After spending three days deciding how to bring up the subject, Caroline still had no idea. The couple were in bed together relaxing as they listened to the creatures of the night begin their quests for food, the radio playing softly as background noise. Every window in their home was open to catch the night's cool breezes. Ardeth dozed lightly with Caroline's hand in his but Caroline couldn't find any hint of tiredness. Slowly so as not to disturb her husband too much, the woman rolled onto her side with her back to him.
Like she knew he would, after a few minutes Ardeth rolled onto his side and snuggled up against her back. His hand came across her body to rest gently on her stomach. Though the gesture was instinctive and something that had happened thousands of times before, it set off a lightbulb in the woman's brain. Several minutes passed as the woman gathered her courage. Telling Ardeth wasn't the scary part, not at all; admitting it out loud was. Saying it out loud made it completely real. Taking a deep breath, Caroline laid her hand over Ardeth's and intertwined their fingers.
"Ardeth?" A soft hum answered her, he was listening. "When you think of our children, do you imagine a boy or a girl first?"
"A boy would be nice first, I think. But as long as they're healthy, I don't mind either to be honest. They'll be loved and cherished no matter their gender. Why do you ask?" Her hand pushed his hand against her stomach a little more to emphasize her next words.
"Because you've got another six and a half months to help me think of a name."
Ardeth sat up so quickly it was a wonder he wasn't dizzy. Caroline turned on her back again to look up at him. Her bottom lip was between her teeth, betraying her anxiety. They stared at each other for a moment while he processed what she meant. As he realized what she was telling him, his thumb began to rub across her still flat belly and a look of awe took over his expression. He leaned down and kissed her fiercely but couldn't keep his eyes off her stomach for long.
"Truly? I am going to be a father?" As his wife nodded in affirmation, he began to beam at her. "I did not think it was possible to love you more than I already did. I was wrong. You carry our child, growing him or her safely in your body. You will be a wonderful mother my darling."
Six months later found the couple in the home of the clan's best midwife. They had decided on a natural home birth, despite the risks. Ardeth sat behind Caroline and supported her back as contractions tore through her. He was not willing to leave her and sit outside the door like most husbands, he would be with her every step of the way. She groaned in pain, clenching Ardeth's pants in her fists. After several more agonizing contractions the midwife instructed Caroline to begin pushing. With her husband whispering encouragement in her ear and wiping the sweat from her face, she kept going even when the pain made her vision black out.
Despite his upbeat tone and soothing words, Ardeth was beginning to get worried. She had been in labor so long, she had to be getting tired. Should there be that much blood? He hadn't witnessed a birth before but he didn't think so. The midwife interrupted his thoughts by telling Caroline she only had one more push. His beautiful, strong warrior of a wife let loose a hoarse scream that cracked at the end as she bore down. Seconds later a different scream filled the room; a baby's first scream. The midwife's assistant smiled at the couple as she took the baby to a table to be cleaned and checked over.
"Congratulations! You have a healthy baby girl!" Ardeth smiled so hard he thought his face might break. He could tell already that she would be spoiled more than any princess. Having only heard her cry, he was in love with his daughter already. So focused on trying to get a glimpse of his first born, it took him a few moments to notice the midwife hadn't moved from her spot. Once Caroline murmured that she didn't feel good, Ardeth shifted his attention back to his wife. When he looked at her face again panic filled his body.
Her face had gone extremely pale under her tanned skin but the midwife's eyes were what scared him the most. Fear filled her eyes and as Ardeth followed her gaze he understood why. Caroline was still bleeding, profusely. Not a small amount caused by tearing but a large amount that soaked the sheets and meant that something had gone terribly wrong. As the midwife met his gaze they both understood the most likely outcome.
"I cannot stop the bleeding. I'm so sorry. There's nothing I can do. Perhaps if we get her to a hospital quickly-"
"The baby. Let me see the baby." Caroline's voice was tired but forceful. Ardeth tried to protest, they needed to go to a hospital NOW, but she cut him off. "No! Let me see my baby. Now."
The assistant brought the baby over, wrapped in a soft white blanket. She laid her gently in Caroline's arms and the couple looked at their daughter. Grey eyes blinked up at them and a small tuft of black hair covered her tiny head. As soon as she was in her mother's arms, the newborn had stopped crying. Now the baby blinked up at her parents then cooed happily. Ardeth felt tears run down his cheeks but wasn't ashamed of them. She was so beautiful and seemed to have an equal share of both himself and her mother.
"Kalla Marie Bay." Caroline's head lolled back onto Ardeth's shoulder to look at him. Her grey eyes were barely open but she managed to smile up at him. They had settled on that name a month ago and it seemed to fit the girl perfectly. Ardeth smiled back at her but it faded when he saw the pain in her eyes. Caroline looked down at the baby in her arms, smiling happily.
"Mommy loves you so much. My sweet little angel." Caroline's body shook slightly, showing Ardeth how hard she was struggling to hold on. The next few minutes were spent with Caroline nursing their baby while Ardeth held them both tightly. Blood still dripped from the woman's body but the midwife had stepped away to give the family some time alone in what might be the woman's last moments. Suddenly Caroline's head began lolling forward, darkness tugging at her.
"Don't you dare Caroline. Don't you dare! You stay here with me. With our baby. We need you." Ardeth's voice was fierce, causing Caroline's head to snap up. She handed the baby to him gently, her eyes beginning to turn gold. As her body began heating up, Ardeth realized she was trying to use her gifts to heal herself. She hadn't used her gift in years and grasping it while she was so tired, so close to the edge was hard.
"Ardeth I'm sorry. I can't. I'm so sorry, I love you." Slowly Caroline's eyes closed, her body cooling rapidly.
"This is so very sweet but you're not done yet my little lion. You have much more to do in this life." Unnoticed by everyone, Sekhmet had entered the room. Dressed in all black, she looked more like an assassin than a goddess. Without another word, the large woman held a hand out and touched Caroline's shoulder where her tattoo lay hidden under the large shirt she was wearing. Golden light poured from her hand and sunk into Caroline's skin easily. Blood stopped flowing from her body, her skin regained the color it had lost, and her breaths became deeper. When Sekhmet removed her hand, the tattoo continue to glow brightly for another few moments.
"She will need rest but she'll live." Ardeth's through clogged with emotion as he tried to thank the goddess. She only held her hand up to silence anything he might have said. She reached out to brush hair from Caroline's face, the human woman was asleep. "There is no need to thank me. She is the only mortal I have ever cared for. Besides, as I said she has many more things to do. I may have need for her in the future. Take good care of her Ardeth Bay."
In a flash of light the goddess was gone again. Caroline woke up hours later, refreshed and ready to feed her baby again. She healed quickly, much more quickly than any other woman would have, and was back on her feet only a week later. Their daughter grew to be strong, healthy, and had just as much attitude as her mother. Caroline blessed Ardeth with two more children, twin boys who were absolutely delightful as if to temper their ferocious sister. The small family grew happily, learning of the Egyptian gods and goddesses who had done so much in their lives.
A.N. Well that's it! Please review and let me know what you thought! Thank you so much to everyone who followed and favorited the story! It was my absolute pleasure to write this and I can only hope you all enjoy reading it! As I'm sure you're all aware, I don't own anything except Caroline and my own ideas!