Eden

The further up we go the colder and harsher the air feels. I hold my cloak closed to protect myself from the elements. Ajal and Jericho walk on either side of me, though nothing was said I know they're trying to keep me from freezing by squishing me between their warmth.

The sun is now beginning to set, and it feels like we've barely made a dent in our journey. Jericho has had to remind me several times we can't teleport around searching for her, we don't want to pop up in the wrong place and give away our position, alerting Aries of our presence, and giving her time to escape and hide away again would be less than ideal.

"We have to rest before dark, these mountains aren't safe at night. Would you be able to put a barrier around us to keep us hidden while we rested?" Jericho asks as he slows his pace, seeming to begin his search for a good spot to stop for the night.

"I could do that, it would be a bit draining, but it's definitely possible, and I'll have it done quickly." I say, feeling a bit excited to use my magic for something useful.

He nods to himself as we come to a stop at a spot, seeming to decide this will do. "I'll set up the tent and supplies while you work your magic." He says to me as he brings me into his arms for a swift kiss to my forehead before releasing me, the interaction seeming to not last long enough for my liking.

I sigh to myself before I begin circling the area where Jericho is setting up our things for the night. I quietly chant my protection spell, creating an invisible wall and shield. Nothing will be able to see or hear us from the outside. A barrier this small is almost no problem for me.

Me and Jericho finish around the same time. He has our tent ready and supplies unpacked at the same time I finish placing my final rune for our barrier for the night. Ajal is resting right by the opening of the tent, obviously a bit too big to enter it, the thought of Ajal having to sleep outside makes me feel bad.

"He likes to sleep outside, not only to keep guard while we're on a journey, but he also enjoys it." Jericho says as he walks up to me, seeing as we're both done there's nothing else to do but eat and rest.

We eat quickly before climbing into the dark tent, before getting under the blankets together. Thankfully Jericho seems to still be okay with sleeping with his arms around me. Whether it's because he wants to cuddle me or if it's because he's worried I'll freeze to death, I'm unsure of. But I'm thankful either way, because I was freezing, and Jericho is always unnaturally warm, in a nice way.

"Try to actually get some rest." He says to me, his lips close to my ear as he holds me from behind. "Trust me, I'm barely even awake at this point.." I mumble sleepily. He chuckles softly into my hair as I drift off to sleep as the wind howls into the night.

❅──────✦──────❅

Ten tiny fingers.
Ten tiny toes.
A cute little face, with a perfect little nose.
A joyful day, now turned to grief.
A blessing stolen, while my soul weeps.
Ten tiny fingers.
Ten tiny toes.
No breath escapes his little lips.
No light will ever shine from his eyes.
Though his soul left, I begged for it to be mine.
Ten tiny fingers.
Ten tiny toes.
You entered this world in silence with eyes closed.
My screams of grief shatter the night.
My child is cold as I hold him tight.
Ten tiny fingers..
Ten tiny toes..

My child.
My love.
My life.

Born as cold and silent as the dead of winters night.

❅──────✦──────❅

I'm not sure if my own screams were the reason for my waking, or if it's the frantic man beside me shouting my name.

"Eden! Eden! Talk to me!" Jericho holds my face in his hands as my screams turn into whaling sobs, my mind still disoriented from the dream I was having.

"He's gone!" I choke out between sobs. "Who's gone, Eden?" He asks frantically.

"He's dead.." The words leaving my mouth make me sob harder as the memories come crashing down upon me, just as Jericho wraps me in his embrace, gently stroking my hair, trying to comfort me.

"Was it a nightmare?" He asks me gently. "No.. my son.. he's.." I'm sobbing so hard in between words I don't know if what I'm saying is even coherent.

Though Jericho seems to have heard me as his movements stop for a brief moment before he begins stroking my hair again. "I'm so sorry, Eden.." He whispers into my hair as my sobs slowly grow quieter, until finally I'm able to settle back down, my face resting on Jericho's chest which is now soaked in my tears, though he says nothing about it.

I should have never come to these mountains. The grieving forest of Bathsheba. I wasn't strong enough to keep the spirits at bay.

"Jericho, I-" My voice is scratchy as it comes out. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to-" Before I can finish he squeezes me gently, bringing me ever so closer to him.

"It's okay, don't apologize." He says before kissing the top of my head, his actions helping calm me down further.

He brings his hand under my chin and brings my face away from his chest so he can look down at me, his expression full of concern. Slowly he uses his thumbs to wipe the tears from my cheeks.

"I'm here. Just tell me what you need." He says while searching my eyes. "I-i don't know.." I mumble out, every word being true.

"I don't know.." I whisper. He silently pulls me close again and lays down with his arms wrapped around me, my face against his chest as he runs his hands up and down my back in gentle motions.

I don't know what to say to him right now, I don't know if I'm ready to talk to him about the day my baby was born asleep. The day I felt I was robbed.. of so many things. There is no title for a parent who has had to bury their child.. because there is no word to describe such pain.

I am a childless mother.

I am broken.

This time the tears fall from my face in silence.

"Eden.. you don't have to say anything right now. You really don't. Just know, I will always be here to hold you, and I'll be here to listen when you're ready to tell me.." Jericho whispers into my hair.

