Agnarr rushed through the halls of the castle, the passing portraits and paintings a blur as he and a few other nurses ran at breakneck speeds towards the infirmary. The wheelchair Iduna on squeaked in protest as its wheels were ran to their limits, howling distastefully whenever they whirled around a corner, threatening to tip over on its side. They soon made it to the wing and the nurses heaved Iduna off of the wheelchair and onto the white bed that had been prepared hastily. Already fluid seeped her clothes as the doctors fought to get them off her, the midwife whispering soothing words into her ear. The yuletide storm howled like a wounded animal outside, its soft flakes being harshly hurled at the window, patters filling the silent breaths in between contractions. Agnarr stayed attached to his wife, her groans and seizures whenever the contractions came filling him with dread.
Iduna screamed.
Her lungs burnt and the pounding in her head screamed with a blinding fury. The Doctor and Nurses wheeled her on the stretcher around the corner of the room, giving her a bottle of bitter tasting liquid to try and ease the pain. The bitterness made her splutter but the immediate relief it gave her made her relax slightly whilst the doctors started to take her blood pressure, the bulge of her stomach arching up high.
"Your majesty, you have to go, doctors and nurses only near the mother. We will call you when it's over" an elderly nurse wrapped an arm around his shoulder, but he immediately shrugged it off.
"She's my wife!" he shouted, desperate.
"Yes, and she is going through something natural, if you're in the way you will only make it less safe for her!" the nurse's voice was hard and stern, years of experience weathering her. Agnarr looked at the elderly nurse, despite her bony features and stern expression a warmth was in her eyes, soothing the panicking king. He nodded and she helped him out of the room, Iduna cursing in a foreign language at the air behind him. The nurse sat Agnarr down shakily and brought a pot of tea out, giving a cup and saucer to the king. The china rattled shakily in his hands, the adrenaline coursing through his body, an elderly hand stilled his shaking; the cup falling silent.
"Everything will be okay your majesty, your child will be here soon." A door crashed open and blond hair surged towards him, wrapping warm arms around his shoulders. Stunned Agnarr nearly fell off his chair, gathering his senses he looked to see who it was, revealing a slightly dishevelled Gerda.
"Gerda what's the matter?" A scream from Iduna made his head wrap around.
"The nurses called for me to keep you company" she said quickly. "Isn't it amazing! You're going to be a dad!" Agnarr was stunned by the bubbly reaction from the usually stern woman.
"I know yes, but they won't let me in!" the frustrated desperation in his voice made her heart twist.
"It's better. Trust me the last thing Iduna would want is you getting in the way of the doctors and nurses, childbirth is stressful enough." Gerda patted his hands softly, warm smile soothing his tense back slightly. "Have you thought of any names?" Another scream made Agnarr crumple up on himself, but another soothing hand distracted him from the immediate urge to rush in and throw the doctors off her.
"Elsa if it's a girl" he wiped his brow. "We haven't decided if it's a boy" yet another scream tore through his soul, making him slightly more desperate.
"That's a lovely name, I have a feeling it will be a girl" Gerda said, voice filled with an unknown wisdom.
"I hope so too, girls are easier than boys" Agnarr chuckled lightly.
"I can vouch for that, after looking after you since you were a toddler" Gerda burst out laughing and Agnarr followed, the smooth relief washing over him and giving him a quiet security that all we be okay. Suddenly a nurse appeared before them.
"Your majesty, your wife and daughter would like to see you" the nurse had a glowing smile on her, warmth emanating from her being. Stunned silent Agnarr shot up and ran to the infirmary room. He paused in the doorway, swallowing loudly as his stiff throat seized, and pushed on the whitewashed wooden door. In the centre of the room a sweaty and tired Iduna sat on a bed, his heart melted at the sight of her. Nestled in her arms a tiny bundle lay in a familiar crimson scarf, wrapped up warmly in her mothers' embrace. A tuft of platinum blond hair stuck out from amidst the warm fabric. In a daze he wandered to the bed, eyes unmoving from the bundle. When he got closer, he could hear Iduna whispering soft words to her, the baby sleeping peacefully.
"Papa is here to see you little one" he heard her whisper softly, bright blue eyes sparkling with a fire he hadn't seen before. Iduna held out the bundle and Agnarr accepted it, eyes unmoving from the sleeping girl in the Northuldran scarf. As soon as the faint weight hit his arms, the world fell silent. The rustling of the nurses packing away various medical equipment, the howling wind and snow outside and the patter of footsteps of servants eager to get a glimpse at the young princess all faded. In his arms, in a small bundle, lay his world. The pale skin and thin white hair consumed him; a wave of fearsome protectiveness washed over him. Tears fell from his eyes, the happiness eating him whole and filling his mind with endless possibilities of watching his daughter grow up.
"Hey there little Elsa, I'm your papa" he said tearily. "I will always love you, no matter what" Bright blue eyes appeared in the bundle, his breath hitched as he saw those sapphire eyes, he loved so much reflected in his daughter he now held. He looked at Iduna and spoke tearily "She has your eyes" his breath caught, and a sob of joy racked him, the soft little bundle began to gurgle when his warm finger traced her cool skin.
"Why is she so cool to the touch?" he asked one of the doctors, and a resounding shrug was his reply.
"Everybody is different, she doesn't seem to be in pain and there aren't any other signals for infection or illness so I think that it's just her, your majesty" the doctor busied himself with cleaning away some bloody rags before the king could answer. Iduna was slumped on the headrest of the bed, a sheen of sweat glistening on her forehead.
"A solstice child" Iduna mumbled, reaching out weakly to trace a loving finger down her daughter's cheek. "She's a blessing"
"She is our world, our own shooting star" Agnarr said smiling at Elsa. "The snow is letting up" he snuck a glance at the window before returning his loving gaze back to Elsa, frightened that should his gaze rest elsewhere for too long she might disappear in a poof of smoke. The warm bundle wiggled slightly and giggled, burying her face deeper into the crimson shawl, peace spreading through her face. "I think this calls for hot chocolate" Agnarr said. He pulled a cord at the foot of the bed and a bell rung, immediately the doors were opened, and an expectant Gerda was standing to attention.
"Anything i can get for your majesty?"
"Yes please, could you get us two cups of Hot chocolate" Gerda nodded and half skipped down the hall, a wide smile plastered on her face. "I wonder if she has your sweet tooth or mine?" Agnarr asked, making Iduna laugh.
"I think she will be a daddy's girl. She already loves you look!" Iduna stroked her daughter's forehead, a slight giggle coming from the new-born's mouth. "Her hair is so white" Iduna ran her fingers gently through the thin tufts of hair.
"It's almost like snow" he looked out at the dark window, the tufts of snow falling thickly in the night.
"Our snow princess" Iduna laughed to herself, pressing a loving kiss to Elsa's head. "Born on the winter solstice in the middle of a snowstorm" she lifted the babe from Agnarr, who lamented the loss of the soft weight in his arms. "Mama and Papa love you very much little snowflake" Iduna whispered to the girl, now asleep in her mother's arms. Agnarr scooched up and placed a tender arm around Iduna, exhausted from the birth.
"She's our daughter" Agnarr kissed Iduna's head. "The beginning of our family"
"The spirits have blessed us tonight; she will make a fine queen" iduna leant back and closed her eyes soon a snoring rocked her slightly.
"She will indeed my dear. Goodnight, little Elsa, we love you very much" he pressed a soft kiss to his daughter's head, a quiet gurgle being the response, and wrapped his arms protectively around his new family, falling asleep himself.
XXX
A/N: Short but sweet!
