Aveline groaned, "Isabela, I told you, for the last time. I'm fine."
"Sure," Isabela chuckled, "How's that armour fitting you?"
Aveline scowled, throwing away the breastplate before sitting back down, "No one would tailor me an adjustable chainmail. I'll just have to go without for a few more weeks."
"A few more weeks?" Isabela frowned, "You told me-"
"They need me," Aveline said, her hand rubbing her pregnant belly in discomfort, "I can't just waddle off right now, not when things are so intense with the Qunari..."
"Aveline," Isabela said, kneeling beside her, "You're nearly eight months pregnant. If I were you, I would sleep all day and grow happily fat on chocolates. You're practically the size of a house as it is. You might as well enjoy it instead of traipsing away the country side, too fat to even swing a sword at slavers."
Aveline scowled and Isabela teased, "Come on then. Hawke's offered to take you both in. There will be plenty of space there and excellent babysitters. You're not really going to have this baby in the barrack are you? Nurse in between whetting blades? Even you are not that absurdly dedicated to this job."
"Give me another week," Aveline pouted slightly, "Then I'll sit around knitting booties all day while Leandra lectures me about single parents and I will be too tired to argue with her."
"Fine," Isabela bargained, "But only desk work. No more running around. I get exhausted just watching you."
"I'm scheduled for patrol on the Wounded Coast this afternoon," Aveline argued, "I'm going to be late as it is, I can't get someone else."
"But...fine," Isabela said, "But I'm going with you. Someone's going to need to protect you while you stop to piss every five minutes."
Aveline went to protest, but gave in, "Fine. Be ready, slattern. We have a decent hike ahead of us and I'm not waiting around for you."
oOoOoOo
Isabela was quite surprised by how well Aveline carried herself as they hiked up the Wounded Coast. She should not have been shocked, Isabela thought to herself. Aveline had seemingly not stopped moving these past few months. The end of her affair with Donnic had not stopped her, nor finding out she was carrying his child. The woman kept moving, kept fighting. Isabela had to admire that, but found herself doting on her regardless. She knew Aveline couldn't keep this up, no one could. The worry ate at Isabela quietly, but was abated when she saw her friend smile as they reached the sea.
Uncharacteristically, Aveline plopped herself down by the shore, taking her boots off to put her feet in the water. She sighed in relief and Isabela sat beside her, rubbing a swollen ankle affectionately.
Aveline laid her head on her shoulder, "For the first time ever, I think you're right. Maker, I don't think my feet have ever been so sore."
Isabela nodded towards the sky, "Come on, my dear guard captain. It looks like rain soon. You're going to want to finish the patrol before it starts. Then we'll go back to my place, I'll have two pints, one in your honour of course, and we'll snuggle up in front of the fire swapping sex stories."
Aveline chuckled, "All right, my dear pirate. Let's get going."
Isabela helped her to her feet and Aveline put her boots back on. They made their way back up the hill, tracing over the patrol route as a thundercloud rumbled in the distance. Isabela paused, turning her head to look behind her on the trail.
"Do you hear something?" Aveline asked.
Isabela bit her lip before shaking her head, "Just my imagination. Let's just keep moving. I don't like the look of that storm."
Aveline pulled out her sword, "No, I hear it too."
They heard the cry of the Tal-Vasoth before they saw them. Isabela instinctively stood in front of Aveline, backing them further away as the group attacked. Aveline pushed Isabela to the side, matching her blade against another's. The pair stood back to back, glancing at each other knowing they were badly outnumbered.
Isabela grabbed a flask from her pack and threw it to the ground. She grabbed Aveline as the thick mist descended among them, making it near impossible to see. Isabela led her into the mining tunnels. Isabela helped her down some scaffolding, arriving in a small cove. They listened intently as the Tal-Vasoth marched through, one ordering the others in Qunlat to search for them.
Isabela said quietly, "We'll wait here until they pass. There's a ladder over there to get back up, I think."
Aveline grabbed Isabela's hand with surprising force and she turned to her friend, seeing her other hand grabbing her belly.
Isabela went silent as they stood there, hearing the rain pour outside, hearing the footsteps of the Tal-Vasoth echo in the caverns.
"Now?" Isabela mouthed.
Aveline nodded, gripping harder.
