Page 34 of Lion and the Lamb: Easter

“Lionel,” shouted Lady Aldith. “Come here and help your sister.”

“Oh, does she want to be tickled, too?” asked Lionel, getting up off the ground still laughing, and heading back over to them.

“Nay, Lionel. Your sister is having her baby,” explained Rachael. Thunder rumbled in the air.

“What?” His eyes opened wide and his smile disappeared. A light misting of rain started to fall.

“Help her to her feet, Lionel,” instructed his mother. “Hurry. We need to get her back to the castle quickly.”

“Winifred, bring the wagon over,” called out Lionel, reaching down for his sister to help her stand.

“Drew, take the food basket and blanket and go with your grandmother and Agnes to the wagon so I can help your aunt, too,” Rachael told her son.

“Aye, Mother,” said Drew, doing as he was told, being followed by the dogs. The women moved quickly, making their way to the horse and wagon that Winifred expertly drove over to them.

“We’ve got to call for the midwife,” said Lionel, helping his sister over to the wagon.

There was a loud clap of thunder and then the light rain turned into a sudden downpour, soaking them all to the skin.

“The healer will never be able to get to the castle in time in this storm,” Agnes called out as the wind whipped around them now and leaves and branches started flying around their heads.

Lady Aldith screamed, and Lily moaned.

“I’ll ride out to collect the healer as soon as we get Lily back to the castle,” said Lionel.

There was a flash of lightning and, simultaneously, a crash of thunder just as they all got into the wagon. The sound of wood cracking was heard above their heads. When Rachael looked up, she saw the branch of a tree falling right toward them.

“Lionel!” she screamed, but didn’t need to since he saw it, too.

“Hold on everyone,” shouted Lionel, taking the reins from his daughter as he slapped them against the frightened horse. The horse sped forward and the branch crashed down in the exact spot where they had all been sitting just moments before.

“I’m scared, Mother,” said Drew, leaning up against her.

“Oooooh,” cried Lily, laying her head on Rachael’s lap, screaming in pain now as she held her belly.

“Go faster, Lionel,” yelled Rachael from the back of the cart. The rain continued to pelt down around them and lightning flashed so much that it continuously lit up the sky.

“Everyone just calm down, we’ll be fine,” said Lionel, being their rock at a time when they were all frightened and needed someone strong.

When Rachael looked back up to the bench seat of the wagon, it did her heart good to see Lionel reach out and put his arm around Winifred, pulling her closer to keep her safe. Winifred didn’t fight him, but leaned in and rested her head against him, putting her arms around her father to hold on.

“Yes, we’ll be fine,” said Rachael with a smile, pulling Drew closer and kissing him atop the head. “We’re a family now,” she mumbled, feeling for the first time ever that she truly belonged with Lionel. For some reason, it no longer felt wrong.

* * *

“God’s eyes,why did I let Rachael talk me out of going for the midwife?” growled Lionel an hour later, pacing back and forth outside his sister’s bedchamber.

“Nay, she’s right,” said Raff, looking out an arrow slit window from the end of the corridor. “There’s really a bad squall out there. You never would have been able to get to the village and back with the old woman in this storm.”

Lily screamed from inside the bedchamber, making Lionel jump. No longer able to stand still, he cracked open the door and poked his head inside. “Is there anything I can do?” he asked meekly, feeling so helpless since he knew nothing about birthing babies.

“Nay, just go,” said Rachael, glancing over to him. She was holding on to one of Lily’s arms and his mother held the other, as his sister gripped the arms of the birthing chair, leaning back with her legs extended outward.

“Don’t let Lion in here,” cried Lily, letting out another scream.

“I want to help,” protested Lionel, prepared to enter. But when Agnes blocked his view with her plump body and shook her head, Lionel backed out of room and closed the door.

“Father, I can’t stand all the screaming,” said Winifred, walking up to him with Drew on her heels.