To Have and To Hold (Mias/Elle) Part 12

Mias slammed into the door, forcing it open. He and Jethias ran in. The main room was empty. He heard a door open to his left and quickly turned toward it. Ava ran to him and grabbed his hand, tugging him toward the room. He let her pull him along and the door opened.

He saw Elle sitting upright in the bed. The baby, asleep in her arms.

She looked up at him and gasped. She reached for him and he grabbed her hand, dropping to his knees by the bed. His throat covered in dried blood. His right ear, still slightly bleeding and his right arm useless. He was alive but barely.

"Mias," Elle gasped. She was afraid for him.

"What is it?" he asked.

A couple of worried tears fell, "It's a girl."

"A girl," Mias smiled softly, his hand tightly holding Elle's. He slumped over onto the bed and sighed.

"Mias." Elle said strongly. He didn't answer. "MIAS!"

"Blast it woman!" Mias grumbled, "I'm half deaf, half dead, and a new father! Let me sleep while I can!"

Elle looked up hearing one of the women snort. It was Ivy; she was trying so hard not to laugh. Her snickering was contagious, and soon, all four of the women were laughing at Mias and how pathetic he seemed. Here was the man who had just come back from battle, and he was more concerned with getting sleep before the baby kept him up than anything else…

Elle softly stroked his hair. "Gwen, would you bring me a soaked wash cloth? I want to wash him off."

Ivy took the baby and put it in the beside crib while Elle encouraged Mias up onto the bed with her. Gwen returned with the wash cloth and told Jethias to go bathe. Then, she and the other mothers herded the children out of the room.

~*~*~*~

Mias grabbed Elle possessively like the first night she snuck into his bed. She had been lonely and he had been asleep. The look on his face when he woke up and saw what he was doing was priceless. The thought of that memory made her smile as she carefully wiped off his neck and face.

"I know this hurts too much to sleep," she whispered, "So talk to me. Whisper and we won't wake the baby."

Mias winced, "Have you named her?"

"No. I wanted you here for that."

"And what if I hadn't returned?" Mias asked.

"That wasn't an option." Elle answered, "You HAD to come home."

Mias smirked, "You finally called it home." He kissed her hand.

After a moment of silence, Elle asked, "What of Elias?"

"Jethias killed him with his own blade." Mias answered, "He acts so grown, but he is still just a child…" He sat up and looked over at his own child. Elle pulled her from the crib and motioned for him to hold her.

"Support her head." Elle whispered, "Gentle…"

Mias looked at his daughter amazed. He had never held a baby before. After his youngest brother had been born, the maids took him away and raised him. This was the first time Mias felt insecure about anything...

"What shall we name her?" Elle asked.

"Something strong…intimidating…" Mias answered.

"Mias…" Elle sighed.

"What?"

"This is your DAUGHTER." Elle emphasized, "Do you want people to fear her?"

"Yes." Mias answered matter-of-factly, "Especially boys."

"But that's what you're here for Mias." Elle giggled and took the baby. She had dark hair and for a while her eyes would be blue, but Elle had a feeling they would be dark since they were already such a dark shade of blue. "She looks just like you."

"Not completely." Mias said. He pointed at the baby's face, "She has your freckles on her nose and across her cheeks."

Elle smiled, she hadn't noticed, yet Mias had.

"Evelia." Mias suddenly said.

"Evelia?" Elle asked.

"It means 'Life.'" Mias explained, "Evelia is the start of our new life…"

"Evelia…" Elle repeated, "It sounds like a good start to me."