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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Apr 29, 2011 23:56:12 GMT -5
It was late, but not terribly so. I couldn't sleep, and I was sitting one of the rooms adjacent to mine. Not the baby's room, but the other side, the room that I had chosen for my studio. Painting was still soothing, but it had gotten more difficult now that my stomach protruded outward so much. Still, I had come to love it, and I was putting the finishing touches on a difficult self-portrait. I'd drawn it in the mirror, though I had had to use a lot of imagination to get the pose right while drawing it myself, but after several days I had finally gotten it right. Now I was using the drawing to paint the portrait, and it was just about done. I was going to hang it in my room, a constant reminder of the changes that my child had wrought in me - outside and in.
Eventually I found myself yawning, and I decided that a hot bath was in order and then I could sleep. I didn't want to wake anyone to draw me a bath, especially considering that I only had three servants: one cook, Mathilde, and two maids, Chloe and Sara. Kendrick had hand-picked them, all three of them women who had presided over or attended births. Mathilde was older, the age my mother would have been if she'd lived, while Chloe and Sara were both only a few years older than I. I wouldn't admit it aloud, but I found their presence comforting. Tonight was no exception, as I exited the studio to find Chloe already drawing a bath. I must have looked surprised, because she laughed softly and shook her head.
"I knew you would be a mess after a few hours in there," she said, gesturing toward my paint-spattered nightgown. I could feel the itchiness of dried paint on my cheek and I knew it was likely in my hair as well. "Having trouble sleeping?" I nodded and she smiled knowingly, reaching out and resting her hand on my belly. The baby had been quiet and still all day, though I felt him moved half-heartedly at Chloe's touch. "You're close, it makes you restless. Especially now that the nursery is done. Your instincts are telling you to prepare yourself for the baby's arrival."
I nodded, though I didn't say anything as she continued past me toward my bathing chamber, preparing it for me as stripped off my nightgown, pausing to stare at my body in the mirror. It was both amazing and terrifying that my stomach could have stretched so wide, and knowing that it was full of life was such a great responsibility. My breasts were full as well, and sore, and for once I was glad that Kendrick seemed to have lost interest in sex. Well, with me anyway. I doubted he was keeping himself celibate, but it didn't bother me anymore. I didn't have the energy for it these days.
I was walking toward the bathing room when the first pain hit me. Or maybe 'pain' was too strong of a word. It was a pressure that started in my lower back and moved over my belly, a tightness that made me gasp and lean against my vanity. More than pain, I felt fear. I had thought and thought about this moment, and it was honestly petrifying. I did not have a high tolerance for pain - I'd discovered that at Mandrake House and Kushiel's Temple, respectively.
Chloe appeared then and she took one look at me and clucked her tongue. "Perhaps the time is closer than we thought, hmm?" She put an arm around me and led me into the bathing room. "First babes usually take awhile, you might as well relax and get cleaned up and comfortable. I'll wake up the others and send for Lord Deveroix." I wanted to argue, but I couldn't, because I knew she was right, it was time.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on May 1, 2011 20:41:34 GMT -5
I was sleeping. Hard. One minute I was dreaming of my days in Alba, sweat and dirt, standing no the edge of a cliff and watching the clouds pass by overhead.. and the next moment I had someone poking my foot with a piece of kindling, the splintered ends jabbing into the soft flesh of my arch.
Bellowing in pain, I snatched my feet away and bolted upright, bleary eyes catching sight of a serving girl I'd bedded a few times before.. Well, it'd been months, anyway. Her expression went from a frightful smile to shock and terror, her hand fluttering to her throat at my yell, and I glared at her from where I sat.
"Eluas BALLS! What in Naamahs tits are you trying to do, shove that bloody piece of tree right through my foot? You know what I ought to do? I ought to take that bloody thing, bend you over my knees and spank your buttocks with it! See how much you like getting splinters up that sweet arse of yours, you bloody ungrateful misbegotten wench!" I glared, furious; my foot had already stopped hurting, but it was the point of it all!
I was not a morning person.
Abruptly I realized; it wasn't morning, and I hadn't left instructions to be wakened. Her mouth worked, eyes wide as teacups, and I hurled a pillow at her head. "What? What is so important that you felt you had to try to drive a tree through my foot?"
"The... The.. Lady Naia, she's having her baby now!"
