Chapter 27: Pup
"I cannot have the baby, It's too early!" Elia cried as I carried her Luwin was right behind an army of women are behind us and running past us to get ready with towels and water.
"I estimated that the baby would arrive in the next moon, it's perfectly reasonable to say that it was a miscalculation and the child is fully ready now." Luwin says calmly.
"It's going to be sick like me." She whispers before her face twists in pain and she lets out a small cry.
As soon as I lay her on the bed I am being pushed and pulled out of the door by a small army of women Catelyn, Myla, and Nan among them all harping about this being women's business. I don't care about that now Elia is in pain and all I want is to be by her side. I look to her as she cries out again, she moves up on her elbows as if to brace herself as to of the maids are pulling back the bottom of her dress. The door slams shut in my face and the latches click before I even think to bang my hand against it.
My protests are ignored, and I stop wanting them to focus on Elia and the struggle she is enduring.
I think of the last time I was outside a birthing room; I was eight years old and Ned sat next to me as we waited.
Father came I swore he was the strongest, tallest best father and lord in all the world.
"Has the maestor said anything Brandon?" He asked.
"Not yet, nan said there was no need to wait because it could be awhile, but we decided to." I tell him and Ned nods.
"Why is that?" Father asked with a small smile.
"Because we didn't with Lyanna and she turned out to be a girl." I said and I would always remember how he laughed.
"We want a baby brother." Ned chirped.
"If I didn't have the north to run I would join you." He said with a smile before rustling Ned's hair. "Come get me when it gets closer." Father said.
"How will we know?" I asked.
"It will be really really loud." He assured before leaving both Ned and I were in awe of the great man who was our father.
"What if it is a boy?" Ned asked as we waited.
"Well then we will have a little brother and we will teach him how to fight and make snow walls and the best places to hid when playing catch me." I tell him.
"What if it's a girl?" Ned askes.
"Well then it's Lyanna's problem."
"Lyanna is only a baby!"
"So is the baby stupid."
"Your stupid!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
We began to fight probably for something to do. I tackle Ned before the door opens I think the maid is coming to yell at us but instead she runs past us like she has seen a ghost. I get off Ned and go closer to the door.
"Ned, go get papa." I say finally.
"Papa said to get him when something happens, and it isn't loud?"
That's what was odd it was not loud at all mother had stopped screaming awhile ago and now it was earie quiet. I pressed my ear against the door and heard fast talking Warlys telling mother she had to push she had to.
"What's wrong with her?" A woman's voice asked.
"Poor dear is-" Nan starts when I am move by my head away from the door after I am done stumbling I am ready to fight till I see it's my own father.
"Papa!?" I ask.
"Wait here." Is all he says as he moves past me and into the room with the maid.
"Is mama okay?" Ned asks.
"Father will make everything better." I assure I thought he could at his very word.
We wait and in a while there is screaming but it's a baby taken quickly away by a wet nurse we only catch a glimpse of him, before the door shut's again I see my mother but only for a moment she is lying in a bed full of blood and I feel sick.
Time goes by and my mother starts shouting. "Where are my children I want to see my children now!"
"She is hysterical!" Aunt branda cries.
"When you are well." Fathers booming voice promises.
"I WANT TO SEE MY CHILDREN NOW!" Mother screeches I raise to the door and begin to pound on it.
"Mother I am here, mother it's Brandon I am right here!" I promise.
"Brandon my brandon!" Mother says her voice sounds relieved.
Ned runs over and begins knocking. "Momma momma I am here to, momma its Ned." He cries.
"Let me see my babies." She asked.
"Cover her up!" Father orders the door opens I look to my father first to see how angry he is with me, but he does not look angry at all he looks something I have never seen him look before, hurt.
Mother has a blanket over her and she looks very tired but alright though when I go closer I can smell blood.
She reaches for me and I go to her. Her face is now a blur to me I cannot quiet picture it I imagine she looks something like Lyanna.
"My brave Brandon, and my loyal Ned." She says softly.
My mother makes a pained noise and my aunt Branda pulls Ned and I out of the room. She takes us to see the baby.
"Will mother be alright?" I ask while Benjen squirms in my hands.
"Momma?" Ned asked.
"you poor little dears." Aunt Branda said she stayed with us all day she got Lyanna up from her nap and supervised the Benjen's new staff and kept Ned and I close.
We did not see father till he came into are room in the middle of the night to tell Ned and I our mother died.
