AN : Here is what's next, our lovely Queen's delivery.
Disclaimer : I don't own « Reign », no plagiarism is intended and I don't make profit of this story.
Also, I have no medical qualification, I'm sorry in advance for any mistakes there might be in this ;)
Chapter 34
The labour lasted several hours more and it made no progress. His wife's state was tearing Henry's heart apart and he couldn't bear it any longer knowing that the delivery was not advancing.
"Isn't there someone more competent ?" Asked the King to the young girl.
"There is your Majesty, I am but a novice in this in fact, I… I've never done this…" Answered Clemence as best as she could without dissolving into tears under the hard stare of the King.
"What ?! I see incompetence runs high in this castle. Don't you have decency ? My wife, the Queen of France is giving birth to another prince or princess for France and we have nothing but a inexperienced girl to assist ? What kind of joke is this ?" He said sternly when he saw his exhausted wife.
The girl didn't know what to respond to that, so she gapped at him but stayed quiet.
That's when Henry decided he had to find a solution, they couldn't go on like that. The King reluctantly let go of his wife's hand and went to the door to speak to the guard.
"Do you know of a good doctor or midwife in the village ?" He asked.
"Yes, your Majesty, there is a woman I know that is qualified for this but she has no certification of competence." Explained the guard.
"It doesn't matter. Who is she ?" Asked Henry.
"The wife of the doctor who healed you. She even helped my wife to give birth a few months ago." Added the man.
"Very well, go and fetch her as quickly as you can." Ordered the King.
The man nodded and ran off to find the needed woman.
Henry entered back the rooms and went to his wife. He sat beside her and tenderly pushed her now sticky hair away from her face. "Catherine, darling, open your eyes please." He asked her tenderly. She tiredly did so and looked at him with desperation. "It's going to be alright, my love. Help is coming."
She difficultly nodded her head at his words, hoping her pain would end soon.
/-/-/-/-/
An hour later
The Queen was still suffering and the inexperienced novice was of no help to her… her husband didn't know what to do but prayed that the woman he had sent for would arrive soon for the sake of his wife and of his unborn child.
Like an answer to his prayers, a little woman of a certain age came through the doors.
"Your Majesties" She said and hurried to them when she saw the state of the Queen.
She gently pushed aside the novice to assess the situation. "Good God, what have you been doing during all this time ?!" Asked the woman to the young girl.
Clemence tried to find an answer but the older woman beat her to it "You don't know what you are doing do you ?"
This time the King answered quite threateningly. "No, she doesn't I can tell you that. I don't understand how a girl like you could have been sent to help a Queen to give birth, my Queen ! I hope for your sake that we won't have further complications."
"I think it's best if I take the lead from here. You will assist me, we can't continue like this." The midwife said coldly to the novice, not understanding why she didn't send for help sooner, honestly… fortunately the King had sent for her…
The older woman approached the Queen's face on the other side of the bed and spoke "My name is Joséphine, your Grace. I promise you I'll make my best to help you."
Catherine nodded tiredly and the midwife went between her legs.
"Alright Majesty, push when you feel your next contraction." She said gently to the Queen. Henry was still holding her hand and he caressed her arm in an encouraging gesture.
A few seconds later, Catherine felt the pain of her next contraction building and she pushed with all her might, still without screaming, she wanted to appear dignified and she has always been told that a Queen shouldn't scream while giving birth.
"You are a great pusher, your Grace. But I'm afraid the baby is stuck because he is not exactly in the good position to come out."
"Yes ! I know ! That's what I've been trying to tell her for the last hour." Erupted the Queen, gesturing towards Clemence.
"Alright, I'll try to make it better. Relax your body, your Grace." Said Joséphine while placing a soothing hand on the Queen's belly.
"Right there. Okay. I'm going to try to move your baby a little but you mustn't push while I do that, if you do, your baby might suffocate." Explained the midwife.
"But I need to push !" Said the Queen with desperation.