I scoffed; Naia was not having her baby now. I threw another pillow at the girl; she caught this one, if barely, and it irritated me that I had nothing harder to throw at her that she'd have a more difficult time of avoiding. "Is the babe born yet?" Her head shook. "Is his head coming through her womb?" Again, head shaking. "Listen. Can you hear any bloody screaming?" A third shake, but this time her mouth opened, forestalled by another glare; I swore I was going to knock her head from her shoulders. "Then she is not having the baby, and all you are doing is interrupting my sleep. Go away."
Before she could turn, or say anything, or whatever it was that the fool girl had planned, another head stuck into my bedroom. I gritted my teeth. "This isn't a damn common room! Get the blast out!" The second woman who entered folded her hands before her, stately and calm, and I eyed her suddenly warily; I knew her, she was one of the maids I'd set up for Naia. "Lady Naia Shahrizai requests the presence of your Lordship at the birth of your child."
No more, no less. I sat, dumbfounded, staring at the woman as she kept her eyes properly averted from my half-naked form. Or, well, half naked from what they could tell, but I didn't have a stitch on under it. "I understand. Now get out."
She nodded, bowing her head to me; likely she knew where her paycheck came from, and good thing for her she didn't decide to rock the boat. I turned away before the women could leave, pulling back the covers and swinging my legs out. It was just like Naia to do this, interrupting my sleep to have the baby now. Why couldn't she have him in the afternoon like any decent person? No, no, she just had to go about things the difficult way. I growled under my breath as I plucked a clean pair of breeches out of my wardrobe and turned to pull them on, when I realized I wasn't alone. The girl still stood there, eyeing my near nakedness; I had one foot stuck in my pants and the other poised to go in. She gave me a little smile, looking me up and down, before sauntering out without another word, and all I could do was stare dumbfounded after her. What in the seven hells...?
Women. They were all insane. It'd been a while since I'd bedded that one, but I'd bet she'd like to be treated like a Valerian whore; why else would she have stood there through all that only to smile at me in the end?
It took just a moment to finish dressing and make my way downstairs, still clasping the belt to my breeches as I was informed the carriage had already been brought up and was waiting. Foolish, I thought; it was just down the street, but with the murders and kidnappings of late mayhap it was for the best. I nodded and made my way to it, ending up at Naias house just a few moments later.
Taking the steps up to her home two at a time, I didn't bother knocking but let myself in, throwing my coat to the same lady who had been sent to fetch me. "Where is she?" I asked, my eyes locked on the womans face. She kept her head regally, but nearly glared, and it was enough to make me blink. "She is upstairs. I will see if she wants to receive you."
And with that, she was gone.
Women were all insane.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on May 2, 2011 0:48:19 GMT -5
I had only stayed in the bath long enough to wash the paint from my hair and skin, because to be honest, I was frankly terrified. The pressure of the first contraction had not been terribly bad, but I knew it would get worse, I had heard all of the horror stories. The minute anyone saw my swollen belly, they felt the need to recount every tale of births gone wrong that they could imagine. I'd heard tales of babies being turned the wrong way 'round, of women being split from side to side and stitched up again, or my personal horror, a baby born dead. I knew my son was alive, but anything could happen during the birth.
Mathilde attended me now, helping me out of the tub and giving me a short linen nightdress that barely made it over my belly. I kept tugging on it, until she slapped my hand away and laughed.
"This is no time for modesty, girl."
I started to say something, but another pain raced through me, another round of tightness, and all I could do was gasp and hold on to her, fear following in it's wake. I was expecting this to take all night, but suddenly I knew that it wasn't going to. I don't know how, but it was just the way that I knew this babe was a boy, I just knew.
Mathilde stroked my damp hair soothingly, settling me on the bed, but not resting my head back. "It's important to get comfortable," she said, and began to brush out my hair. It was long now, past my buttocks, and it took some time for her to detangle it and braid it, wrapping the braid around my head like a crown. "That's better, isn't it?" During that time I had three more contractions. Mathilde did not quite frown, but I could see that she was surprised.
"Come along now, let's walk a bit."
"Walk? Shouldn't I be lying down?" I was a bit alarmed that perhaps Kendrick had hired a crazy person to attend me. And wouldn't that be just like him?
"No, no. Walking gets everything moving, speeds things along. Lying abed is for when the real work begins. For now it's better to move a bit." Well, she was the expert. I let her lead me around the room, stopping each time a contraction moved over me. They were beginning to become more intense already, and I was having a hard time fighting the fear that followed them.
The announcement of Kendrick's arrival was a welcome distraction, and when I was asked if I would receive him, I nodded and began fiddling with my nightdress again. Mathilde clucked and shook her head, moving away from me long enough to envelop me in a long robe that was so large it looked more like a tent.
