~7 months later...December 21st, 1822...3:33 am.~
Iduna's POV
I had gone to bed around 9:00 the previous evening. I was officially 9 months pregnant, and I needed all the sleep I could get in preparation for the big event. I had been sleeping pretty well up to that point, with only minor discomfort. That all changed a moment later, however, when I was jolted awake by a sharp pain, followed by what felt like something dripping down my legs. I slowly sat up, looking over at Agnarr, who was sleeping peacefully beside me. He had been working so hard lately, and I wanted nothing more than to just let him sleep. My body had other plans though, as just then, another pain shot through me. I may not have wanted to wake him up, but I had no choice. It had to be done...NOW. I leaned in close, my mouth mere inches from his ear.
"Agnarr..." I whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Agnarr darling, this is it. Our baby is coming."It's time."
Agnarr's POV
I felt Iduna sit up in bed, but I was just so tired at that point, nothing could have woken me up. That's what I thought, at least until a few minutes later, when she leaned in close, laid a hand on my shoulder, and softly whispered in my ear "our baby is coming."
That was all I needed to hear as I, now very much awake, hurried over to her side of the bed. I offered a hand, which she willingly took, as I gently helped her up off the bed. As she stood up, another pain gripped her. She leaned over a little, bracing herself against both me and the bed, breathing slowly until it had passed. Once it was over, I spoke.
"Iduna, I'm going to go find Gerda, and ask her to fetch the midwife. Do think you can manage without me for a few minutes?"
She nodded. "Yes, but hurry back."
"I'll be back before you even realize I was gone." I leaned in, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "I love you."
"I love you, too." She returned the kiss, and then watched as I opened the door and walked out, closing it behind me.
Entering the hallway, I looked around frantically, before finally spotting Gerda. "Gerda!"
She looked up, and upon seeing me, immediately hurried over, bowing as she approached. "What is it, your Majesty?"
"It's the Queen. She went into labor about an hour ago. I need you to grab a clean set of sheets, and then run and get the midwife! Hurry!"
"Yes, your Majesty." She bowed once more, before running back down the hall in the direction she'd come. Once she was out of sight, I immediately headed back to our room. I had only been gone a few minutes, but I couldn't bear to be away from my sweet Iduna for one more minute. I had my hand on the handle of the door, more than ready to rejoin my wife, when all of a sudden, I heard an agonizing cry from the other side. "Iduna!"
Iduna's POV
Not realizing that Agnarr was on the other side of the door, I let out another pained cry, as another contraction washed over my body. I placed my hand on my belly and began taking slow, deep breathes, wishing for nothing more in that moment than to have my dear Agnarr there beside me. Just then, the door opened, and he rushed in, a look of concern and worry written all over his handsome features.
"Iduna! I'm here, my love. Just breathe." He took my hand in his, pushing some hair out of my face, before placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I'm not going anywhere." I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he really meant it; knowing that that there was nothing anyone could do to stop him from being there for this birth, or the births of any future children.
Just then, the door burst open, and in ran Gerda, with the midwife and her assistants right behind her. I was immediately helped over, and onto the bed. Agnarr sat next to me on one side of the bed, holding one hand, with Gerda on the other side, holding the other. The midwife herself sat down at the foot of the bed, lifting the sheet. After a moment or two, she looked back up.
"Everything looks good, but I think it's still going to be a while. I would say maybe another 3 hours, at least."
Three hours, I thought, it's been 3 hours already. How could I possibly endure another 3 agonizing hours of this? I'm practically at my wit's end already. Right then, another contraction tore through me, this one stronger than the last. I tightly squeezed the hands of both Gerda and my husband. As I slowly breathed through this particular contraction, sweat dripping down my face, I gazed up at Agnarr, his gorgeous green eyes instantly locking onto my blue ones, and we both smiled. Yes, I still had a ways to go, but with him by my side, I knew I could do anything, and that all this pain would be more than worth it in the end.
Agnarr's POV
As I sat at Iduna's bedside, I lovingly stroked her forehead, watching this strong, determined, beautiful wife of mine work so hard to bring our first child into the world, a feeling of nervous anticipation washing over me. Suddenly, her hand clamped down tightly on mine, signalling the start of yet another contraction. I helped her breathe through it, just as I had with all the others. Not too much longer now, I kept telling myself. Not too much longer now.
