Emerald's Rogue (Part 7)

It was a few hours before dawn when sleep began to pull at them.

"You have made me the happiest man in the world Emerald. I will love you forever." He kissed her forehead and held her close to his side. She lay there in his arms and prayed that there child would be born into a world of peace. She prayed that Rogue would be there to see their child born. Then she sent up thanks that she had a child growing in her at all and that is was Rogue’s child.

Chapter Thirteen

"My Lord Hawkington!" Mylyn was running up the stairs to the High Tower. "My lord Hawkington." He skidded to a halt before Rogue and Emerald. She was now eight months pregnant and her belly was very large.

"Calm down Mylyn what ever is amiss?" Rogue asked. The squire gulped a few times then looked Rogue in the eyes.

"The war is over!" He shouted though he stood only a foot away. Emerald looked up at Rogue with hope.

"Explain man." Rogue stated firmly not wanting to raise his own hopes yet.

"Tis true my lord. There is a messenger below. The Shadow Knights have left Darkonious to his own devices. They say he has failed too many times. It is said that even Bol’dar had shunned him." The young man was so excited. The Rogue had to command him to calm down or he would hyperventilate.

They all went down to the bailey where a messenger awaited them. He was drinking deeply from a goblet and his horse was being tended to.

"Is what my squire tells me true?" Rogue asked.

"Yes my lord." He handed him a pouch full of messages. "This is from you family Lady Hawkington." He handed her a few letters. Her mother’s fine hand was on most of them.

"Thank you. Will you not stay and rest?" She offered.

"Thank you my lady but I have many more to deliver. Thank you though for the drink for myself and my horse." Just then a kitchen maid showed up with a leather pouch full of meat cheese and fruit.

"Thank you Mary, how thoughtful of you." The maid curtsied and hurried back to the kitchen to join in the happy gossip.

Emerald went and sat by the fire in the library to read her letters while Rogue was at the desk. She was so engrossed in her letters that she did not see the frown mar his face nor the very worried look he gave her.

His last dispatch was from the Dark Warlord himself.

"You think you have won, you have not. I will win favor of my god again and it will be with the blood of you and your wife. I will offer your unborn child to Bol’dar and raise that child to be his ever-faithful servant. I will renew myself in Bol’dar’s eyes and there is naught you can do. The forces of darkness are with me always.

Darkonious"

Rogue almost burned the letter then he thought better of it. He had Mylyn go and bring a priestess from the Bo-vina temple that was near by. It was a small one but none-the-less it was his only hope.

He closed himself in with the priestess, who was in charge of the temple. She had been given dreams of Darkonious’ plans and knew she must do all in her power to stop this evil from coming to pass.

Rogue refused to tell his wife but after three long hours the priestess convinced him it was for her own safety that she be told. He didn’t like the idea and feared it would bring her labor too soon. She still had a month to go.