CHAPTER
6 - June 464 – Baby
Kiyra wiped the sweat off of her forehead and leaned back. It had been a long day. The Goats had spent the whole morning with their physical training and their afternoon had been spent swimming in the river and pickpocketing. It was late and all of the Goats were in the Hovel, except Kiyra. She was on the kitchen roof that she had fallen off of last September. It was probably the coolest place in the city, since Randy, the cook, refused to light the ovens. Some might say that the business was worse, but the Dove was certainly a lot cooler.
Kiyra opened her eyes and inspected the stars above her. They glistened, even brighter than usual for a summer night. Kiyra remembered, many years ago, when she and her little brother sat on the roof of the house that they shared with many other families. They had watched the stars and for a minute had been away from the squalor of their own home. Kiyra pushed that to the back of her mind.
So much had changed since she had fallen off this roof. Geoff became the king of the Rogue, probably the best one the Rogue ever laid eyes on. The Goats had been formed and all eleven of them were trained in the best manner. Since Geoff had gotten his funds, new orphanages, schools, and infirmaries had been built. Most of the street kids now slept in one of the orphanages and left during the day. The Goats were the only picks that slept in the Dove now.
Crime was almost nonexistent when these structures were being built, as it gave men an honest way to earn money that involved no risk from the Provost. The schools took mostly children, but any man or woman that wanted to could go and learn. Women on the streets, unwilling prostitutes, could work in the infirmaries even if they didn't have the Gift. They cleaned and helped take care of the patients. There was a special rooming house where they could stay for free and they even got paid.
The orphanages were working better than Kiyra had expected. She loved living on the streets and expected no children to turn themselves in to the orphanage. To her surprise, the orphanages were filled within a month. Some of the children weren't even street kids, but their parents died or they were being raised by those who couldn't take care of them properly. The children went to school and learned honest working skills. There were also jobs available for the street women here, with the same perks as the infirmary jobs.
Geoff had given jobs to the street kids at workhouses. The kids only had to work for six hours a day and the jobs were safe. They got paid. It wasn't as much as they would earn from pickpocketing, but they didn't have to give most of what they earned to the Rogue, as the picks did. The workhouse jobs also held no risk from the Provost's men, as pickpocketing did.
Kiyra wasn't sure if she liked all these changes. She had liked the dirty, busy, lower city streets. They were cleaner now and only eighty percent of the children were on them. The only good place to steal was the nobles' market. It was lucky Kiyra had accustomed herself to stealing there, or she would have had to adapt. Kiyra liked how some of the smaller children had stopped stealing and gone to the orphanages. Dann was now one of the youngest picks in the whole city. Soon, even that would change.
Geoff had told the Goats that he wanted them to stop stealing. Kiyra had blown up at Geoff and asked him what the point of the Rogue was when there was no crime? What was he doing to the Rogue? He was destroying it! After he was done with Corus, was he going to reform Port Caynn? Was he going to single-handedly remove crime from every corner of Corus?
Geoff had stopped her tirade. He told her that he hadn't planned on 'single-handedly' removing crime from Corus and had counted on his friends to help him. Geoff then looked at her for a moment. He said that Kiyra just didn't want things to change and that was selfish when so many peoples' lives were being made better.
That was so close to the truth that Kiyra stalked off and hadn't talked to Geoff since their fight, which was two weeks before. She had made it a point to steal as often as she could. She didn't give it to the Rogue, because that would have helped Geoff. Kiyra knocked on the door of her house and left the coins in a pouch by the door. She left before she would see any of her family.
Kiyra had been avoiding all of her friends, even the Goats, since her fight to Geoff. She wanted them to worry about her, so she made sure that they didn't see her. She snuck in Lalasa's shop after dark, when it was deserted, to sleep there. She bought her food using the money that she stole.
Kiyra knew she was being spiteful, but she didn't care. She wanted to see the Goats, but she wanted to wait until after they were asleep so that they didn't see her. That was why she was on the roof of the Dancing Dove. No one could see her, draped in the shadows as she was.
Kiyra started as someone swung themselves out of the window that was over the one-story kitchen roof. She rolled her eyes when she saw who it was.
"Hey, Tyrell." Kiyra said. Tyrell gave a little yelp.
"Kiyra, what are you doing here?" The Bazhir twelve year old asked.
