"It's time? Time for what?" Anders questioned rather dumbfounded for the moment
He was worried from after seeing Leliana nearly fall, that he really wasn't putting into true thought of her words. Though, as he saw the events beginning to unfold in front of him, the realization was beginning to show on his face. Anders was worried. Of course he had delivered babies before, but this would have been different. This would have been his child and his lover. Just from knowing that, still left him hesitant a little and nervous.
Anders rushed towards her, but he had bent down towards her tummy as he started to talk to the baby inside. "Hey, stay in there! We're not ready for you yet."
"Idiot." Fenris said, miraculously behind him and managed to shift his hold on Anna just so he could hit the top of Anders head quickly. He then caught Anna's back before she had fallen from him. His eyes squinted at the mage as Anders had rubbed his new sore spot and look up at him. "You can't just order what time a labor is going to happen. If the baby's coming, there's no stopping it."
"It could be just stress, you know." Anders whimpered at him and started to stand back up.
Fenris sighed, feeling Anna grasp around his neck. He realized that he wouldn't have been much help in this situation without his hands free, but Anna needed him too. Looking towards the staff, the elf started to give out orders from the Keep.
"Help her to the master bed. Bring some hot water, plenty of towels and some herbs to keep her calm." Fenris stated and then looked towards Anders as the staff began to move in helping Leliana inside. "If you don't think you can do this, mage—"
"No. I can do this. I can." Anders said and looked back to where the staff were taking Leliana off to. He started to follow in pursuit.
Leliana couldn't help but to look frantic over to Anders as he had approached her finally. When the mage knelled below her a smile began to creep on her features. At least she was still able to see the humor in this if there was any to be had. "I swear I'm going to kill you for this Anders." She whined with a stomp of her foot in a pouting manner as her hand reached over to the mage shoulder to brace herself upon. She wasn't expecting Fenris's sudden attack towards the mage but she could see why he did it. But she shook her head anyways to the elf. "It's okay Fenris. It's probably just the stress." She chimed only trying to fool herself but this had been a short moment for her as the pain inflicted through her lower abdomen once more that brought Leliana to hunch over and mutter something incoherent under her breath.
Leliana would have fought against Fenris's orders of the servants surrounding them but he was right in what he was doing after all. She had to quit denying it and just go with what he ordered. No matter how much she hated the thought of going into labor so early. She couldn't stop it after all.
"Thank you Fenris." She muttered under her breath as she draped her arm across one of the mages as her posture leaned in for support. Behind her she could hear Fenris offering his help further in the labor, which brought Leliana's mind even to further worry. The elf hadn't practiced in the health field of others, or so she thought. That Leliana reached up to place a hand on the servants chest to stall them so she could get the chance to turn around without forcing herself to while walking and possibly hurting herself. "Anders you better be coming." After making her terms clear with the mage she turned back around and slowly made her way to where the servants had lead her.
In the master quarters the servants made quick work of peeling off every inches of her clothing before laying her down and just giving the rouge a sheet for cover. It was like a rush around her making sure she was at her most comfortable state she could have been considering the circumstances. Though whatever they did seemed useless as nothing they seemed to do was just enough to bring the pain down.
The effects were minimal right now with just her eyes sealed shut every few minutes to her clenching against the sheets. She knew it would get worse before it had got better. As with growing up without a mother to tell her of birthing she was to imagine what it was like since she had only heard the screams behind the door of future mothers from in her past.
With the short passing of pain came with Leliana becoming brave enough to open her eyes and shift her cranium to the side. Coming through the door finally she saw Anders. Which brought a peak of a smile coming to her lips. "Finally made it I see?" She mused as her eyes turned to the servants as she gave a little nod of her head to a servants to give them a moment alone.
She waited patiently until the last of them were closed behind the door before reaching over to the side of the large bed and gave a pat next to her. She needed assurance everything would turn out okay. That their child would actually make it once he or she had come to this world. She knew Anders couldn't promise her this but to hear something from him would bring at least a little peace to her. "… Do you think… Our child will be okay? I mean how many labors have you've done that were early and the child turned out to be okay?" She asked curiously as her other hand winded in the sheets she used as a release. "Its way to early. Two months is far too early."
