there is no greater love

He didn’t need to be here. If Ballad weren’t so fond of his presence she might have tried to send him away. Men had no business interfering in a bird, but despite his awkward words he seemed determined to remain. The cobalt warrior swayed closer, committing himself to her side as he offered half hearted congratulations. ”Tor has blessed me, and it was great until this point.” She kept up her light attitude to hide the fear that suddenly raced through her. Everything to this point had been exactly the same as her last birth. Smooth, if not difficult and painful.

Something didn’t feel right as she shifted and Jupiter lowered himself beside her, offering assistance and his presence.”There isn’t much to do now but wait.” She bit back the emotions filling her and found herself focusing on his features. ”Maybe, but all I need is her.” Ballad motioned towards the bright light of the full moon as Tor smiled down at her. ”You may stay if you wish.” Ballad felt a knot form in her throat. Perhaps the goddess sent this man to her for a reason. ”I have grown quite fond of you.”

As Ballad was sent into another contraction she swore she saw another figure approaching. Pale as the moon herself. By the time she blinked open her eyes as it subsided there was no one there. Her labor progressed swiftly after that, she had little room for words as she worked to exhaustion birthing three tiny children. Each one took more and more of her strength, but each tiny child squealed with their first breath and proved their own strength. As the birth progressed with each pup born more blood was released with each subsequent puppy, draining Ballad of any energy she had left. Despite not being able to do more than just be there, Ballad found herself seeking Jupiter’s natural strength.

She would have to exchange her life for that of these perfect puppies. Each one suckled at her belly, and despite the dimming of her sight she could hear their exuberant appetites. Part of her knew these moments with them would be swift, and she realized why Jupiter was here. Ballad gasped lightly for breath, she blinked back her bleary eyes to focus on his features. She was dying. Quietly she whispered each pup’s name, uncertain if they would be remembered as she gave them or not as her vision tunneled and her limbs began to go cold.

”Jupiter..” There was so much she wanted to say. The Ademre woman sucked in her breath again, tears pricked at her eyes as she felt the finality of it all overwhelm her. ”You’ve already done so much for me..” Ballad didn’t want to do this to him, these were her babies. Tor had other ideas. ”Please.” She couldn’t put her last request to words as she curled slightly against her puppies and put her head onto once dancing fire paws. With her steel gray gaze lingering on the perfect puppies she left to the world, Ballad breathed her last breath for them.