Those Violet Eyes

It's Time

Note: this chapter is about labour and all its glory, so if you don't want to read this just skip this one  

It's 5 am and I'm pacing around my bedroom. I am dying to call everyone but I haven't just in case it’s a false alarm, I still have just over a week till my due date. The pain has been coming and going for just over an hour, and it's really starting to get bad. I'm just turning around to start the next lap of my bedroom when I feel a pop, then feel water running down my leg. 

"s**t!" I say aloud making my way to the shower, picking up my phone on my way. I start writing a group text as the next contraction starts. I have to hold onto the door frame to stop myself from falling. Counting as the contraction builds like a rollercoaster I just can't get off. Just when I think I can't take it anymore it starts to ease. When I can breathe again, I finish the text hit send, before making my way into the shower. I am in there for an hour when I hear cars pulling up outside. So glad they are here to help talk me through this. Car doors bang closed and I can hear them all bickering about what they should be doing. I laugh to myself a little between the pains. Managing to wrap myself in a towel and walk out of the bathroom as they all come down the hall. 

"Hey, guys, who wants to go to a movie?” I pretend to act cool. They all give me the eyebrow and I laugh through the pain again. No one is impressed by my joke when they see my pain and run to me. 

"I'm ok, just can someone please get the birthing ball for me. I need to sit for a while" Flipping my hand in the air, waving off their questions. Trying to make my way back to the bedroom. I lean my arms down on the bed and move my hips from side to side as another contraction starts to build. Doing as I've done with all the other, picturing my rollercoaster going up, building till it feels like I can't take it anymore before it starts to feel like I'm going down the other side. With that one done I can now look around the room. The birthing ball is right next to me, though all my friends are as far away from me as they can get in this little room. Looks of shock and panic on all their faces. I almost feel sorry for them. I reach back to move the ball but it keeps rolling away from me. Lee runs over to help me with it. 

"How long has this been going for?" He asked very quietly not making eye contact. 

"Almost three hours" I manage as I sit down on the ball. It feels so good to be off my feet for a minute 

"How long does it normally last” Lexie looks like she has seen a ghost as she asks. 

"It can last days sometimes" they all took in a shape breath 

"You have to do THAT for days?” Charlotte looked like her heart was breaking. Holding up one finger to tell them to give me a minute, another big contraction rolled over me. When it was done, the pain was easing, I looked at Charlotte again and explained. 

"I don't think this is going to last for days, maybe a few more hours but not days"  

"What do you need us to do?" Ashlyn asked now stepping forward. 

"Just talk to me between the contractions. Rub my lower back. Maybe get me a glass of water with a straw, I'm kinda thirsty" This is what they needed, they all jumped into action. The next hour was hard work, yet now I could feel things were changing. It was almost time. When my next contraction ended, I asked Lee if he could go start the bath for me. I hadn't planned on getting in the bath, though something told me to do it and do it now. Five contractions later he was back to say the bath was ready. I had the girls help me up. It took two more contractions to get across the hallway to the bathroom, and another two to get me into the bath. But once I was in, I was so grateful. It felt wonderful. Some of the weight was lifted from me, the warmth of it helped to soothe my achy body. After another hour of contractions than I knew it was time. Time the real work begins. My friends all sit just outside the bathroom. Giving me space, but still close enough to run in if I called them. Now I have to push this baby out. As I felt the next contraction build, instead of letting it build to its peak I pushed with all my might. Down and out as hard as I can. There was almost a sense of relief in pushing, now I had something to do, something I had control over. I was going to give it everything. With each one I took in a deep breath and pushed down, counting to ten in my head, before taking in another breath and starting again. It wasn't long before I began to feel a burning feeling as I pushed, reaching my hand down between my legs I touched myself. It wasn't me that I felt, but the top of a little head. I cried with joy that we were almost there.  Just a little longer and I would be holding my baby in my arms. I push with all my might for as long as I could. Pushed through the burning till I felt a small pop. The head was out and it felt amazing. Reaching down as I pushed again, I could feel the shoulders coming. First the left, then the right. When I could get my hands under the babies' arms, I pulled as I pushed and like a shot the baby was out. Pulling the baby up out of the water and onto my chest. I cried so hard just holding my baby to me, we have done it little one. Looking down at my baby waiting to hear a cry, but it doesn’t, this little person just looks up at me with a pair of violet eyes so beautiful they break my heart and heal it all at the same time.  