"Do you want me to wait with you?" I here and I look at Ned he must know exactly where my head is, I wonder if he worried about this with Robb. IF he worried Catelyn would share the fate of our mother, but Catelyn Tully was an able sturdy young girl, Elia was already so delicate of body and petite she sort of looked like a snake that swallowed a large prey pregnant, and now my big northern baby was trying to get out of her.
"No." I tell him solemnly.
"MAMA!" Aegon cries his voice gets closer "MAMA!" He says again.
"Go look after the children." I tell him and stubborn as he is he takes orders well and goes off after Aegon.
In spend ours in that room waiting. I pace around for hours in agony worrying about the woman I love. I think about the little things, how warm she is when she cuddles into me. I think of how her accent boils my blood; the way she pouts that makes me want to kiss her. I hear her scream and it's as though I felt her pain.
"Push your lady ship." I here Luwin call.
I hope Elia is strong enough of body to do this for I know she is strong of mind. She is the only woman to match me in stubbornness. She was quick and clever of wit neither would help her now. The baby could be an entire moon early and also struggle and be ill I thought that bump in her dress I loved so terribly.
I slumped against the wall sitting as though a boy again though I no longer waited excitedly now I was a grown man and knew a grown man's worry.
"I can hold your hand if you like?" A soft voice says I open my eyes to see Rhaenys.
"No you should be with Ned and the other children." I tell her.
"They are babies, but I know what's happening." She assures me.
"You do." I ask skeptically as Elia screams again. She give me a tough look that makes me overwhelmingly proud.
"Yes, momma says women bring babies into the world, and that it hurts really bad but once its over they are filled with joy." She says as she comes over and sits beside me. I smile and take her hand.
"I may not have been there when you or your brother were born but you both bring me great joy." I promise.
"I know!" She says so assured. "I am going to be just like you." She promises.
"I want you to be better." I tell her she smiles at me so proudly as though I am a great man like father.
"PUSH!" Catelyn says and Elia shrieks again drawing my attention back to the door, my expression is utter terror.
"Rhaenys, thank you. You are such a sweet girl, you get it from your mother, but I need to be with your mother and I need you to go take care of the boys." I tell her she kisses me on the cheek before running off.
"I kick the doors and then again and again before the latch falters and the doors open.
That's when I see her sweaty and in pain clutching the sheets and almost growls as she focuses and with tears in her eyes, she pushes the baby out of her body before falling back onto the bed. Luwin cut the cord before she hit the pillow and my child is rushed away to be cleaned. I go to Elia grabbing her up in my arms she is tired and fatigued but not white and quiet.
"Brandon." She murmers and her arms tighten around me before she lets go all together. "I want my baby, give me my baby!" She calls before turning to me with tears in her eyes. "You have to bring him to me." She whispers.
"H-him?" I ask softly.
Luwin come back over to us with the screaming bundle wriggling bundle that is only minute old and will not stay still or settle. "Actually, your lordship, her ladyship has given birth to a beautiful healthy baby girl." He tells me.
I feel Elia's hand on my arm. "I am sorry." She whispers I look at her she has just given birth and cannot be held accountable for her actions. I hold her tightly and kiss her head I feel her find comfort in my arms.
"I am not disappointed Elia not in the slightest." I promise my hand touches Elia's check and tiredly she leans into my touch with lidded eyes. "I love you." I tell her softly.
Once Elia is calm my attention turns back to the bundle in luwins arms. "Give her to me." "I tell him.
"She must eat first." He says handing her to a buxom woman.
"No I will feed her!" Elia says sternly. "She is mine."
There is no arguing with her, and the baby is handed over to her. I watch her press our baby to her chest she feeds it with one breast then the other before the baby is at last settled.
Elia lowers the baby into her lap so I can have a better look her black eyes settle on me. For my part I look down at my child, she is pale and wrinkled with a dark tuff of hair.
"She could darken with time." Elia says worried as if it will make me change how I feel about are baby.
"Then she will be beautiful like you." I tell her kissing her head. Elia pays no mind to the ladies who clean her and change the bedding from under her she stares at our daughter and I stare at her. She is so unbelievably beautiful and maternal she reacts to every noise our baby makes.
Elia can sooth the baby's whines with a touch as though the baby already knows her mother is the most comforting lovely person in the world. I understand in that moment why her parents wanted her to marry Rhaegar. Even though she had just given birth she was so regal like she was made to be a queen. Even still I was so glad she was mine and as those dark eyes looked at me, I knew I was hers.
"May I hold her?" I ask and Elia nods giving her to me carefully. Luwin shoos everyone away so we may have privacy and I am grateful.
I walk around the room just staring at her my daughter and how odd that feels. She is so small yet she is solid like a northerner I realize.
