Royal Upbringing
Chapter 1: The Beginning
A/N: I'm not sure what this story is, where it came from, or where it is headed. Call it Divine Intervention or whatever you like. Either way it's going to be interesting.
The palace was buzzing with excitement, both literally and metaphorically. Maids and midwives rushed about as if there were a fire that needed to be extinguished. After all it was not everyday that a new member of the House of Gale was born.
DG was doing well by all standards. She was sitting in bed, propped up against the headboard with what seemed like a thousand pillows of varying colors, watching the chaos around her with a mix of bemusement and annoyance. Why so many people needed to be involved in the birth of her child she would never understand. Had it been up to her there would be exactly two people in the room with her: Wyatt and Dr. Naamans.
"How are you feeling my angel?" her mother asked as she swept into the room with more grace and elegance that DG could ever hope for.
"I'm fine mother," she answered. "The contractions are getting stronger but it's nothing I can't handle."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Cain laughed. "Your last contraction nearly cost me a broken hand."
DG laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'll gladly switch you places if you'd like."
Wyatt smiled as he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Not for all the platinum in the O.Z."
"Are you okay Your Highness?" a maid asked. "Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you Nokaila," DG answered, preferring to call the staff by their first names rather than practice propriety. "Mother is it really necessary for all these peo—" suddenly she slammed her eyes shut and grabbed for her husband's hand as another contraction wracked her body.
"It's okay sweetie," Wyatt whispered into her ear. "Just remember to breathe." He sandwiched her hand between his own, rubbing his thumb soothingly over her knuckles.
"If I wasn't…breathing I'd….be…dead," DG managed to choke out. Wyatt laughed, wondering how even during immense pain she could manage to come up with a sarcastic response.
The Queen grabbed the attention of one of the maids. "Fetch the doctor please. He should be in the sitting room with the Consort." The young woman bowed politely and hurried from the room.
"Sweet Ozma this sucks," DG groaned as the contraction finally subsided. She turned to Cain and added just loud enough for him to hear, "This is all your fault. I'm never letting you touch me again."
He laughed softly. "I didn't hear any complaints from you. In fact I remember you agreeing with me an awful lot. And rather loudly."
'Damn him and his smugness,' she thought idly. Her mind was searching for a response when the maid finally returned with Dr. Naamans in tow.
"Good morning Your Highness," he greeted the Queen with a slight bow then turned his attention to DG. "And how are you feeling Princess?"
"Just dandy," she replied earning a smirk from Cain and a scowl from her mother.
"How are your contractions coming?" Dr. Naamans asked, choosing to ignore the previous comment.
"About six minutes apart," Wyatt answered.
"And hurting like hell," DG added.
"Well that's to be expected. Let's see how things are going."
DG groaned, knowing full well what was coming. She bent her legs at her knees and let Dr. Naamans push them apart. As her blanket was lifted up and the cold air invaded the space, she felt utterly and completely exposed to the world. 'It's nothing he hasn't seen before,' her logical side screamed. Regardless, DG felt the blush rise to her face.
"Everything looks good," Dr. Naamans announced, replacing the blankets and DG's dignity. "It'll be a little longer before he's ready to join us though."
"She," DG corrected quickly.
"I thought you didn't know the sex," he said hesitantly.
"We don't," Cain explained. "But she's convinced it's a girl." DG smiled and nodded her head excitedly. "I'm less than persuaded," he added.
"Oh it will be a girl, just you wait." She crossed her arms defiantly and leaned back on the multitude of pillows. Dr. Naamans laughed softly and excused himself. As he vacated the room Ahamo and Azkadellia entered, passing each other in the doorway.
"Consort. Princess." The doctor said bowing respectfully. The two smiled back with gentle nods of their heads before continuing into the room.
"How are you feeling Deeg?" Az asked coming to her sister's side, grasping DG's hand in her own.
"I'm fine Az," the younger princess sighed having been asked that question too many times in the last few hours.
"And how is my little niece?" Az asked.
"Nephew," Wyatt corrected.
"That's what you think," Az laughed. She rubbed her sister's swollen stomach softly leaning down to whisper to the child inside softly.
DG smiled, loving to see the softer side of her sister that her child was bringing about. Azkadellia had been so depressed lately at least until she learned that DG was pregnant. Her mood had changed dramatically, though she still had mood swings in which her spirits would drop unexpectedly.
"Az if you wait a few more hours you can talk to her all you want," DG said smiling.
"You mean talk to him," Ahamo spoke up, joining in the ongoing battle between the sexes.
"Oh my dear," Lavender said placing a loving hand on her husband's shoulder, "you know that we Gale women are never wrong. It's a gift of the light."
"Never wrong?" Cain laughed. He was about to protest but quickly stopped as DG gripped his hand again. Looking down he noticed the pained look in her face had returned and a beaded line of sweat appeared on her brow. Wyatt grabbed the wet towel from the basin beside the bed and dabbed at his wife's forehead.
A few seconds passed before DG let her grip slacken. She dropped her head back to the pillows, breathing raggedly.
"I think perhaps we should leave dear," Ahamo suggested as a silence fell in the room. He took his eldest daughter by the forearm and led her to the door.
"We'll be back, Deeg," Azkadellia called over her shoulder as the pair exited the room again. The Queen made herself busy for a few more minutes before quietly excusing herself from the room.
"Can it just be over already?" DG asked quietly.
Wyatt smiled bringing their conjoined hands to his lips and placing a soft kiss on each of DG's knuckles. "I know it's terrible," he said earning an annoyed look from DG, "but believe me when I tell you that holding him in your arms will make it all worth it."