Iduna's POV
By now it had been about 2 1/2 hours since I had last been checked. The contractions were starting to come more frequently now, and, although I couldn't quite explain it, something just felt different about this particular one. Somehow, through my tired, bleary eyes, I could just make out the midwife, once again taking her place at the foot of the bed, and lifting up the sheet. She looked up and smiled.
"Congratulations your Majesties, it looks like this child is finally ready to meet you."
In that moment, I looked over at Agnarr, my blue eyes and his green eyes coming together, wide with excitement and anticipation. He leaned over, brushing strands of hair out of my face as he placed the softest kiss on my forehead. As he sat back upright, I could see unshed tears threatening to spill out of his eyes, much like mine were. We were positively beaming.
This was it. We were moments away from welcoming this little life that we had created, this symbol of the great love we shared for one another. Yes, everything was about to change, life as we knew it was about to change, but we wouldn' t have had it any other way.
Agnarr's POV
Taking Iduna's left hand in my own, I lifted it up to my lips and kissed it, then leaned down and whispered something in her ear that only she could hear.
"You can do this. I know you can. You're the strongest woman I've ever known, and I love you so much." I stood up, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze as I took my rightful place next to her.
The midwife looked up from her place at the foot of the bed, and smiled.
"Alright, your Majesty, now as soon as you feel a contraction starting, I want you to give me a good strong push. Can you do that for me?"
I watched Iduna nod her head in reply. A moment later, I could feel her hand squeeze mine tightly, breathing slowly through the contraction as she pushed down with all her might. As it ended, her body relaxed, her grip on my hand lessening.
"Very good, your Majesty. Let's do that same thing again now."
Once again, her hand tightened around mine, and her body pushed down hard as another contraction washed over her. As it ended, she again relaxed.
She looked over at me and smiled. I smiled back, pushing hair out of her face, as I placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
" I love you, Iduna, and I'll never tire of saying it. I'm so proud of you. You're almost there, my love."
The midwife nodded her head in agreement. "He's right, you're almost there. Just one more push, and the head will be born."
As another contraction gripped her body, her hold on my hand tightened, and she pushed even harder, screaming in agony as the head crowned, before finally sliding out completely.
The midwife looked up. "Now then, your Majesty, the head is out. Just two more good, strong pushes. Can you do that for me?"
I watched my beautiful wife, tired as she was, simply nod in reply. As another contraction hit, the pressure on my hand increased, as she pushed yet again. As it ended, her body relaxed as she fell back against the pillows, trying to catch her breath.
"Alright, we've got the baby out to the shoulders. Just one more big push, and you two will be parents. Are you ready?"
She nodded again, gathering up any strength she had left, ready to push one final time. As the contraction washed over her, she gripped my hand, squeezing it tight, as she began to push. All of a sudden, though, she stopped and looked over at me, eyes threatening to close from sheer tiredness, unshed tears rimming her eyes.
"I can't push anymore, Agnarr, I just can't. I know I need to to, but I just can't."
I leaned in close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, as I placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and whispered in her ear.
"Yes you can, Iduna. You are the strongest woman I've ever known. Just one more push, and we'll have our baby. I love you so much, my darling."
Even as I said those words, something about her demeanor changed, and a look of utter determination flashed across her face. She took my hand in hers, and as soon as another contraction hit, she squeezed my hand so tight, and pushed with all the strength she had left. A few seconds later, the most beautiful sound we had ever heard rang out, the sound we had been longing to hear. After 9 months and 6 long, very painful hours on behalf on my wife, our first child and heir to the throne of Arendelle, had finally arrived.
Iduna's POV
I collapsed back against the pillows, utterly exhausted, but at the same time, thrilled beyond my wildest dreams.
I looked down at the midwife, still sitting at the foot of the bed. She looked up at me, and smiled.
"Congratulations, your Majesties. You have a very healthy little..." I stopped her before she could finish.
"Actually," I looked up at my husband, and smiled. "I want Agnarr to tell me."
"Very well, then." She looked over at him. "Your Majesty, the honor is all yours."
He nodded, taking my hand in both of his and kissing it, before heading down to the foot of the bed. As he gazed down at our baby, I could see tears begin to fall from his beautiful, leaf green eyes. Through his tears, he looked up at me with the biggest smile on his face.
