'Keith,' Allura called.
Silence answered. With a deep sigh, she knew it would last all of another three and a half minutes. Right now, the Queen of Arus had her eyes tightly closed, so she could see nothing. The temperature of the water surrounding her meant Allura felt nothing as she drifted in the scented bath. Only the smell of lavender invaded her senses, calming her mind and spirit. In this moment she felt perfectly content.
'Did you call?' Keith, looking worried entered the bathroom.
An hour ago his wife insisted he take their three rambunctious children and put them to bed. He'd seen his wife in this state twice before, both times preceded said children's births. Although she hadn't mentioned back pain or contractions, Keith wondered.
A smile gracing Allura's lips, she refused to leave her moment of serenity. Not wanting to move, she let it be the only answer. After ten years of marriage, Keith would now be pacing back and forth. Seven steps to the end of the bathroom, her husband would turn and take the seven steps back again. He'd learnt to await her response.
Three minutes and fifteen seconds later, she stood abruptly. Wide blue eyes searched for those of her beloved. He waited with a towel. As she stepped out of the bath, Keith gently wrapped it around her shoulders.
'The twins are out like a light,' he stated. 'It took me longer to get Kirra to sleep. She's not old enough to understand.'
'I know,' Allura now panted. Waves of pain started high in her belly, getting stronger with each second. One glance and Keith understood she'd kept her labours from him.
'When did it start?' he asked.
'Just after dinner,' Allura managed.
'I believe,' Keith smiled as water splashed onto his trouser leg, 'you water's broken. I think it's time to call Dr Groma and the midwife.'
'Just a little bit longer,' Allura gasped, waiting for the contraction to reach a crescendo. Between breaths she managed to get out a pain filled wail. 'They'll make me go to bed and you know I need to walk now.'
'We decided,' Keith rubbed her back, taking the seven steps to the end of the bathroom with her at his side, 'to do this our way. This will be our last child, Allura and you should birth this baby the way you want.'
'The twins,' she argued.
'Needed specialist attention being a multiple birth and early,' Keith soothed. He'd been through this before and understood how unreasonable Allura could be. 'We had no choice. You needed to be on bed rest in the medical wing for the last three weeks of your pregnancy.'
'Kirra,' Allura decided to change the subject when she wouldn't win the point.
'Came the way you wanted in this very room while in your bath,' he kept his calm, counting as this contraction subsided. Five minutes apart. The Prince Consort really needed to call the midwife at least. 'There is nothing wrong with this baby or your health. We need Miruim to come now, Allura.'
Nodding as she bit her lip, the Queen finally agreed. After doing this twice, Allura knew her child would soon be here. The urge to push increased as her time neared.
Half an hour later, Keith handed their new daughter to his wife. Wrapped in a blanket, he joined a drained Allura on their bed.
'Happy,' he asked, kissing first his beloved on the forehead, then his sleepy daughter.
'Ecstatic,' Allura yawned, falling into an exhausted sleep.