Furious winds, loud pearls of thunder and dazzling lightning punctuated the heavy storm over the skies of the capital city of Genza Kingdom, Gigal. The deluge rocked the usually vibrant city, causing many residents to lie awake.
In one corner of the city, an old woman was quietly looking at the skies, a fearful look on her face. She could hardly believe what she had seen. While some signs and wonders of the skies might be a mystery to many, for her, it was as easy as reading a book.
Old Chemua had been a renown seer in the kingdom. It was not unusual for many to call on her when seeking to understand the signs and wonders from the heavens. She had guided a great many people and was always there to sound a warning.
While many signs could not be said to be crystal clear, to a seasoned seer like her, reading the lines of destiny and the secrets of fate was an easy task for her. However, on this day, she found herself stymied by the heavens, something that made her both shocked and shook.
From what she could tell, something ominous was in the air. A new thing was about to happen. However, despite her many years in astrology, she could not tell if the omens were good or ill. In fact, they seemed contradictory.
As though the thing that was coming was both good and bad, but how could that be? All this did was just fill her head with worries, making her already wrinkled forehead from some more.
Meanwhile, in a different house in the city, a flurry of activity was going on. Several maid servants and midwives were running up and down. The second mistress of the manor was finally giving birth.
After what had been a troubled labor, the weary lady squealed some more as she did her best to push the baby out. She needed this to stop, and she had.
A stoic man sat beside her, his hand grasping hers. Jata eyed his beautiful wife, who was in agony, and wished all this would come to a stop soon. In his heart, he longed to hold his child in his arms, but he hoped for his wife's reprieve.
"You can do it honey," the man whispered softly, as he looked at his wife. On her part, she let out a deep scream, and then, everything seemed to quieten.
Suddenly, the wailing sound of a newborn could be heard. A bouncing baby had just been born. The little thing could scream so loud, letting everyone within earshot know of their arrival into this world.
"It's a boy, milady," one of the midwives announced with joy. Despite her fatigue, the bright smile on her face and the news brightened everyone. In a moment, the ululations could be heard, letting everyone know that a boy had been born.
However, just as everyone was celebrating, something happened.
As the celebrations continued, Keshi was shocked to realize that her contractions were not done. After a little fumbling around, they were struck with a sudden realization: There was still another baby.
With the realization, the festive air came to a halt, and the pandemonium of childbirth ensued.
"Get more towels," the lead midwife shouted at the maidservant on the periphery. Soon, the loud screams of determination could be heard once more, as the second mistress pushed her baby out.
"Oh no, lady, the baby's neck is caught by the umbilical cord," one of the nurses exclaimed as the baby's head popped out. Unfortunately, there was no time to rectify anything. They could only cut the cord and push on and hope to save the baby after birth.
The process was excruciating, but they had to save both the mother, and hopefully, the baby. As long as the baby was not born, the mother was still in danger. The lead mid-wife was a professional, having experienced this kind of situation several times. She was completely in control, and soon, she managed to get the mother out of danger.
Once the boy was born, the healer took action, pouring some elixir into the baby's mouth. Critical seconds passed as they tried to get the little infant to scream, much like its older brother.
It seemed as though all hope seemed lost, and the chances of survival for the second son did not stand out.
Just as they were giving up, a less loud sound was heard from the boy, as he finally took a deep breath and wailed his lungs out. When the second wailing of a newborn was heard, everyone breathed a deep sigh of relief.
With this, the lady could rest and take some revitalization pills. She had managed to bear her children, amid much trouble. All she could do now was relax and begin the healing process.
Despite the heavy deluge outside, the entire manor was wide awake, celebrating the birth of the two boys. They were the first-born sons of the second master of the manor.
With their birth, everyone was now patiently waiting for the tests to be conducted. This had become one of the most important rites of passage to everyone soon after birth, more important than the naming ceremony, and so it was for the two boys.