"You did it!" I’m startled by the voice in the doorway, my jump makes the baby cry for the first time, what a magical sound. Lexie covers her mouth with her hand, and I just smile up at her 

"I'm so sorry" She whispers bring me a towel to put over the baby to keep it warm. She sits next to the bath, just looking at the tiny person in my arms. As I lay the towel over us both still resting in the tub. I notice Lexie wiping a tear that had escaped her and smile at her. 

"Is it a girl or boy?" She asks running her finger along the babies' soft swollen cheeks. I can't believe I hadn't even checked. I was just so content feeling my child on my chest. 

"It doesn't matter what it is, it's the most beautiful baby I have ever seen," Lexie tells herself, and I laugh a little at this. 

"It's the only newborn you have ever seen" I remind her 

"I don't have to have seen lots of babies to know this one is different" She answers me very matter of fact-ly, but never taking her eyes off my little bundle. Just then I feel another pain building in my tummy. It must have shown in my face because Lexie started to panic. 

"Are you ok, oh no somethings gone wrong hasn't it" the look of terror on her face was real.  

"No Lex it's just the afterbirth coming" I explain to her through the pain. 

"The what, dear god to you have to birth something else as well?" Her nose wrinkled as it dawned on her 

"Yes, I still have to birth the placenta" I laugh a little through the pain. Ten minutes later and the placenta was out and the bath had turned blood red, it was time to get out. With my baby still nestled against my chest, I slowly made my way to the bedroom where my friends had set up the bed so I could just slide right in. Once in and comfortable I could feel my baby starting to wriggle in my arms, moving up to my breast. I didn't have to do anything, my baby just knows what to do. There was a small sting as the baby started to suck, pulling my milk out. At the same time, I could feel my uterus contracting back down. With every suck from the baby my uterus contracted, it took a moment to get my head around the sensations. We stayed like this for a long time, my friends coming and softly cooing over the baby or kissing my forehead. There was an amazing amount of love in the room, though my heart still knew there was someone missing. He should have been here for this, to see his child come into our world. I shed a tear for what could have been. All of a sudden, I felt my breast release from a tiny mouth, looking down my beautiful baby was sound asleep, mouth still a little open. My heart couldn't be happier than it was right now looking at this tiny face. I lift the blanket that is covering us both and have a quick look down, I can't help the smile that forms on my face.  

"Tell us, do we have a niece or nephew?” Ashlyn spotted what I was doing as she walked back into the room 

"Nephew" I beam and she has to cover her mouth so as not to wake the baby. 

One Hour ago – Somewhere 

Arwen 

"You man over there, head out to the Eastern bays, make sure the townspeople don't need anything" I command, the men nod and turn quickly to follow their prince's orders. Just then I double over as a number of sharp pains run through me. Dropping to my knees, one hand on my stomach, the other arm holding myself up off the ground. My second in command reaches down to help. 

"Are you ok my lord?” Edrahil has never seen me falter like this, not even in battle. What could have happened? 

"I'm Ok, Edrahil. I just need to take some air. Can you finish giving the men their orders" I tell him as I stand back up to full height. He nods still looking concerned, as I walk away. 

Minutes later I get to my room closing the door before I lay down on my bed. Something isn't right, I have never been ill before or had pains like this. I close my eyes and try to focus on where the pain is coming from. It feels like it's my heart and my gut at the same time. The pain is coming in waves, building then fading. Just as it becomes unbearable, the flashes start. Flashes of Everly in a bath. Why is she in the bath? I would give anything to be there with her. She is in pain and it's building, just like mine. It dawns on me, that must be it. I am feeling her pain as she feels it, although somehow, she looks like she is in control of the pain at the same time. She has never looked so beautiful to me than in this moment. She lets out one last big cry, then from out of the water she pulls up a tiny child. Holding it close to her chest she sits back in the bath. All of a sudden, the pain in my gut is gone, but the pain in my heart is still there as I continue to get flashes of Everly and my child. I must get back to them but how? Maybe the ancients will help?