Groaning Amaya rinsed her mouth with water before disposing of the foul substance she had just hurled into a bucket. She hated feeling sick, especially in the mornings. Her body felt exhausted and she was light headed. Perhaps she was coming down with something?
Yet that seemed unlikely. With Amaya's magic, it proved very hard for her to become ill unless, like the day she was captured, she had been through exceptional poor treatment or had suffered a severe wound. Even then the fevers only lasted three days at most but this had been going on for nearly a week now. Maybe it was time she saw Dagonet or the court physician.
Demon growled softly at her, rubbing his wet nose against her hand as she made her way down to Arluin, who in the last month had bounced back. He was full of life again and had fattened up, regaining his muscle as Amaya worked him cautiously every day for no more than twenty minutes, gaining back his strength little by little.
The mare was close to her time. Bow, as everyone called her as Boadicea was just three syllables too long. As Amaya walked into the stables she smiled to the mare, who greeted her softly with a soft snort and a nuzzle of affection. "There now, not much longer I think." Amaya murmured to her. Judging by the signs the mare was showing, it would only be a few days before she birthed, maybe even two. "I'll be right here with you." The mare was sweating and restless, her teats swollen and sometimes dripped with milk. She would bite and snap at anyone who came near her unless it was Amaya or Maia, who was now happily married to Galahad.
Amaya smiled when she had walked Maia down to Galahad, wearing all white as she walked towards Galahad, Vanora and Ragnell holding the arch of flowers over the knight's head with the priest standing behind. Amaya remembered the cheers as Galahad and Maia kissed, flower petals being thrown at them from all angles before he swept her away to dance with his eyes fixed on her for the entire night.
Letting the mare keep to herself Amaya walked to Arluin who lifted his head then kicked at his stall, eager to meet his mistress as she laughed. "Alright you impatient horse, it is still daylight. We have time to waste away." She assured him, stepping into the stall then put the rope onto his halter, leading him out into the fields to turn him loose. He joined the other horses, greeting them with soft calls and rubbed his head against theirs before they galloped together, Amaya standing in the arch of the open gate to admire them. The sunlight caught in their manes, dancing brilliantly as Arluin led the charge, the younger horses following him without question and Amaya could not help but stand and look on with pride and awe at the magnificent creatures powering over the grassland, the villages nestled close to the walls with smoke rising lazily from fires as they cooked the evening meal.
"They are magnificent, no?" Lamorak said quietly, not wanting to startle Amaya as she continued to watch her horse.
"Back in my homeland we honour our horses." She said to him as he joined her side. "They are our pride and joy."
"They say you have a legend that great warriors come back as even greater horses after they die." Amaya nodded her head. "My mother used to tell me stories of her people when she was a child. Her tribe used to honour all animals. She said that when a man or woman comes of age, they are given a spirit guardian, a guide and protector to keep them safe from harm. Hers was the snake." Lamorak's face darkened slightly. "I shall not forgive her for selling me away."
"Everyone makes mistakes, Lamorak, especially when they are desperate. Perhaps she thought she was giving you a better chance at life." She touched his arm gently. "But I agree, no mother should sell her child. Not for any reason." Turning her face back to the herd of horses, which had settled down to the graze, her eyes drifted to the setting sun. "How do you like Camelot?"
"It is more home than any other place." Lamorak answered in his deep, heavily accented voice. "And your brothers are good to me."
"I am happy you are content here." She smiled to him. "Arthur is talking of giving you and the others your knighthoods soon." Lamorak raised an eyebrow.
"I am indebted to him. He is a good king whom I wish to serve well." Amaya nodded her head.
"Me too." Whistling sharply Arluin lifted his head then cantered to her, stopping at the gate where Amaya put his rope back on then led him back to the stalls, nodding to Lamorak on her way. "Remember, if you are in need of anything, do not be afraid to ask." She paused. "Where are the others?" Lamorak smirked.
"In the tavern." She groaned.
"Please tell me Gaheris hasn't challenged Kay to another arm wrestling match." Lamorak's face remained stoic. "Those two are going to break each other's arms and I can't keep on fixing their bones for them!" She muttered, walking away with Arluin. The two were obviously good friends as practically every night they had come to Amaya asking for her to heal their hands and fingers as they would spend most nights arm wrestling, trying to best one another's strength and she would eventually cave. This time, however, she was not going to bend. They can suffer with their folly in the morning.
