A/N: This chapter goes into quite a bit of detail during the labour, so if that bothers you, please just skip to the Author's Note at the end, where I've given a non-descriptive summary so you're caught up for the next chapter! ~Kryss
Chise had just gotten comfortable again, the pillows rearranged around her swollen belly, her breathing slowing again in the deep stillness of the night, when she was struck by a sudden flash of pain. It was so intense it almost took her breath away; but so brief and different from anything she had ever felt before that she almost wondered if she had dreamed it. Like a bolt of lightning, it split her night, dazzling her with its intensity, before instantly fading away to nothing again.
Could this be labour? She wondered. Is it time? She was still tired, though. She waited, listening to her body, staring into the dark, wondering what was going to happen next.
Nothing, apparently. She closed her eyes and had drifted off when another sudden flash, somewhere deep in her belly, in a place she had never really felt before, once again jolted her awake. She glanced over at the alarm clock peacefully ticking away on her bedside table. It had been around half an hour; it was still the wee hours of the night. Well, she didn't need to deal with any of it until the contractions were five minutes apart. She closed her eyes again, and tried to rest.
By the time the third flash hit, around a half an hour after that, she was pretty sure that the pains were contractions. She was also getting slightly annoyed by the way they kept waking her up. Still, it would likely be many hours yet until the main event, and she likely wouldn't get much rest for quite a while after that, not with a new baby around. Getting as comfortable as her belly would allow, she once again tried to sleep.
By the time the contractions were fifteen minutes apart she gave up on rest. She contemplated Elias, a silent, warm, breathing presence beside her. His eyes were still dark. He was fast asleep, and would be for hours yet; he was decidedly not a morning person. She idly wondered, not for the first time, if he might actually be nocturnal. Certainly, if left to his own devices, he was rarely in bed before midnight, nor up before noon. Well, let him sleep; there was nothing to be done at this stage except for waiting. She ghosted a fond kiss over his shoulder, and slid as quietly and carefully out of the bed as she could manage.
Ruth met her in the hallway, shifting to his human form as she tied her dressing gown. "It's time, isn't it?" he asked, his eyes alert and concerned despite his slightly dishevelled state.
"I suppose," she murmured, glancing at her closed bedroom door before tip-toeing towards the stairs. "I mean, it won't be for hours yet, but yes."
"It feels strange." He rested a hand over his abdomen. "Like I've strained a muscle I've never used before."
Chise nodded. That was a good description. She had expected it to feel much like menstrual cramps, only worse; but it was surprisingly different, as well as much stronger. "This is supposed to be the easy part," she said. "If it gets too bad, I want you to go into my shadow, alright?"
He rested his hands on her shoulders. "You know I'll be here for you. The pain won't stop me."
She smiled warmly at him, giving her big brother's hand a squeeze. "I know. But there won't be very much you can do for me when it gets bad, and there's no point in you having to go through it as well. I'll feel your presence either way; you'll still be there for me."
He looked like he wanted to argue; but only said, "All right. —Do you want anything right now?"
"A warm bath, and a cup of tea."
She was soaking in the bath and sipping her third cup, idly scooping warm water over the flannel draped over her belly to capture the heat, and feeling rather civilized, when Elias rushed in, still tucking his shirt into his trousers. "Chise! It's time? Why didn't you wake me?"
"I'm fine, Elias. There's no need to worry. I woke up; but I thought there was no reason you couldn't still get some rest. It'll be hours, yet."
Silky, peering around the corner of the screen, nodded confirmation as she handed Elias his own teacup.
He looked a little mollified as he absently accepted it, and leaned over to feel her forehead, brushing her hair back before giving her a gentle nuzzle. "You are not in too much distress?"
She smiled up at him. "I'm fine, Elias. The contractions hurt; but the water helps a lot." She winced, feeling another one start, and gripped the sides of the tub, concentrating on her breathing—in through her nose; out through her mouth—as the pain washed over and through her. Elias took her hand, and she squeezed it tightly, unable to suppress a grunt of pain. It ebbed, finally, and she tried to relax again, gasping a bit.
"How far apart are they?"
"Seven minutes," Ruth said, coming around the far side of the tub. "Chise. Have some apple." He held out a thin slice and she obediently took it, savouring the firm, sweet flesh. "We've been monitoring her carefully, and keeping her in snacks and liquids. She hurts when they hit; but she's okay. She's still strong, just tired. Sleepy," he clarified, at Elias's sudden glance. "They woke her up around two."
