A/N: Thanks once again to my Inner Circle – Infernas81 and Yasnah.

Chapter 14

FEYRE POV

After the incident of last week, they decided that keeping me cooped up, whilst good for my physical safety, was doing nothing for my mental well-being, and that if I wanted to, I should go out every day.

Today, Cassian and I were leisurely strolling around the shops of Velaris. Rhys had gone to Autumn for the informal High Lord meeting, taking my apologies for not attending. Mor had gone with him in my stead, accompanied by Azriel, Elain & Lucien. Nesta and Amren were working together at the townhouse, and their bickering was getting on my nerves, so Cassian took me out before I could lose it with them – although he said he would like to see who came out of that argument!

We'd been walking around the shops for about an hour and I was tired, something that Cassian noticed. Several times he offered for us to go back; he offered to carry me if I wanted, but I declined. It was Elain's birthday next week and I wanted to find something nice for her. Eventually, I found the perfect gift; a hair-clip, covered in jewelled flowers of various colours.

After paying, we left the jewellers, beginning our walk home. I absently rubbed at my bump, enjoying the sunny day, when a sharp pain hit me. I stopped walking, intensifying the rubbing on my bump in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort. Cassian immediately stopped at my side. "Feyre…?" he asked uncertainly. I didn't answer, putting all my effort into assuaging the pain. "Wing tip again?" I managed to give a little shake of my head as I looked up at him. I saw his eyes widen as I was hit with another pain. "Oh Mother….." he muttered, "I need to get you back to the house." Without another word, I was in his arms and we were in the air, speeding back towards the house as I stifled a groan as another contraction hit me.

CASSIAN POV

"Nesta!" I roared as I stormed through the front door with Feyre still in my arms. Nesta and Amren came out the dining room to see what the commotion was about and seeing Feyre with her eyes clenched shut and breathing heavily, they surmised the situation and told me to take her to her room, the both of them right behind me.

I gently set her on her bed and went to move my arms away, but she grabbed on and wouldn't let go as another contraction hit her. Nesta swung into action and grabbed Feyre's other hand. "Feyre, how far apart are the contractions?" she asked. Feyre shook her head, unable to answer, so she looked to me and I shrugged my shoulders. Nesta sighed as she shut her eyes to centre herself, then her eyes snapped open, full of purpose. "Cassian, go get Madja. Amren, you need to summon Rhys back. Feyre, I'm going to stay here with you, ok?"

Amren and I left the room, with Nesta helping Feyre change into something more comfortable. As we got to the front door to leave, we both stopped at looked at each other, then it dawned of both of us at the same time; we couldn't leave Feyre unguarded, especially with the birth of an Heir imminent. Ideally, we both should remain at the house, but we had urgent things to do. Amren spoke before I could, "Madja takes precedence. Go fetch her and I'll stay. Rhysand will understand." I nodded my assent and left to get Madja.

I flew Madja back to the house, so we'd get there quicker. As we entered the house a scream tore through the place. I ran up the stairs with Madja in pursuit. I stormed into Feyre's room without giving the potential sights a thought. Amren was holding Feyre's hand, and Nesta was…..well…..Nesta was doing…something between Feyre's legs. I felt my eyes go wide, as I spun around and flared my wings to give her privacy. Madja looked at Nesta as she set her bag down. "How far?" she asked as she began setting up.

"Seven centimetres, but I think she's progressing too quickly," Nesta answered. At the worry in her voice, I turned around, glad to find she'd moved and covered Feyre with a sheet.

"Has Lord Rhysand and Lord Thesan been informed?"

"Not yet," Amren responded. "They're both at a High Lord meeting and trying to get message through the wards they all insist on setting up is beyond tedious. However, now you're here, I'll see to it."

Madja nodded her understanding and Amren whispered to Feyre and left the room. Nesta moved to provide support for Feyre, but Madja stopped her, then she turned to me. "General Cassian, we need your help." I was forced to stop my retreat from the room and turned slowly back to the healer. I stood, waiting for her to elaborate what help she needed. "I need Nesta's assistance, so until Lady Feyre's other birth partners are here, you're it!"