Anders sat down near the bed, though his eyes had been moving around the room and checking to make sure that the staff members were doing everything necessary. His eyes then returned back to Leliana's and he smiled, giving her hand a small squeeze. Anders could tell at that moment, she was needing a form of support and he needed to have been the one to give it to her.
"Don't worry. Our little one's gotten this far, right?" He said and patted her hand with his other free one as well. "He couldn't be in any safer hands than mine."
After about six hours of the actual labor being done, Anders had taken the boy quickly from the room. He had promised Leliana that he was just going to clean him up and then bring him back out shortly. Though after he was holding the boy, he could already feel himself shaking from worry. The baby was crying, but the cries were dying away. It sounded as though his lungs weren't fully developed. Anders was stricken from grief, having his hands glowing with what remaining healing ability he had left to put it to his child.
However, he had used most of his resources and spells on Leliana in order to keep her from completely collapsing from the labor, and to reduce pain. Anders wasn't certain if he had enough power reserved to heal his own son after such an ordeal. He could feel his sadness building as he held the boy close in his arms. The one labor that mattered to him the most was in the middle of a dangerous pivot of going wrong so fast.
"Come on. You can pull through this. You have to." Anders spoke gently to the child in between his struggled concentration.
From across the room, Anna had been sitting down. It was the dying cries of the child that caused her to finally blink. Fenris looked up at her from his knelt position next to her. He gasped and lifted the cup of water to her to take.
"Anna? Are you alright?" The elf started to question, but the blonde woman moved of her own accord.
She smiled some, gently nudging away the cup and turned to him with an apologetic look. Afterwards, she stood up from the chair and walked over to Anders, who looked to have been at a loss of what to do for his son. Reaching down, Anna raked her teeth roughly along the palm of her hand and pressed it against Anders's shoulder, causing him to jump. The entire process had happened too quickly and soon Fenris had been on his feet moving to pull her away.
"Wh-What are you doing?" Anders started to remark and attempted to move, but Anna's hand was firm in gripping his shoulder.
"It's alright. I'm transferring the source of my strength to you, nothing else." Anna spoke quickly and gently as her aura soon moved to engulf all three of them in a small silver color.
Fenris had stopped from dragging her and looked down to watch as the baby in Anders's arms started to move and give a loud and healthy cry. When the light had left, Anders had started to laugh and kiss the child's forehead. Fenris; however, had turned and threw Anna back into the chair. He wasn't certain of what was going on but bloodmagic wasn't something the elf welcomed easily anyway. There was the slight paranoia of what her being possibly possessed, or something else.
"What was that?" He started to ask, but made no motions to attack or defend at the moment. "Well?"
Anna's blue eyes flickered from sparks of silver and then back to blue as she blinked again and looked away. She folded her arms and looked down at the floor for the moment. "I-I specialize in Spiritual Magic, remember? I am able to transfer my energy but only if coupled with bloodmagic."
"It didn't have anything to do with any demons?" Fenris asked and felt his head twitch to the side slightly.
"No. Of course not." Anna answered plainly and trailed her eyes back to her feet. "This was my power being given to Anders to use how he saw fit… It was nothing like-… like what happened to my son."
Anders stood up and hugged his son close to him. He gently wiped away the blood and cradled the child in arms once he turned around to her. His previous tears of sorrow were soon turned to tears of joy for having his baby healed.
"Thank you, Anna. You've helped save a life today, and one of the most important ones to me." Anders said and reached up to wipe away some of the tears. He quickly moved back to the room where Leliana was so that she could finally hold her son.
With Anders by her side through the labor of their child had brought at least a little worry to subside from her and even though she really didn't want Anders to heal her through the process of giving birth, Anders was one hard man to fight against at such a moment. She thought that he could save his mana for their child, just in case something had went wrong. After all there were many women who had recovered from a birthing without the healing effects of a mage. But maybe the mage was telling himself that he would somehow have enough energy once their child came to the world.
After Leliana's final push her body began to quickly melt into the plushness of the mattress below. Her breathing was staggered even though the mages attempted to coach her with breathing between pushes was a difficult test, it was rather harder than it looked that she wanted to wring their little necks when they fought against her. The only cooling effect she had now was the small beads of sweat streaming from her brow and down the sides of her features. When Leliana hadn't heard much of a cry her head peaked up from her still bent and expanded legs to see what was exactly wrong.