"Her," she corrected with a smile.
"Why do you all think it's a girl?" Wyatt asked bemused.
She thought for a moment before smiling. "Call it a woman's instinct."
OZOZOZ
The pain was growing intensely as the time passed. DG was in full blown labor now cursing everything and everyone under the suns as another contraction ripped through her body.
"You're doing great sweetheart," Wyatt whispered, running a cold, damp cloth across her face.
"Shut up!" she cried. "You have no idea how I'm doing. I'm not doing great, Cain. It's far from great! Whatever the antithesis of great is in the O.Z., that's how I'm doing!"
Cain took her out burst in stride, knowing it was hormones making her behave this way. Hell, Adora had thrown a bottle at his head when she was in labor with Jeb. He remembered the abuse well.
"Everything is looking good Princess," Dr. Naamans said as he rolled the blanket up and rested it above DG's propped knees. "All right I'm going to need you to start pushing now."
DG propped herself up on the pillows behind her and leaned forward, pushing hard. She counted silently to ten like her coach had taught her, finding she could only make it to six before the pain was too much.
"I can't…I can't do this," she gasped.
"Princess I need you to push," Dr. Naamans ordered again, slightly more forceful this time.
"I can't…Wyatt, I can't do this," DG cried, turning her head to meet Cain's gaze.
"Listen to me Deeg," Wyatt said meeting her blue eyes with his own. "You are the strongest woman I know. If you can wander through the O.Z. on your own and take down an evil witch, this should be cake. Just think about him Deeg. He'll be here any minute now and you'll be able to hold him in your arms."
"Her!!" DG cried gathering every ounce of strength she had she pushed feeling the pain peak and then subside quickly. A few silent seconds passed before the shrill cry of the newest member of the House of Gale echoed in the large room.
"The baby's out," Dr. Naamans announced to the small group of midwives assisting him. He grabbed a pair of scissors from one of them and motioned to Wyatt. "Would you like to cut the cord?"
"Of course," Cain answered. With a quick kiss of DG's forehead Wyatt moved to the bottom of the bed and cut the umbilical cord proudly. The midwives quickly took the baby and went to work cleaning and making sure everything looked normal.
"Wyatt," DG called breathlessly. "Wyatt what is it? Is everything okay?"
Cain purposely dodged the question until the midwives brought the child back to him. With the small bundle in his arms he returned to the head of the bed. "Deeg, meet our daughter."
OZOZOZ
After a few minutes alone with their child, the rest of the family was allowed into the room. Upon entering the Queen and Consort rushed to their daughter's side, fussing over the tired woman. Wyatt was on the other side of the room with the midwives watching as they measured and weighed the baby.
"How are you feeling, Angel?" the Queen asked brushing a stray hair from her daughter's face.
"Exhausted," DG sighed. "I don't know how you did this twice, Mother."
"I will admit that the labor was painful," Lavender laughed. "But everything before that was most enjoyable." She looked up, meeting Ahamo's eyes with a broad smile.
"Ew," DG cried in mock disgust. "I don't need those kinds of images in my head. Thank you very much."
"I believe your mother was talking about the pregnancy, DG," Ahamo corrected with a laugh.
"Sure she was," DG laughed.
"What did I miss?" Az asked as she burst into the room, Glitch and Jeb in tow. "Where is she?"
"He's being tended to by the midwives," Ahamo supplied casting a quick glance toward the opposite side of the room where his son-in-law was hovering. He watched the women tending to his child like a hawk, making sure that everything was done to his approval.
"Wow," Glitch spoke, "you look like hell Doll."
DG laughed, wincing at the pain the act induced. "Thank you, Glitch."
"You always were the truthful one Ambrose," Azkadellia laughed clutching his hand with her own.
"But that's why you love me," he laughed. Az smiled and leaned her shoulder against him. The group was so caught up in their conversation that none of them noticed Wyatt join them, a small yellow bundle in his arms.
Finally he cleared his throat to get their attention. "Everyone," he said tilting the baby in his arms, "meet the newest member of the Royal House of Gale. This is Danika Isabella Marie Gale." Pulling the blanket away from the girl's face, Wyatt revealed the bluest set of eyes that anyone had ever seen.
"Deeg she's beautiful," Az gasped.
"Absolutely perfect," the Queen echoed. "May I?" she asked gesturing to the child in her father's arms. Slowly Cain transferred the child to Lavender's arms. "Hello little one," Lavender cooed to her first grandchild as Ahamo looked on over her shoulder.
DG watched as her family passed her child around, each taking their turn to hold the baby. Realization finally hit her that she was now a mother. 'Whoa, where did that come from? This is really happening isn't it?' she thought.
"Platinum for your thoughts," Wyatt offered taking a seat next to her as he too watched the royal family fuss over his child.
"I just never thought this day would actually come," she said. "And now that it's here….I'm really exhausted. I feel like I could sleep for an entire annual." DG laughed at the randomness of her thoughts.
Cain chuckled placing a soft kiss against DG's forehead. "You've certainly earned it. Feel free to sleep Sweetheart. I can take care of things."
DG moaned her acquiescence as her eyelids fell shut and her breathing evened out.
Wyatt smiled and turned to his in-laws. "Perhaps we should reschedule this little meeting," he whispered nodding to DG's sleeping form.
The Queen took in her daughter's exhausted state and peaceful face with a smile. "Yes perhaps that is best." She gingerly handed the infant back to Wyatt, whispering something into the tiny child's ear before ushering the rest of the family out of the room.
Well let me know what you guys think of this. I could potentially turn this into multiple chapters if there is enough interest.