"Men in the birthing room," she said, shaking her head, "Tis a bad idea, miss. They don't have the nerve for it. It's too hard for them to see the women they love in pain."
"That won't be a problem, then," I said, a laugh and a pang at the same time. "Kendrick bears me no love, nor I him. And I do believe he has nerves of steel." She shrugged, her way of saying 'so be it' I assumed. I sat again, on the edge of the bed, closing my eyes as another wave of pain assaulted me.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on May 4, 2011 8:08:14 GMT -5
One of the women came down the stairs a few moments after abandoning me, jabbering at me with instructions of dos and don'ts; I ignored her for a moment, but when she kept talking, my patience abruptly snapped.
"Enough," I said curtly, cutting her off mid-word before leaving her in the middle of the foyer. She was out of my mind already, and I climbed the steps two at a time before coming to Naia's room. I didn't bother to knock; what was the point? She was expecting me.
The scene before me was.. well, it was incredibly dull. Naia sat, her eyes shut, stomach obviously large in that incredibly ugly sack she was wearing. Was it a robe? Elua, I needed to have something better sent over. I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything a finger was under my nose, poking me, and I cut off in absolute shock that someone would touch me like that. An older lady glared at me, pulling her hand down just as I reached up to snatch her wrist, and I resisted the urge to rub the tip of my nose. I eyed her as she continued to glare at me, daring me to speak, and I cut my gaze to Naia as she sat.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on May 15, 2011 14:04:25 GMT -5
"I wasn't sure if you'd come," I said, grimacing as another pang passed over my stomach. I reached up to push a damp strand of hair out of my face, panting slightly at the pain. It had only been a couple of hours since the first stirrings of pain I'd had, and already it was getting worse all the time.
"It's probably a little early though ... I hear this takes awhile..." I felt really strange and awkward, sitting there, my stomach protruding, and a huge, ugly robe sticking to my damp skin. It was obvious that Kendrick was seeing me at my absolute worst, and all I could think about was that this was not going to go far toward getting him back in my bed after the baby was born.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on May 18, 2011 12:25:07 GMT -5
I hesitated, awkward, not sure how to react to a situation like this. Oh Eluas balls, I should have remained at home and waited for word when the babe had come. I gnashed at my own idiocy before reaching forward, patting Naia on the shoulder. How the hell did you comfort someone who was getting ready to pass a melon through their body? I was pretty confident she didn't want me squeezing her in a hug, and I'd heard a few particularly bad rumors of women in labor grabbing their husbands by their sac and squeezing til he cried like a baby in pain. I wasn't entirely sure that was beyond something Naia would do, and I was resolved not to let her have a chance at my sac.
"Of course I was going to come. I didn't believe them when they first told me though," I added, a lopsided grin suddenly appearing on my face. "I didn't tell Emeric though.. I can go back home and get him, if you'd like a larger audience."
The grin grew, and oh-so-slyly I turned my body to make it harder for her to try to grab me between the legs.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on May 18, 2011 17:48:54 GMT -5
I threw a pillow at him, half-laughing and half-angry that he would even suggest such a thing. I’d only met his brother the one time, but one Deveroix in the room was quite enough for me! “Now, now,” my servant-turned-midwife admonished me, picking up the pillow and fluffing it up with the others on the bed. “You’ll want as many of these as you can get. Now stand up and we’ll get you out of that robe and all comfortable. I have a feeling this baby doesn’t want to wait.” I had that feeling as well, because the contractions were already coming closer together and getting more painful. I hoped that didn’t mean anything was wrong. My dreams of late were haunted by visions of something going wrong during the birth and either me or the baby not surviving it. I was more worried about the baby, because even if something happened to me, I knew that Kendrick would take care of him. It was my biggest source of comfort, the knowledge that Kendrick was going to be a better father than mine ever could have been. I let myself get settled on the bed, and tried to relax as another contraction gripped me, this one even worse than the one before it. ~ Ten Hours Later ~ The early morning sunlight was streaming through the windows, and I noticed the dust motes swirling in front of me as I struggled to breathe. It was a strange thing to notice, given that I was so exhausted that every breath was agony, eclipsed only by the pain that had settled in my lower back and abdomen. If I’d thought it was bad when it started … all these hours later and I couldn’t even curse or cry out anymore. I just lay there, panting, knowing that something was wrong, despite that people kept telling me that everything was ‘fine.’ Another contraction wracked through me, but I didn’t have the energy left to do any more than moan softly, feeling the sweat that covered me trickle down between my breasts. It felt cold, like the icy water that kept being forced upon me, although I had ceased to accept it some time ago. This was it. The end of me, just as I’d feared. I was going to die with virtual strangers surrounding me, two who were only here because they were paid, and one who cared only for the child that I was struggling to birth. I was glad, of course, that Kendrick cared for the child the way he did, but it was terrifying to think that I was going to die alone. I wanted my sister. I wanted Sinclair. I wanted anyone that could be comforting rather than businesslike or uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure when I realized that the wetness on my cheeks was tears, not sweat, or when I began to whimper my sister’s name, but by the time I heard myself, I couldn’t be bothered to stop it, even when I felt the first stirrings of an even greater pressure in my lower back.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on May 22, 2011 21:25:43 GMT -5
Naia was unconsolable. Utterly and completely unconsolable, though to be honest I wasn't really sure what to do to make her feel better. I could offer to push on her stomach to help her out, but I was pretty sure that would result in every woman in a ten block radius chasing me down with rolling pins and shoes. Not an enjoyable thought.