"I wonder if we should call Shannon," Elias mused. Silky looked doubtful.
"She did say to call her when they hit five minutes apart, and I'm not there yet."
"She might not be there for hours more," Ruth added.
"Very well." Elias settled into the kitchen chair Ruth had placed beside her. "Then we will wait until they are."
"You should go and have some breakfast," Chise said.
"No."
"You need to keep your strength up, too," she pointed out.
"I need to stay with you." His tone brooked no argument. Chise sighed.
"All right. Will you eat if we bring you something?"
"Yes."
Silky nodded and vanished back to the kitchen. Ruth followed, reappearing a moment later with another chair.
"Shall I read to you?" Elias asked, as Ruth settled in as well.
"Yes, please." Chise wasn't sure how much attention she'd be able to pay to him, but reasoned that reading to her would help keep him occupied, and feeling involved, and might distract her a bit. She was pretty sure that the worst part of labour, so far at least, was the boredom. She was tired, but the cramps kept her from resting, and threw off her train of thought. It was monotonous being her just then; she couldn't imagine it would be any better watching her.
"Very well." Elias disappeared for a minute. She could faintly hear him rummaging about the shelves of the study before he reappeared, a large, old book in his hand. Settling into the chair again, he opened it. "Once upon a time there was a poor peasant who had so many children that he did not have enough of either food or clothing to give them. Pretty children they all were, but the prettiest was the youngest daughter, who was so lovely there was no end to her loveliness..."
Shannon arrived mid-morning. Chise's contractions were much stronger, and the warmth of the water no longer mitigated them. She no longer felt so civilized. Her contractions were no longer brief flashes of pain, but lingering, awful spasms, the aftershocks of the one barely passing before the next one started.
"Isn't it time yet?" she groaned, splayed on her old bed as Shannon examined her for the third time in as many hours.
"No, you're only dilated about five centimetres," the fairy doctor calmly informed her. "You've got a ways to go yet."
"You can do it," Ruth earnestly encouraged her, helping her to struggle upright again. He sat beside her, one arm about her shoulders, as he gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. "You've been hurt way worse than this before!"
Chise groaned and winced, bracing herself against another damned contraction. "Yeah, but—eurgh —only—only get— nng! —stabbed once each time—"
"Remember your breathing, Chise," Shannon chided her, taking her other hand. Chise grabbed it back in a death grip. "Come on, now. In through your nose; your nose, Chise—out through your mouth. That's it. Again. Focus on your breathing. In... out. In... out. There we go." She gently pulled her hand back as Chise's grip slacked as the contraction eased, and gave it a discrete shake. "That's right. Ruth, how are you doing?"
The familiar's face was pale, his hair sticking to his damp forehead, but his eyes were determined. "I'm—I'm all right. I can do this."
"Why don't you go into her shadow for a while and rest? She's got hours to go, yet."
"Hours..? "
"Go ahead, Ruth." Chise smiled wanly, her own cheeks pale beneath shadowed eyes. "Maybe Elias can come back in again?" She added hopefully, glancing at Shannon. The poor man had become increasingly frantic with each increase in her pains, to the point that he had been having difficulties maintaining his form. He was banished outside for everyone's safety.
"If Ruth promises to rest, and so long as he behaves himself. Is he still in the garden?"
Elias was indeed in the garden, and too large to re-enter the house—and looking unhappy, his long, fishy tail coiled tightly about himself. He rose to his hands as soon as he saw Chise awkwardly making her way through the conservatory door, supported on either side by Ruth and Shannon. He fidgeted; but did not rush over.
"I didn't want to knock you over," he explained as they brought her to him. "How are you?" The tightness in his voice belied his calm tone.
Chise winced and sank into a half-crouch, rubbing her belly as another contraction peaked. Elias hovered over her, anxious; as soon as she relaxed again he swept her into his arms, and carefully settled her into his nested coils. She snuggled into his warm embrace and sighed.
"I'm okay, Elias," she murmured. "It just... hurts."
"Why don't you get her a blanket, Ruth?" Shannon suggested, adding, as the familiar dashed off, "—and if you're warm enough, I'll go and fetch my kit from upstairs. If you can stay calm this time, Elias!"
He nodded, contrite, and wordlessly tucked her head under his chin.
"He'll be alright now," Chise reassured her, giving him a loving look as she stroked his jaw. "Won't you?"
Elias inhaled deeply, sighed, and nodded again. "I'm sorry. I was scared."
