KrystylSky: Thankyou, this one is a little different, but I feel it's important to the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
XxxTerraxXx: You've intrigued me, please let me know when you post something. I'll happily read it. And thankyou, I hope you like this chapter. The story is ending soon but I hope you like every moment.
Apologies for the late and shitty update time. I'm a little reluctant to write seeing as I know the story is ending.
Chapter 96 – A new beginning.
She screamed as a fresh wave of agony ran through her stomach and ribs. Her fingers clenched as she tried to cope with the flooding pain. She shook her head, her fringe sticking to the sweat that laid on her brow. Whimpering she inhaled a deep breath. 'Make it stop!' She cried, another scream cutting off the end of her words. Panting, she looked around, looking for anything that would stop the pain. 'Oh maker!' She sobbed, feeling the tears drop from her cheeks onto the thin gown she was wearing. Closing her eyes she tilted back her head and tried to stop herself from crying out. She breathed in heavily. 'Where is...my husband?!' Kiana demanded.
'My Grace, he's not allowed in the birthing r-' a midwife began to say. A glare from the Queen silenced her; as her pained fury tore through the poor woman.
'Get. Him. Now.' Kiana stated.
…
Alistair paced a few corridors down. He could hear her screaming from down here. He slumped onto a chair, chewing on a thumbnail. He wore a simple outfit, tunic and breeches. No official armour or clothing today. Kiana's contractions had started during the night and it was now dawn, or a few minutes to. Every time he had tried to get into the room he was stopped. But it was getting to the point where he was going to start smashing heads together. It had been hours and she hadn't stopped crying out for him. Making up his mind he ran down the castle towards the birthing room where he was grabbed by a couple of servants. Loyal men, he knew, he had worked with them for a few years now.
'My King, the birthing room isn't a place for a man,' one of them said. Alistair growled and stepped back out of their grip. He looked them straight in the eyes.
'And how do you propose to keep me out?' He asks, deadly quiet. The servants look at each other. Their King wasn't the strongest man they had ever met, but it was known that he was one of the greatest warriors, besides the Queen. His skill in battle was terrifying, but what scared the men at this moment was the pure anger from being kept from his wife. Mutually the men step away from the door just as the Queen began to scream again. Alistair nodded at the men gratefully and ran into the room.
'Ali,' Kiana sobbed as she looked over at the door at him. Her face was pink and covered with a sheen of sweat. Her hair roughly braided and tumbling around her cheeks. He smiles softly and walks over to her side, ignoring the midwives' protests. He grabbed her hand in his and kisses her fingers.
'It's okay Kiki, I'm here,' he said reassuringly as he kissed her forehead. Kiana smiles weakly before she gritted her teeth as a fresh spill of pain clenched.
'Oh maker it hurts,' she whimpers through her teeth. She had been offered a mage's healing expertise but she refused it. She didn't trust mages, not after everything she had been through. There were only a few mages she would let touch her. Not one of them were here. Alistair took a cloth from one of the women and began to wipe her forehead.
'You can do this Kiki, I know you can. I'm here for you,' he says softly. He winced as she gripped his fingers in a vice like hold.
'It's because of you I'm here,' she hissed, but with a smile so her words weren't so harsh. He laughs lightly and ignores the pain in his hand. The head midwife announced that she could see the head and Kiana swore out. 'Only the head? It's taken this long!' She says exhausted. Alistair looks at the midwives, everything seemed to be okay. He was worried that there might be some complications. It was a deep fear of his. He buried his head in Kiana's hair and spoke softly to her, helping her breathe as the birth continued. It had been many hours since her labour had begun. She cried out and whimpered, squeezing his hand tighter and tighter.
'It's a wee lad,' the head midwife says softly, she pulls the child from Kiana's body and wraps him in cloth. She looked at the King and Queen whose eyes were filling up with relief. 'But there's no time to rest my Grace,' she says as she cuts the cord and passes the child to another midwife for cleaning. 'The other is on the way, it'll be here any moment,' she says smiling. Kiana winces as her agony continued.
'Another?' Alistair said shocked. He shared a look with Kiana of pure wonder. Chuckling weakly he smiles. 'You're full of surprises, Kiki,' he says sweetly kissing her cheek. It was only moments later that the room was filled with screams, and then almost like an echo there was another tiny voice bawling to the rafters. The midwives cleaned and wrapped, taking away any mess and dirty cloths. They paused in their cleaning to look over at their King and Queen, Alistair had climbed onto the bed, his wife cradled in his lap, their children at her bosom. The scene brought warmth and filled the room with content.
'They're so perfect,' Kiana whispers looking up at him. Alistair smiles holding her gently. 'He looks like you. He's got my hair though,' she says softly biting her lip. 'What should we call him?' She asks.
'I honestly do not know,' Alistair admits. 'You say he looks like me, but his sister, well. She has her mother's beauty that's for sure. You can see she'll be just as stunning and clever as you,' he chuckles lightly. 'She also has your red hair. Seems my blonde was just too weak against your side of the family,' he teases. He waves his finger in front of his daughter's hands. 'I'm so proud of you,' he says softly in Kiana's ear. 'I love you so much and you've given me the greatest gift a man could ask for.'
'I love you more,' she replies. 'You're going to be an amazing father,' she says smiling weakly. 'But, they do need names.'
'Aye, that they do,' he said nodding.
'How about, Duncan Alistair Theirin?' Kiana suggests lightly. Alistair looks at her in surprise.
'You would name him Duncan?' He says softly.
'Aye, he was the closest thing you had to a true father, Ali,' she replies. 'It would be an honour for him to be named after the two greatest warriors and men I ever met,' she smiles. His eyes fill with tears and he nods. He was too lucky to have a woman like Kiana as his wife. She was far more clever than he, but for some reason she loved him.
'How about, Eleanor Kiana Theirin?' Alistair says for their daughter. Kiana tilts her head, she liked the first name, he had taken that from her mother, it was the middle name she didn't think fitted.
'Hmm, how about Eleanor Leandra Theirin? After my mother's cousin,' she says quietly. The news of Leandra's death hit her hard. The woman was a light in the Queen's life and they had written to each other often. Alistair smiled broadly. It was just like his wife to remove herself from the importance of something, like having her child named after her.
'If that's what you want my love, I think it's perfect,' he says kissing her cheek. 'Duncan and Eleanor,' he whispers. 'Our son and daughter, the little prince and princess,' he adds.
'Are you excited Ali?' She asks him as Duncan yawns, his head lolling against her chest as he slept. The King chuckled and shook his head.
'No. Not excited. Scared, worried, panicky,' he laughs. 'But overall. Relieved that you're all okay,' he mumbles. Kiana giggles lightly, the hours of labour finally taking their toll as she inhales deeply and closes her eyes. Alistair wraps his wife and children up in the throw that covered the bed and held them close as they slept. His anxieties and stresses were beginning to fade as he listened to their breathing. This moment couldn't be more perfect.
'Well, I'll be here every step of the way,' Kiana says sleepily.
'I know my love. I know,' Alistair replies brushing her hair out of her eyes. 'We're a team. Like we've always been,' he smiles.
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