BioWard owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )

So, we get the arrival of the next generation in the Theirin line. Oh, and I couldn't resist throwing in a snow cone. : )

I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Thanks for all your support, putting my story on your alerts and favorites, and especially for all the reviews and private messages. You are all just wonderful.

Blessings!

"Push, Kai!" Wynne's voice urged her as a guttural cry escaped Kai's lips. She had been at this since sunrise, and it had been dark again for hours. The storm that Zev said was following him had arrived. Kai could see the snow in a little pile on the floor in front of the window she'd opened so she could stand and get some relief. Sweat was pouring off of her, slicking her skin. She was sitting on a birthing stool while Wynne, Fiona, Leli and a female elven servant all took turns letting her lean against them, or giving her words of encouragement.

The room had been especially set up for this purpose. It was devoid of any rugs. It had a bed and one small table where a pitcher and a bowl of water sat along with clean cloths and a cup for Kai to drink from. There were a couple of chairs for the women in the room with her and the birthing stool. It had room for Kai to walk, which Wynne said was essential; gravity helped pull the babe down and made it easier for the mother.

Another contraction hit her, and she wondered what constituted easier. It wasn't so much the pain, after all she had been shot with arrows and crossbow bolts, stabbed, sliced, burned, frozen, crushed, hit with lightning, and had all manner of bones broken. She had even been poisoned. There were varying degrees of pain, and she figured she had probably run into most. The pain was livable. It was the intense pressure coupled with the pain. It was as if her body were trying to squeeze her in half, and yet the pressure kept building.

It had started off easily enough with lower back pain, which while uncomfortable was not that bad. The squeezing and pressure started in the early stages of her labor, but she had time to rest between contractions, to walk, even eat and drink a little, play chess, or read a book. Leli had played her lute and sung songs. Occasionally, one of the others would come by to check on her, say hello. Her brother Fergus had come in with snow drizzled with honey from outside, something they had as a treat as children. But as time wore on, the contractions had come in waves closer and closer together, like the tide coming in from the ocean.

"Leliana, get me another wet cloth please," Fiona directed the pretty bard sitting in the corner strumming a soft tune on her lute. The bard started to dip a cloth into the basin, when Fiona stopped her. "Leli, use some of that snow over there," the mage waved toward the pile in front of the open window. "It will be cooler, and I think Kai would like it better." The bard complied and handed her the cloth with snow cupped in it. The cold felt divine on Kai's hot skin.

"Okay, time to walk some more I think, young lady." Wynne gripped Kai under one arm and pulled her up. Fiona got on her other side.

It was getting harder to walk, the pressure seemed to be pressing down on her legs and her hips. Another contraction had her bowing up forward, crouching as it rolled in. Kai felt the cold stones under her feet as she tried to grip them with her toes. Her whole body wanted to contract everywhere. Sweat poured into her eyes, and her breath was coming in bursts.

Kai was exhausted, even though she had kept up with her rogue training, she'd stayed active during her pregnancy and managed to do so up until the eighth month or so. She was not in bad shape by any stretch of the imagination, but this seemed to be taking an awfully long time, longer than was healthy. She had been at this for hours upon hours.

They put her back on the u-shaped birthing stool as another contraction rolled in. Kai felt more pressure as Wynne checked her progress. Kai didn't want to know; it was enough that she was being squeezed in half. Kai caught the worried look Wynne flashed Fiona. "Wynne, is the baby all right?" Kai tried to keep panic from her voice.

Wynne's hand glowed with magic, and she placed it on Kai's swollen belly. "The babe is fine, the heartbeat is still strong," Wynne put a cool hand on Kai's forehead brushing back sweaty locks of hair. "But the contractions don't seem to be moving it further down. You need to push with them as hard as you can, I know you're tired."

Kai bowed forward again as her womb contracted, and she tried to push along with it, but she was so tired she felt her muscles trembling with exhaustion. "Leli, go to Zev; get one of his sharpest daggers." Leliana's pale skin went whiter.

"You can't mean to..." Leli couldn't finish. Her eyes were wide.

"I do mean it, go!" Kai gasped at her as another contraction squeezed her causing her breath to expel in a gust.

"That could kill you. We may not be able to perform enough healing magic to save you," Fiona's voice came from behind her tinged with concern.

"I know that, but I am getting more tired by the minute, I want to use it as a last resort, believe me. But, the baby is all that is important. Do you understand?" Kai pleaded with them as yet another spasm hit her. They both just nodded.

And so it went for another hour or maybe two, it was hard for Kai to tell. Her world had narrowed in focus to contractions and pushing, nothing else existed. Wynne checked again, while she had made progress, it was not much. "Wynne, get the dagger." Kai just leaned against Leliana, who was giving Fiona a break.

"No, my love, please wait!" Alistair's voice pleaded with her. "You must not!"

"My beloved, Wynne and your mother may not keep me alive, but the babe must live. If they don't save me, they save it, and I will be with you again in the Fade," Kai said into her own head.

"No, you must not, you must raise our baby! I don't want it to wind up raised like me," his voice was sobbing into her head, "Please, wait."

"Ali, I am undone; I can't keep on," she responded tiredly. She wanted to comfort him, she could hear him sobbing, and it was breaking her heart. "It will be all right," she told him.

Wynne had taken the dagger from Leliana, and Fiona's hands glowed ready with healing magic. Alistair's voice just kept sobbing "No", into her ear.

"Do it, Wynne," Kai looked her in the face and smiled a reassuring smile, nodding. Just then a familiar voice rang out from behind Wynne.

"Oh yes, do gut her like a fish. 'Tis always her way, to sacrifice herself, even for the fool Templar's brat. Do you suppose it will be as stupid as its father?" All eyes turned toward the window where a beautiful brunette with the golden eyes of a hawk stood frowning.

"Hello, Morrigan," Wynne's acerbic tone greeted the witch. "Just like a bad coin, you always show up."