I could feel the light trembles of pain as they flowed through my body. My mother had warned me of this. She had told me that those waves were a warning that would slowly prepare me for what followed. They seemed mild enough now but they were growing in strength, so perhaps I could not judge 'what was to come' by what I felt at this moment.

"Ma? It's starting."

My voice was calm, and slightly curious. My mother had ordered me to tell her as soon as I felt the pain, and had remained close to me the entire week, waiting for something she had never told me. In the beginning, she had made sure she was always in the house with me or outside when I was, but in the recent days she had made sure to be in the same room as me at all times. I wasn't entirely sure what she was waiting so cautiously for but I knew that it was nearing the end of my pregnancy. Soon I would be losing the near uncomfortable roundness of my belly.

My mother had ushered me out of the house then, holding me carefully as if I could be broken with only a grip that was too tight.

I still wasn't entirely certain of what was going on even as I was being led out the house.

Our family had eagerly watched for the destiny of their newborns within the stars for generations. They waited to find the fate of the newest member of their family. My father had chosen to stand under the stars to watch their movements as my child was be born. My mother was flickering in and out of the building, conveying information and sending food to whoever was hungry outside. Her sisters had arrived several hours ago to assist her as I would be of no help.

My mother was careful with using her magic around me. She told me with a tired smile, that I was too sensitive to the magic and its use may harm my child. I knew she wanted to be careful, but I liked the feeling of magic as it flowed around me. It was comforting.

Only my husband and the mediwitch were by my side as my body curled and shook with pain. Each new roll of pain set fire to the nerve endings throughout my body. I could see my husband looking uncertain and hopeless, as he could do nothing to ease my suffering, through eyes blurred with tears. There weren't many men who bothered to remain by their wife's side as she bore his child. My husband was one of the few who did, and I was incredibly grateful for it.

Death sounded like a relief from the growing pain. It was not the first time the thought of death being easier crossed my mind, but this wasn't for me. This was for the little body that had been growing in my body for the past nine months. A little child that was born through the love my husband and I shared. The little blessing we had received. I could not entertain the selfish thought of taking that away.

My forehead was wet with perspiration, red tendrils of hair framing my face and neck as it clung to my skin. It felt like hours since the first spike of pain had echoed through my body with a force that had been unignorable, but I knew it could be nothing more than a couple of minutes.

My mind was beginning to lose itself in the continuous waves of growing pain. I was clinging onto the reason why I was going though this pain with every shred of determination within my tiring body.

"Just a little longer!"

The words were like music to my ears. The torture would end soon. The pain would stop. The pressure would fade. The sweet and encouraging whispers of my husband who had taken my head into his lap only made the words all the more encouraging and filled with hope. I was exhausted but I could continue, that voice gave me the energy and determination to continue.

This would be my first child, and right now I dearly hoped it would be my last as well. I doubted my body would be able to handle this onslaught of pain again. I didn't know if my mind would be able to negate this pain again.

"The child is nearly here. She must be lifted."

The words were unintelligible to my mind. I felt myself being lifted into a standing position. I could feel a warm body pressed against my back, stumbling a little as I attempted to curl up again but finally supporting my weight. I could feel warm arms wrapped around my body, and a gentle voice whispering words I could not understand into my ear. The smell of the person was comforting even though I could not place it in that moment.

The pain reached a zenith. All I could do was scream my agony as it felt like my body was constricting within itself and destroying me. I don't think I could name a single body part that didn't hurt in those precious moments.

A little body covered in crimson emerged in incredibly slowly until my body finally slackened, and pained wails filled the air.

I shivered as the cold air hit the skin that had only just been wiped by a wet cloth. I could hear water running a little to my right, and the movement of the mediwitch as she cleaned the baby.

My baby.

The realization hit me suddenly. I was a mother now, and my husband a father.

I moved my tired head to glance at the still figure of my husband behind me. His wide eyes told me that he had made exactly the same realization as I had only a few minutes ago.

A slow smile worked its way onto his face as I watched the awe fill his eyes. Our eyes met and I couldn't help the satisfied feeling that filled me with warmth and pride.

I wrapped my arms around his as he held me closer, hugging me from behind and still supporting my tired body.

We had created something incredibly precious, something, a little someone, we both knew, in that very moment, that we would protect with our lives.

AN: Written for Caerphilly Catapults: Round 11: Chaser 1

Year: 1225

Prompts: No word 'said', crimson, destiny