Agnarr's POV
I looked up into the waiting eyes of my beautiful wife, and now mother of my child, knowing she was just as anxious as I to find out what we had. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, opened them, and spoke.
"We have a daughter." I told her, choking back tears. "We have a beautiful, healthy, perfect little girl, our little princess."
I walked back over to Iduna, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her. Reaching out a hand, I gently tiilted her chin up, till her beautiful piercing blue eyes met my own, both of our faces now stained with tears of happiness. We leaned in and shared a kiss as we anxiously waited to meet our new baby girl, our little princess, for the first time.
As new parents, it had felt like forever before we finally noticed the midwife heading in our direction with a small pink bundle. Approaching the bed, she leaned over and gently placed our still crying little girl into Iduna's waiting arms.
We each took one of her tiny hands in our own, marveling at how small they really were; at how small she really was. Then her eyes fluttered open, revealing them to be the most mesmerizing, piercing shade of blue, much like those of her mother when I had first laid eyes on her all those years earlier. We each took turns placing the most delicate of kisses on her tiny little forehead.
"Look at what we made. Isn't she just the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?"
"Why wouldn't she be, when you she has the most beautiful woman in the world as her mother?"
She smiled up at me, softly caressing my face with her one free hand. We looked down at our now sleeping little princess, and smiled, silently watching her for a moment or two, before I spoke again.
"May I hold her now?" A small laugh escaped her lip.
"Why do you even need to ask? Of course you can. You are her father, after all."
I stood up, leaning over the bed, as Iduna handed our daughter over to me, careful not to wake her up in the process.
I began walking around the room, gazing in awe at this precious little girl now cradled in my arms. I just couldn't believe that she was really ours; that through the enduring love we had for one another, we had created this tiny, perfect little person.
Suddenly, she started to move, and her little eyes fluttered open. I leaned my head down close to hers.
"Hello, my love." I whispered, beaming down at her. I lightly caressed her cheek, tears falling freely from my eyes as her tiny little hand reached out and grabbed ahold of my finger. "I'm your Papa. Welcome to the world, sweetheart."
Iduna's POV
I just couldn't stop smiling as I watched Agnarr bonding with our newborn daughter. He had always dreamed of being a father, and it truly warmed my heart to know that I was the one who had made that wish come true.
"Looks like we've got a daddy's girl on our hands. So young, and she's already got you wrapped around her tiny little finger." We shared a loving smile as he walked back over to me.
"I know, and I wouldn't want it any other way." He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, as he lay her back in my arms.
"You know," he said, sitting down on the bed next to me, lightly brushing a finger across our daughter's delicate cheek, "this little princess of ours still needs a name."
"She certainly does, and I think I may have just decided on the perfect one. Do you remember, about 10 years ago, when I first came to the castle, and you were showing me portraits of some of your relatives?"
He smiled. "Of course I do. How could I possibly forget? I was telling you about my great-great-great grandfather, Eric and my great grandmother, Else. I wasn't sure you were even listening to me at the time." A small laugh escaped his lips. "What does that have to do with our daughter's name, though?" he asked, a puzzled look on his face.
I smiled. "What if we name her after your great grandmother, but just change the last letter to an a? What if we name her Elsa?"
"Elsa...Princess Elsa of Arendelle...Queen Elsa of Arendelle." he mused aloud. "I think it's beautiful; it was a beautiful name for my great grandmother back then, and it's a beautiful name for our little girl now."
As we leaned in for a kiss, Elsa, who was essentially caught in the middle, began to stir, reaching both of her little arms out in Agnarr's direction.
"Well, it looks like someone wants their daddy back." I gave Elsa a sweet kiss on her cheek, before gently placing her back in father's arms. I watched as he walked over to the doors leading to our balcony, opening them with one hand, while protectively cradling Elsa in the other. I watched him as he held her in his arms, proudly showing her the kingdom that would one day be hers, and her as she looked up innocently at her daddy, her Papa. In that moment, I didn't care about anything else. I finally had a family, a family I could call my own. This was something I had always wanted, had always dreamed of.
When I had first come to Arendelle as a lonely, orphaned 12 year old all those years ago, I could have never dreamed that my life would change as much as it has, but now? Now, I couldn't imagine it any other way.
