Arlenia stared out over the sea, her eyes twin pits of despair. She picked up a rock and hefted it over the edge with a growl, then clutched her stomach. To do such a thing hurt. It sucked.
She sulked back down the mountain, her stomach preceding her. She hated that she was saddled with this child. She hated it. She loathed the father. She had to do something, and the idea struck her as she came down the path.
Arlenia went to Banion's hut. "Banion, do you have something to stop bleeding?"
"Are you bleeding child?" he asked with concern.
"No but, I'm concerned."
"Well there's no need to be concerned if nothing is wrong." "Please?"
Banion sighed and walked over to his cupboard. He pulled out a vial and handed it to her. "If you are bleeding or anyone else is bleeding, this will heal anything."
"And do you have anything for pain?"
"Arlenia..."
"Please, Banion."
Banion turned around and again fished through the cupboard. He produced another vial and handed it to her. "Anything else?"
"No, this will do. Thank you. I feel so much better already."
"Alright."
Arlenia walked slowly back up the mountain, hiking until she caught a stitch in her side and had to rest. She went deeper into the wooded area where she would not be seen. She pulled out a blade and looked down to her stomach. "I'll send you to your father. Piece by piece."
Arlenia took a stick and put it in her mouth. Biting down, she slid the blade into her stomach and immediately she started to sweat. She growled as the blade slid deeper. Stars began to fill her vision, but she forced herself to remain conscious. She cut enough of herself open to reach her hand into her own uterus. She felt the fetus within and pulled it out.
At the sudden rush of blood and amniotic fluid Arlenia nearly passed out. She laid the infant on the ground and downed the vial for pain. At last, she gained some focus. The infant squirmed, its airways uncleared, it's death immanent.
Arlenia severed the afterbirth from within herself and pulled it out. With the infant and the placenta laying on the ground, she quaffed the healing potion and watched the gaping wound at her side heal.
For a moment, she felt sorry for what she had done. Seeing the infant, no longer than 6 inches, open and close its mouth until it finally stopped... but then the madness that had come onto her rose again - and Arlenia set to work. She would send one piece for every month she was pregnant. Five in all.
The work was gruesome, but even the hot blood on her skin and the smell of iron didn't make her stop. Colin would have his child.
