Glitter and Gold

Chapter 16

32 ABY – Ahch-To

It was time. Overdue, actually. But the baby hadn't come. If Vex had to estimate, she thought that she might be more than a week overdue.

Vex wanted the baby out of her, if only to be able to hold him in her arms. There was, of course, a great deal of discomfort too, that she wouldn't mind being rid of. Her belly was enormous, the baby kicked constantly, her feet were swollen and her back was aching. There were no comfortable positions anymore, so all she could do was try to hasten her labor.

She hadn't been on her feet for more than a few moments in weeks, but now she walked circles in the little Jedi Village, or inside her hut if the weather was bad. EV-9 was always at her side, only plugging in if someone was with Vex – the little droid was ever ready to alert Luke and the Lanai the moment Vex went into labor. Gods, Vex prayed it was soon.

"Your pains, how are they?" Luke asked in the middle of a turn around the village. The sun was disappearing beneath the clouds – it was sure to rain soon, but Vex wanted to feel the sun on her skin and breathe the fresh air, if only for a short time.

Vex sighed. "Not horrible. Just enough to keep me in constant discomfort," she admitted.

Luke lended a sympathetic smile. "I remember when my sister was pregnant with Ben," he began. Vex took notice of how he said Ben, not Kylo. She supposed it must be difficult to reconcile that babe with what he was today. "She was overdue too, and he moved about constantly, never letting her rest. She was deeply uncomfortable, as you are now," he recalled, a smile coming to his lips.

"So it's the Solo blood that causes this? Should I blame the babe's father, or his grandfather?" Vex asked, pausing as the baby placed a well-aimed kick towards her already aching back. She winced, rubbing her back.

"Or perhaps the babe," Luke added in amusement.

"I find I have difficulty blaming him," Vex muttered, though her expression was resentful.

Luke chuckled. "As crazy as this may sound, treasure this time. As uncomfortable as you are, these are your last moments before becoming a mother. Your life will forever change after that," he advised.

"Of that I am very aware," Vex said under her breath. At a look from Luke, she sighed. "I'm trying, Luke,"

"Labor will be no picnic," he pointed out, just as water immediately coursed down Vex's legs, falling to the ground with a splat.

She glared at him. "I hate you," she muttered, as he immediately guided her back to her hut.

"The force works in mysterious ways," Luke smiled. "EV-9, fetch the Caretakers, tell them Vex is going into labor," he called, supporting Vex as a ripple of pain went through her.

"Here he comes," she said breathlessly.

/

Vex wouldn't lie and say she hadn't worried about childbirth – especially after her near miscarriage about a month ago. And it'd been terrible. The pain had threatened to tear her apart as her son came into the world. But, strangely, she'd found the pain mild in comparison to the torture she'd undergone in the past.

But it'd all been worth it when her son had been placed in her arms. It'd been Luke who delivered him, her Lanai mothers scurrying about to help. Luke had handed the babe to Alcida-Auka to clean and wrap in linen before laying him across his mother's chest.

Vex had been exhausted, sweaty, and still aching, but her son in her arms meant everything. She'd lost three babies already and never got to hold them. But she had a son, now. Her heart was fuller than she thought possible, as she wept and kissed is face as he squalled.

"What is his name, Vex?" Luke asked, peering down at him over her shoulder. Her son had her olive skin and sharp cheekbones, his eyes dark blue with dark hair spattering his scalp.

"Anakin. Anakin Solo," Vex answered, unable to tear her eyes away from the child, dragging a finger down his face. She heard Luke's breath leave him, and she looked up reluctantly. "He's my redemption, Luke," she offered weakly as explanation.

Luke nodded slowly, a sigh whistling through his lips. He reached out, fingers brushing the baby's soft cheek. "It's perfect," he whispered.

/

It was three weeks before Vex had enough energy to leave her hut. Between her body healing and caring for Anakin, all Vex did was sleep. At first, all her babe did was cry. Only Luke seemed to be able to soothe him, no matter how hard Vex tried. But once Vex had recovered and no longer felt so frantic all the time, Anakin did too. He began to sleep more, eat more, and he eased his fussiness much easier than before.

Today Vex stepped out of her hut, Anakin strapped to her chest in a sling. Finally, her body was beginning to feel her own again. Vex didn't think her body had felt like her own since before Snoke had forced her to begin trying for a child with Kylo Ren. That was finally over now, and after nine long months, Anakin was here.

She knew for a fact that she'd never loved a being more. Not Sin, not Kylo – not Ayla'Lyn. Her Ani was the perfect blend of her and Kylo, with a sweet and quiet disposition. Her son was at his happiest in Vex's arms, and she had no desire to ever put him down. Vex knew if she lost him, she'd go mad. There would be no light left in her if Anakin was gone.

Her Lanai mothers doted on her son relentlessly. When Vex had emerged from her hut, they'd crowded around her, urging her to kneel so they could peer at Anakin. Vex dropped to a knee, allowing them to coo over him. If the babe minded, he didn't show it. He just looked up at them, his eyes, Kylo's eyes, almost curious as he gummed on his fingers.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" Vex said, the amphibious women quickly agreeing.

"Where are you taking our little prince?" Alcida-Auka asked in their language, hand resting on Vex's arm.

Vex smiled. "For a bit of a wander, I suppose. I want him to see the island of his birth," she answered, climbing to her feet.

"Be careful," her little mother cautioned as Vex started down one of the paths leading away from the village.

"I will!" Vex shot back over her shoulder, both arms wrapped around Anakin in his sling.

The young mother continued leisurely down one of the paths that led to the ancient Jedi temple, bouncing and cooing at her babe. Her son's eyes were wide with wonder at the blue sky and the lush greenness of the island. Vex had laughed out loud at the look of befuddlement on Anakin's face when the breeze had ruffled his fluffy black hair for the first time. She bowed her head to press a kiss to her son's head before moving on.

Soon, Vex found herself in the old temple, holding Anakin up so that he could see everything as she murmured to him. How much her son understood, Vex didn't know, but she wanted him to know this place. After a while, Anakin began to fuss, so Vex sat down on the edge of the pool and bared her breast so her son would suckle at it.

It was as Vex fed her son that Luke appeared in the entrance. He averted his eyes when he saw Vex's bare breast, causing her to cover herself with the long edge of her cloak. Luke cleared his throat and approached. "Why did you bring him here?" he asked curiously, with no sign of disapproval.

"This temple is his heritage, Luke. He may grow up to be a Jedi, or he may not – but that doesn't change the fact that he is descended of them. His mother, father, uncle, and great-grandfather… all Jedi," Vex trailed on, cradling her son's head carefully beneath the covering. "I also want him to know the place of his birth. Ahch-To has been paradise for us, something we desperately needed,"

Luke looked at her, sharply. "You speak as if you intend to leave," he said, expression falling.

Vex lifted her eyes to meet his. "I cannot hide here forever, Luke,"

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