The Mother helps the Maiden give birth

Agnes helped her adopted daughter give birth as Elizabeth struggled with her labour. Soon Elizabeth would be the Mother and Agnes would become the Crone. They would finally be able to recruit a new Maiden to restore the coven.

Elizabeth's pregnancy had been quick, unnaturally so, which was to be expected given who the father was. The girl had been either **** or delirious for most of it. Speaking in tongues or staring comatosed at something which wasn't there, at least something which couldn't be seen even with a witches second sight.

The loss of the previous Crone, Senga, had been difficult but they had known a sacrifice would be required. A sacrifice of blood and **** and madness was always required as the price for magic.

Elizabeth pushed again as blood mixed with the waters of childbirth, it was proving to be a difficult birth. Agnes hoped to save both mother and baby but she knew which was more important.

It had been near impossible to keep the girl pure while surrounded by filth and squalor. In desperation she had been tempted when his local Lordship had offered a years wages to claim Elizabeth's maidenhood but it would have ruined the spell.

The spell which had summoned her saviour. It had been necessary, the only way to punish those who had wronged her throughout her miserable life. The world was so hypocritical, so corrupt and evil it needed an even greater evil to fight it, to wipe the slate clean and hope something better came after.

Agnes realised that the baby had become stuck, the cord wrapped around its neck. It was going to be strangled during the birth. Agnes ordered Elizabeth to stop pushing but the Maiden couldn't listen through her yells of pain.

Agnes took a knife, it was the only way.

She took a moment and hurriedly tried to explain to Elizabeth what was required, why it was needed, why the choice had to be made, that to delay would kill the baby. Elizabeth squeezed Agnes's hand so tightly she nearly broke it, they looked into each others eyes and Elizabeth nodded.

Agnes cut into Elizabeth and felt a moments guilt and gratitude when Elizabeth cried out "Erebus!" then passed out from the pain. Agnes cut further into her adopted daughter, working quickly until the Entity emerged covered in its mothers blood.

Agnes hurriedly checked the blood covered baby was breathing then placed it in a makeshift cot and returned to try to stitch Elizabeth back again. She worked quickly, with focus and love but it was too late. Elizabeth, like Senga, was gone. Agnes the Crone was the last witch of the coven.

She picked up the baby which instead of the crying most babies entered the world with he one cooed happily.

The blood covered babe was born from **** and madness as was always required as the price for magic... and ****.