Aveline sat down, bring Isabela with her.
"It's easier if you walk around," Isabela whispered.
Aveline shook her head, whispering, "I can't. I don't want to move. Please, please just stay here with me. Please don't leave me here."
"I'm not going anywhere," Isabela promised.
Isabela shifted, curling Aveline into her frame, holding her as the Tal-Vasoth shouted more orders to each other. The sound lessened and they breathed easier, moving to face each other.
Aveline squeezed her hand, biting her lip to stop from crying out. Isabela stroked her hair softly.
"My mother was a seer, you know," Isabela murmured quietly, hearing the footsteps near them, "We had so many pregnant women come in, asking to hear about their future children. My mother would put the lead in the water and they would huddle around as she made up some story about their child. She couldn't even tell them if it was a boy or a girl, but they all believed in her."
Aveline groaned quietly, burying her face in Isabela's shoulder.
She continued, "I was present at a lot of those babies' births. In Rivain, all the women in the community raise us, really. We all helped each other, especially at the most difficult parts of life. I will get you through this too, my battering ram. Though I imagine you could have done this on your own. If any woman could, it would be you."
Aveline squeezed again and murmured, "What would your mother say about my baby?"
Isabela chuckled, "I have no idea. Probably it would be a girl with beautiful red hair and would marry a rich man."
Aveline grunted, shifting onto her knees.
"That's right," Isabela encouraged quietly, "Move how you need to."
"Why is he coming so quickly?" Aveline hissed, wincing.
"That's a good thing," Isabela reassured, helping Aveline kick off her pants, "Your body knows what it's doing. I will keep you safe, I promise."
Aveline pressed her face into the ground, digging her fingers into the dirt as she tried not to scream. Isabela moved behind her, resting her hands on her ankles in comfort.
They stayed like this for awhile, only the quiet strokes of Isabela's hands reminding them they were not alone. Aveline lay on her side for a short time, her head in Isabela's lap as she tried not to cry.
Isabela looked upwards, hearing the echoing of the Tal-Vasoth as they combed the tunnels. She closed her eyes for a second, stroking Aveline's legs as they shook. She moved back to her knees weakly and Isabela returned behind her without words. It seemed a miracle to her as she held her hands out, feeling the child slip out into her arms.
Isabela caught her breath as Aveline moved to her side again, panting heavily as Isabela brought the baby into her arms.
"A boy," Aveline murmured, "It's a boy."
Isabela tried to cover them both as best she could with Aveline's coat. She pulled out a knife from her boot, cutting the cord quickly before tying it off. The child whimpered as his mother pushed again, expelling the afterbirth.
Aveline groaned, lying on her back as she stroked her son's face.
"They're coming, aren't they?" Aveline murmured, hearing footsteps.
Isabela did not answer, moving to support the pair as Aveline closed her eyes in exhaustion. The scaffolding creaked and Isabela rose, holding the still bloodied knife in the air as she stood in front of them.
"Take him," Aveline whispered, "Take him and go. You'll be faster without me."
"I'm not leaving you," Isabela promised.
As the steps grew closer, Isabela knelt, dagger outstretched as her other hand reached for Aveline's. Their fingers brushed together as the child whimpered quietly.
"Isabela!"
Isabela bared her teeth instinctively as she looked upwards, her expression softening as she recognized the motley crew overhead.
"Hawke," Isabela chuckled, putting the knife away, "You've always had a knack for timing. I could use your help down here, if you've got a minute."
oOoOoOoOo
Isabela woke first, hearing the child cry quietly. Aveline stirred beside her, groaning incoherently. Isabela patted her arm, rising from the bed to take the child in her own arms.
The little boy grew calm, sucking on Isabela's finger expectantly. She smirked, stroking the child's cheek as she brought him back into the bed with her. Aveline sat up groggily, bringing the child to her breast as she curled back into the sheets.
Isabela sat down on the side of the bed, hearing the commotions of the Hawke estate comfortingly in the background. She had practically fallen asleep as she had hit the pillow, barely noticing the other two bodies in the room with her.
She looked over, watching the mother and child fall back asleep, the little boy...Ben...reaching out to Isabela with his small hand.
Isabela smiled, curling back into the bed, holding the two in her arms as she closed her eyes again.