The white tower
This story is rated PG-13 for sexual situations
Chapter 3 - An Unforeseen Event
Late the next morning, Kaiba and Rin arrived along with her 19-year-old son Taiki, who was a Black Unicorn, although few knew that secret. They were surprised to find Tennu and Raike staying there, but too polite to ask why. After greeting the boys, they went upstairs where Jaal and Bya were waiting. After ascertaining that there was no way she could be more than 3 ½ months pregnant and was probably the two months that Jaal had deduced, the four went upstairs to her bedroom, leaving Bya alone in the Hall, looking very worried.
To their knowledge, never before had a Great Dragon impregnated anyone other than another Great Dragon. Until now, he didn't even think it was possible. And now he was terrified; he had fallen deeply in love with the beautiful sorceress and was afraid of what was going to happen when she tried to give birth to a Dragon. Female Dragons always gave birth in Dragon form to Dragon babies. He tried not to show his fear, doing his best to keep up a brave front and he had a feeling that Jaal was doing the same.
Kaiba examined Jaal and had Taiki sense her with his Unicorn power. Then they conferred, coming to the same conclusion. "We both agree that the birth is very close, possibly in a week or two, but we cannot tell if it is a baby or dragon inside of you. There is a protective barrier around the child, probably created by the child itself. We can't even tell what sex it will be. I am afraid to leave you here alone, so I have asked Rin to stay with you and call me through your mirrors the minute you go into labor. I don't mean to alarm you, but I am very worried. Especially since Bya says that all Great Dragons are born in their dragon form."
Jaal smiled weakly at the healer mage, not knowing what to say. He had just confirmed her own fears. And she knew that Bya was terrified, although he was trying not to show it. Would this child be all she would create with her life? Perhaps giving life to the child of the man she loved was enough, but she couldn't help but remember all her dreams and hopes and the reason why she had the White Tower built. There was so much knowledge in the world and she was hungry for it.
Kaiba and Taiki then took their leave. Once they were out of sight of the Tower, Taiki transformed to his Unicorn form and Kaiba climbed on the back of his foster son and they galloped back to the Castle.
It was only about an hour after that Kaiba's departure when the pains started. Jaal felt a wave of pain through her middle, almost as if some unseen hand were cutting her in half, and she bent over in agony. She put out a hand blindly and Rin took it to steady her.
"Bya!" Rin called, "Come quickly!"
The Dragon was there in seconds and picked up his mate, carrying her to the bed. Another wave of pain came and she screamed. Tennu and Raike came rushing up the stairs upon hearing her screams. "How can we help?"
"We need Kaiba!"
"Use the mirrors!" Bya said. "I will show you how. Raike, please stay with Jaal and Rin in case they need anything." Bya led Tennu up the stairs to the fifth floor where the mirrors stood. He uncovered one of them and touched the frame, concentrating. Jaal had showed him how to use the mirrors a couple of months ago and now he was very grateful for her instructions. The mirror reflected the road to Otherworld and quickly skimmed along it, finding the galloping Unicorn and the mage in minutes. Tennu already knew Taiki's secret, being one of the Protectors of Otherworld, and Bya grunted a surprise. "A Unicorn! I didn't know any still lived." But his musing was short, Jaal was in pain! "I need to hold the mirror so it will reflect on both sides. Walk through and bring them back with you."
Taiki skidded to a suddenly stop, almost unseating his foster father, when Tennu appeared in front of him. Kaiba immediately dismounted and ran to the young man. "What is wrong?"
"Jaal is in great pain. I'm not sure what happened, but she is screaming."
Kaiba examined the mirror, "This will take us to the Tower?" Tennu nodded and Kaiba walked through, following by Taiki, now in his human form and finally by Tennu. It was like walking through a doorway, one side was the road and the other was the Tower.
When they arrived, they were greeted by Jaal's scream echoing through the Tower and then silence. Bya went white with fear. He ran down the stairs to his mate and stood there in horror.
Jaal was on bed, her black hair spread out around her and a river of blood was pouring from between her legs.
Kaiba pushed past the frozen Dragon. "What happened?"
"She started bleeding almost the moment that Bya and Raike left. I can't stop it." Rin told him.
Kaiba placed his hands over the now unconscious Sorceress, pouring out his power. "Unpack my herbs and the instruments I brought from home, Rin. If I don't stop this bleeding, she will surely die!"
Bya stood on the steps, afraid to move, "Please," he whispered, "Please don't let her die."
"Taiki!" Kaiba called, "Go through the mirror to the Castle and have your brother bring back these herbs and potions." He then listed a number of herbs and potions along with the location of each item.
Taiki listened carefully, committing everything to memory and then followed Bya back to the mirrors. Bya opened the mirror at the very doorstep of the Castle and stepped through with Taiki, keeping his hand on the frame so the mirror would come with him. After setting the mirror against the outer wall and asking the guards to watch over it, he followed the Unicorn into the Castle and waited silently in the main hall while Taiki ran to Kaiba's South Tower.
Princess Aara came down a few minutes later, having been apprised of the situation by Taiki, and went directly to the Dragon and hugged him tightly. He stiffened in her embrace, not used to being handled by anyone other than Jaal, but her kindness and compassion melted his heart and he stayed in her arms for a long while. Soon unbidden tears formed and he parted from her and brushed them away.
"Is there anything you need - I mean apart from Kaiba and his supplies?" Aara asked, concern written all over her face.
Bya shook his head, his voice lost to the lump of emotion in his throat. The Princess took his hand and stayed with him while he waited, not wanting to leave him alone with his pain. After a short while, Kain came down the stairs dragging a large satchel filled to the brim with supplies. The boy was only 13 and just beginning his apprenticeship under his father, but he had already shown that he had the same healing powers as his father. Bya took the heavy luggage from the boy and thanked the Princess in a quiet voice. She made him promise to call her if he needed anything -- anything at all.
Kain was fascinated by the magical mirror; the sensation of moving through the mirror was like moving through thick air or water that was not wet. Bya carefully propped up the mirror against the wall and together they rushed down the stairs to Jaal's side.
Kaiba told his son to pour healing into Jaal while he made herbal packs and combined potions in a desperate effort to stop the bleeding. She had already lost so much blood! He was worried that Jaal would go into labor; in her weakened condition, there was no way she would survive.
All through the night, Kaiba, Rin and Kain took turns changing herbal packs, administering potions and just pour healing power into the sorceress. Finally, just before dawn, the bleeding stopped. But Jaal was chalk-white from the loss of blood and her skin had an unhealthy feel to it. She needed to be kept in bed to regain her strength; but most importantly, labor had to be prevented until she was strong enough. Kaiba told Tennu and Raike to keep watch over her while his family got some sleep. There were no spare beds, but Kaiba didn't want to return to the Castle until Jaal delivered safely. So he sent Rin to the Castle through the mirror to ask for mattresses and blankets.
Bakura created a small portal for their use, placing it just outside the Tower entrance, and Taiki used it to take four mattresses and blankets to the Tower. Two were taken down to the room that the boys had made, and two were placed in Jaal's library, just one level below her bedroom. Kaiba and Kain went to the library to get some much needed sleep; both were exhausted. Rin had stayed in the Castle to make sure that everything was in order and to prepare more potions. She would get some sleep and then return through a portal that Bakura would create for her. Even though the boys were keeping watch, Bya refused to leave his beloved Jaal and took a place at her side, holding her white, limp hand in his.