Altani: City of War

The Sky Rejoices! The Earth Trembles!

The child came from the woman's womb. A healthy cry rings out in the room as one midwife cleans the child and the other tends to the woman. As the child is swaddled, it is carried outside to three robed figures. They take the child and remove its wrappings. the man holding the baby speaks first.

"It is a girl child. She has healthy lungs and good coloring." He nods and hands the baby to the robed woman.

The robed woman takes the baby and turns her over. Feeling along her back she notes the two bumps where the wing stumps should come out. Taking a scalpel, she makes two tiny incisions and pulls the stubs out into they can stretch no more. The baby's cries ring out and fall upon deaf ears.

"Her wings are long, the bones are formed right. She will have a strong flight." The robed woman hands the baby to the other robed man. He takes the child carefully, his are the hands of a soldier.

His hands move all over the baby checking her once more. The baby's cries had subsided, and she regards her inspectors solemnly.

"Her eyes are keen with a bright intelligence, and even now she is alert. Her senses are sharp and her reflexes quick. This child is Altani. Carry her to her mother's breast so she may suckle and grow strong."

They hand the baby back to the midwife who carries the baby inside. She comes out a moment later with another baby.

"My lords, she has had another baby. We did not know that two stirred within her womb." The midwife offered the second child, who was crying pieously.

The three regarded the second infant intently.

"He is small, but his parts are whole and all there." said the first.

"He looks sickly, we cannot afford his weakness." said the second.

"His sister has taken his strength and well being. Twins have a sacred bond that have shown us miraculous things. We cannot allow weakness to thrive though. This child will be discarded." said the third, and with a few well placed fingers, the baby's cries and movements ceased. He handed the dead infant back to the midwife to dispose of, then he and his companions walk back ot their enclave to discuss other upcoming births.

The midwife looked at the small child. So small and tiny, discarded for his lack of size and sickly look. She walked up the hill toward the place where all children are put to rest. She looked for the keeper of the dead, but he was not to be found. She set the infant down carefully and dug the hole herself. She went to place the infant within and his eyes opened, clear and focused and he wailed in anger at her. startled, she almost dropped him. She could not beleive the infant stil lived, she watched him die, she watched him cease movement. He is alive, no longer crying. The midwife took the child and ran to the enclave witht he child. The guards let her in and she waited for the three to come again.

"What is it, woman?" the woman asked.

"The child, the one you discarded, he lives." she whispered shakily, still holding the baby.

"Impossible, i silenced him myself." said the man as he moved toward the woman and hte bundle she held.

"It is possible. Look at him!" she thrust the child out for all to see. He was awake and vigorously sucking his fist.

"His will has clearly shown us he is indeed Altani. This day he has proven his worth, but from this day on he must continue to prove it or he will surely be discarded again," said the last tiredly. "Take the child to its mother to suckle and hopefully he won't weaken his sister" The old man waved the woman away and she thanked the three profusely as she retreated back ot her mistriss and lay the child at her breast. He began to suckle eagerly, granted this brief reprieve to live.