IT'S TIME!

Sara Kai- Well, Aro surely didn't save Alec because of his "generous" heart. He wanted Alec in his guard. But I guess it depends on what perspective you're looking at it through. :)

Chapter 9- Jane

o~O~o

Sharp pains had attacked Jane all evening. She held her stomach and wept through the pain. Of course, she had felt this pain before, contractions.

But this was it. Jane was having her baby.

The cold winter night was harsh, but William had wrapped Jane in his thick winter coat and had her covered in the thick wool blanket that Madison had given Jane many weeks ago.

The constant endless pain had startled William and he sat away from Jane, closer to the table.

Madison was sitting by Jane, holding her hand as Jane cried.

Two midwives kneeled by Jane's legs waiting for the baby to come. A fire burned to keep the house warm.

William gripped the edge of the oak table so hard his knuckles were white over bone.

So many things could go wrong. And hearing Jane whimper from pain, he clenched his teeth together and squeezed his eyes closed.

The midwives had set up a curtain separating the house into two rooms. For when Jane was giving birth, William had to leave to the other side.

It was the custom.

Jane let out a small scream, unable to hold it back. She was in so much pain.

"Sh… Sh... Jane, you're alright. You are doing just fine." Madison whispered into her ears.

All Jane could think of was pain. She barely registered her friend's words.

Warm water streaked down her cheeks. Her hair was in a sloppy knot on her head to keep it out of the way. Sweat was thick on her neck, and Jane's hands were in fists around a rope structure hanging from the ceiling of the cruck house.

A blanket was underneath her to keep the straw from poking at her as she writhed in pain.

Her blue eyes were clouded in horror and despair. They shot out looking for help. Anyway to cease some of the hurting.

She held a cross in one of her fists and Jane had prayed so solemnly for the labor to end quickly.

Please, God. She thought over and over.

Jane thought of all the Bible verses she could remember in hopes it might help relieve the pain.

Another contraction finally broke her attempts to stay as quiet as possible.

The wordless shriek Jane let out was more than enough for the midwives to know it was time.

"You." One of them pointed to William. "Shoo!"

William dragged his feet and sat on the other side of the curtain listening to the screams of his wife.

Madison stayed by Jane comforting her as best as she could.

The midwives prepared for the birth.

"Her water has broken." One said loud enough for everyone to hear.

"AHHH!" Jane screamed again.

"Your child is coming," Madison spoke as calmly as she could.

"Jane, listen, the baby is coming."

She looked Madison in the eyes and whimpered.

"I know."

Her arms yanked her upper body up as she pulled on the ropes. They were thick and her hands wound around them like it had always been that way.

"Make it stop." Jane cried. "Make it stop!"

The wives spoke quietly to each other in hushed voices.

Tears glistened in Jane's eyes, catching the lantern light. Madison frowned holding back tears of her own.

She didn't know what to say. Madison could only pray that Jane would have a quick and healthy birth.

"Unbelievable," Jane started before wincing in pain. "We were only playing chess this morning before it all happened."

Madison smiled bleakly.

"It will be over soon, my friend."

Jane nodded closing her eyes again.

"It… hurts... so... much." she panted.

"We'll get through this, Jane. You will. You can do this, Jane. I know you can." Madison whispered.

Another scream escaped from Jane's lips.

The midwives glanced up at Jane.

"You need to push now." One sharply spoke.

Madison gazed over Jane's sweaty face.

"Jane, on three you need to push as hard as you can. Do you understand?"

She nodded slightly.

"Okay. Ready? One… two… Three!"

Jane scrunched her eyes together and screamed louder than she had before.

"He's coming," one of them said.

Agonizing pain ripped through her as she tried so hard to push.

"I see him," the other said in a few minutes.

"Is it head first?" Madison asked immediately after that, worried.

"Yes. He is not a breech baby."

"Just a little more, Jane. You can do this."

Panting, Jane breathed in a deep hard breath before giving one last push.

This time her cries mixed with the cries of an infant.

So much relief filled her as the child left her body. It was done. Her hard breathing mixed with her child's cries.

One of the midwives kept a straight face as she wrapped the babe in a cloth cleaning it.

"You have given birth to a girl."

A long sigh left Jane's lips. A girl. Her dream had come true.

Her baby girl was handed to her and Madison helped Jane sit against the wall, so she could hold the child.

"My beautiful girl." Jane whispered.

Jane looked down into the cloudy blue eyes of the girl. Dark brown hair was thin on her head.

Madison adoringly over the infant. Letting her head fall back against the wall. Jane smiled.

"I did it."

And looking at her little infant, Jane knew all the pain she had endured was worth seeing her own child look up to her.

William peeked through the curtain and smiled.

"So, we have a girl than."

Jane laughed faintly and nodded. She was tired and her head rested further into the blankets.

The midwives had swaddled the girl and looked to William and Madison.

"We must go to the church," the younger of the two said with a smile on her face.

Jane had closed her eyes knowing what would happen next. The celebration of a healthy birth. A new child of God on the earth.

"Jane, sleep well. I will be here soon."

She watched her husband leave with her baby with Madison and the two midwives.

Jane imagined what it would be like.

The priest would then name her child and she would be baptized in holy water to wash away the original sin.

That was the custom.

She felt herself slip into unconsciousness in the empty cruck house.

o~O~o

"Her name is Faye." Madison exclaimed to Jane the second she and William came back into the house.

"Oh, isn't she the most amazing little girl?"

"You are making me feel like she is your child." Jane laughed as Madison held her daughter hours later.

"Well, I am her godmother. I have to be affectionate to her."

Faye had been so lively. The name did suit her. Jane held her arms out and pushed her lips to make a pouting face.

"Can't a mother hold her child?"

Madison sighed and gave Jane puppy dog eyes. "Just one more minute with her?"

Jane let her eyes grow big and she begged silently.

"Oh, fine. I think our little Faye is hungry anyway."

Beaming down at her daughter, Jane breastfed her. She was a mother. This was really happening.

"It takes a while to realize she isn't just a puff of your imagination." Madison agreed with her thoughts.

And Jane spoke the words that a mother says to her child.

"I love you."

She's a baby girl! Sorry if I disappointed anyone.

How many people start school next week? I do!