Page 61 of Bewitched

“I thought sending Medea back through the portal would protect her,” explained Rhys. “But I see now that what she really needs is to be protected from herself. If I can help her do that, I want to at least try. Medea deserves a chance at happiness. She can’t help it if she was born with darkness in her. But if I can help her control it, then mayhap she can live a normal life after all.”

“That’s a lot of ifs, Brother,” said Darium.

“Well, here is one more for you,” said Rhys. “If I can ever get Medea to forgive me, I think I’m going to ask her to marry me and be my wife.”

When Rhys looked over at his brothers, both of their mouths were hanging open and neither of them said a word.

“Well then, since that’s settled, I say let’s pick up the pace.” Rhys urged his steed forward down the mountain, anxious to see Medea once again.

* * *

Medea paced the floor of the tower room with the squalling baby in her arms, not knowing what to do to make the infant stop crying. She’d sent everyone away, including the midwife and refused the nursemaid that was offered. It was getting dark now, and the air coming in through the tower window became cool. She put the baby in the crook of her arm and headed over to the window to close the shutter. Right as she reached out for it, Rapunzel appeared in front of her, scaring her and making her jump back.

“Oh! Rap, you scared me,” cried Medea.

“Medea? Are you all right?” asked her sister with concern in her voice.

“I’m fine, but you almost made me drop the baby. What is the matter with you?”

“Baby?” Rapunzel walked over and took the baby from her, cradling it in her arms. “She is so precious. Whose baby is it?”

“It’s mine, of course.”

Rapunzel’s mouth dropped open. “Did you... did you have a baby? Is this Rhys’ baby, Medea?”

“Yes and yes. Now give her to me.” Medea pulled the baby out of Rapunzel’s arms.

“Oh, my,” said Rapunzel, holding her hand to her mouth. “If your baby was born in less than a day from being conceived, then it seems as if your child is going to be just like you. What is her name?”

“I don’t know.” Medea continued to rock the baby, but it just kept crying. “I haven’t been able to think straight with all this noise. I haven’t decided yet what to name her.”

“Sister, if the baby is crying, that means it wants something. When is the last time you fed her?”

“I didn’t.”

“You didn’t?” asked Rapunzel, sounding appalled. “Why not?”

“Because, I tried to nurse her, but I don’t have milk.”

“That’s probably because you haven’t had time to make any, with the magical pregnancy and birth happening so fast.”

“I also tried giving her a bottle of milk, but she wouldn’t drink it and I don’t know why. Rapunzel, what do I do?”

“Well, the poor thing has got to eat.”

“What did my mother feed me?” asked Medea.

“She had me feed you a blue liquid in a bottle, but I’m not sure what it was. It was something magical that you needed to grow and survive, since you aged a year every day.”

“Oh, I think I know what it was, now. I remember finding some later when I got older. I tasted it and it was pretty good. I think I can replicate it.” With a snap of her fingers, Medea materialized a bottle of blue milk. She put the bottle to the baby’s mouth, and the child calmed instantly. “It worked! It seems since she is a magical baby, she needs a magical formula.”

“That’s good,” said Rapunzel. “Medea, let’s go back to the Blackseed’s cottage and we can talk about everything there.”

“Nay! I will not go there. Rhys lied to me and I never want to see him again.”

“That’s not true.”

“King Osric told me the truth, so don’t try to deny it. It was all Rhys’ idea to kill me, just because he wanted to win favors with the King and become his heir.”