"And that's understandable; but she needs you to be strong and calm for her right now. All right?" Shannon's voice was firm, but not unkind. "I know it's distressing for you to see her hurting and not be able to make it better, but I promise you, everything is perfectly normal. And I'm here, and monitoring everything closely. And so far I have no reason to be concerned. Okay?"
"I just wish I could give her something for the pain..."
"And so do I; but you know why we aren't. We don't know how the baby will react to it. Anything we give her will go straight through to them, too."
Ruth staggered back to them, a warm, fluffy blanket clutched to his chest. Silky trailed behind him, and gently took it from him as he sank into Chise's shadow. "I'm sorry, Chise," he gasped as she groaned through another contraction, his glowing red eyes in her shadow dim against the grass. "I—I just need..."
"It's—fine, Ruth." Chise gritted her teeth and squeezed Elias's massive finger so tightly that it must have hurt. "Rest."
Silky gently tucked the blanket about her, and as the contractions briefly eased, held a glass of cool lemonade to her lips.
The next several hours were something of a monotonous, pain-filled blur. Wave after wave swept over her as she cried out and writhed, helpless in their grip. Hot water bottles were placed against her belly and back, and refilled as they cooled, when her cries frightened away the woolly bugs that had come investigating. As she gasped for breath between contractions, Silky or Elias pressed liquids upon her, keeping her hydrated, helping to keep her strong. Silky and Shannon helped her back to the bathroom occasionally to pee, which in itself was a thoroughly miserable experience, her urine burning acid against her tearing, tender flesh. At least the back of the toilet gave her something firm to press against through the peaks of more endless contractions.
The sun was low in the sky, the wispy clouds taking on a rosy tint, when Chise started to feel an irresistible urge to push. "You're only nine centimetres still," Shannon commented, after investigating; "But I don't think they care. It looks like it's time. Push if you need to."
Lying on her back gave her nothing to push against. With Elias's careful help, she managed to roll to her knees, and draped her chest and arms over one large, smooth, warm coil. She could brace her feet against his tail behind her, and push back as hard as she wanted, without feeling like she was going to shove him over. She could feel the baby shift inside; they were getting fed up with the whole thing and wanted out too, she was sure of it.
"Not long now," Elias murmured to her as she gripped his hand for all she was worth, gently rubbing her aching lower back with the other. "You can do it, Chise. I'm here."
"You're doing great, Chise!" Shannon crouched behind her, keeping a close eye on the proceedings. "Just keep pushing!"
"I am pushing!" Chise snapped. She couldn't have not pushed if she wanted to. It was beyond an urge; it was just what her body was doing, now. Pushing.
The contractions were continuous, now, her world entirely the rhythmical, irresistible squeezing muscles of her uterus. She cried out in pain, gasping helplessly against the overwhelming tide.
"Breathe, Chise! Remember your breathing!" Someone was talking at her very loudly and she wished they'd fuck off. She was busy. "Breathe! In through your nose, out through your mouth. Come on, breathe with me..."
"Fuck off! "
Ruth's voice suddenly filled her mind, impossible to block out or ignore. Breathe in, Chise. In through your nose. Hold it—now out through your mouth. That's it. In through your nose... out through your mouth. That's right. In... Out. In... Out. That's right. I'm here.
Breathing did not help the pain, did not ease it; but it did help her to keep her footing against the flood. She breathed in, breathed out in a long groan. Dimly she realized someone was pushing things around behind her, inside her.
Try to not cry out, Chise, Ruth said. They want you to keep your strength for pushing.
I'll try, she groused. Youtry not shouting!
I understand, Ruth said wryly. Breathe in... breathe out... I'm just the messenger.
"Okay, that's got it," she vaguely heard Shannon say. "Okay, now, Chise, push! "
Push!
"I am pushing!"
She concentrated on bearing down with a will, trying to keep her breathing regular. Everything was all in a muddle; nothing else really existed except her abdomen and the burning ring of the end of her vagina as she desperately tried to squeeze what she was pretty sure was an actual watermelon out of it.
Push!
"Push!"
PUSH!
With a final heave and a gasping cry and a warm, wet gush, the watermelon finally—finally— slid out, leaving her limp and gasping for breath. The contractions had stopped. It was over.
She had done it.