"Anders?" She questioned curiously with a peak of her brow that slowly stirred to fear the moment the mage had left with their child. She wasn't given much a word but to worry of what was happening. She didn't even know what the gender of their child was much less what he or she looked like. She didn't care much for the features or what the child may have been. She just wanted their child to be healthy considering what the child was put up against for fighting for.
When Anders finally came back with their son cradled in his arms her heart had felt like it skipped a beat with the tears swelling in her eyes almost caused her to choke on her own breath. The room itself was more calmer, the servants had all but gone once seeing if there was anything that Leliana needed. But truly all she wanted was her child. And to see such a sight come to reality brought her to smile brightly as her arms reached out towards their child. Just to hear him crying so loudly brought her smile to widen as her eyes had shifted up towards Anders before taking their son in her arms at last.
"What did you do? When he first cried it hadn't sounded this good." She asked curiously as her hand went in search for his tiny fingers which had wrapped around her one single digit she gave out while her others were curled under. "He has a strong grip. He might be tougher than his old pops one day." She joked as her eyes looked next to the child's nose, ears, mouth and shape of his eyes. "It's amazing isn't it how you and I created something so wonderful? Who would have thought? I think he has your good looks though."
"I had a little help from Anna." Anders spoke quickly with a shrug and smiled to her. "…You know… I think she will be alright. I think… Our son helped her in order to help him. So, everything's going to be alright now."
He looked back at their son in Leliana's arms and happily reached out to hold Leliana close to him. He listened to her and nodded some with a light laugh to her teasing to him. "But he's got his mother's eyes. He's going to be quite the heartbreaker when he gets older though. I'm sure of it."
Anders's attention had soon turned to fluffing the pillows and checking to make certain that Leliana would have been comfortable enough to lean back and relax whenever it was necessary. He knew she was probably tired after something so eventful. Then it struck him that they haven't even came up with a name for their son yet. It wasn't the biggest dilemma in the world, but Anders had thought most parents had already had this sort of thing figured out much sooner than he and Leliana had.
"We still haven't thought of a name have we?" He asked and then turned back to Leliana once he had sat back down to the edge of the mattress. "What name would you like to give him?"
"But isn't Anna kind of not doing anything right now?" She started to question blinking a few times in confusion by Anders explanation. But if Anna was getting better that's all that mattered to her, she wanted nothing more than that. And to hear their son helped in the process would make any parent proud. "Well see our son is already a healer just like his daddy."
Leliana had gulped some from the mentioning of their son being a heart breaker when he had become of an older age. That's she reached down as her index finger brushed alongside of the small baby's temple to settle the few strands of his light golden hair. "Don't say thattttt." She whined with a pout of her lip. "I will have to chase all the girls off then and by then I'll be…" She trailed off for a pause to count on her fingers of how old she would be by the time the boy was even fifthteen. "Well into my forty's or so… And I'll be old and slow by then—"
She would have went on and on but the baby had more-so grabbed her attention when he started to wiggle in her arms and open his mouth just a slight amount. "Uh oh…" She whispered as her fear was starting to overcome her once more. She expected it to be like this for a while with every turn came a new adventure with parenthood. It would be nothing like ending the blight or running from Templars that was for sure. "I think someone is hungry." She continued before looking down to her breast. Obviously the child could 'smell' where the milk was coming from which caused the child to become so restless and hungry. Leliana just hoped she would get this right the first time instead of fighting with her inner voice, the motherly voice.
After successfully latching the child on, Leliana cradled the baby within her arms while scooting back to Anders warmth and protection. She couldn't have been happier than what she was right now. That the name of the child hadn't even crossed her mind until Anders had said something to her. "Oh I almost forgot." She admitted a bit sheepishly. "Well I thought you were going to name the baby if it was a boy silly. I'm open to whatever you would like. As long as it's not something silly like Fred." She joked as she leaned over to lay a gentle soft kiss long the brow of the child's head.
"No. Nothing like Fred. That guy stiffed me in a card game once." Anders started to say and glanced away in thought momentarily; more-so as if for it to have been a joke. He smiled some and looked back the boy proudly. "…Hm… How about Baelfire? He's certainly got the ferocity and strength for it."