"Same thing you are." Kiyra lay back on the roof again.
"You're hurting Geoff, you know." Tyrell said wisely. Kiyra ignored the pang of guilt and changed the subject.
"Look, there's the Goddess and the Cat." Kiyra pointed up at the stars. "Mithros, the Hag, and the Black God."
"Kiyra, I'm not stupid." Tyrell grinned. "But, there's the Grand Compass."
"That's the Trickster!" Kiyra laughed. The Trickster was hard to find because of the way its stars moved across the sky.
"Kiyra, are you mad that I'm to be a page?"
"Of course not! I'm proud of you. I think that it's wonderful."
"I'll visit you and the other Goats as often as I can." A smile crossed Tyrell's face. "I'll miss the stealing though."
"Yah," Kiyra snickered. "We'll practice so that you don't lose all your talent."
"Thanks." Tyrell unexpectedly hugged Kiyra. Startled, Kiyra stiffened for a second before she wrapped her arms around the younger boy.
When they had both returned to their spaces, Tyrell flushed. "It wasn't like one of those boy-girl hugs."
Kiyra laughed. "I know. "
"Merci, Lars, and Cole want to be pages too." Tyrell spoke as if he expected Kiyra to pummel him for that bit of information.
"That's good. What about Finn?" Kiyra asked.
"He hasn't decided yet. He can always start late. He's only ten."
"When will you start?"
"In the late summer." Tyrell said. "I will miss you. You'll have to visit me."
"Tyrell?" A voice interrupted their conversation. It was Cart, who was somewhere in the depths of the Dove.
"Yah!" Tyrell shouted.
"Have you seen Julie anywhere?" Kiyra could tell that Cart was worried by the frantic tone of his voice.
"Nay!" Tyrell looked at Kiyra. "I'll look for her!"
Kiyra scrambled to the edge of the roof and jumped off with the ease of much practice since last September. Tyrell swung off not one second after her.
"Where could she be?" Kiyra asked as they started to run.
"I dunno," Tyrell said slowly. "Maybe she's having her baby."
The thought sped up their legs even more. Kiyra searched her brain as she searched the streets for any sign of Julie.
"Lalasa!" Kiyra shouted. "Julie might've gone to Lalasa, only Lalasa is in Port Caynn but I was supposed to tell that to Julie and I didn't!"
"What?" Tyrell asked.
"Never mind, it's this way!" Kiyra abruptly changed direction and only just missed colliding with a fat nobleman.
"I hope you know where you're goin'!" Tyrell grumbled, short of breath.
Kiyra's eyes found Lalasa's shop, where Lalasa had taught Julie about child care. Kiyra pounded up the steps and tried the door. It was unlocked. Since Lalasa wasn't careless, Julie had to be in there.
Sure enough, Kiyra could hear quiet groans as soon as she opened the door. Remembering that someone else might be in the shop, Kiyra drew her dirk. Tyrell did likewise. There was no one but a small form lying in the back room.
The back room was small, but clean. It had a crib in one corner with a rocking chair beside it. Kiyra knew that there were blankets and a folding cot in the closet. They had been there since the time six years ago when Kiyra needed to get away from home for a spell.
"Julie!" Tyrell whispered. Julie must have heard him or sensed their presence, because she half got up, but slumped down again.
"Tyrell, get into the closet!" Kiyra ordered. "There's a cot and get all the blankets and sheets that you can." Tyrell obeyed.
Kiyra went to Julie. The younger girl was shivering, but her brow was hot and feverish. Kiyra laid a hand on Julie's swollen belly and felt kicks. Kiyra knew that these were contractions. Sighing, Kiyra helped Tyrell maneuver the cot out of the closet. Once it was set up, Kiyra and Tyrell lifted Julie onto it. During the process, Julie woke up.
"Kiyra?" Julie mumbled. "I think I need a midwife."
Kiyra smiled. "You got one."
Tyrell looked panic stricken. "What do you know about deliverin' a baby?"
"Plenty." Kiyra said. "Tyrell, there's a woodstove in the shop. Find a kettle and heat as much water as you can. Pour it into this basin." Tyrell still looked skeptical, but he obeyed.