"I know. You must try, your Grace.
Oh, and if you have to scream, scream, you're giving birth, you have the right to scream." Catherine nodded.
"Your Majesty, I need you to hold your wife steady while I try to make the baby move." She said to the King.
He nodded and placed both of his hands on Catherine's shoulders to keep her laid on the mattress with an apologetic and worried look on his face. Catherine gripped both of his arms with her hands and nodded her head at him.
"Ready ?" Asked the midwife.
"Yes." Answered the Queen, not quite sure of herself… nonetheless, she knew she needed to make this for her baby and held on to Henry's arms.
"Alright I'm going, don't push." Said the midwife and tried to move the baby with her hands.
Catherine gripped her husband's arms hard, when she felt the midwife's fingers inside her she jerked and if Henry wasn't holding her, she would have fallen from the bed. Her mouth was still closed, her teeth gritted to avoid screaming. During the next moment, she turned her head and her eyes found her husband's. He saw her struggling not to make a sound and couldn't bear it anymore. "Scream Catherine, scream." He said to her, his intense gaze never leaving hers.
When Joséphine fingers went deeper inside her, she finally let out a scream. "That's it Catherine, scream darling, scream." He encouraged her and held her down more firmly.
"HAA ! How long will I endure this ?!" Screamed the Queen while crying. Henry was still holding her and he didn't know what to do, it was unbearable for him to see her like this. He had never felt so helpless, he was the most powerful man in France and there was nothing he could do but to watch her suffer to bring their baby into the world.
The midwife grimaced and retracted her hand from the Queen.
"What is it ?" asked the two rulers at the same time.
"It's not working. The baby is not moving to come out." Said Joséphine.
"So, what do we do ?" Asked the King worriedly while letting go of his wife now that the other woman was no longer touching her.
"I'll have to try to push the baby out, along with your wife." By seeing the look of incomprehension on Henry's face, she explained further.
"I'll put pressure on the Queen's belly to help her.
It will hurt, your Majesty." She continued while looking in direction of the Queen.
"I… I don't think I can take more pain…" Answered the exhausted Queen. She couldn't go on for long like this…
Upon hearing her words, her husband took her face between his hands to make her focus on him : "Don't say that darling. I know you can, I've never seen you give up on anything. You are the strongest person I know, Caterina. I'm so proud of you, so very proud." He said while looking in her eyes.
"Henry… I can't… I can't." She said frantically.
"Yes you can darling. You've already done it several times, think of our baby, our little princess, bring her here my love and make me the happiest man that has ever walked on the face of this earth." If she had strength left, she would have cried when she heard his words, but she hadn't…
"Majesties, we need to act now, the longer we wait the more the baby risks to know complications." Interrupted the midwife.
The King nodded and Joséphine went on the other side of the bed to be closer to Catherine's belly. Then she ordered Clemence, the novice to come between Catherine's legs and to take the baby when it would come out.
The young woman who stood frozen since Joséphine had arrived erupted : "But, I've never done that ! I can't make it ! This is disgusting me !"
"Disgusting you ? Are you kidding me ?! Lives are at stake here, the Queen of France's life and that of her baby… the King's baby." Said the midwife clearly more than angered.
What were they going to do ? If that stupid girl couldn't help, Joséphine couldn't do this alone…
"I'll help." Said the King, tearing the midwife from her thoughts on what to do.
"I… the sight can be disturbing your Majesty, I'm not sure if…" Tried the woman but Henry cut her off.
"Believe I've seen much worse and I certainly won't be disgusted by my wife giving birth to our child." He clarified.
"Very well. We should start then, go between your wife's legs, your Grace." Said the woman with a smile. It was rare to see such worried and implicated fathers, especially since this one was a King… *he must really love his wife* thought the midwife.
A mask of utmost concentration placed itself on Henry's face, he followed her saying and went where he needed to be.