As she walked into the stables she glanced to a stable boy who was watching the pregnant mares. "How are they?" She asked and he shrugged.
"Fine." Amaya nodded, thinking nothing of it then led Arluin back to his stall. She had just shut his stall door when she heard one of the mares whine as if in pain. Instantly she darted forwards, looking into Bow's stall then whirled around.
"You fool! She is in labour!" The boy blinked.
"I thought she was just laying down." Amaya growled at him and he jumped. Amaya checked the other stalls with pregnant mares, there being twelve in total and seven of them had laid down to go into labour. With most of the workers being either incompetent of the delicacies of foaling, Amaya turned on the boy. "Go and find Jols. Tell him seven mares are now in labour and then run to find the knights to bring them here too. I shall need their help." He nodded his head, still rooted to the spot so Amaya shook his arm. "Go!" Leaping out of his skin the boy darted away.
Amaya set to work, filling buckets of water for the mares in case they were thirsty as well as draping several large blankets over the stall doors in preparation for the foals. She then checked each one of them, measuring their progress as they stretched out their legs and moaned, shifting with discomfort so Amaya murmured to them all and offering them soft words to reassure them.
"Maya, where do you need us?" Lancelot asked as he strode inside, his expression serious.
"You can watch over the roan in there, Gawain, the next stall along. Dagonet, you'd best take Lavinia here as she is rather hot tempered but she's a not so feisty when you're around." Amaya began, striding forwards as she rolled up her sleeves. "Bors, in here." Amaya patted one of the stall doors quickly as she walked towards Bow's stall. "Tristan, Jols, you take the last two. The rest of you find something useful to do. Wash your hands first mind." Galahad looked to Kay, Ector, Elyan and Gaheris then directed them to help where they would most likely be needed.
As Amaya passed Tristan his hand slipped around her waist and he stole a swift kiss from her, causing her to jump in surprise. "Tristan!" She blinked then chuckled quietly, nudging his face with her head before sliding into Bow's stall. "Easy now, I'm here." She whined then lashed out, kicking out at thin air then stretched out her neck, sweat glistening from her body so Amaya carefully rubbed her down, making her as comfortable as possible as she continued to grunt and stretch.
"Come on, come on." Amaya soothed gently, stroking the mare's face. "Push." Suddenly a tiny hoof poked through and Amaya lifted the tail, trying to find the other but all she could see was the one. "Not so fast little one, you need both hooves to come into this world standing." Amaya said and took hold of the leg carefully, waiting for the contraction to finish before easing the leg back inside then searched for the other.
Bow called out and Amaya spoke quietly to comfort her, finding the other hoof then gently moved them around, placing one on top of the other. Suddenly Dagonet called out. "The foal here has come. It looks healthy." Amaya smiled, glancing up then returned to helping the mare that was struggling with her labour. One by one the other knights called out, the experienced mares having no trouble but Bow continued to struggle and the foal did not move further than the front hooves sliding free. "Come on little one, you need to see the world." Amaya murmured, frowning as she lifting the tail away again. It moved a little further up to the knees and Bow gave a great cry of pain. "Easy now, easy."
"How is she doing Maya?" Lancelot asked brightly, coming to the stall door. "A little stubborn?"
"We've got a fighter here, that's for sure." Amaya answered, biting her lip as Lancelot slid inside. "The foal is taking his time. All we can do is wait." He nodded his head, resting both hands on the mare's neck and smoothed out her glistening fur, his calm countenance comforting the mare as she squealed with discomfort.
Suddenly the foal moved forwards and Amaya saw a little nose begin to slide forwards from under the rubbery sack that covered the small creature and she held her breath, watching as the head finally appeared.
Bow rested her head on the straw, panting heavily but did not make any effort to continue pushing so Amaya let her rest, keeping a careful watch on the foal and the time. Lancelot looked at Amaya after around ten minutes, the others looking in from the stall door. "She needs to start pushing again." Amaya nodded her head.