"Julie, don't push, alright?" Kiyra told her. "Just let the baby come." Julie nodded. Kiyra unfolded a blanket and laid it on the floor around the cot. Then, Kiyra unfastened Julie's skirt and underclothes and pulled them off. She draped a blanket over Julie to keep her warm and to hide anything that Tyrell would not want to see.
Kiyra was making a pile of blankets when Merci and Emma ran in. "We saw Tyrell and came in. Can we help?" Merci breathed.
"Yah, bring in the water when Tyrell heats it, Merci." Merci ran to the outside room. "Emma, can you hold Julie's hand? Try not to mind it if she squeezes too hard."
Emma obeyed and quietly whispered to Julie.
Merci brought in the first batch of steaming water and carefully poured it in the basin. She bit her lip as she looked at Julie. "Kiyra, don't you want me to fetch a midwife?"
Kiyra shook her head. "There isn't time. I'm as good a midwife as any."
"What do you know about babies?" Merci exclaimed. "The having them part, anyway."
Kiyra drew herself up. "I've helped with the 'having them part' when I was Emma's age. I'll cope. Bring me back some scissors from the shop." Merci looked as if she didn't believe Kiyra, but she left to get more water and the scissors.
Kiyra dipped the corner of a small, thin blanket in the hot water. "Emma, can you bathe her forehead with this?" Emma took the blanket and with gentle hands, did as Kiyra had told her.
Julie screamed and Emma pulled the hot blanket away as fast as she could. "Go on," Kiyra told Emma. "It was another contraction, not what you did. It means that the baby's coming." The eight year old nodded. Julie screamed again and her knuckles turned white where she gripped Emma's hand. Emma winced, but said nothing.
Kiyra removed the blanket and moved Julie's knees apart. Merci came in with another batch of water and paled at the sight of Julie. Eyes half closed, Merci poured the water into the basin, which was now full. She set the scissors down next to Kiyra.
"I think that me and Tyrell are gonna wait outside." Merci promptly fled as quickly as she could, visibly green around the edges. Julie yelled and Emma's knuckles cracked.
"Emma, she's going to break your hand." Kiyra removed the girl's hand from Julie's hold. "Come over here." Emma gratefully wrung out her hand.
"Kiyra, have you really done babies before?" Emma rolled up her sleeves to mimic Kiyra's.
"A couple of my little brothers and sisters." Kiyra nodded towards Julie. "That's where the baby will come out." Emma looked and made a face.
"Do the baby's feet come out first?" Emma asked, nosed wrinkled up.
"Sometimes. The head's supposed to come out first and that makes the birthing easier. If the feet come first, sometimes you have to turn the baby. Sometimes the baby gets stuck and none of it gets out. Then you really have to turn it." Kiyra taught.
"Oh. Is that the baby?" The top of the baby's head could just be seen.
"Yes! Julie, push now!" Kiyra cupped her hands around the baby's head. "Julie, PUSH!" Julie bit her lip until it bled. The baby's shoulders slid out and Kiyra supported them with one hand. "Emma, see how I'm doing this?"
The rest of the baby slithered out into Kiyra's hands. "It's a girl!" Emma shouted gleefully. "A girl!"
Kiyra smiled joyously, loving the sound of the newborn's wailing. "Julie, it's a girl!" Kiyra grabbed the scissors and handed them to Emma. "Cut the cord, will you?"
Emma hesitated. "It won't hurt either of them?" Kiyra shook her head and the umbilical cord was cut. "It's bleeding!" Emma cried.
"It's alright!" Kiyra dipped a washcloth in the warm water and cleaned the baby. "Julie, meet your daughter." Kiyra wrapped the baby in a clean, dry blanket and handed the newborn to her friend, who had tears in her eyes. Julie smiled lovingly down at her daughter.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Julie asked wondrously. Her eyelids were closing, but she kept jerking them back up again.
"She's healthy and that's what matters. Julie, you need to nurse the baby." Kiyra helped Julie fix her shirt.
"What are you gonna name her?" Emma's dark face was curious.
"Anna." Julie said simply. The name fit the sweet little face perfectly.
The three were silent for a bit. The world seemed utopian when you were watching a newborn and her mother. After the baby was finished nursing, both Julie and Anna fell asleep. Kiyra gently took Anna from her mother.