She would have expected to all but pass out after such an ordeal, to be in agony; but while her poor, stretched, much-abused flesh ached, she instead felt a sudden rush of energy, of sheer relief at it being over. She felt better than she had in a very long time, months even. Since the start of her pregnancy. All the little annoying, uncomfortable twinges in her back and shoulders seemed to have vanished. She felt like she could have run a marathon. She struggled to sit up.
"No, Chise; rest now."
"I don't need to rest, Elias; I want to see them!"
Shannon finished wrapping the baby up in the tiny blanket Silky had handed her, and passed them over. Chise carefully cradled the tiny body in her arms, Elias's own arms about hers as she leaned back against him. He peered over her shoulder, his eyes bright.
"Chise, Elias; may I present to you your daughter," Shannon said, smiling hugely as she sat back and brushed the hair out of her eyes.
"She's so tiny," Elias marvelled. "How did something so small make your belly so huge?"
"It's not all just baby in there; you should know that!" Shannon chided. "The placenta alone is almost the same size as her, plus there's the amniotic fluid—plus, don't forget that her abdominal muscles are over it all, so you have to take their thickness into account as well..."
"She's so beautiful," Chise whispered. The tiny, four-limbed body was fluffing out into a soft, white fluff as she dried, pale skin peeking through the tiny pinfeathers covering her neck and the back of her skull—hornless, except for faint nubs, and shorter in the face than Elias's, but distinctly similar. A luminously pale tail wrapped up between her digitigrade hind legs to sit firm against her round little belly. Her tiny hands clasped tightly onto Elias's finger as he cautiously touched her.
"Do you really think so?" he murmured.
"Of course! Don't you?" Chise stared up at him, eyes wide.
"Of course I do," he replied distractedly, still staring at his daughter as she nuzzled his fingertip. "But I can't tell—I don't have any idea how others would view her."
"Well, I think she's adorable," Shannon said firmly, rubbing the end of her stethoscope to warm it before placing it against her chest. "And she's got a good, strong, regular heartbeat, and good, clear breathing... She seems to be doing fine! How are you feeling, Chise?"
Chise considered for a moment. "Sore," she admitted. "And tired. Hungry."
"When will you cut the cord?" Elias asked, finally looking up.
"Oh, no hurry. We want to wait until there's no pulse left in it if we can—which only really takes a matter of minutes. But it also gives me something to pull on."
"Pull..?"
Shannon picked up the umbilical cord from its unnoticed resting place against Chise's leg. "Yes, to get the placenta out, once it's detached." She gave a slow, steady pull on it, and Chise felt something tug deep within her.
"It's attached!" She blurted. "It's still attached!"
"All right then. I'll try again in a bit."
"Did that hurt?" Elias asked, concern in his voice.
"No, not really. But it felt really weird." Their daughter's little face rooted against her chest, seeking sustenance. Chise grasped her breast and tried to guide it into the tiny mouth. She wasn't sure she would be able to suck without lips; but after several tries, she managed to latch on, her tongue holding the nipple firm against the roof of her mouth, and she began to steadily nurse.
"Whoa, that's a weird feeling, too," Chise murmured, mostly to herself. Her breasts both felt almost as though a muscle relaxed within them, and she could feel a draw, a pulling, that went straight through to her armpit.
"I'll leave you three alone for a few minutes," Shannon said quietly, turning to go back into the house. Silky, who had been staring at the new baby with a look of wide-eyed delight, spun around and pulled her into a tight embrace. "You're welcome," Shannon whispered to her, returning the hug.
When she returned a little while later to check on them, it was to find the new parents quietly whispering to each other over their newborn's sleeping head, Elias having finally returned to his more usual form. "How are you all doing?" she whispered.
"We're both fine," Chise smiled, and Elias nodded agreement. "Ruth is sleeping in my shadow still. He's worn out, poor thing."
"It'll hit you too, soon enough. I just want to check your placenta, and then we'll get you both cleaned up and into bed."
"There's, um, not that much cleaning left to do," Chise said, slightly awkwardly, as Elias suddenly became interested in studying the bushes about them.
"There's likely to be a bit of a gush when you stand up," Shannon replied, ignoring her comment, and once again kneeling before Chise. Taking the umbilical cord once again in hand, she gently but firmly drew on it. With a very strange sort of pulling sensation deep inside Chise, she drew the placenta out.
Noting that the cord still trailed beneath the baby's blanket, she whispered to Elias, "You can cut it now, if you like. About an inch from her belly, please."
Elias gently drew back the blanket from his sleeping daughter, and carefully, so as to not waken her, leaned over and severed the cord with one quick snap of his jaws.
