- "Jelena! Jelena! The... water came out of Peri!"
Imoen barged in Jelena's and Winski's bedroom, her eyes large like saucers, her pink hair a frizzy mess around her face.
Jelena shook the sleepiness from herself and took charge. Winski looked uncharacteristically helpless and Imoen didn't seem to know whether to be excited or terrified. Cespenar, for his part, was just flapping around his mistress.
- "All right. That is how it is started. Now, go get An Mah, and ask for hot water and clean sheets and towels. Where is Sarevok?"
- "There with Peri, talking with her."
- "Come to think of it, that is probably the best place for him."
Imoen rushed downstairs, and Winski shot an insecure look at Jelena.
- "What will I do?" he said, wanting to help but feeling completely out of his depth.
- "Beloved... I think you are not needed there. But once the child is born, Peri would feel great if you had a nice fruit basket and a glass of champagne or other good wine for her."
Winski nodded, and Jelena got going. I hope that will keep him occupied, she thought.
As she entered the room, Peri was moaning and sweating heavily, her eyes narrow and dark. Sarevok was putting cold towels on her forehead.
- "Goddamn," Peri uttered through gritted teeth.
- "All right, I will put some pillows behind your back... it will probably be easier if you are in a half-sitting position," Jelena explained and started to position Peri better. She was amused to notice that Sarevok, for once, looked frightened.
An Mah entered aided with Imoen, babbling in Shou. When she calmed down a bit, she regained her ability to speak common.
- "Aiayah! I have helped many childbirths! Young lady Peri, take this root. Helps the pain."
She offered a very suspicious-looking dried root for Peri in a manner that suggested that refusing it would not be an option. Peri grabbed the root and started to munch on it, and after a while a smile of relief indeed did spread on her face.
The women covered Peri's stomach and the bed with clean sheets and towels, Jelena working gently on her.
Sarevok was kneeling and holding Peri's hands, his eyes locked into hers.
- "Sister... share my strength... don't talk, just feel," he murmured.
Imoen kept stroking Peri's hair, humming a little lullaby. Cespenar took hold of the tune and joined in his croaky, squeaky voice.
Suddenly Peri's arm shot upwards and grabbed Cespenar's windpipe.
- "Imoen... I... am... sorry... but... I will... kill... your fami... liar... if he... doesn't," she panted, "SHUT UP!"
The last shriek took all the strength of her grip and she let the offended Cespenar go.
It took a long time, Peri shrieking and moaning and sweating alternatively, and Cespenar soon forgot his indignation. Peri kept gripping Sarevok's hands, feeling the energy of his soul joining hers, feeling Imoen's loving, gentle hands, listening to Jelena's calm instruction's. Her muscles were overworking, spasming, and she felt like she was ripping apart. Damn, one moment of hazy drunken pleasure, and THIS can happen!
But then, suddenly, it was over. Through the blur of tears and exhaustion she saw a definitely living being, a few seconds old, its face like a pinched little raisin, screaming its lungs out.
- "You have a beautiful, healthy daughter, Peri," Jelena announced proudly. "Now you just wait a minute and I will wash her for you..."
- "A daughter..." Peri's voice was but a whisper, full of wonder. For a few minutes she just was limp and empty, trying to take in that the ordeal was finally over.
Then she felt Sarevok make way, and Jelena knelt next to her, offering the baby for her.
Peri curled her arms around the tiny human being wrapped in a white towel. The large eyes, the perfect little eyelashes. The eyes were blue like Saemon's, the full mouth Peri's. The skull was as if made of eggshells, almost translucent like a porcelain cup. The wispy hair was dark red like Peri's, with a hint of Saemon's golden brown.
Peri gently breathed her daughter's scent, loss at words.
- "I have never seen such... small fingernails..." Sarevok said in a thick voice, touching the minuscule finger with his own huge one.
An Mah appeared dragging the enthusiastic Winski who was dutifully carrying the fruit basket, the curious Twiggy slithering out of his pocket. An Mah herself was pouring her best wine for everybody.
- "Year of the dragon, your little girl is born!" she beamed. "What her name?"
Peri smiled dreamily, looking somewhere far away.
- "Umikaze..." she said.
- "Umikaze? That means..." Winski started.
- "Sea wind. Her life began at the sea. I saw Tamoko when I was in labor... she told me... the name. Thank you... all... and Cespy... I am sorry. Can I sleep with... Umi now?"
The child and the mother were pampered to the best of everyone's ability, Peri already oblivious to their efforts. As the others were already on their way to celebrate the happy event in the pub, Sarevok stayed. He stroked Peri's cheek gently as to not to wake her, and marveled at Umikaze. He felt he could admire the child for hours.