Besides, I didn't want to take the chance that anything would happen to my babe. I was concerned, for her as much as for the baby, and as far as I could tell between contractions I reached, tentatively, stroking my fingertips over her stomach, at the life that lay nestled just below the surface of her skin. I'd heard some men say they wondered what it would be like to be pregnant, but the thought only made me shudder. No no, better to leave that to women.
Every time I'd asked if Naia would be alright I was rebuked, patted on the head and told everything would be fine. She didn't look fine though, and I'd shouted a few times in her defense, trying for those chicken-headed women to do something to help her out, but they wouldn't do anything. Said there wasn't anything to do, and I didn't know enough about this sort of thing to know whether they were telling me the truth or not. I glared, glared at them, and sat by Naia's bed, holding a cool cloth to her forehead. She started whispering her sisters name, and I frowned slightly, but said nothing on the matter. "Ssh, it's alright Naia," I murmured, returning the cloth to a bucket, wringing the water out some and bringing it back to her forehead again. It was the only damn thing they'd let me do... and I had to do something or I'd bolt out of the room. This was not my forte.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on May 24, 2011 15:57:22 GMT -5
Now that I’d realized I was dying, I had accepted it, and I felt the fuzzy warmth of unconsciousness teasing at the edges of my vision. If I let it claim me, I could drift away and they could get my son out somehow. But what if they couldn’t? What if he drifted away with me? It was the only thing that kept me tethered to awareness. That and Kendrick, tenderly mopping my brow in a way that I hadn’t imagined of him. At first he had snarled and paced and that was more of what I knew of him, but when that had availed him nothing, he had settled down to do what the midwives allowed him – comfort me.
Just as I thought I might indeed drift away, struggling as I was to stay present, there was a new sensation and I felt myself bear down without conscious thought. I heard the midwife sigh in relief and speak to her counterpart.
“Finally,” she said, before directing her voice to me. “All right, my lady, it’s time. When I tell you to, I want you to push, and keep pushing until I tell you to stop.”
I didn’t think I’d have the energy to, but when she told me to push, I did, with all my might, crying out as a fresher, sharper pain tore through me. I just had to get him out and then I could die in peace.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on May 30, 2011 20:23:40 GMT -5
For a moment, I froze. Push? Here? Now? Oh balls, I didn't have time to leave! I had to walk past to get out the door, and what if they thought me cowards? Why couldn't she have sent me away? Either of them? How inconsiderate, not to think of me like that! Balls! Blue, bloody balls!
I was stuck, whether I liked it or not, and no amount of wishing otherwise was going to change it. Clearing my throat, I sat back a little, the washcloth falling into the bucket beside me. What did I do now? I sure in blazes wasn't going to go down there and help out. So, when Naia leaned back after pushing, I was there again with a wash cloth, dabbing at her face, pretending nothing out of the ordinary was happening south of her waist. It wasn't the first time I'd washed anothers face, or coddled them when they were sick or in pain, but it was the first time someone had pushed another person out of their body. I gave her a cheeky smile, not really sure what to say at the moment.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on May 30, 2011 21:48:07 GMT -5
Gods, if I'd thought I'd known pain before it was nothing compared to the burning between my legs and the pressure as I pushed until I couldn't breath and black spots danced before my eyes.
"Good, good, he's almost here, I can see his black hair, just a few more."
