I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another mile
-I Have A Dream; by Abba
Keiko let out a pained groan as another contraction washed over her. It was more intense than the others, causing her body to stiffen and her mind to blank. Her already shallow breathing seemed to grow even fainter and the layer of sweat glistened even brighter than before. Keiko's body ached from the hours of labor it was forced to go through, but she had to remind herself it would be over soon. The baby would be born and she'd be able to experience motherhood.
Motherhood.
That one word made Keiko's heart swell. For as long as she could remember, being a mother had been her biggest dream. All she wanted was a loving husband and a couple kids running about. But that dream didn't exactly go the way she wanted. Keiko managed to get pregnant, but from a man from the Hidden Leaf. . .and she's going to be an unwed mother. That was something the Tsukamoto clan found unacceptable. Keiko was the clan's heiress, the one who'd be in charge of their people when she's old enough. For her to act out in such a manner — to get pregnant by a man from another country — were possible signs she was not ready to lead.
When the contraction passed, Keiko let out a relieved, though shaky, sigh. Her body and mind were exhausted. All she wanted was for the baby to be born, but it seemed to be taking forever. The midwives weren't doing much to help alleviate the pain or to make the delivery go faster, they were murmuring to themselves, periodically checking the baby and Keiko. Maybe one of them would scurry out of the room to inform the young woman's family. That was another thing; Keiko's family were adamant that she experience the delivery by herself. Through the eight and a half months of her pregnancy, she got the best care possible; but once her water broke a bit too early, they told her she'd go through the birthing process alone. The baby's father had long since disappeared, and whether or not he knew about his child's existence was none of their concern. In the eyes of Keiko's family, he was not suited to be with her, regardless of his homeland.
"I-Is the baby. . .?" Keiko rasped, her voice weak, barely coming above a whisper.
"Doing just fine, don't worry." A midwife inspected the baby's progress on top of making sure Keiko was doing fine, as well. "You're both doing fine. Focus on your breathing. When it's time to push we'll let you know."
A soft whimper escaped Keiko's mouth. She knew better than to argue with the midwives; they knew more than she did. All she could really do is hope for the best.
-0 0 0 0-
Eighteen hours. That's how long Keiko's delivery lasted. Eighteen hours of excruciating pain and desperate pleas. Eighteen hours of wondering of Keiko wondering if her baby was okay or not. The midwives did the best they could to ease the situation, but they were also doing what was necessary for the mother-to-be. They had to keep reminding their patient that sometimes births don't go the way they expect; that all women are different in terms of having a baby. Some women have their baby in a shorter span of time, while others have theirs drawn out as long as possible. Keiko was obviously no exception.
But. . .once Keiko's baby was finally delivered, once she heard the cries and saw it getting carried off, she finally felt her body relax. The pain, however, remained; a reminder of the lengths her body went through. Keiko's breathing was still labored, the layer of sweat on her body making her shiver. Her eyes clouded with tears. She'd finally had her baby, its cries still echoing in the room — they were loud and shrill, but it brought her great comfort.
"My baby," Keiko murmured. One of the midwives approached her, looking at her almost pitifully. "How is my baby?"
"Healthy," the midwife stated. "You've got a healthy baby girl, Lady Keiko."
Closing her eyes for a moment, Keiko felt herself smile. A little girl. How'd she get so lucky? Opening her eyes, Keiko watched as another midwife approached, holding a bundle wrapped in pink blankets. The crying had dwindled down to whimpers.
Slowly sitting up, Keiko got herself as comfortable as possible before opening her arms. The midwife gently placed the baby in her mother's arms, stepping back to observe. The other midwives were doing some additional cleaning, occasionally turning to observe, as well.
Keiko felt the tears overflow. The bundle in her arms looked absolutely perfect. Light olive skin, a head of white hair and bleary blue eyes. Adjusting the baby in her arms, Keiko gently stroked the soft skin of her child's cheek. Letting out a soft coo, the baby nestled into her mother's embrace.
"Look at you," Keiko whispered, still stroking her daughter's cheek. "You're so beautiful. My little girl." Leaning forward, with the utmost care, the young mother kissed her child's forehead.
"Have you thought of a name, Lady Keiko?" One of the midwives stepped forward, glancing down at mother and daughter expectedly.