Nesta bent over laughing, clearly the look on my face was amusing to her. I gulped, so loud that it even made Madja break her normally stoic exterior, making her grin at me. "I've never been in a birthing room," I muttered. Nesta laughed loudly at my expense again. She was so loud it made Feyre open her eyes and laugh at me herself, despite her pain.

"Come now General, you're at home on a battlefield, making faeries leave this world, but you're uncomfortable to be in a birthing room as life is brought into this world," Madja mocked.

"YES!"

"Don't….worry Cass….you….can go," Feyre managed to get out through clenched teeth.

Putting my hands on my hips, I told her, "I won't turn away from a challenge!"

"Good to hear," Nesta said with a sly smile.

"Although, in doing this, I deserve the title of Favourite Uncle."

Madja chuckled at me, not looking up, but rather the array of instruments she was laying out that looked like they were more suited to Az's interrogation room than a birthing room. My respect – and pity – for Feyre increased when I realised she was going to be subjected to these implements. I moved over to Feyre's head, offering her my left hand to hold. Madja gave me a nod and went back to her preparations.

"Feyre, why don't you have a gentle walk about?" Madja suggested. She'd just done another examination, determining that she was getting close. Whilst I stayed with her, holding her hand and providing moral support, I'd shut my eyes and hummed so I didn't have to hear what they were actually talking about. Nesta seemed to find this highly amusing.

Nodding her head to agree, Nesta and I both helped Feyre to stand up, then I supported her weight as Nesta began to massage her lower back.

"Rhys should be here. He's going to miss it at this rate," she mumbled into my chest as she leaned on me.

"Amren's gone to fetch him but getting through the wards is going to take time, even for her," I explained. She gave a nod just as another contraction hit. As she cried out I firmed my grip on her. Nesta looked to me as she continued talking to Feyre, she flicked her eyes to the clock, indicating that the contractions were getting closer together. I nodded, not knowing what else to do. Amren had gone for Rhys and Thesan, and that was all Feyre wanted and needed. Well, she didn't need me to be holding her hand, but rather Mor and Elain, who were also in Autumn.

Feyre's grip on my hand tightened again, as she screamed louder. "I….need….to….push," she panted.

Nesta happened to step back. "Madja," she said urgently, "her water has broken, but there's also blood."

Feyre's head snapped up to look at me as she heard these words, and I saw pure fear in her eyes.

"Don't worry," I whispered, as Madja came immediately over to us.

"I need to check you again. Let's get you back on the bed."

I didn't need to be told twice. I scooped her up gently and placed her onto her bed. Nesta began preparing her for another check, as I also prepared myself. Madja did…whatever it is she does, then looked up at Feyre. "Seems your little one is in a hurry to make an appearance Feyre. It's time to push."

RHYS POV

We've been here for four hours, listening to Kadarn lay out his plans for Autumn. He's ambitious in what he wants to do, but his plans are commendable. There was a commotion outside the room that made Lucien – who was currently talking – stop and look towards the double doors. There seemed to be a lot of shouting coming from the corridor just outside. Kadarn looked at us, then jutted his chin to one of the guards that was posted next to the door, indicating for him to check out the disturbance. As soon as the guard opened the door, and small figure came hurtling through the door.

"Amren?" Lucien asked, puzzled. I came out of my internal reverie and the mention of my Second. I turned in my chair to face the Fire Drake herself and felt dread settle deep.

"Feyre's in labour," was all she managed to say, before I ran out of the room, so I could winnow straight back to Night.

I winnowed into the hallway of the townhouse and could hear the voices coming from upstairs.

"Four, five," came Madja's voice.

"Keep going," urged Cassian.

"Ok, now breathe," ordered Nesta.

I was running up the stairs as I heard the voices, amongst which I could hear Feyre's laboured breathing. I barged into the bedroom, almost taking the door off it's hinges. Feyre was on the bed, propped up against Cassian's chest, who had hold of one of her hands in his good hand and was wiping her forehead with a cloth with the other. Nesta was passing supplies to Madja, who was situated, ready to catch.

