries were nothing compared to the sound he was making now, even accounting for the echoes of the cavern intensifying the noise.

The baby turned his head and rooted, and the doctor handed the baby to Deborah with a knitted brow.

“He seems very hungry. That has to be a good sign…” She made herself comfortable on the ground and converted her baby-carrying sling into a nursing cover so that she could feed him while preserving her modesty.

The doctor began to pace, alternately looking down at his hands and back towards where Deborah sat. It was clear he was anxious to examine the baby for himself, but Deborah insisted that feeding came first when a baby made that sort of a cry.

So the little crew waited while the prince had his meal. Anaisa took some time to observe the tree more closely. She did not touch it, but she walked close enough to see its jewels up close.

The air seemed dense. It wasn’t difficult to breathe, one might even call it refreshing considering how deep they were underground, but moving through it seemed to take more effort than usual.

Or perhaps she was just tired… which didn’t seem to be the case since the doctor had healed her only moments ago and made her feel stronger and more energized than she could ever remember being.

The rubies hung on the lowest branches, and one seemed to be nearly floating just at her eye level. She could touch it, take it, easily, if she wanted to. But she kept her hand firmly at her side.

Magic was something she didn’t want to mess with. She was content in who she was, why should that be complicated by some power?

The draw to defeat Barnabas and help the kingdom was still forefront in her mind. Idly, she wondered what kind of power the tree might give her. There were so many, and each one was different, so there was no way to know for sure.

And it didn’t matter, she assured herself, because she would never have occasion to find out!

The large ruby shined with a sort of internal luminescence that made Anaisa anxious to study it more closely. The golden twig it hung upon sent veins of glowing magic through the jewel-leaf in a mesmerizing pattern.

The sheer beauty of it made her involuntarily lift a finger to trace it, but she shook her head and stepped back. Was it merely touching, or was it taking that imparted magic powers? Besides that, it wasn’t wise to go around touching things merely because they were pretty.

Traipsing back towards the little group, she made eye contact with her husband and colored. He’d obviously been watching her closely.

As she came close, he put one arm around her and squeezed her lightly to his side.

“I thought you may have changed your mind,” He said softly, and she shook her head.

“No, it was just so pretty that for a moment I wanted to touch it.” Anaisa explained, a little chagrined.

Trace kissed the top of her hair and sighed into her hair. Warmth ruffled through her and she leaned against him. It was a peculiar choice; most people would probably jump at the chance to have magic powers for themselves. She couldn’t even fully explain her aversion to it, other than the fact that it didn’t seem like something she should do.

“Will any of your family decide to?” Anaisa asked after a moment, and Trace paused.

Everyone had the option, and the initial reaction from all of them was no, but there was time for people to change their minds.

“I imagine Seth will want to, when he returns,” Trace frowned, “Though Sarah wouldn’t want him to. He will desire to help, to be useful. Father will talk him out of it, but may get talked into taking power for himself in the process of dissuading him. Father will claim Seth still has to raise his children, while an ‘old man’ has nearly outworn his usefulness anyway.”

“Your father refers to himself that way?” Anaisa blinked at him. “What will your mother say?”

“She will respect his decision, but will have words with him outside of our hearing, I’m sure.” A smile played at the corner of Trace’s mouth as he spoke fondly about his parents.

“All right, little Ewan is finally full,” Deborah declared. “He’s never eaten so much before!”

She burped him gently before handing him to the doctor. The old magic user took a deep breath before examining the infant, head to toe. He leaned closely to look at the baby’s fingernails and toenails, put his ear against the baby’s chest to listen to his heartbeat, and looked into his eyes and mouth before holding him out in both hands and bouncing him slightly.

“Back up to the weight he was when he was born,” The doctor said slowly.

“He shrank?” Trace scratched his head and looked closer, while the doctor glanced at him patiently.

“Babies are fed constantly in the mother’s womb. Once they are out, and the cord detached, they eat at intervals. Thus, they lose some weight after birth but are supposed to quickly gain it back. Little Ewan has now accomplished that fact, which is a wonderful sign.” The doctor allowed himself to smile slightly.

“You’re saying he’s growing, and he’ll be all right?” Anaisa clarified.

“Yes. Yes, I do think he’s quite a healthy little man now, and will grow up fine and strong.” The doctor’s eyes relaxed a world of tension from around them.

“All right, then,” Trace grinned. “Time for the next part of the plan.”