Well now, ladies and gents, we seem to be coming up on the interesting bits now. I think I have the rest of the story all planned out in my head. It won't be much longer now before this is a completed story. Enjoy!
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Sten and his brothers swarm the table and immediately begin filling up plates with various foods. Alyssa squirms her way into a spot between Sten and a second Qunari who still looks a bit unsure as to what to do with the tiny female.
I sit a little ways up the table and let the guests get settled and relax. Alyssa immediately pulls a plate laden with fruit her way and begins chattering to Sten in the Qunari's own gruff language. They stick their heads together and are deep into conversation in no time at all.
Sten's brethren follow suit, even sometimes including Alyssa.
Even though it hasn't been long since I lunched with Alyssa, I nibble on a grouse in front of me. Grouse is my favorite. Naturally, Anora hates it.
Duncan comes running in, covered in grime and tracking mud over the hideous rug Anora's distant aunt had given her for a wedding gift. I find it more becoming now.
I nod down the table. "Go speak with Sten. I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."
"Sten's here?" Duncan asks incredulously, and then moves down the table to stand behind his mother and bark at Sten in Qunari.
Without prompt, Sten reaches out and grabs the boy 'round the neck. Duncan protests fiercely but Sten is already scrubbing his knuckles across the boy's scalp. Alyssa roars with laughter and I can't help a smile myself.
When Duncan is eventually released, he steps back out of Sten's reach and complains at the Qunari. Sten looks as if he hasn't done anything wrong.
After a brief conversation with Alyssa, Duncan returns to me and sits down next to me, piling a plate with enough food to feed three people. I'm not surprised. His mother can eat more than Sten can.
I engage conversation with Duncan, happy to spend a little time with him. Each passing moment I see more of his mother in him, but there are some little quirks that I'm not entirely sure of. I wonder why seeing him wipe his hands on his tunic triggers something familiar in my memory.
Realization hits me. Duncan is doing what I do all the time. He is my mirror image in more than just looks. As I start to watch him closely, I notice he is actually more like me than Alyssa. I wonder how hard it was for her, to look at him every day for the last ten years and see me in everything he did. It must've hurt relentlessly.
A small whimper, barely noticeable, has me turning to look down the table. Briefly, Sten and I exchange a glance. He had heard it too. We both turn to Alyssa. Sten quietly asks a question.
"No, I'm fine. It was just a rough kick."
I don't believe her. I pat Duncan on the back saying, "I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to go check on your mother."
I get up and head her way as another whimper escapes her. Sten reaches a hand out and splays it across her belly, completely covering it in his massive paw.
"Kadan…" he warns, worry in his eyes.
"Really, I'm fine." Alyssa persists, pushing up from the table and stepping over the bench she had been sitting on.
There is a splashing sound, and an odd smell reaches me just as I have a hand on her elbow. A look of confusion covers her face, and she looks up at me as if to ask me what had happened.
Without warning Sten jumps from the table, ignores protests from his brothers, and scoops Alyssa up like a ragdoll. He is bounding up the stairs before I realize what's going on. I chase after him.
Upstairs, Sten is kicking in doors to find a room suitable for his needs.
"This way!" I yell at him, and I don't have to look to see if he follows me to the room Duncan has been staying in.
Once inside, Sten lays Alyssa down on the bed with a gentleness that someone half his size wouldn't even have. A squeak in the corner draws our attention to a maid who had a bundle of sheets in her arms. She had been changing the linens when we had stormed in. She didn't look to be any older than Duncan.
"You." Sten intones, pointing at her. "Bring a midwife to make a delivery."
She shakes her head and replies, "I-I-I c-can't. The only midwife in the castle is already at a birthing!"
Sten curses under his breath. "Then I will need you to bring me warm water and lots of rags. Now, if you please."
The maid nods and dashes out of the room.
"What do you intend-"
Sten flips Alyssa's leather skirt up, and begins to shimmy her smalls down her legs.
"By the Maker man, have some decency!" I exclaim, turning away to give Alyssa her privacy, even though Sten wasn't.
"You act like a virgin. I have to deliver the babe. I cannot do that and let her keep her modesty at the same time. Deal with it." Was Sten's reply.
"Alistair?" Alyssa croaks.
"Yes?"
"Will you come hold me? I'll need help." She pants.
I move to sit beside her, but she leans up for me to sit behind her. I do so, and she latches onto the mail covering my thighs, fingers digging in sharply.
"The contractions have started." Sten states.
That would explain Alyssa's sudden need to dent my armor.
She leans into me and slides her rear down closer to Sten, then lifts her legs so he would have a better view.
"Push, Kadan."
Alyssa tenses in my arms, and I can feel her strain in her efforts.
"I see the head already Kadan. This will be a short birthing."
She grunts in acknowledgement. On Sten's command, she pushes again. The giant's brow furrows, his eyebrows coming together in a harsh line.
"Something is wrong Kadan. I think the babe might be tangle in the cord."
Alyssa releases a strangled sob, and then sets in to whimpering piteously.
"Is there anything that can be done?" I ask. The maid rushes in with the water and rags, and in the second the door is open I see Duncan's worried face. Now was not the time to try to placate him however.
Sten thinks for a moment. Alyssa trembles in my arms from contractions.
"Girl, go to Kadan. Alistair, come here."
I do as I'm told, though I'm apprehensive. The maid rushes to take my place, wiping Alyssa's forehead with a damp rag.
I move to kneel beside Sten on the bed.
"You will have to hold her legs open while I try to untangle the babe."
I blanch, but in a crisis like this I can only follow orders. I readjust my position, and sit next to Alyssa and face Sten. I grab her behind the knees and pull her legs up and out of Sten's way. Alyssa fights me, wanting to use her legs to push down, but I am able to hold her.
Sten leans down and reaches for Alyssa's womanhood. Then his enormous hand is inside her.
"Andraste's knickers! She's not that big Sten!" I exclaim.
"Women grow in birth to accommodate pushing out the babe."
I glance over my shoulder at the maid's voice. It seems she knew a bit about birthing.
"You're all mad!"
Alyssa is twitching at Sten's invasion, but I know he's doing the best he can. A minute that feels like an hour goes by, and finally there is a release of tension. Sten pulls his hand from Alyssa.
"Push!"
Alyssa pushes.
"Again!"
Following Sten's orders, Alyssa frees the babe from her womb. I watch in amazement as what appears to be a tiny flame slides out from Alyssa's womanhood.
"It is a girl."
A babe. The flame I had seen was actually a head covered in thick red hair. She was tiny, fitting in one of Sten's hands. Sten slaps the babe's rear.
She sucks in air and begins howling. She did not like this abuse at all. Carefully, Sten cuts her cord. Something hits the back of my head. I reach and grab a towel.
"Wrap her in that." The maid commanded.
I hand the towel to Sten, who wraps the squalling babe in the towel then promptly holds her out to me.
"Take her. The girl and I must see to the afterbirth."
"How?" I ask.
"Support her head by holding her neck. You may take her to show Duncan while we finish up here."
I do as I'm told, cradling the tiny girl in both hands. I pull her close, and I feel as if I'm holding a miracle. Gently, I get up and walk carefully to the door. Supporting her in one hand, I take hold of the door knob.
"Alistair?"
Alyssa's voice was tired and rough. I turn back to her. She smiles at me. "Her name is Asala."
I nod, and I can see the emotion in Sten's face as I exit the room. Duncan is at my elbow in a second, peering over my arm at the little bundle of spitfire.
"Say hello to your brother Asala." I whisper.