"Emma, sit in the rocking chair." Emma sat and held out her hands for the baby. "Here you go." Kiyra handed Anna to Emma and started to clean up the mess.
An hour later, Kiyra had finished and was sitting in the rocking chair. Emma was on one knee and they were both holding little Anna. After seeing the baby, Tyrell and Merci had left to find Cart. He was already there and Kiyra could hear his footsteps.
"Is she alright?" Cart asked, looking worried as he knelt by Julie. He stroked her forehead with his hand.
"Both Julie and little Anna are fine. Come here." Kiyra would have gotten up to hand the baby to Cart, but she was exhausted. Instead, Cart took Anna and looked deep into her face.
"Oh." Cart was speechless. The baby wasn't his, but he and Julie loved each other. Julie would have much preferred to call her baby as Cart's, so Cart was kind of like the father.
A key turned in the lock of the shop. "That's strange." A voice that Kiyra knew as Lalasa's said. Kiyra groaned and shifted out of the rocking chair. Holding sleepy Emma's hand, Kiyra walked to the door of the back room.
"Hello Lalasa." Kiyra grinned.
"What is going on?" Lalasa's eyebrows shot up as she struggled with a couple wrapped packages.
"Well, it's a long story, but Julie had her baby!" Kiyra skipped some of the details and cut straight to the good information.
"Where?" Lalasa was very surprised.
"In the back room?" Kiyra's eyes glinted mischievously. "Julie came here and we had to find her. It wasn't supposed to happen in the back room, it just did."
Lalasa dropped an oddly shaped parcel and Kiyra picked it up, setting it on the counter. "Who delivered the child?"
Kiyra smiled proudly. "I did. Everything went well. I had Emma here to help me." Kiyra and Lalasa looked down at Emma to find that she was asleep on her feet. It was late, far past the midnight hour.
"You better get that young midwife home to bed." Lalasa laughed. "Where's the baby?"
"She's in with Julie." Kiyra pointed and picked up Emma. Without waiting to see what Lalasa did, Kiyra stumbled outside. She almost dropped Emma halfway down the steps, but managed to keep her hold.
Strong arms tugged the girl out of Kiyra's hold. Blinking, Kiyra peered up at Geoff. She stiffened and tried to pull Emma back to her.
"Kiyra, stop it." Geoff looked so completely lost that Kiyra almost laughed. "Listen, I'm sorry. We both said things we didn't mean."
"I meant everything I said!" Kiyra spat.
"Fine, I said things that I didn't mean!" Geoff threw his hands up in exasperation. "I know you're not selfish, but you do hate things to change." Kiyra couldn't argue with that. "Can we at least be friends again?" Geoff asked.
Kiyra couldn't resist his sad face. She hugged Geoff quickly. "Alright. Julie had her baby. She named her Anna."
"Where were you all this time? It's been two weeks." Geoff questioned protectively. He shouldered Emma.
"I was around." Kiyra shrugged. "Nowhere particular."
"Did anyone hurt you, or threaten you, or…" Kiyra cut Geoff off.
"No, of course not. I can take care of myself, you know." Kiyra defended herself.
"When are you gonna get us Goats a real mission?"
"Soon," Geoff murmured. "After you've gotten some rest."
"Tomorrow?" Kiyra asked delightedly.
"Maybe." Geoff said finally. Kiyra yawned so largely that it hurt her jaw. They came to the Dove and Geoff brought Emma and Kiyra to the Hovel, where both slept.
The next night, Kiyra was walking up the steps to Geoff's room. She heard voices inside and stopped to eavesdrop.
"The Goats are doing well." The unfamiliar voice made Kiyra cock her head curiously.
"Yes, sir, just like you said." That was Geoff's voice.
"The girl who leads them, she's outside your door."
The door was pulled open quickly. Geoff looked disapprovingly at Kiyra, who tried to look innocent.
"You might as well come in." Geoff looked back at the other man for affirmation.
"Oh, I was just leaving." The voice said.
The strangest man that Kiyra had ever seen came out. He wasn't very tall and he had a white beard with gray speckled in it. He wore an excessive amount of jewelry and beads. Kiyra also got the oddest impression that she had seen him before, a very long time ago. On any account, he left Kiyra somewhat speechless.
"Who was that?" Kiyra asked Geoff, who smiled and shook his head.