No more than ten days had passed since Leonidas's return to Sparta when he was roused from his sleep by his queen's cry of pain. He was awake in an instant, alert to any threat, ready to kill for her. Gorgo had been sleeping beside him, but she had moved to sit up and placed her hands over her bulging womb.

She turned to him, her eyes large, glowing with fear and happiness. "Leonidas, it's time. Help me, you must bring me to the midwife."

Leonidas moved quickly to do what he knew needed to be done. Carefully, he moved off the bed and eased her onto her feet. He was alarmed to see that her thighs were smeared with a strange fluid, but he said nothing for fear of upsetting her further. The king guided her out of their bedchamber and down a short corridor to find the old, experienced midwife that would safely deliver his heir.

And she will deliver our child safely, or I will end her myself!

He felt his heart pounding, but he indicated no fear or excitement. He was king, and had to keep his composure before all, even with the servants. He called for the widwife, who answered them within minutes with several other servants following suit. Around them, Leonidas could sense the entire palace coming awake.

"Oh, Gorgo, I had expected you at about any time, come on, come into the chamber here." The midwife ushered the queen into her chambers, and then ordered her servants to fetch linens, a blade and hot water.

Leonidas began to follow the women inside, but the midwife moved to block his entrance. "No, my lord, you cannot be here for the birth."

At once, he felt ready to strike her for her insolence. "What foolishness do you speak? Gorgo is my wife, it is my child to be born this night!"

The midwife stood her ground. "I am no fool, sire, but I say again: no man will enter."

"I am not just a man, I am your king."

"You are a man all the same. Your father was just as arrogant and stubborn when I delivered you and your brothers! Sire, you must wait outside this chamber-" A pained cry from inside drew both their attention away.

Leonidas stepped forward to go to Gorgo, but the midwife moved to block his path to her. "Sire, you must not-"

"Leonidas, stop,"

He turned to find his father, bleary-eyed from interrupted sleep. Androcles moved forward, flanked by servants and advisors- Cadmus, Gorgo's father, was among them. "You cannot be with her now,"

The midwife took advantage of Leonidas's attention being on his father, and slipped into the chamber, locking the heavy door behind her. Leonidas realized that he'd been locked out and he beat his fist against the door. Androcles moved forward. "Leonidas, you must stop. Birth is a woman's realm where men have no place. Gorgo must do this alone."

Leonidas felt tense with anger, frustration. His wife was giving birth to his child, and he could not be with her! "I should be with her, listen, you can hear her screaming," he growled. The men assembled in the corridor couldn't help but to flinch at the sound of Gorgo's piercing cries. They were all older than Leonidas, and could sympathize with him.

Of all things a Spartan man was meant to endure, the screams of his woman giving birth were by far the worst.

It felt unnatural for any man, Spartan or not, to be parted from his woman, to be rendered helpless. He could not ease her pain or give her comfort, he could do nothing but listen as Gorgo cried and cursed his name for making her with child in the first place.

Androcles moved forward to Leonidas as the first curse of hatred and pain roared through the chamber. "She does not mean to curse you, my son. All women yell such things in labor- I cannot repeat the names your mother called me at the birthing of our first son."

If his father meant for Leonidas to smile, he did not reach his goal. Leonidas only continued to pace outside of the chamber, silently, his hands fisted, his posture rigid. He paced for hours, ignoring the words of his father and Cadmus; he had no interest in their remembered experiences. He did not wish to hear of how it had been at the time when their wives had given birth. He ignored the servants that offered to fetch him wine or food to settle his nerves.

He remained silent, in constant motion, and alert only to Gorgo's screams.

Hours passed.

Leonidas paced.

Finally, just at daybreak, the chamber door opened. The screams of the woman had ceased, to be replaced with another's cries. Leonidas saw the midwife and he approached her, pushing into the doorway so as not to be shut out again. The midwife made no move to stop him or speak up as he moved into the large room. He had never been within the birthing chambers, save for the day of his own birth. He noticed that it was very bare, with no murals adorning the walls and no windows to give a view over Sparta.

There was a shallow pool carved into the floor, and three vases bursting with fresh flowers. He was not interested in the room's scant furnishings, he moved straight for Gorgo once he saw her lying on a floor pallet. He moved to her, careful not to crowd her, afraid to hurt her further.

Her hair clung to the sweat glistening over her face and Leonidas was quick to move it away. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, her body limp with exhaustion and slick with sweat. She was breathing hard, as if she had just beat him at yet another race. He glanced away to see servants carrying away linens, stained with what he thought was blood. His heart tightened.

"Gorgo,"

She looked up at him, her eyes were soft on him for but a moment.

Gorgo looked away from him, toward the servants gathered in a far corner of the room.

Leonidas understood. The babe. He could hear it crying. A servant had wrapped it in a linen shawl. Leonidas stood and took the child, his hands had never been more gentle or sure. The tiny mouth had closed, thankfully, and he peered into the babe's face. That his child had form and features, that it was no longer just a thing that moved within Gorgo's womb...his child was so suddenly real to him. He understood now why Gorgo had whispered to him of fear. This tiny, delicate babe was vulnerable to all the world's danger and Leonidas knew them all. He had faced them all.

Yes, I would claw my way back from Hades for you, he thought as the babe writhed in his hands.

He looked over to see that Gorgo had moved onto her side, supporting her weight on her elbow. She had been watching as father and child looked upon each other. Even in her exhaustion, she was alert to any change in his expression- any indication of disapproval or revulsion.

Leonidas looked at her and moved to show her their child, but she turned away from him. She could not bring herself to look at it. "No, Leonidas. Just go."

He stopped, understanding.

The birth had been difficult for her; no doubt she had been afraid, missing her own mother as she had given birth. Their trials were not over. Leonidas had to take their child from the palace, and bear it off to the man that stood over the cliffs. Their babe would be taken from him, inspected to assure that the child was worthy of life. If it was, he could return to Gorgo. If it was not...the babe would be thrown down the cliff, left to die against the jagged rocks below.

Leonidas nodded to her as the child began to make a small fuss. "Yes, my lady."

He turned and left the chamber; once he set foot back out into the corridor, Cadmus and Androcles were on him, curious and eager to see their grandchild. They knew that he would take the child from the palace, but they still demanded to see it before the time came for Leonidas to bear it away. Cadmus spoke first. "A hearty child. A healthy voice! We could hear the babe cry, even from out here. Leonidas, is Gorgo...?"

He nodded. "She is awake. You may see her."

Cadmus smiled and put a hand to Leonidas's shoulder. "Thank you, sire."

Androcles looked to the child Leonidas held after Cadmus departed into the chamber to see his daughter. "And now my son has a child. I am truly old."

Leonidas shook his head but did not take his eyes off the babe as it writhed in his hands. "No, you are not old."

"Not too old to walk with you to the cliffs."

Leonidas shook his head. "No. I will go alone, father. Stay here. Gorgo thinks of you as she does Cadmus. Stay close to her until I return."

Androcles nodded. "I understand, son. Go now, for if you linger with the babe any longer you may never make it to the cliffs and that we cannot have. Remember, there is no room for such selfish weakness in a Spartan king."

With his father's words echoing in his mind and heart, Leonidas departed from the palace.