"Oughtn't we tie it off, first?" Chise asked, looking slightly alarmed; but the severed end only oozed a bit.
"It's not a concern once the pulse is gone," Shannon assured her, as Elias gently tucked the blanket back. "Once the baby starts breathing air, the cord squeezes shut inside them. —Do you want some ice?" At Chise's questioning glance, she clarified, "An ice pack. For your vulva."
"Ah. Yes, please."
"Let's go in then. I'll get her measured and weighed while you get cleaned up and into bed. Elias, you can help her with that?"
"Of course," he assured her, as Chise carefully, if a trifle awkwardly, transferred her armful of baby to the elf. With a last smile, and the rocking gait of the professional baby-holder, Shannon left them to the silence of the night.
Chise heaved a heavy sigh, and leaned back into her husband's embrace. "Wow. We're parents."
"Yeah."
"I don't really feel like it yet, though."
"Yeah. Me either." Elias looked back down at his wife, stroking her hair and tucking the blanket more firmly about her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure?" He eyed her in concern.
She nodded. "Surprisingly, yes. —I mean, don't get me wrong, that was really painful. Different from being stabbed; that definitely feels like everything is very wrong. But your body kind of goes into shock too, and it doesn't giving birth." She sighed again. "Let's just say that they both hurt a lot. But I feel much better now than after getting stabbed! Mostly I'm just hungry." She shifted a bit. "And sore. But not, you know, in pain."
"It's probably the endorphins. You should eat."
"Yes. I wonder if Silky can make me a really big, rare steak? I'm kind of craving meat, but I'm not quite sure what kind."
"You should eat that." Elias nodded at the placenta, still resting on a nearby towel.
"What?! No! —Um, you can have it if you want, though?"
Elias huffed. "Your body needs the protein and iron, and that is what your body is craving. That's why even herbivores will eat the afterbirth. It's why Shannon left it here with us."
"Still..." Chise eyed the bloody lump doubtfully. It looked like nothing so much as a huge red chunk of cow's liver.
"Please. Try. If it doesn't sit right, Silky will bring you something else, I'm sure. But do try."
Her stomach rumbled. She really did crave some kind of rare, even raw meat. "Fine," she sighed in defeat, reaching for it.
As weird as it had made her feel, and as strange as the texture was, the warm flesh did fill her up and satisfy her craving completely. Elias carried her inside, still wrapped snugly in the blanket, and stood her in a shallow bath to quickly but thoroughly wash her off, towel her dry, and pull a new, soft flannel nightgown over her head, before gently gathering her up into his arms again, and carrying her upstairs into their bedroom.
Silky turned to greet them as they came in, an incandescent smile lighting her face, the baby cradled against her shoulder.
"Is she still asleep?" Chise whispered. Silky nodded slightly. Chise looked relieved. "I can take her if you want... Or do you want to keep her for a bit?"
The brownie stepped back slightly, and settled into the rocking chair.
"Bring her to me when she gets hungry, okay?"
Silky nodded briefly. Of course.
Chise climbed into bed, exhaustion finally catching up with her. Elias fussed about her, getting her settled and tucked in before getting into his pyjamas and settling in beside her. Chise fell almost instantly into a deep, dreamless sleep that lasted for what felt like at least five whole minutes before she woke to Silky's gentle hand on her shoulder. Their daughter was hungry again.
A/N: Elias is reading the opening lines to the Norwegian folk tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Engebretsen Moe.
Happy Yule, everyone! I know that after today it won't matter; but I'm pleased, considering that they started the whole venture on Beltane, to be able to post the birth chapter on the winter solstice.
Also, good lord, how did this get so long? It was supposed to be a fairly short piece, ha ha! Chapter 1: They decide to have kids. Chapter 2: They get ready. Chapter 3: Chise gets pregnant; Chapter 4: She gives birth. And here we are on Chapter 10, and it's not done yet! XD Can't believe how long it's taken me to get to this bit. Thanks for sticking with me! :D
SUMMARY: Chise gives birth. Everything went just fine, aside from the bit where Elias got panicky about his poor waifu, and had to be sent into the garden so he could flail about in his naga form in peace. Chise joins him there for the birth of their baby daughter. She's a tiny, fluffy, white version of Elias's quadruped form, although thankfully with 100% fewer thorny vines, and only nubs (so far) for horns. The new parents try to get some rest while Silky happily rocks the newest member of their family in the corner.