I take a moment to compose myself, and take a deep inhale before I speak, keeping my face hidden in Jericho's chest, not feeling brave enough to look at him. "I was young.. I thought I was in love.. We were expecting a baby, the witch-midwife told us it was a boy. I was overjoyed.. I filled a room with all the things I'd need for him.. I was eight months along when I woke up in the middle of the night with unbearable pains, he had sent for the midwife immediately. By the time she got there I had delivered my child alone.. I was alone.. when my son was born sleeping. He never even took a breath.. I never saw the father of my child again after that.. he left me.. I don't know what happened to him.. I never looked for him, didn't want to.. Once I recovered from giving birth I left. It was the day I went to the forest with the other witches, and I had lived there ever since. I'm not a brave woman, Jericho.. I could not face my reality.."

"Eden.. I can't imagine losing a child, I can't imagine your unfathomable loss.. I'm sorry.. I truly am." He says to me.

My tears seem to have stopped for now, though I keep my face hidden, unable to look Jericho in the eye.

"I miss him. Every day since he died. I felt Theia had cursed me.. Am I truly to live an immortal life, knowing my child waits for me on the other side?" I whisper to him. "I was never brave enough to try again for another child, nor did I seek out any meaningful relationships.. The fear of having another stillbirth would be ever present in my mind.. And I didn't want to share this pain with anyone else, ever again. So I remained single and childless in an attempt to protect myself.. In the end, I don't think I had ever felt so alone.." I confess to him.

"You don't have to be alone forever, Eden.. Not anymore." He whispers into my hair, and my heart flutters at his words.

"Jericho I-i can't.. I don't know if I can give you a child.." I cry out quietly.

"Then we will live a beautiful eternity together." He simply states, taking no time at all to reply to my words.

I finally bring myself away from him, propping myself up on my elbow so I can look at him. "I heard Hades speaking to you.." I say to him.

"Eden.. I've never seen you as simply someone who can give me a child. The moment I saw you, I wanted you. My soulmate. I wanted you, not the things you could possibly offer me." He says to me.

"I thought you wouldn't want me.." I squeak out.

His eyes soften further at my words. "You already asked me the question, what would keep me from pursuing you, and I had told you, the only thing that would keep me away is bad morals. Choosing not to try for a child with me wasn't something I mentioned." He says.

I sit up and look down at my hands as I pick at my nails nervously. "I've acted as though it was I who was hesitant to accept you as my soulmate.. But, truthfully, I was scared you wouldn't want me any longer once you knew of my past." I say as I watch tears gently fall onto my hands.

Jericho sits up and cups my face in both his hands, staring into my eyes. "There is nothing that would keep me from loving you, my Eden."

Love?

"Jericho.." I whisper his name as I stare back into his golden eyes, brining my hands to his as he cradles my face in his hands.

He leans in painfully slow, and I close my eyes as his lips meet mine. This kiss is unlike all the others we've shared. It's soft and sweet. There's no rush, no lust. Just.. Love. Simple, sweet, innocent love, as our lips mould together.

We break away from the kiss, Jericho leaning his forehead against mine.

I'm not sure what to do now, I don't know what to expect from him either honestly.

"Lay with me." Is all he says. I easily comply, laying down in his embrace, savoring the feeling of being wrapped in his warmth on this cold night.

I'm suddenly exhausted, the lack of sleep I got the night before still weighing on me, add in the hike up the mountain and my crying, I'm officially spent.. Crying always leaves me exhausted.

"I'm so tired.." I mumble to him. "Sleep." He whispers to me. And just like that I drift off into a dreamless sleep.

We awake with the sunrise, and thankfully I feel rested, ready for another day of hiking up this dreadful mountain. I pack up supplies as Jericho cooks breakfast over the fire I created, the smell of bacon and eggs making my mouth water.

"Everything's packed up and ready to go." I state as I make my way over to where Jericho sits with Ajal by his side. "Foods almost ready." He says as he smiles up at me. Today the sun is actually out, which is nice, I hate the cold and anything to help warm things up a bit is more than welcome.

I sit down beside him as we both quickly eat our breakfast, I take notice he made extra as he sets a third plate in front of Ajal. I smile at the cute gesture, loving the bond they obviously share.

We finish cleaning up quickly, doing our best to leave the area the way we had found it. "Jericho, how are we tracking Aries? By scent?" I question him.

"It's more of a feeling, the closer I get to my target the more I can feel their presence, once I'm close enough, if I close my eyes, I can visualize their exact location. It's a pain in my ass, honestly." He says to me, before continuing. "Once I'm given my mission, it's like my mind won't rest until I've completed it."

"Can you visualize where she is?" I inquire. He hesitates for a moment before answering. "I can almost, it's hard to explain. I know we're close, I can sense it clearly. But she's somewhere.. dark. She's hiding in the caves, there's many that are scattered about the mountain sides, but as we grow closer it won't matter where she's hiding, I will find her no matter what." He says to me.

"How long?" I ask.

"If we keep moving it could be as soon as tomorrow. But I can smell rain in the distance." He says as he nods his head to the west. "All I see is sunshine." I say while looking into the distance.

"For now. Trust me, it will be raining within the hour, depending on where we are on the mountains it could end up being snow instead. Stay close to me, okay?" He says, pulling me into his side.

I smile up at him, despite my nerves of what's to come. Knowing we may reach Aries sooner than I had expected.

"Always." I answer him.

(Edited on 11/27/24)