He cuddled more against her as he watched the young youth continued to down his milk. "He's just perfect. Look at him go…"
There came a small knock at the door and Anders lifted his head up towards where the small creak from the entrance came. On the other side was Fenris, popping his head out towards them. The elf smiled a little at seeing that the child was safe and happy where he was, and then looked back towards Anders with his returned-serious expression.
"I'm going to take Anna up to one of the staff's room and let her retire there, if that's alright with you." He spoke carefully in a quiet tone so as not to disrupt anything that had been going on.
"That's fine." Anders nodded some. "I think we'll all be needing to rest for a while."
"Oh, and—uh-congratulations, to you both." Fenris nodded and looked back towards Leliana with a brief smile once more. He then quickly slipped back out from the doorway and closed it.
Leliana had perked up her head with the mentioning of the name. It was a unique one that wasn't used to often. And she always hated how everyone would pick the commonest of names and there would be a hundreds of people running around with the same name. So the name Baelfire was perfect for their son. After all it would fit with what Anders had said along with his father being a mage and having the term fire in there was a cute addition.
"I love it. A very powerful name for a tiny little boy that will grow to be something great." She responded as she had turned some to collide her lips against his own in a short moment to be theirs.
Eventually she had more repositioned herself to lay on her side with the baby curled against her while he continued to eat. Also so their cuddle time together as a family could be more as one instead of Leliana wanting to hog the little man to herself. She didn't see herself possibly parting with him any time soon or even getting any kind of shut eye even if she was exhausted to the core.
With the knocking on the door came Leliana to glance over her shoulder and past Anders to see Fenris appropriately peaking his head through the door way. She had greeted the elf with a welcoming smile, but couldn't help but feel of wanting to see Anna too when he had mentioned her name. But of course Leliana didn't want to be a pest seeing as how their travels could have even worn out Anna. Carriage rides were always a dull after all.
"Thank you Fenris." She chimed cheerfully. "Oh and Fenris!" She attempted to call out in hopes the elf would hear before or after closing the door behind. "I would like to thank Anna myself but please let her know how much I am thankful to her. I just don't want to bother her tonight if she's too tired." She admitted.
After it was just the three of them once more and Leliana managed to put the baby to rest. Which wasn't much a task at all once he was full and happy. She had turned some so she could see Anders more so when she brought up the second matter about their son. "I was thinking while I was still carrying Baelfire is what if something happened to us? Who would take over watch of him then? Not that I think something will. Just as precaution. I think we should have someone be in line to take him under their wing just in case such a thing happens… And since most who we knew is either gone and we don't know where they are or either dead… I was thinking… Maybe… Fenris could be that person?" She knew it was madness asking him this but if he actually thought of it Fenris would be almost a perfect suitor. He was strong, he would keep him safe, and if Baelfire didn't turn out to be a mage then he would keep him protected from the other people maybe wanting to get at him for being the 'icons' son. "I know it's crazy. But we have to think who would watch over him and I'm sure he would be perfect if we convinced him. Plus if Anna was at his side it would make it even better ya'know."
Anders flinched some at Leliana's suggestion. He could feel his face practically turning blue, even when he forced a smile and attempted to joke. "Huh? You've just had my son, now you wanna get rid of him that quickly?"
After a light laugh, he paused for a moment and gave the idea some deeper thought. Leliana did have a point that the child needed to be protected, of course. He was just surprised that the suggestion would have came so suddenly. Anders hadn't even been given the chance to really hold him other than for the brief moment of healing him. Though, there certainly would be plenty of time of all of that and more in the future. Anders believed in that much.
"Well… Hm…" He mentioned carefully and closed his eyes; still as if in thought over the matter. "Whether I like it or not, Fenris is a skilled warrior and a great protector. Though I suspect he will turn against me just as he did when any major events occurred. As much as we wish to believe, Leliana, he does not exactly fight for our team. If it wasn't for Anna's sake, I know he wouldn't dare be anywhere near us right now…"
He paused a moment and sighed once he opened his eyes once more. "But then again, if I do end up going before he does, I know I wouldn't entrust my son's up-bringing to any other person alive today besides you."
Leliana couldn't help but let out a playful giggle as she had reached over to the mage and had given him a small push on the shoulder as a playful warning. "Oh yes I'm trying to give yours and mine flesh and blood away after I screamed and cried for six hours of labor." She teased. "I would never he's far too precious, it's like a mini Anders that I get to watch grow up."