"She seems strong." I note.
"Like her father." Elia muses softly as she lays back still carefully watching her baby like a mother wolf tends to her pup.
I carefully sit at the edge of her bed she lays her hand softly on our baby's chest.
"Thank you." I tell her softly. "Thank you for baring my child, for being my daughters' mother." I tell her softly.
Elia smiles tiredly. "She needs a name."
"Yes." I say. " A strong name that scares enemies and brings hope to allies." I say watching Elia's confusion. "She is my daughter, my heir. Someday she could be the lady of Winterfell."
Elia slowly moves to cuddle against me. "She already has that name, Stark." She says making me smile and kiss her head.
"Tell me some Stark names." She says as her eyes flutter closed.
"Well let me think." I say I was not always the best student for Warlys. "There was a Sarra, Alysanne, Argelle." I say Elia looks so cute when she scrunches up her noes and shakes her head it makes me chuckle.
"What was your mothers name?" She askes and my heart pounds.
"Lyarra, that's sweet but to hard." I say I tell her she nods.
"Alright love, more names." She says and I laugh.
"Uhhh Lysa, Melantha, Alarra, Alys-" I start.
"Alarra sounds kind of like Lyarra and I like that it starts with an A like my little niece Arianne she is going to be the princess of Dorne someday." Elia says softly.
I look down at my daughter nestled in my arms sleeping soundly. I smile comes to my face. "Alarra Stark." I muse. "My Alarra Stark I promise to protect you all my days." I tell my baby.
Elia falls asleep against me and I am glad for her to rest. I watch the two of them sleep peacefully until Alarra began crying and Elia wakes to feed her.
"How can she be hungry again?" I ask.
"She will be hungry a lot." Elia says happily she looks up from our baby for a moment and smiles at me before turning back to Alarra. I kiss Elia's head unsure how I was so very lucky to have her. After Alarra feeds there is a knock at the door, I instinctively stand to protect them.
"Someone would like to see the baby." Catelyns voice sings. "Baby baby!" Jon cries.
"We are seeing mommy too!" Rhaenys corrects.
"Leave Jon alone he's just a baby." Aegon tells her.
"You're a baby!" Rhaenys counters on the other side of the door I chuckle as I walk to the door. Somethings never change.
Eddard is carrying Aegon in one hand aand Jon in the other. Rhaenys is holding hands with Catelyn. Benjen stands behind them clutching the wall.
"We want to see the baby too, and Elia." Benjen says.
"If you are going to come in you have to be quiet and on your best behavior." I tell the children before letting them in.
Rhaenys and Jon run to Elia as soon as they are able, Aegon reaches for me and I take him from my brother. Catelyn and Benjen are already looking at the baby when Ned pats me on the back.
"How does it feel to be a father?" Ned asked.
"I already am." I say softly he is about to respond but Catelyn speaks first.
"She is just beautiful." She awes.
"You would not tell us it was a girl!" Benjen says astonished watching his niece as I walk over to them.
"It was not my news to give." Catelyn says simply. "What do you call her."
"Alarra, Alarra Stark." Elia says proud showing the children their baby sister. I just watch them happily sure this is all I need.
Ned leaves first, then Jon who is too little to care to much especially when his mommy cannot give him all her attention, Rhaenys goes with him because she has to be in charge of him.
Catelyn and Benjen take turns holding Alarra for a long time until she is hungry again that's when Benjen congratulates us and quickly leaves.
Catelyn and Elia gush over every inch of our baby but she finally leaves to let Elia rest.
Elia sleeps soundly and I sit near her bed holding the baby with Aegon who surprisingly lasted the longest though he was just a boy he looked curiously at Alarra.
"You are her big brother." I tell him and he nods.
"Eddard says you're her father, Ben says you're a papa now, so does lady Catlyen." He says looking up at me with those mystical purple eyes.
"I am." I tell him.
"Nan says my father was killed in a river by the king." Aegon admits.
Rage fills me. "She should never have said that!" I say trying not to growl. He clutches my leg and I am afraid I have scared him.
"Aegon I-"began when he starts to cry he looks at me with watery lilac eyes.
"I wish you were my father too Stark." He says tears stream down his face I adjust Alarra to one arm so I can pull Aegon up on my knee.
"Oh silver, I am your papa, because I love you just like I love the baby."
"Weally?" He asked.
"Yes, you, and your sister, Jon, Ben, and Mommy are all I need to be happy and I will take care of you all my days." I promise.
"Can I call you papa, stark?" He asks softly.
"Of course, you can, I am your papa." I promise.