Resurrection
Embarr raced across the city, Maric clinging to her neck. His guards sped behind him, struggling to keep up. Thoughts ran wildly through Maric's mind as his mare carried him swiftly to the palace. "I have to get to her. I have to make sure she's okay."
Maric had been traveling around the city checking on the reconstruction efforts. Things were moving along nicely when a messenger came flying at them, the horse frothing at the mouth a little. Maric felt fingers of panic twist into his gut, the messenger would not have pushed the horse so hard if it had been good news.
"Your Majesty, it is the Commander. She has started her labor early. The Lieutenant Commander has requested that you return to the palace immediately." This was said in a rush without pausing for air.
Maric ran to his horse, not caring if it was undignified. He was terrified for Sareyna and the baby. He remembered how hard it had been to sit outside the room and listen to Rowan's screams during delivery. He knew the baby coming early could be disastrous and prayed as he raced to Alistair's side.
Once he had arrived in the courtyard he did not even come to a full stop as he jumped off and ran through the palace. As he neared the room he heard voices yelling down the hall. He rounded the corner and did not slow until he was next to Alistair frantically pacing outside the room.
Alistair looked at him and said miserably "They won't let me in, and no one comes out to tell me how she is. It's too early, something's wrong."
Maric nodded and rested his hand on Alistair's shoulder. "They never let the men in, for now we just have to hope, and pray."
Alistair's eyes flashed at him, almost angry. "The Maker is gone, he won't help her."
Maric didn't flinch; he had been watching Alistair become increasingly bitter towards the Chantry and the Maker over the last few months. He didn't like their treatment of Templars or Mages. He also was upset about the Chantry taking children from their parents. And he was angry at the Maker for "punishing children" instead of helping them as he should.
Maric had tried speaking with him about it a few times and Alistair always shut down and left the room. Maric had been shocked and a little scandalized when Sareyna and Alistair said they were not going to have the baby baptized. He had wondered if that would change when the baby came, but it did not appear that it would.
Maric saw a servant walking past the end of the corridor and he called out to him. "Farren, could you kindly bring me and the Lieutenant Commander a pitcher of ale and two mugs?" Farren nodded then hurried off towards the kitchens.
"I don't want to get drunk." Alistair mumbled as he plopped down on one of the two chairs stationed across the hall from the lying in room.
Maric sat down next to him. "No, I don't recommend that, but a mug or two will calm your nerves. It will make the waiting a tiny bit more bearable."
Alistair nodded and took a few deep breaths; things had quieted down a little in the lying in room. "We were working out how and when we would travel to Amaranthine. Wynne and Zevran are going with us. We figured that we would have to travel only in short bursts because of the baby. I tried to talk her into taking a wagon, but she said you had done too much already. I was about to argue when I noticed a panicked look in her eyes. She looked down and we both saw a wet spot spreading down her dress. And then she crumpled over clutching at her belly and crying out."
Maric nodded realizing he was speaking of her waters breaking.
Alistair's breath hitched a little. "I didn't know what to do; I picked her up, ran into the hallway and started yelling for Wynne. She heard me and came running. She brought me here and had me set Sareyna down outside the door. Sareyna sent me to find Leliana. She said Leli would know what to do. I found her and came right back, but Wynne said I couldn't go in. I was okay for a while. Then…then…she screamed." Alistair closed his eyes. "And no one will tell me if she's okay. There must be half a dozen women in there, no one can tell me?" He looked almost angry.
"How long ago did you bring her here?" Maric asked, trying to sound casual.
"I don't know, maybe three hours?" Alistair looked at Maric with fear in his eyes. "How long will it take? How long before we know?"
Maric took a deep breath, still struggling to reign in his panic. "It can take hours; Rowan once told me she knew a woman that it had lasted a whole day. Nothing to worry about yet." His eyes darted to the door as a pained moan was heard. He was grateful that Farren returned with the ale only a moment later. He poured them each a mug and handed one to Alistair. The only thing they could do now was wait.
Sareyna was starting to flag, the contractions were finally coming closer together and she desperately hoped she would deliver soon. She continued to walk around the room with Leliana's help. She looked around and sighed.
She barely knew these women. Wynne had brought them in a few weeks ago. Two of the women were skilled midwives whom Wynne had worked with before. The other two were healers. Wynne had been overly cautious since the Archdemon.
Wynne said it was because she had never delivered for a Grey Warden but had been told it could be difficult. She was also concerned about possible damage to Sareyna's body from the taint. Thankfully the baby was still taint free and they hoped they could keep it that way.
Sareyna doubled over as another contraction ripped through her body. She felt like her insides were ripping apart. She had been walking for so long, but was still wary of the u shaped stool in the middle of the room sitting on a layer of straw.
After another lap around the room Wynne told her to get on the stool. Leliana helped her up and then stood behind her to support her upper body. The contractions were less than a minute apart and the midwives agreed that the baby would come soon. Wynne checked her quickly to make sure her womb was open and ready to let the child into the world.
Sareyna was thankful for the wine with the strange herbs in it that Wynne had given her earlier for pain. Even with the help the pain was nearly unbearable. She tried to be as quiet as possible. She knew Alistair and probably Maric were right outside the door. She ran her finger briefly over her necklace at the thought of Alistair. She was sure both he and Maric were already as scared as she was.
With the next contraction Wynne told Sareyna to push. Sareyna bore down and cried out a little. Once the contraction was over she felt slightly light headed. She tried to focus herself, just wanting the baby out at this point. She was ready to sleep for a year, if the pain would just stop.
