His thoughts turned as soon as he saw her holding her swollen belly in pain.

"Is it time?" he barely rasped. Without waiting for a reply, he picked her up in his strong arms, and carried her shaking body to their bedroom. He barely laid her on the bed when their baby pushed its head into the world.

Lacion moved to receive the baby, when he stopped cold. The baby had black hair, dark as night. Cradling it's tiny head in his hand, he then noticed the baby's copper-colored skin sharply contrasting with his white palm. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Celestialle remembered nothing but her husband carrying her to the bed, and the pain that wracked her body through the birthing. When the pain finally subsided, she opened her eyes to see her husband pale, his eyes closed. There was no sound. Fear ripped through her, causing her to lean up on the pillows and look at the still form of their baby in his hands. The baby looked back at her quietly, his stormy grey eyes watching, as if waiting.

Celestialle took the baby from her husbands hands, and held it tightly to her chest.

"Our first child." she said, her voice wavering.

"Yes, our first child." He replied, quietly. Lacion opened his eyes and returned his wife's sorrowful gaze. His eyes dropped to the black hair, the copper skin. He laid his hand lightly on his wife's leg. "We cannot keep him."

"No love, we cannot keep him." Celestialle kissed her baby's already thick hair, afraid for his future. "They would most certainly come." She looked at her husband, her eyes darkening. "This hair.. this skin.." she took its tiny hand in hers and marveled at the perfectly shaped fingers. "They will say he is one of them...that he has been marked. And I will not lose a child to them. Never."

Lacion kissed his wife gently, then pulled the blankets over her legs, keeping her warm. He looked at the child, their child, and intoned sadly:

"We will name him Travail, as his life will be full of obstacles and challenge. We will give him to the House of Razors, as he belongs not here, nor in the clutching hands of the dark ones."

"Meraud may you hear me, and keep this one close to your heart. I give him to your care."

Lacion kissed his baby on the forehead, and gathered his wife in his arms carefully. She leaned into him, her silent tears running down his chest.