As expected Dagur was over the moon excited about Enigma's egg. He was even more excited when they realized Jager was indeed the father as he took over egg guard duty so Enigma could eat. The amount of affection and love in the purple dragon's eye made Iris awe.

She couldn't sleep that night. Knowing Enigma was going to be a mom as well was just too exciting. Instead Iris paced about downstairs fussing over everything. She just felt the need to fix things. Dagur tried to get her to come upstairs and sleep but she couldn't.

"I can't sleep," Iris argued. "I'm not even tired. All I want to do is fuss over things."

"You need to get some sleep," he argued back.

"I know but I can't sleep! Leave me alone and go to bed. I need to clean the kitchen."

"You just did that this morning."

"It could be dirty again!"

Dagur groaned and went back upstairs with a shake of his head. He came back down with a shirt and his boots on only to head out the door. Iris just shrugged and instead went upstairs. Now she could fuss up there. If only her back would stop aching. The aches were getting worse.

"What in the world are you doing?" Vivian asked. Iris looked at her mom from her perch on top of a chest to dust the ceiling. "Get down before you fall down."

"It was dusty," Iris grumbled.

"No it wasn't," Dagur said from outside.

"Come on," Vivian said as Iris stuck her tongue out at Dagur. "Some tea will help calm you down."

"Will it get rid of this back ache?" Iris asked. "My lower back has been aching most of the afternoon." That got Vivian's attention.

"Is it a steady ache?" she asked.

"Kind of," Iris replied. "It's been aching constantly for the most part but sometimes it hurts worse like someone is poking a bruise. More painful though."

"Anything else? Something you would have ignored?"

"Does having to pee more count?" Vivian raised an eyebrow. "Ugh. I've been going to the bathroom more often than usual. It's just the baby sitting on my bladder again."

"How much and how often?"

"Mom!" Vivian just stared at her with that expectant stare. "Ugh. I had to stop on our way back from the market. I almost didn't make it and it was a lot. After that it's just been a little here and there. Nothing out of the normal."

"It is out of the normal," Vivian said. "You, young lady, have been having contractions. I'll bet my house that what you thought was urine was your water breaking."

"What's that mean?" Dagur asked.

"That means, young man, you are going to be holding a baby much sooner than I thought. Fetch Ingrid and Lila. Now."

"I can't be in labor," Iris grumbled. "It doesn't hurt like its supposed to. Shouldn't contractions have me laying on the ground screaming in pain?"

"Some women do yes," Ingrid said as she patted Iris' hand. "But not always. I didn't know I was in labor with my youngest boy until he was almost out. Healer had me crouch down and push and out he came! Ol Mill barely caught him in time."

"My youngest was a horrible labor," Lila sighed. "Overdue and didn't want to come out. I was pushing for hours to get her out. She's still got that stubborn attitude she was born with. I blame her father completely."

"I remember that," Ingrid commented. "You were laid up for days after that. Poor thing."

"Aye but I wouldn't trade it for the world," Lila said with a smile. "I'd go through all three labors again for my girls."

"I feel the same."

"Iris was an easy labor and birth," Vivian said as she walked in. "Contractions started and two hours later she was out squalling and demanding to eat."

That made the other two women laugh as Iris just groaned. Dagur was banished to the downstairs with her dad and Lila and Ingrid's husbands for the time being while her mom and the two women tended to her. Their roles were to help Vivian if any trouble arose and to keep Iris calm.

At Vivian's gesture Iris laid back on the bed so she could be checked. Her body had to reach a certain point before she could start actual labor. Too early and she could hurt herself and the baby.

"You're close," Vivian said. "Feel any different?"

"Just an ache in my sides like I was running for too long," Iris said with a shrug. "Not what I was expecting."

"Good. Hopefully it won't be a painful birth. Here. Walking will help move things along."

At her mother's request Iris got off the bed, with the help of Ingrid and Lila, and walked around the room. She paced back and forth, ignoring them as they chatted away. Instead she wished Dagur was here. While with Vikings it was mandatory for fathers to be present for the birth, Vivian didn't want him distracting or bothering her by worrying in the beginning so he had to wait. At least until she was closer.