Another contraction hit her. She felt stabbing pain in her lower abdomen from hip to hip. But this time it was different. As she bore down again she started to have a full and stretched feeling. This was almost immediately followed by a burning sensation. She kept pushing and Wynne was making excited noises.
"The head is almost out, keep pushing." She practically hummed with pleasure at seeing the babe's head.
Finally, the contraction was over and the infants head was free. She tried to relax but still felt the burning and stretching. She took another breath and the next contraction hit her with brutal strength. Only Leliana holding on to her prevented her from doubling over completely. She kept pushing downward, just wanting this to be over.
"He's perfect, just perfect. You did so good Sareyna." Wynne tied off the umbilical cord and cut it. The child had a Veil. Wynne cut holes for the nostrils and mouth so the baby could breathe while she carefully removed it.
She worked slowly pulling the loops off the ears, making sure to remove it right to left so the child would have great luck in life. He would also have the gifts of seeing into the past and the future. Once the Veil was removed she carefully placed it on the paper the midwives had insisted be in the room for just this purpose. They would need to preserve it. It would bring the boy luck.
One of the midwives came over and worked at removing the afterbirth. Wynne cleared the infant's mouth of mucus and he gave a lusty cry. She looked over at Sareyna and Leliana "Leliana help her to clean up will you?"
Wynne was surrounded by the other women as they checked the baby out to make sure he was ok, and to see if he needed any healing. They all remarked at how big he was for being premature. They also murmured thanks that the child was able to breathe on his own. The midwives said the couple must be blessed.
Once Leliana finished helping Sareyna get cleaned up she walked her over to the bed. She helped Sareyna into a fresh chemise and then laid her gently down, pulling the comforter over her. Sareyna mumbled a half coherent thank you as fatigue set in.
"Wow, that was harder than fighting Darkspawn. Glad I only have to do it once." She thought. "Wynne can I see him?"
"Just a moment dear, we're going to check if you need any healing first." Within seconds she felt the cool energy wash over her body. She opened her eyes and saw the blue light cascading over her. Sareyna looked at Wynne questioningly. "Not to worry, just helping you heal from the normal labor wear and tear. I know how you hate to be bed bound."
Finally, Wynne brought the baby boy to her. She immediately started breast feeding the child and the midwives nodded in approval. Sareyna knew she should have them get Alistair but she felt she needed these few moments alone, with her child.
Wynne looked at Sareyna meaningfully and Sareyna closed her eyes, holding the tears back. It was as she had feared. The child was not hers; it was an Old God in the body of what had been her child. She started sobbing softly and the midwives thought she was overcome with emotion because of the birth.
Sareyna was still fighting back the wracking sobs when Wynne ushered everyone out and let just Alistair into the room. She promised Maric he could come in as soon as the parents had a moment to bond with the child. She turned back into the room and closed the door.
Alistair apparently figured out why Sareyna was crying and tears welled up in his eyes. Their child was dead. Their only chance to have a child was gone. Wynne had already told them that the Taint had damaged Alistair too much for him to father another.
Alistair looked at the thing in Sareyna's arms. He pulled it away from Sareyna's breast and looked at it. He looked for any signs of the child not being human. He found none and held the child to his chest, cradling it gently. "We have to try; we have to try to love it. I don't think it knows. It…he didn't choose this, didn't kill our son on purpose. We have to make this work." Alistair quickly devolved, a tear escaping and sliding down his cheek.
The boy had Sareyna's penetrating indigo eyes, but his hair color. The nose was clearly a Theirin nose. He had Sareyna's caramel colored skin. He was…beautiful. Alistair was amazed at how the blended features from two relatively plain looking people had made this gorgeous baby.
He couldn't help himself. He felt proud. He looked at Sareyna and smiled. She smiled weakly back, watching him with the baby. He was already bonding with it, he didn't care that the soul was not his child's, the boy was still his. "Are you ok?"
"Yes, I'm alright. I just had hoped…" she swallowed hard. Alistair nodded; he knew what she was saying. He had hoped for that himself. He offered the boy back to Sareyna but she shook her head, she didn't want to take him. He wondered idly if this was going to be a problem.
"If you're alright can Maric come in? He would really like to see his grandson."
Wynne opened the door and Maric strode into the room. He zeroed in on Sareyna, seeing she was tired and that she had been crying. He knew women were emotional when it came to childbirth but Sareyna never seemed like the type. He smiled at her, hoping it was just the trauma of birthing a child, although he felt fairly sure that was not the case.
As he came closer he saw Alistair holding the child. He too had been crying, but seemed fairly happy. Perhaps, they were tears of joy. He looked to the child, the boy. He was beautiful, babies usually were, but there was something about him that was unspeakably beautiful.
The infant's long fingers were curled around one of Alistair's, the baby's strange eyes staring intently at the finger. The baby smiled and gurgled a little, Alistair and Maric could not help but smile. Sareyna didn't seem to notice.
"Has the boy eaten?" Maric asked looking to Wynne. The mage nodded and Maric turned back to Alistair. "Why don't we take the baby to the nursery so Sareyna can get a little sleep?"
Sareyna smiled gratefully at Maric. Alistair nodded and placed a kiss on Sareyna's brow before they left the room. Sareyna had pulled the covers up and turned on her side before they had left the room. Wynne joined the men as they made their way to the nursery.
"So when is the baptism?" Wynne asked.
Alistair stopped walking and looked at the mage. He said in low and even tones. "The child will not be baptized. There is no point. And, before you ask, yes Sareyna agrees, so butt out. If you want to use his name it's Trelain." Alistair kept looking at Wynne; Maric could easily see the challenge in his eyes.
Wynne backed down, "That's a beautiful name for a beautiful boy." They walked the rest of the way in silence.
