Thanks for the reviews please keep them coming and to answer a question, Cora actually has not done anything. Like I said before what I want more than anything is constructive criticism
which you can leave in the reviews or PM me. I know I am not the best writer and I want to improve.
I try to post a new chapter every day, which gets hard during the week which is why I missed yesterday. I didn't want to miss today as well so I split what was going to be Chapter 3 into 2 parts. So here is the first part.
Enjoy
Regina rested her hand of cards on her now very swollen stomach as she allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment. Even though she had spent the majority of the past few months in bed she had been feeling very lethargic recently. In addition a dull pain was starting to grow in her lower back and stomach that she found she could escape from when she closed her eyes, even if it only was for a moment.
"Regina honey it is your turn."
Regina opened her eyes and saw that her father had just played and was now looking at her impatiently. After all Hearts was his favorite game and Regina knew no one else who could shoot the moon quite as masterfully as her father could. She picked up her hand and looked down at it before asking, "What is the suit?"
"Clubs" Snow answered. Regina looked down at her hand and saw no clubs so instead she laid down a heart.
"You have no clubs Regina?" Cora asked.
"No mother, but I do have hearts, hence my move. I do know how to play this game."
"You do not need to take that tone with me." Her mother answered in her usual harsh way.
Regina simply closed her eyes and leaned back against the head rest again.
"Regina are you alright" Henry asked.
Yes Father I am fine, just tired." Henry nodded and accepted her small lie and allowed the game to continue.
Regina felt Snow's small fingers poking at her leg; "it is your turn again, the suit is diamonds this time." Regina picked up her cards again but dropped them a moment later when it felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer and hit her hard on the back.
"Regina?" Her father looked worried, the card game completely gone from his mind. Her mother instinctively raised her hands ready with magic at a moment's notice. Snow jumped off of the bed and looked at the group, unsure of whether she should stay or leave.
Once Regina left like she had control of her body again she managed to say, "Snow go and fetch the midwifes and the doctor"
"Is it time for my brother or sister?" Snow asked hopefully.
"Yes I think so."
And with that Snow ran from the room. It wasn't much longer before Regina felt her body taken over by pain again.
It had been hours of pain and screaming and it seemed to Regina as if no progress had been made. The midwives assured her that it was almost time. It was just them and Regina left in her room now, no doctor, no family, just the mother to be and the midwives. Regina had requested it to be that way once her mother started to get too controlling and it was quite obvious that the midwifes were the only ones experienced.
Every moment felt labored now; every readjustment took energy from Regina that no longer existed.
"One more now, push" The midwives urged.
Regina took one deep breath and put everything she had into one thought, one goal.
She heard cries only and moment later and felt true happiness for the first time she could remember since being in Daniel's arms.
But the pain had not stopped and Regina could sense that something was wrong.
"It's a girl" was the last thing she heard before a cloud invaded her consciousness and she was alone with her dreams.