The ache in her back grew worse. It felt like she had been working too hard only to sleep wrong and wake up with a horrible lower back ache that stabbed her with every move. Only now she knew it was contractions. And they sucked.

"I have the urge to push," Iris grunted, wincing as a flash of pain spread across her stomach. "Now."

"Hold on," Vivian said as Ingrid went to yell for Dagur. "I want you to breathe and resist the urge. I know, its hard as hell. Trust me. Sit down and let me check you." Wincing Iris did just that. "Well well. You're ready. Come on up we go. I want you to push when you feel ready. Your body is ready."

"Iris," Dagur gasped as he flew into the room.

"Mom said its time," she grunted. Now the pain was more constant.

"Okay. Okay! Um. What do I do?"

Iris didn't hear what any of the women might have said. Instead she did what Vivian told her and listened to her body. That meant she started to push when her body told her to. Warm hands covered hers that gripped the back of a chair to keep her steady while a warm chest pressed against her back.

Feeling more stable now Iris pushed her back against Dagur and grunted as she pushed again. She felt pressure, a ton of it, against her pelvic. That pressure wanted out. Now.

The only thing she heard were soft words of encouragement from Dagur and her own grunts and pants. Either Ingrid and Lila left or they were staying out of the way quietly. Every once in awhile Iris heard Vivian say something but she didn't focus on her mom. She just focused on herself and the needs of her body.

Again she pushed but this one felt different. It felt like something almost popped. Most of the pressure against her pelvic seemed to disappear making her gasp. Dagur's hands tightened over hers as Vivian crouched down next to her.

"One more time," he said gently. "Push one more time."

"Okay," she gasped. The insides of her legs felt wet but she pushed again as hard as she could.

The pressure was gone now. Iris knew she just delivered her baby. What if they fell on the floor? Did Vivian catch them?

A high pitched cry caused relief to wash over her. They were crying. They were okay.

Dagur's hands moved to wrap his arms around her. He kissed her cheek, his body shaking. If Iris didn't know any better she would have thought he was crying.

"You're crying," she said once she looked back at him only to see tears streaming down his face.

"Of course," he answered. "Our baby is alive and healthy. Just listen to them cry."

"Congratulations you two," Vivian said gently. "You have a perfect little girl." The baby was already cleaned up and wrapped loosely in a blanket.

"Gimme," Iris said. She ignored the tears that ran down her face as she took the bundled little girl. "Oh Dagur. She has red hair. Like yours."

"I see," he sniffed. "She's beautiful."

"And hungry," Vivian commented. "Here, sit Iris. Let me show you how to get her to latch."

"Sounds terrifying," Iris mumbled. She sat on the rocking chair her dad had found for them. "Ouch!"

"It's going to hurt I won't lie," Vivian said. "That's part of breast feeding though."

"At least she knows what to do," Iris joked. The little girl latched easily, thanks to Vivian's guidance, and was nursing away.

"If she's anything like you she'll grow like a weed off your milk," Vivian said. "Don't get too comfortable though. You still have to deliver the after birth." She glanced at Dagur, who was staring at the baby in awe. "You'll have to hold her during that."

"Okay," he said breathlessly. "Oh look! She made a tiny fist!"

"That better not mean she's going to be like you," Iris laughed. "Um. Do you have any requests for a name?"

"Well usually we don't name babies until they are nine days old," Dagur said quietly in English. "And fathers aren't supposed to hold the baby until then. I can't wait that long though. Screw tradition."

"So no name ideas?" He shook his head. "I've kind of been thinking about one."

"What?"

"How about Yarrow? It represents healing, courage, and love. Plus it was yarrow that saved both of us."

"I like that name." He gently brushed his fingertips against the baby's cheek. "Hello Yarrow. It's nice to meet you. We're your mom and dad. I can be a little crazy but your mom? She's a strong lady who keeps me in line. We won't let anyone hurt you."

It was common for women to give birth crouching or kneeling on all fours which made birth easier. It was apparently King Louis XIV that wanted to watch his wife give birth and made her lay on a bed so he wouldn't have to kneel on the floor to watch. Cue the new fad and still social norm of giving birth laying in a bed.