Glancing up, the young mother nodded. "Yes, of course," she responded. "Her name is Shiori. Shiori Tsukamoto."
With a curt nod, the midwife walked off, only for another one to step forward.
"Should I send for your family?" she asked. "They've been waiting an awfully long time."
The atmosphere immediately shifted. Keiko felt a heaviness drop on her and a lump form in her throat. She felt a tidal wave of emotions consume her, emotions even stronger than what she currently felt. It was almost suffocating. Her family, the very people who opposed Shiori's existence, were waiting outside her room. They were waiting to see the bastard child, the newborn who had brought shame to the Tsukamoto clan. It both saddened and infuriated Keiko, knowing her family thought that way. Her clan's beliefs were very strict, very old fashioned. Very. . .restrictive.
Keiko only nodded in response. The other midwife walked out, going to grab the new mother's family.
Gods give me strength, she thought, swallowing thickly. Keiko instinctively held Shiori closer to her, pressing the newborn to her chest, as if to shield her. Her family hadn't even entered the room yet, and she was preparing for the worst.
Looking down at Shiori, Keiko couldn't stop the small smile from spreading across her face. Her child was looking up at her with curious blue eyes. Shiori's nose was scrunched up and her lips made a small pout.
"No matter what they say," Keiko whispered, "no matter what they say to you, you are absolutely perfect to me. Okay? You're so perfect, Shiori."
The sounds of footsteps caused Keiko to look up. She saw the midwife, standing to the side while the few immediate family members who stayed walked in. Keiko felt her heart jump in her throat as her lips pursed. The scrutiny, the judgment, on their faces made her blood run cold. They hadn't even seen Shiori yet and they were already making assessments — making up their own evaluations — on her.
Keiko's mother, Aino, was leering at the bundle in her daughter's arms. The older woman was obviously taking her time walking over, showing no signs of being interested in seeing her granddaughter. Keiko wasn't surprised in the least, though. Aino was a rather bitter woman in some regards, showing no remorse in her actions or words. All the new mother could do was prepare herself for the onslaught.
"The child is small," Aino pointed out. "Though I have to say it's not surprising. Keiko was small, as well, when she was born."
Mei, Keiko's younger sister, peered over to see Shiori's face. She looked a little disappointed. "How unfortunate," Mei said. "The child inherited the father's features."
"That is unfortunate." Aino shook her head. "But remember, Mei, the child is a bastard. It has no place among us."
"She has every reason to be here," Keiko exclaimed. Shiori whimpered at the sudden noise. "Shiori is my daughter. She has every right to be apart of this family as the rest of us."
"This child has no place here," Aino snapped, ignoring any startled or displeased sounds Shiori made. "It's a bastard, the child of a man from the Hidden Leaf. You know the customs we have in our clan, Keiko, and you went against them."
"You're lucky you're still the heiress," Mei responded. "Father was this close from appointing the title to me."
"I don't care, Mei," Keiko sighed. "Look, I thought I had something special with the Konoha guy. I was wrong. But I know better now and I can be a good example for my daughter."
"What you need to worry about is being a good example for our clan." Aino glowered at her daughter. "The Tsukamoto clan has been part of Kusagakure since its formation. Our history here is rooted deep and it will not be tarnished by the actions of an unruly child."
Setting her jaw, Keiko glared at her mother and sister. She could try and reason with them all she wanted — she could argue, she could defend herself, she could try and say anything that could try and work the situation in her favor. It would not matter. Not in the slightest. Aino and Mei believed in the traditions of the Tsukamoto clan. They believed in the old fashioned ways, the methods that seemed so unconventional today. Anything Keiko said to them would go in one ear and out the other. She could only pray for a miracle.* Something to help ease the problems their lives were now facing.
(A/N):
Sorry for the wait on this chapter. Hopefully you guys found it tolerable, at least. If you see anything that could use some constructive criticism, don't hesitate to let me know, okay? I'd appreciate it.
Do I own anything in the Naruto fandom? No. No I don't. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the bed I sleep on. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, be sure to PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.
Remember, leave constructive criticism where you think it's necessary. Help me improve the story and my writing. Stuff like that is important to me.
Thank you!
Peace out,
Poppy Callaghan