Simplicity is Bliss

Chapter 6

Ukyo reached the house where he saw Komachi standing outside, wringing her little hands and shooting the door worried glances. The blue haired man stooped and put his hands on his knees, gasping for air.

"Wh…What's wheeze going on? Is Tomi okay?"

Komachi looked up at him, her face pale.

"I keep hearing Yae telling Kirara to get things. She doesn't sound happy like usual. She sounds mad."

"Mad?"

Ukyo stood and grabbed the door, prepared to yank it open and find out what was happening. To his shock, the little girl grabbed his belt and hauled back, making him stumble and twist painfully to avoid falling on the child.

"You can't go in! You have to stay out here!"

Ukyo growled and settled himself so his back was against the door. He crossed his arms and glared around, looking like a little boy who had been denied his favorite toy.

………

Tomi winced when another contraction hit her, looking around as the older woman ordered her friend to bring more hot water and a cup of tea that was brewed from special herbs from her stores. Kirara appeared a moment later with a cup and sat by her friend's head.

"You need to drink this."

"What is it?"

Yae patted her on the knee and spoke in a hurried voice.

"It will speed this up. Your body is being stubborn and not letting the baby out. But the baby thinks it's time, so we have to get it out."

Tomi groaned and drank the tea, wrinkling her nose and making a disgusted face after the cup was taken away.

"Ugh, it tastes worse than the stuff that the three of us switched out for the minister's wine…"

"Huh?"

Tomi smiled and groaned again before starting her story. She spoke in a strained voice between Yae's barked orders to push.

"When Ukyo and I were young, we, er, I was a big trouble-maker. Ukyo went along with my schemes and his younger brother got pulled into it too. At least when we were with him. Akakyo was creepy though, so I tried to stay away from him as much as I could. This one time, the three of us decided to switch out the minister's wine for a nasty concoction of our own. We drank the wine, then waited to watch the fun. Ukyo got caught though. I had to get him out of trouble all the time. He would get so angry with me. 'Why is it whenever you start something, I get in trouble for it?' he would say. It was so much fun…"

Kirara snorted and Yae gave a happy cry. The baby's head was finally starting to come out. Yae told her to give two more hard pushes.

"I can't push any more, I'm tired!"

Yae slapped her on the thigh sharply, drawing a surprised yelp.

"You have to. Otherwise we'll be here all night. It's already been five hours. Now push, you stupid little chit!"

Tomi pushed angrily, gritting her teeth and using all her strength.

There was a great feeling of movement and then relief as Yae scooped the baby up and cut the cord, singing a happy song. Kirara grinned and looked at her friend, speaking in a high-pitched voice.

"A little boy! He's beautiful, Tomi! Ooh, you're so lucky!"

Tomi grinned and tried to sit up higher, then grabbed her belly again and groaned, biting her tongue to keep from screaming.

"What is it?"

"I'm still feeling something moving! It hurts!"

Yae handed the baby boy to Kirara and looked back between Tomi's legs. She raised her head up and smiled at Tomi.

"Looks like there's another baby in there!"

"What! Another five hours of this?"

Yae didn't answer, but rather turned her full attention to her charge. Tomi looked at Kirara and the baby and nodded toward the door.

"Go give Ukyo an update. He'll be worried."

………

Ukyo sat looking out at the horizon, watching the sun slowly sink. His fingernails had long ago been reduced to gnawed ragged stumps, and even the presence of Komachi was starting to wear on his frayed nerves. When he heard the little girl start singing quietly, he sighed and closed his eyes.

Calm…calm…calm…

He didn't hear the door behind him open and swore loudly when he fell backward into the room where Tomi was still in labor. He yelped and rolled out, covering his face and waiting for the shouting Kirara to hit him. When it was apparent that she wasn't going to, he moved his hands away and looked up at the water priestess.

"What, you aren't gonna hit me?"

"I would, but my hands are full, and I don't want Komachi to see me kicking you where it really counts."

Ukyo made a face, then his eyebrows shot up. He saw a bundle in her arms and eyed it cautiously. Kirara smiled and turned the bundle to reveal a little face with it's face in a little scowl, it's eyes tightly shut.

Ukyo looked from the baby to the door that hid his wife, then back to the baby, his eyes the size of plates. Kirara smiled wider when the former Amanushi sat down hard in the grass, his face showing only shock.

"Once the other one is born, you can come in and see Tomi. Until then, why don't you go get something to eat?"

Ukyo just sat there and blinked for a moment before shaking his head as if to clear it. He smiled and shook his head, standing up and brushing grass off his clothes. The water priestess grinned and held out the baby to his father and was shocked to see Ukyo recoil from her, crossing his arms nervously.

"What?"

Ukyo scuffed a foot in the grass and looked down.

"What if I drop it?"

"You won't drop him. Here, I have to go back in. Just sit with him until I come for you."

Ukyo had no choice, as the priestess deposited the baby into his arms and quickly adjusted his hand to support the baby's head, then hurried inside. Once he was alone, Komachi going to get herself some food, he looked down at the baby and smiled. He could see a little of himself in the child.

He has my chin, but those are Tomi's cheeks. Maybe her nose too, but it's hard to tell…

………

Tomi groaned and looked out the window, seeing stars lighting up the sky.

"Is Ukyo still out there?"

Kirara looked out the window and saw the man leaning against the wall, the baby leaning against him and supported by his father's legs. Both were sound asleep.

"Yeah. Those two are sleeping out there. It's pretty cute."

Tomi chuckled and got back to pushing, cursing her ability to reproduce. When she was young, she wasn't sure if she would be able to because of her beginnings. Obviously, this was not the case, as she now was forcing another baby out of her.

"Almost there, Tomi. One more should do it."

Tomi grit her teeth again and pushed, exhausted. Finally, she heard a shriek and fell back onto the mat. Kirara looked up and saw the baby was a female and turned to tell Tomi, but she was already asleep. Yae cleaned around her, lifting her hips carefully and singing under her breath a lullaby that she had been teaching Tomi.

Lulay lulay, my tiny child

Too soon you'll know the world so wild

Yes all too soon you will be grown

And I'll bide here alone, alone.

The rushing bellows you shall ride

And the light of the North Star will be your guide

But yet awhile, I'll have you stay

Lulay my tiny child, lulay.

For you shall run in meadows green

And sport with otters all in the stream

And you shall chase the dapple deer

And swim with salmon in the waters clear.

To pluck the small birds from the sky

On the tail of the South wind, you shall fly

And take the high hills for your home

Blood of my blood, bone of my bone.

The moon must sleep beyond the tree

So weep sweet maid of Galilee

The sun must rise before the cross

To dry your tears and share your loss.

The darkest hour of the starless night

Must bow to the power of the Eastern light

That heals the earth and makes us whole

Heart of my heart, soul of my soul.

And when at last your course is run

Joy of my joy, my little son

Beneath the sky you'll stand alone

Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone.

Yes you shall stand on the coal-black sands

To cross o'er the waters of the Western lands

But now I have you at my breast

Lulay my sweet one, gently rest.

Kirara let a sleepy Ukyo in, still holding the sleeping baby in his arms.

"Introductions can wait until later. You both can sleep here tonight. Yae will stay here to keep an eye on Tomi."

Kirara walked out of the house and smiled back at them one last time before walking away.

Tomorrow would be the day of Naming. Then the babies would be introduced to the rest of the village.

A/N

w00t! Twins! Boy, Ukyo's sleeping-in days are over! The song that I used in this is Wexford Lullaby by John Renbourn. It's really pretty!