"Humm, I'm afraid I'll need your guidance, what am I supposed to do ?" Asked the King clearly unsure of himself. Well, he had never been taught on how to help a woman to give birth, this wasn't on the list of the things to know to rule a country…
Joséphine smiled again, despite the gravity of the situation, this was a sight to see, the King of France unsure of what to do.
"Of course, on the next contraction, your wife will push and I'll help her. In the meantime, you should look if the baby comes out correctly and take your child out when he has sufficiently come out." Explained the woman.
"Very well, I'll do my best." Said the King and reassuringly stroked his Queen's thigh.
"I know you will Henry, I trust you." Managed to say the tired Queen. He smiled at her words and realised once more how their relationship had evolved for the better in the last months. She trusted him… how many times in the last decades had he dreamed of hearing these words pass her lips ? He didn't know but now it was real and he still had trouble wrapping his mind around it.
It may seem that he was lost in thoughts for several minutes but it all happened in the blink of an eye. The King smiled at his wife and she returned it the best she could in her state.
Soon enough, the pain of the next contraction began to build in Catherine's body and slight traces of pain were visible on her flushed and sweaty skin.
"It's coming." She breathed hard.
"Yes, that's it. Embrace the pain your Grace and then push it out on three."
"One – started the midwife – Two… Three." When she said the last number Catherine pushed with all her might, Joséphine put pressure on her belly and a loud scream escaped the Queen's throat.
The King was very concentrated in his task. "Push, my love, push – he encouraged his wife – I think it's working."
When the contraction was nearly over, the King erupted with joy and hope "I see the head, Catherine, I see the head !"
The Queen sank back into the blankets, completely exhausted, the midwife hadn't lied it had hurt more than ever and it wasn't over…
Joséphine went back to see between the Queen's legs to see how it was going but judging by the King's words, it went pretty well.
And effectively, the midwife saw the head of the baby.
"She has your hair darling." Added the King lovingly while smiling softly. His wife's eyes filled with tears as she imagined her sweet baby girl with blonde baby hair.
But she hadn't the time to imagine her daughter properly because the strength of the next contraction came at full force on her.
"Oh ! It's coming ! AHHH !" She cried in pain when Joséphine put pressure back on her belly.
Sadly, this contraction wasn't enough to make the baby come out.
"Alright your Highness, this contraction should be the last, push as hard as you can and your baby will be here." Advised the midwife and went back to the Queen's side to help her.
"Majesty – Joséphine addressed Henry – get ready to grab your baby."
"Oh believe me I'm ready" Said the King, concentrating on his task once again, he was determined to make this correctly.
"You over there, try to make yourself at least a little bit helpful and bring me that cloth and the scissors." Ordered dryly the King to Clemence. He would deal with her after, now was the time to have a baby.
The girl who had just stood there during the entire birth nodded shyly and went to grab the needed things and then gave them to the King.
He placed the immaculate white fabric and the cutting object next to his wife on the bed. Then he took off the jacket he had put on just before the novice had arrived and remained in his shirt.
"Ready ?" Asked the midwife to the King.
"I am when you are." Answered Henry while lifting up the sleeves of his shirt so that he wouldn't be bothered by it.
The team then turned their eyes towards Catherine and Joséphine spoke : "Alright, Majesty, give all you have on the next contraction and you shall meet your baby."
While the woman spoke, Catherine's eyes never left her husband's, that reassuring gaze of his and the sparkle that gave her strength.
Then the Medici woman nodded her head to the midwife and prepared to the pain again.
The final contraction came quickly, it was the worst Catherine had ever felt. She pushed all she could.
The King was amazed at what the woman's body could do, he had imagined the birth in his mind but to see it in real life was something else, it was really amazing.
"Push Catherine, that's it, the head is out and… - the Queen screamed louder when she felt her baby's shoulders come out"
One second later, the King held their red and crying baby in his arms : "It's a girl Catherine."
It was quite odd for him to say this to her, as it has always been the other way around.