The red headed rouge couldn't help but sigh from Anders truthful words. She wished Fenris was, well, more on their side. So he could be a part of the childs life and so she wouldn't have to worry as much. But he had a point. Fenris wasn't one to stick around with them for long that was for sure. "It was just a thought." She added with a glance down to the little babys tiny body as she had rested her hand gently across his chest. "I was also thinking for Anna as well. I know she would probably love the idea. Kind of a way to repay back what she has aided in giving us. Along with a few other things I would give her, the gifts would never end."
With Anders pause brought Leliana to intertwine her legs with his as she reached for Anders arm so she could tighten his hold around her core. She could already feel the difference in her stomach, all that was left was a small lump and nothing more and she couldn't help but miss the stiff rounded belly that once use to keep her and Anders from their usual closeness they had before the pregnancy. Though she had to admit to herself the tradeoff was worth everything.
"You better be around for a long while mister." She responded in a already motherly tone as she rose a hand to wave a finger to the mage. "I know your still part of that dreaded Warden group and there attached to you like leeches but maybe you'll get lucky and the deep roads will forget to call your name." She joked in a soft hesitant chuckle. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you." She confessed with a pause so she could give a small kiss to the Anders knuckles. "As it would just be I and this little man after the world. I couldn't find someone I love as much as I do you. You give us so much and I know as long as you're here you'll be the best protector for us."
"If you let Anna hold him, we'd may never get him on the ground later." Anders laughed at the thought of Anna spoiling Baelfire. "You know, I heard that in Tevinter the parents detach themselves from their children at an early age. I can't imagine how much smothering Anna will be happy to do now."
He smiled some and stretched a little in his moment to relax while he listened to Leliana. Afterwards, he found himself turning slightly more to his side so that he could rest his arm lightly across her belly. Giving Leliana a light kiss to her cheek, Anders lifted his head and then moved slightly to rest on the pillow.
"I love you too… And our little Baelfire." He chuckled some and momentarily closed his eyes. "You should get some rest for now, love. We'll have a huge day of parenting tomorrow."
After cuddling Leliana for a while and watching Baelfire sleep soundly, eventually Anders had begun to drift to sleep as well. Many hours had passed and it was moving slightly into the early morning when the staff had begun to move in and tidy up the room. Anders had his eyes closed at the time, but he could hear people walking around. Since this night had been one of the few nights that Anders had slept soundly, even without Justice bothering him, he wanted to have lain in bed a little longer. So, he mumbled in his sleep when the cleaning lady began to remove the rags and jugs of water from around the bed.
"Look at him. Sleeping like a log, he is." The cleaning lady closest to him remarked and shook her head before looking to gentleman across the room. "Hard to believe this man stormed the city twice and brought it to its knees."
"Icon, Sir, you must wake soon. Your duties await you." The gentleman said and began to pull at the curtains to separate them; allowing the early raise of dawn inside.
Anders mumbled in his sleep and buried his face more into Leliana's shoulder and breast. "The sun's not out…"
Leliana had always dreaded this part in the morning when either the servants or guards would come through the doors and begin their ruckest. She wanted nothing more than a little bit more rest, peace and quite and time with her family… Family… Wow that was a word she would have to get use to for sure. In all her years she never believed herself to have a life as she did right now. One with so many ups and downs but in the end it had eventually turned out to be wonderful. After all here she was with Anders and Baelfire. She couldn't help but wonder what her mother would be thinking if she would be proud, if she had been watching over her from wherever the Maker stood.
Throughout the night of Anders rest Leliana was careful not to wake him as each time their son had woken up for one of those odd night feeding she would have to be the one to do it after all since she was the only one with making the product to feed the child. She couldn't count though the times he woke. That when the rays of the sun spilled into the room a groany whine escaped Leliana's lips as she gave a kick of her leg. "C'mon, five more minutes. Pleaseeeee." She started to plead. "Anders you're the high and mighty Icon you can scare them off. Go on now." Leliana of course was joking as her head sulked under the covers to hide until otherwise she was forced up.
