The cries of a woman filled the small village of Skye.
Inside a cramped, poorly lit hut, Eloise lay on a thin bed, her body shaking as pain tore through her again and again.
Six hours.
She had been in labor for six hours.
Outside, people had already gathered. Not out of concern, but curiosity.
And cruelty.
"She must be a witch," a woman whispered.
"Maybe she already ate the child," another replied.
Laughter followed.
Eloise could not hear them clearly, but she could feel it. The weight of their hatred had been on her for months.
Ever since she became pregnant, her life had fallen apart.
Her husband died suddenly, leaving her alone.
His family wasted no time. They took everything he owned and pushed her down to the lowest position in the household.
She became a servant.
Not even a proper one.
Just someone to be ordered around, insulted, and overworked.
Her mother in law treated her like she was less than human. Every day was worse than the last.
The only person who ever showed her kindness was Laura.
Her husband's elder sister.
Laura was beautiful in a way that made people stop and stare. Men in the village constantly tried to marry her, but she always turned them down with a calm smile.
More than that, she was kind.
She would secretly bring Eloise food, sit with her, and speak to her like she still mattered.
But one day, she stopped coming.
Seven months passed.
No explanation.
And with her gone, things only got worse.
The child inside her became her only reason to keep going.
---
On the day her labor began, Eloise was woken up by pain.
Not from the child.
From a whip.
The strike landed across her back.
"You are getting lazier by the day," Senior Clara said coldly. "You do nothing and still act tired."
"I am sorry…" Eloise whispered, holding her stomach. "Senior Clara…"
"Hmph. Go and clean the courtyard."
"Yes…"
She forced herself to stand and went outside.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
She picked up a broom and began sweeping.
Then suddenly, her grip loosened.
The broom fell.
As she bent to pick it up, a sharp pain shot through her lower body.
"Aah…"
She froze.
Another wave came.
Stronger.
Her breath became uneven.
"Please… someone help me…"
No one answered.
The pain kept coming, again and again, until she could no longer stand.
Her vision blurred.
Her body gave out.
Everything went dark.
---
When she opened her eyes again, someone was beside her.
Smiling.
"Laura…"
Her voice broke instantly.
"You are awake," Laura said softly.
Eloise stared at her, almost as if she would disappear again.
"Where have you been?" she asked weakly. "Why didn't you come back?"
Laura let out a small laugh.
"Did you miss me that much? It has only been seven months."
"It felt longer…"
Eloise winced as pain returned, stronger than before.
Her hand tightened.
"It is time…"
Laura's expression changed slightly as she turned to a nearby maid.
"Go and call the midwife. Now."
---
Back in the present, the pain had become unbearable.
Eloise screamed, her voice already breaking.
"I can't… I can't do this…"
"You must push," the midwife said firmly.
"I just want it to stop…"
For a moment, Laura said nothing.
Then she stepped closer.
"If you give up now, who will protect your child?"
Eloise went still.
"Do you think you can face your husband after leaving his child behind?"
Those words hit deep.
Something inside her refused to break.
Eloise took in a shaky breath.
Then she pushed.
Harder than she ever had.
"Aaah!"
A cry followed.
But not hers.
A baby's cry filled the room.
"Waaah… waaah…"
Everything went quiet for a moment.
The midwife gently placed the child in Eloise's arms.
Tears ran down her face as she held him.
Her child.
Her reason.
Then she noticed something strange.
For a brief second, his eyes flashed with a faint white light.
Eloise froze.
But she quickly looked away, pretending she saw nothing.
A few strands of white hair rested on his head.
It was unusual.
But she did not question it.
Instead, she smiled softly.
"You shall be named Alvana," she whispered.
"A gift from the heavens."
---
Far away from the village, somewhere deep in the universe, an old woman suddenly screamed.
Blood flowed from her eyes as her body shook.
"He… has been born…"
Her voice trembled with fear.
"He has come."