"Alright you vicious sweetheart, let's get this foal into the open shall we?" Amaya led out a hand and Galahad handed a towel down to her which she wrapped around the foal's hooves and slowly began to pull the foal downwards towards the mare's hooves to rotate the head and shoulders more easily through the birth canal. When the shoulders were free she let go, glancing to the break in the sack to make sure it was there before letting Bow continue pushing.
She heaved for breath, snorting and squirming slightly but the foal continued to move inch by inch before she flopped down again, the foal stuck at the hips. "Keep going Bow, keep going. You are very nearly there." Amaya said to her, shifting backwards slightly. Bow gave one last push but still, the foal remained stuck so Amaya took the hooves once more and pulled the foal further downwards to make it easier for the hips to slide free then all at once, the legs followed.
Instantly Bow tried to get up but Lancelot sprang to anchor her down, pinning her to the straw as Amaya did the same. "No! No you can't stand up, it is too soon." Amaya tried to soothe the horse but she snorted and continued to struggle.
Tristan entered, careful of the foal which was lashing on the ground in the sack. He stopped to pull the sack away from the foal's face to allow it to breathe before switching places with Amaya, holding the fighting mare down as the woman went to the foal and pulled the sack away.
It's wet body shivered and Amaya began to dry it a little then placed a cleaned the residue fluids from its nostrils as its eyes remained closed. Once she was sure its airways were clear she stepped back, not wanting to transfer too much of her scent onto the new born as slowly, Bow stopped struggling.
Lancelot patted Bow's neck as both mare and foal rested, breathing deeply. After around fifteen minutes, Amaya nodded to the men. "Alright, she should be safe to get up now." If bow had got up too soon she would have snapped the umbilical cord too early, causing both herself and her foal to bleed and then they would be fighting to stem the flow.
The moment Tristan and Lancelot drew back, Bow got up, breaking the connection to her foal with only a tiny amount of blood. She looked at the tiny creature curiously, reaching out to sniff it and for a moment, Amaya feared she was going to reject the foal but then her tongue slid out and she began to lick the foal clean, nuzzling its head as it sat up upright, gangly legs splayed forwards as it looked around in confusion but then rubbed its head into Bow's legs, whimpering quietly.
Amaya sighed with relief. In the dim light she made out dark sheen of the foal's coat, pitch black but it looked like it would be a fine horse one day. "Well, what shall you name it Amaya?" Lancelot asked her, patting her shoulder. "You took good care of them both, you deserve the honour." Amaya chuckled, eyes fixed on the foal as the three of them stood back.
"I was thinking Arrow." A few of the knights laughed, rolling their eyes.
"Typical." Galahad grinned at her but then nodded. "Arrow it is." After a moment he sighed. "Well, I'm shattered. I'm going to wash then go to bed, where my lovely wife is waiting for me." Amaya nodded to Galahad in a bid of goodnight before he turned and walked away, the others following one after the other.
"We should leave them be." Lancelot said quietly, not wanting to disturb the pair as they bonded. "Let them be for now." With a sigh she knew that he was right but inwardly, she was utterly transfixed. She had always loved this special moment, watching a dam bond with her foal for the first time. There was something magical about it, like she were partaking in a special event that made her glow with pride.
"But it might need help suckling." She tried to argue but Tristan touched her shoulder.
"You are tired, Amaya. You have not been well recently, so go and rest. Jols, Lancelot and I will watch the mares." Lowering her head she nodded, looking to her afterbirth covered hands before leaving the foal and mare behind, Tristan and Lancelot following.
Tristan caught her waist from behind and kissed her neck, making her smile before he let her drift away. Amaya had to twist out of the way of Demon when he bounded up to her, sniffing her hands curiously as she giggled. "No Demon, this is bad for you." She scolded him then washed herself clean, managing to make it all the way to bed before she crashed under the covers, asleep before she hit the pillow where Demon jumped up and joined her, despite knowing that he was not meant to be on the bed.
He sensed something different about his mistress. Although she was sick, he could not smell an illness on her. In fact, she smelled quite healthy but something definitely was different. She seemed more fragile, more vulnerable so Demon lay over her feet protectively, watching the door carefully before falling asleep also.