Chapter 76. The Birth of a Princess
Rifiuto: Non Miniera
Finally, it was time for Elphaba to give birth.
Elphaba's second birth lasted longer than her first. It wasn't uncommon for a woman to remain in labor for four or five days. Six even.
And that's exactly how long Elphaba's second labor lasted: six days.
"She's going to come when she wants to, isn't she?" Musetta asked. Elphaba nodded, breathing.
She had refused to have Yackle as the midwife, preferring to give birth with only her family there.
"Yackle is attending to another woman in the village." Musetta said.
"Good. I don't want her to help me birth my child. I want to birth her myself with my family here." Elphaba said. She had started contracting earlier that night, not long after dinner. One of the maids was watching over the children. Elphaba wanted only Fiyero, Musetta and Fae there for support.
She wanted a natural, unassisted childbirth. Her daughter was going to come into the world soon, and she didn't want a midwife helping birth her. She wanted to herself.
"You want a natural birth?" Fae asked, gently wetting Elphaba's forehead with an oiled cloth. The laboring woman nodded.
"No medicine. I don't want medicine. I didn't have it when Liir was born, and I won't have it with your birth." She said, meeting Fae's eyes.
The girl stopped bathing Elphaba's forehead, and asked,
"Do you really love me?"
Elphaba nodded.
"You're my daughter. My child. How could I not? How could I not love you? You've grown inside me for nine months, you're mine. Of course I love you." She whispered.
Instead of laying down to birth, like she'd been instructed to do with Liir's birth, Elphaba opted for sitting. Pillows and blankets had been placed on the floor, so Elphaba would be comfortable.
"Do you want to birth on the bed?" Musetta asked. Elphaba shook her head, breathing deeply.
"No. I want to birth here. Don't move me to the bed, please. It's more comfortable here; I have more freedom here." She said, gasping.
"All right, we won't." Musetta said, rubbing her daughter-in-law's shoulders. "You're certainly sick of following other's rules, aren't you, my dear?" She asked. Elphaba nodded.
"I....basically followed....Yackle's.....rules when I birthed Liir. Not with this baby. This is my baby, my birth. I'm birthing my way. I'm the queen. I'm birthing my way." She said, groaning as another contraction hit.
Finally, around midnight on the fifth day, Elphaba was going to push.
She let out a scream, as liquid ran down her legs, rushing from her abdomen. She knew what it meant. The contractions started.
"Fiyero?"
"What is it love?"
Elphaba gasped.
"Fiyero it's time!" She cried, grabbing his hand. "My water…."
"Broke?" He finished for her. She nodded, groaning in pain.
She labored all day, breathing as the contractions got closer and closer.
""I'm dilating. I can feel it. Oh god, it hurts." She cried.
"Alright love, take deep breaths." He said, rubbing her back. Elphaba did as told, and then let out a cry. Gently, he rubbed her back, keeping her calm. Pain coursed through every fiber of her body, as her body prepared to expel the child that had grown inside her. Elphaba cried out, leaning forward, her hands moving to her pelvis, as she sat on the floor, her legs splayed out.
The contractions reached their peak. She sat on her haunches, spread open, her hands between her legs. At first, she started moaning, and soon, they turned to groans. Slowly, she rocked back and forth, crying out. Then, gently, she moved from sitting on her haunches, to sitting on the floor, legs out and open in front of her, hands between her thighs.
"I can't. I can't go through this again." She cried. Fae gently dabbed at the young queen's forehead, silent. As she pulled away, Elphaba grabbed her hand. Fae turned back, only to stare into the eyes of the young woman who would soon become her mother.
"Fae, you asked six months ago if I thought you were a mistake. You aren't. You never could be. Never. Your my child. No child of mine could ever be a mistake." She said, letting go of Fae's hand. She reached down, hands between her legs, and groaned, pushing.
"Aah! Oh Oz! Get her out! I want to hold her in my arms. Now!" Elphaba screamed, pushing.
She continued to push, groans giving way to screams, as she felt her baby start to crown.
"Aah!"
Another push, another scream. Soon, she felt the head come out completely. She took a deep breath, and pushed again, feeling resistance.
"Is something wrong?" Musetta asked.
Elphaba didn't reply, just leaned forward and pushed, harder, groaning. Finally, the baby's shoulders slid out, and she continued pushing, groaning.
"You're doing great sweetheart." Fiyero told her, kissing her temple.
"Shut up Fiyero!" She snapped.
Never again! I will never have sex again! I swear!
"Oh GOD!" Another gasp.
"Just let your body do its job love. Don't rush. Remember, your body knows what to do. So just let it happen." He told her, kissing her hair. She cried out, and pushed. Another contraction.
"Aah! Aah!"
A scream soon escaped her lips, as she pushed. After a few minutes, she relaxed, before moaning again. Another scream pierced the air, and she pushed hard. She let out a scream, as she felt every muscle in her body tense. Pain. Unadulterated, undeniable pain.
"Aah. I can't do this! Aah! Aaaaaaaah! Aah! Ugggggggggggghhhhhhh! Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!"
Finally, with one last push, her daughter entered the world.
Elphaba lifted her newborn daughter from between her thighs and held her against her chest. Tears welled in her eyes, and she wiped them away, as she got a good look at her child.
Black hair. Beautiful, raven hair. Warm brown eyes. And.....
...green skin.
The tears spilled over.
"My skin. She has my skin. Oz Fiyero, I'm so sorry. If I--"
"Shh. Azzittire, mi amata. She's beautiful. Simply beautiful. Green skin and all." He told his wife, kissing her temple.
"What are you going to name her?" Musetta asked, laying a hand on Fae's shoulder. The girl jumped.
The whole ordeal traumatized her enough to not want kids.
Elphaba thought a moment, lip between her teeth. Then, she sat up, beckoning Fae over. Slowly, the girl moved towards the young queen. Elphaba looked up at her, before looking down at the child in her arms.
"Fae."
"Fae?" Musetta asked. The teenager smiled. Fiyero looked at his wife, asking silently with his eyes. She nodded softly in return.
"Yes." Elphaba said, looking up at the two. She returned Fae's smile.
"Fae Illnora Rose Tiggular."