Kushiel, would this never end? "I can't..." I moaned, so spent that even those words were barely breathed past my lips. I doubted anyone heard me but Kendrick, who was being oddly comforting, which was rather unexpected but definitely appreciated.
Even though I felt as if I couldn't push again, it was as if there were no choice, because when the next contraction came, I had to push. This time I let out a scream that bounced off of the walls, as the burning between my legs became unbearable.
"Stop now, Naia, stop for a moment..."
I barely heard her as I fell back again, feeling a slight tugging sensation as she busied herself between my legs.
"Allright, Naia, last one, give us one last good push and your son will be here."
I didn't think I had it in me, didn't think I could possibly even have the strength to keep breathing, but somehow I managed, and with a suddenness I didn't expect, the burning pain lessened as I felt my son slide free at last. He was laid upon my belly, wriggling softly as he was toweled off, though I worried that he was at the moment quiet.
I hadn't yet the chance to look down at my son, as the midwife was now addressing Kendrick.
"Would you like to cut the cord, Lord Deveroix?"
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on May 31, 2011 12:09:43 GMT -5
She sweated and whimered, her face too pale, even for a Shahrizai. Naia without something to say was a worrisome Naia, something I'd learned in the past, but I continued to studiously ignore the fact that anything was happening below her breasts. Breasts? Blast, below her chin. Or eyes. Forehead? I'd go with that, and just concentrate on dabbing it with a washcloth when she relaxed down on the pillow again.
The bellowing scream made me start, and involuntarily I looked where I had convinced myself not to look, seeing the midwife between Naias legs. I greyed, my stomach turned a little, and I jerked my eyes away, letting the washcloth drop in the bucket again to busy myself with wiping my hands on my breeches.
This was not my forte. This was not how I wanted to think of a woman, but then again I didn't care for any pregnant women, not unless they had my son in their belly. The midwife urged Naia to push once more and I swallowed against the sounds that followed, wanting to leave[/b]. That was it, I couldn't take it anymore. I stood and began to turn when a baby was laid upon Naias stomach, the air eerily silent save for the gentle whooshes as he was toweled off.
He was covered in a white substance, and I paled again before turning utterly green when offered the chance to cut the cord. "Cut it?" I asked, strangled. "Are you bloody daft, woman? Why in Eluas balls would I want to cut the damned cord?"
I wanted to leave.. I wanted to walk out of the room, but it was as if a line had been strung between the babe and I, and I was riveted where I stood. My eyes slid away from the idiot woman to come to rest on my son, and I watched him from where I stood for a long moment, seeing only part of his cheek and forehead; he was angled too wrong for me to fully see his face. My son. My son. They illness started to recede, but I stood where I was, silent and observant, not ready yet to walk closer.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on May 31, 2011 21:34:39 GMT -5
If I had the energy, I would have laughed. Now there was the Kendrick I knew and ... well, the Kendrick I knew, anyway. I heard the midwife laugh and then suddenly the baby's weight was gone.
"There it's done, would you like to hold your son, my lord?"
Well, now I could expire peacefully if I liked, but suddenly I wanted nothing more than to see my son. How unfair that I did all the work, but of course she offered my son to his father first. Irritated, I pushed myself up to higher sitting position, craning my neck as my son gave his first lusty scream, balling up his little fists and letting the world know he was here.
I wanted him, wanted to snatch him away from Kendrick and never let go, but I forced myself to be still, which was just as well, as the midwives were not quite done with me yet.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Jun 5, 2011 22:14:04 GMT -5
Before I knew it, I was laughed at then I had a baby in front of me, the midwifes hands gentle with holding him out to me. By reflex I looked at Naia; part of me was terrified. I didn't know what to do with a baby. What if I dropped it? Would it be alright, like the lucky melon that didn't split when it hit the ground? Oh dear Elua, no, that was entirely the wrong analogy to use.
Naia, though, looked like she'd chew through metal and spit nails into my eyes, and I frowned, confused. Why in Eluas balls would she be looking at me like this? I didn't light my candle on purpose, then sleep with her without telling her about it. My features hardened towards normalcy, and I turned from her and back to the midwife again, awkwardly holding my arms out. "I'd love to," I said, my attention riveted to the bawling little thing before me.
Balls. She settled him against me, telling me how to hold my arms, and before I knew it, I was left alone to hold the babe. I stared down at him, held against me as he was, watching as he screamed and cried, watching as he wound down some, whimpering softly. A little smile edged its way onto my face; he was here. My own flesh and blood, my son. He was here.
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