Then he took the scissors, cut the cord and carefully wrapped his daughter in the white cloth.
Henry circled the bed and sat beside his exhausted wife to hand her their baby.
The brightest of smiles was planted on the new father's face as he watched his wife's eyes filling with happy tears as she finally took their child in her arms.
"Madeleine…" Said Catherine to her daughter. "Welcome to life, my little love."
Seeing that the King had the situation well in hand, Joséphine decided not to interrupt this sweet display of love as the baby was alright. She busied herself between the Queen's legs, removed the after birth when it came out and cleaned Catherine.
"You've done it darling." Said the King to his Queen while watching her placing Madeleine to her breast.
"We've done it" She corrected him, while taking his hand in hers. "I couldn't have made it without you. Thank you darling, most husbands, especially Kings wouldn't have helped their wives."
He smiled and kissed her sweaty forehead : " Well, I'm not most husbands, I am your husband Caterina, I would never let you down if there's something I can do to help."
She smiled at him, "You never cease to amaze me Henry."
He gave her that charming smile of his and added "I hope you're ready because I count on amazing you for the rest of our lives."
She kissed him then, her King, her husband, her love…
Just then, Joséphine finished to clean the Queen. "There you are your Grace." She said while placing Catherine's stained nightgown over her legs once again. "I advise you to take it easy and to drink a lot of water for the next days, you've lost quite a lot of blood." Looking at the smiling King, she added "But I think you'll have the necessary support."
The Queen smiled too while turning her head to look at Henry who wiggled his eyebrows conspiratorially. Catherine couldn't help the laugh that escaped her mouth then. What a man she had married.
The King got up then, he went closer to Joséphine and thanked her for her services, telling her that without her they didn't know how they would have done.
While accompanying her back to the door, he offered "You and your husband are welcome at court whenever you like, madam."
"Thank you, your Majesty. I'll make sure to visit this beautiful girl you have. Oh ! and thank you for your help, most of the men I know would have frozen on place when confronted to such a sight and task." Said the midwife while looking at Henry's bloodstained shirt.
"Of course." Smiled Henry and then closed the door once the goodbyes were finished.
Then, he went back into the room and noticed the young novice still planted there.
"What are you still doing here ?" Henry asked dryly.
"You've been useless, useless ! Honestly ?! Who the hell do you think you are ?! Your incompetence is beyond comprehension !"
At this Clemence tried to speak but the King quickly stopped her rambling.
"No ! I don't want to anger myself over you, not on this day. – He looked towards the bed where his wife was resting with their baby while listening to the conversation – You don't deserve my anger. In fact you don't deserve anything. I don't want to see you ever again, leave, right now, thankful that I've allowed you to keep your life." Said the King calmly but the ice and sternness of his words froze his young interlocutor.
When the girl heard the King's last words, her eyes widened and she quickly ran out of the room, not even apologizing.
"Pff… silly girl." Muttered Henry before coming back to sit beside his wife.
"I see you've made progress Henry, you didn't even let her provoke you this time" Smiled Catherine.
"Well, I didn't want to wake my little princess…" added the King while looking at his daughter who still sleepily sucked her mother's nipple.
Catherine's smile widened upon hearing her husband's words.
"How I hope she has your eyes Henry." Said the Queen adoringly. She has thought about it often during all her pregnancy but nearly never said it aloud to him.
At this, he went closer and kissed her cheek "And I hope she has everything else from you. I love you, Catherine, thank you for making me a father once again, I'm forever grateful, darling." He looked back at his dainty little baby princess.
"I love you too Henry, thank you for making me a mother, my love, it couldn't have been possible without you, caro mio." She answered lovingly.
The Royal couple stayed like that for long minutes, admiring the new little member of their family, the perfection they had created, together…
AN : Haaa ! Madeleine's here :)
What do you think ?
Stay safe and Merry Christmas to you all :)
Laura D.