My loud entrance had Cassian and Nesta immediately turn towards me, but they both relaxed when they saw it was me. I went straight to Feyre's side, and picked up her other hand, kissing her knuckles, then her sweaty forehead. Cassian tried to move from his position, probably to leave, but Feyre gripped his hand and shook her head. He looked to me, not knowing what I wanted him to do. Some part of me wanted to drag him out the room by his wings, but the rational part could see that he was there providing my mate with comfort, and she wanted and needed that now.

Feyre threw her head back and screamed again and was once again coaxed and cajoled by her three attendants. Just as Nesta was telling her to breathe again, there was a light knock on the door. Nesta walked quickly to it, opening it a fraction, but putting herself in the gap she had created. She had a brief conversation with Mor, then shut the door and returned.

"Mor said Thesan is downstairs, if you need him. She also wanted to know if we needed any more help." Nesta informed us.

"We should be fine, I'll send for him if we need him," Madja replied. She looked at me and Cassian, then Feyre. "Do you want anyone else here?" Feyre shook her head. Nesta went back to the door and informed Mor.

After another contraction, Madja whispered to Nesta to get something for her, which Nesta duly passed. I don't know what she was doing, but Feyre was whimpering. I could feel my anger rising that she was in pain and I couldn't help her. Cassian must have sensed my growing distress, because he looked at me pointedly. Nesta also noticed my dilemma, so she came over and whispered so that Feyre wouldn't hear, "the baby has moved, so Madja is trying to get it back into a good position because of her wings. We don't want to worry Feyre, but you need to calm down, or you can step outside and send Mor or Elain in." She wasn't unkind in her tone, just factual.

I don't know what Madja did, but Feyre's scream tore through the room, and in response, I detected Azriel right outside the door, his shadows moving within the room – trying to satisfy himself that Feyre wasn't in danger.

"I'm sorry Feyre, I'm finished, but that should hopefully make delivery easier." Feyre was in too much pain to answer, instead throwing her head back with another scream. "Excellent. Not much longer. You're crowning. I need you to give me some big pushes when we say and pant in-between."

Now beyond words, Feyre nodded. As her next contraction hit, she grabbed mine and Cassian's hands hard, tucked her chin to her chest, and roared as she gave everything she had. Nesta counted her through, and as she told her to stop, her head came back to rest against Cassian's chest. Her eyes were shut in exhaustion, but Nesta commanded her attention.

"Feyre, one more big push, and your baby will be here. Ready?" Her tiredness vanished, replaced by determination, and apprehension.

"You can do this," I whispered. "We can do this."

Roaring loudly, she once again pushed with all her might. As she finished pushing, there was a cry in the air. As Madja was busy cutting the cord, the sky outside suddenly darkened. I could hear whoops and cheers from the citizens of Velaris; they knew, an Heir had been born to the Court.

Madja lifted the screaming, wriggling bundle from between Feyre legs – Cassian doing his best to avert his gaze but wanting to see the baby. "It's a girl," she announced. "You have a daughter."

Nesta moved quickly, giving Feyre a quick hug, before undoing the buttons on her top. She then took the baby from Madja and gently placed her on Feyre's chest, before covering them with a blanket. I couldn't stop my tears as I beheld the now two loves of my immortal life.

I gently ran a finger along the baby's soft cheek, up and over the pointed tip at the top of her ear, marking her as High Fae, and then through her hair; her hair was black with hints of auburn and brown, like Feyre's. She opened her eyes and looked at me as I touched her hair, and it was like looking at my own eyes, my sister's eyes. I looked at her, and all I saw was my sister Genevieve. I cried harder, remembering my sister, and I heard Cassian snivelling too.

Cassian tried to get up, but Feyre carefully removed one of her hands from our daughter and gently grabbed his good arm. "Where are you going?" She asked. "This little one needs a cuddle with her favourite uncle, after daddy of course." She nodded to Nesta, who scooped the baby up, and handed her to me, showing me where I needed to put my hands, so I was holding her safely. I couldn't believe this tiny, wriggling thing was mine, the product of my love.