Which was ultimately brought by a ringing cry reaching her ears that brought Leliana to bolt up and cradle the baby within her arms within seconds. "Shh shh… It's okay." She soothed. "The mean servents will leave us soon so we can rest. But first…" She said with a stall in her words as she had peaked in the folds of the boys diaper which she could see was soiled. "Ohhh that's your problem huh baby boy, maybe we should have dadums change you for the first time. Sure he can conquer a city twice but can he conquer a dirty diaper? That's the real question." She asked Baelfire in her already pro baby toned voice.
"Anders dear, I think someone needs a changing. Do you want changing classes before you miss your chance?" She teased as she reached over to poke at the mage under the covers as she had laid their son down gently next to Anders to gather the required things to change such a mess. Though as she had done this her attention went to the nearest servant as she waved her to come closer. "Would you find Anna and possibly Fenris so I can have a word with Anna finally, please?"
The servant had nodded to Leliana's request and soon turned to the door. Though during that time, Anders remained sleeping and rather soundly, even after the prodding gentleman poked and shook him. The mage groaned swatted the man's hand away before recoiling back underneath the covers. He could hear Baefire's calls and trusted Leliana knew what she was doing. This was one lesson Anders was just going to have to miss.
"Sir, please. You have Seekers waiting to see you." The gentleman finally said as a last resort.
"Seekers?" Anders's eyes had quickly snapped open to that word. Moving carefully to his back and slowly sitting up, the mage looked back to his boy on the bed, then to Leliana (as if checking to make sure the two were still in the room with him) and then to the person trying to wake him up. "How many of them?"
"There are fourteen in total, but only two seem to be the ones in charge." The servant said and turned to walk towards the dresser, where his notebook remained. He looked at the parchment and began stating names. "We have here, …a Madam Cassandra and a Sir Ghaleon awaiting your arrival in the meeting room. Serah Fenris and Mistress Anna have been entertaining them in the meantime."
"Oh, Maker…" Anders sighed in exhaustion of the thought before making moves towards getting out of bed. "…Tell them I'll be right there and they have my word."
Nearly at that moment, Anna had crept into the door, dodging the staff that came and go while carrying away and cleaning messes. She glanced back towards where Leliana was at the time and blinked in her direction with curiosity. "You… wanted to see me, Leliana?"
Seeing as how Anders wasn't budging to get up Leliana had made quick due to change Baelfire's soiled linens and toss them aside in some waste basket nearby. "We need to get you some little baby robes kiddo." She commented as she had rebundled the babe back up within his fresh blanket and tended on breastfeeding him for his morning breakfast. She was hoping for this day to be a bit more calmer than yesterday. She wasn't up for any excitements of the sort. Just as she was relaxing back within the bed the Servants words had brought Leliana to sit back up at the word "Seekers" coming to her ears.
"Oh great…" She mumbled. "They found me. Of all days and times and everything why now?" She may have seemed like she was whining but this time it was out of desperation to not hear Cassandra's name when the servant read off whom exactly was waiting for Anders seeing as how many were here she wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't among them. In the back of her mind she kept repeating to herself please don't say her name, but after the third time of rehearsing it her fears came true as the familiar name was heard. "Why the heck is she here? Did she say?"
With or without her question answered by the servant talking to Anders she had went up to Anders herself after laying Baelfire back down for his short continued morning rest as she went out to reach for his arm. "Do you need me at all when you meet them? After all it just might be best if I wait it out here. Since Cassandra and I go back… Way back. I don't want to be the cause of any trouble." She admitted before turning her attention to the door and seeing Anna finally making her appearance. Just to see the mage up and walk by herself was feat that brought Leliana's worried nature to subside momentarily as she had darted over to the fellow friend.
"Anna! I'm glad to see you up and about. We were all so worried about you." She started off as her two index's pushed together before continuing to look over her shoulder at her once again comatose by milk baby on the bed. "I wanted to thank you for whatever you did yesterday in helping Anders help Baelfire. I wasn't given many details but when he left with him so suddenly it worried me since he really didn't have much of a voice until he came back. Then he was screaming. If there's anything I can do to repay you I will. I promise. It's the least I can do after all." She admitted full heartily as she gave a nod of her head for Anna to follow her back to the bed. "Come on over and meet him. I'm sure even if you hold him while he's passed out he won't wake up. He's a hard sleeper." Reaching out Leliana took Baelfire back within her arms and cradled him ever so delicately as she stood back up so she could turn and face Anna just to show the boy off to her.