After I'd had a quick cuddle, Cassian had one. His face was alight with glee. "What's her wings like?" he whispered. I gently pulled the blanket down, and we both looked. "Beautiful," he said, as he appreciated the dark-brown wings, with flecks of red through them. "She'll be a quick flier," he said, just as the baby began to fuss. As soon as that happened, his face fell, and he looked unsure. Nesta giggled and came to his rescue. She deftly took the infant from his arms and took her to Feyre, who was pulling down the blanket that was covering her. The colour drained from Cassian's face. "I'm…errr….I'll leave you to it," he stumbled out, and he ran towards the door.

Without looking at him, Nesta laughed at him, "you'll have to get used to it if you're going to stick around and be her favourite uncle. Besides, Feyre doesn't want to flash her boobs at you, but feed her baby. Look." He stopped with his hand on the door handle and turned to face Nesta and Feyre, but had his eyes tightly shut. "You can look, Bat!" He slowly opened his eyes to see that the baby was indeed having a feed, but Nesta had carefully draped a thin cloth over Feyre's shoulder to give her some privacy.

Madja and Nesta made quick work of cleaning up Feyre, the baby and the room. The rest of the Inner Circle were right outside the door, waiting to be invited in. Feyre was now sitting up in bed, looking shattered but glowing. Our daughter was sleeping in her arms, wrapped in a white blanket. We knew what we were going to name her, and now was the time to announce her to her Court.

I was sat on the edge of the bed, one of the baby's hands wrapped around my finger, waiting for them to come in. I looked at them both, and as I looked at Feyre her eyes flicked from Lunaja to me. For the briefest moment I saw the colours swirling in them, but as she blinked, and her eyes had returned to their normal blue-grey. She gave me the biggest smile that I returned.

I nodded to Cassian, who opened the door. He was clearly opening it too slowly for Mor, who barged her way in. When they'd all filed in, Madja went downstairs to talk to Thesan.

"So?" Mor asked excitedly. "Boy or girl? Name? I want to know EVERYTHING!"

"No, you don't," Cassian said, still looking rather pale.

"Why don't you do the honours, Uncle Cass?" I told him.

Cassian looked at me shocked. "Really?" he asked, seeming unsure of himself. Feyre and I both nodded to him.

"I couldn't have done it without you Cass," Feyre told him, as she reached out and took his hand in hers.

He gave her a big smile and turned to face the others. "It's a girl!" he proudly announced.

Mor jumped up and down, clapping her hands excitedly, "so, what's her name?" she all but squealed exuberantly.

"Her name is Lady Lunaja Genevieve," I revealed.

The Inner Circle – our family – raised their right hands to their chests, as they bowed towards us, and they pledged their lives and loyalty to their new Heir and newest member of our family.

We stood around, passing the baby between us for cuddles with all her aunts and uncles. She had been in Amren's arms when she started fussing. Cassian plucked her quickly, but carefully, out of her arms and tucked her head into the crook of his elbow, her small body lying along the length of his forearm, on top of his cast. Amren looked mildly annoyed, but Cassian just said, "favourite uncle."

Thesan had left not too long ago, after giving Feyre and Lunaja a check over. Mor had gone outside to inform the assembled crowd that the baby had been born, and her name. Now, we were making plans to do the formal announcement at the Court of Nightmares.

As is customary for Night Court, the infant is taken to the Hewn City to be presented to the High Fae, where he or she is formally named. As well as presenting her to the Court, she will also have a Guardian named during the ceremony. This has caused the most stress, as we don't want to name just one person, but Amren made it clear that that is what has to be done, and just because only one will be named doesn't mean the rest of the Inner Circle won't guard her with their lives.

A/N: I hope I've done a good job writing the birth – whilst I'm a mum of two, I had ElLCSCS's for my two, so a 'normal' delivery is unknown territory for me. Also – regarding breastfeeding – medical reasons meant I was unable to BF; I've done my best to describe it, and I hope it's ok. PLEASE don't give me a difficult time if it's wrong – I am not pro BF or pro formula. What I am pro of, is feeding the infant!

Name pronunciation – Lunaja (Loo-nay-YAH), Genevieve (Jeh-nee-vee-VUH).