I'm still awaken when I hear the call and that's maybe which saves my life.
This last month I have had it hard to get asleep. Not that I don't feel like sleeping, because I could do it even standing on my feet, but now my tummy is so heavy I can't find a good position and when I do, often a kick from the creature inside me brings me back to vigil. So tonight I had been sewing and preparing some things for the little one and when I realized I was not going to sleep, I sneaked to the kitchen to find some smoked herrings to have a late dinner.
Kyle laughs at my appetite for strange things but I tell him that next time he should try and be the one to get pregnant. Funny enough I can't stand the sight of my beloved apple pies but salty and sour things are always catching my attention. And since tonight he's on duty, nothing prevents me from getting to the kitchen at a late hour and eat what I prefer. At least, he can't complain. Now I have hips. And breasts. And a big big belly with a pointy button.
I'm coming back from the kitchen when I hear the cries. Somebody is attacking the castle.
My first thought flies to Kyle. As I said, he's on duty tonight so he will be in the middle of the combat. I know he can take care of himself but anyway, I feel a chill in my back. As if his son had thought the same, I feel a kick inside my tummy again. I caress it and whisper some words. I don't know if he or she can hear me, but the kicking stops. He's due to come in a couple of weeks, and in this moment, it is not a reassuring idea.
My second thought, then, is to survive. I guess it is the logical outcome, now I have again somebody to protect. The castle is supposed to be safe, but if the enemy is inside, it can also be a trap. I know there must be secret passages somewhere, but I'm not leaving without Kyle. I come back to the room we share here, even if we have our home at the alienage. When he has to spend the night in the castle, Ryan agreed to set a room for me so I wasn't away from him, specially when the due date was near. I've already overcome the fear to sleep alone, since technically I'm not alone anymore, but I want him to be here when the baby arrives, because this makes me more afraid than all the dangers we're defeated together.
I look around for a place to hide and I see the wardrobe. Old memories come to me while I ponder the safety of hiding into it again. I can lock it from inside, and if it is a simple attack, I'm sure they will have more interesting places to loot that a simple wardrobe in a servant's room. And anyway, I can't think of a better place, so I jump into it. For once I'm happy I keep some long dresses in it, because I can hide behind them and not been noticed. I curl under a blanket and pray to wathever can hear me that they don't find me. I melt on the shadows, and I remember that night.
A sudden pain crosses my abdomen and I know what it means. "Oh, no!" I think. "Not now!".
Don't breath, because they can hear you. Don't sweat, because they can smell you.
But mom, you didn't have a creature kicking inside you when you taught us to do that. How can I stay silent, if he wants to get out? How can I not sweat, if I'm using all my strenght to control the pain?.
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The tall, darkhaired warrior hears the shouts and turns to his redhaired companion.
"An attack? How timely", he smirks. "Just tonight that Fergus depparted with most of the men".
The redhaired one looks around.
"Seems they're already inside. Someone has betrayed us".
The tall one stops suddenly. He looks back, and his green eyes seem to pierce the dark. "Mari", he whispers. His companion hears it.
"She's here, isn't she? Go for her. Kyle. I'll help in the Main Hall".
"No, Rory", Kyle shakes his head. "My duty is here. And I'm sure she can take care of herself".
But his friend knows his heart is broken in two.
"Nobody will blame you if you save her before joining the battle, bro. She's not only your wife, she'll be soon the mother of your son".
"Even so. Don't make it harder, Rory. I'm not leaving my post".
Ser Roland Gilmore shakes his redhaired head and curses his companion's stubborness between his teeth. On their way to the Main Hall they find some people fighting, some people dying, some people dead. Kyle recognizes the crest on some of the dead warriors uniforms and spits one name. "Howe". And they rush, fighting when necessary, to where they feel they're needed.
The Main Hall is a battlefield because the Howe men which were already in the castle have opened the main gates wide to allow their army in. Kyle and Rory rush to the battle trying to reach the gates and block them. The Teyrn is fighting with their men to secure them.
"Have you seen the Teryina and my son?", he asks, when he sees the young warriors approaching.
"No, milord", Rory admits. "I thought they'd be here with you"
"I told them to meet me here, but the situation is getting to hard for them. One of you should go to find them and lead them to the pantry's secret passage".
"It's you who should go", Kyle says. "Our duty is defending the castle".
"Look who talks", Rory mumbles, but suddenly an explosion makes all of them turn the attention to the door, where a mage has appeared. Kyle realizes the explosion has downed Lord Cousland and he rushes to assist him. The Teyrn is badly wounded, but there's no much that can be done during combat.
"You must go to the secret passage, milord", Kyle says to him while helping him to get up. "We'll tell the Lady and your son where you are if they come here".
Ser Bryce doesn't argue. His injuries are bad, but he's able to walk. Kyle helps him to the door and asks a couple of soldiers to assist him on his way. Then, he returns to the fight, under the disapproving look of his redhaired companion.
"You should have gone with him". But Kyle, stubborn as always, shakes his head. "He'll be safe", he says. "We need to wait here for Ryan and Lady Eleanor".
Ser Gilmore shakes his head and continues fighting. The mage is though to defeat and many man fall under his spells. Fortunatelly for them, a group of men get into the Hall through one of the side doors. They include a man, slightly older than them, a dog, and a mature woman in a fighting attire. The man greets them between sword blows, and soon together they kill the mage.
"Ryan! You're safe!", Ser Gilmore greets the man.
"What has happened?", Ryan asks.
"Howe has betrayed us. His men are besieging the castle", he replies.
"Where's Bryce?", asks the woman. "I though he'd be here"
"He went to the pantry", Rory says. "He said you should join him there, there is a secret passage you can use"
Ryan shakes his head. "What about you?"
"We'll stay here guarding the doors. The more we resist, the more time you'll have to escape"
Suddenly Ryan notices the tall warrior besides Rory.
"What are you doing here, Kyle? Go and fetch your wife!"
"My place is here, Ryan. I'm on duty tonight"
"Your place, my ass!" shouts Ryan. "Your wife is pregnant! Go and save her!"
Rory nods. "That's what I say to him, but he's too stubborn"
"She can take care of herself", Kyle says, not very convinced. "And you'll need all the help I can provide"
"One man won't make any difference, Kyle. Go with them".
"But… they surely wouldn't harm her? She's pregnant!"
Lady Cousland steps ahead and slaps him in the face even if she has to tiptoe to do that. Her eyes are full of tears.
"Those bastards killed little Oren, Kyle. What do you think they'd to to a pregnant elf?? Go and save her! If you rush, you may meet us at the pantry's passage"
Kyle touches his cheek still shocked by the woman's reaction and slowly, seems to understand. She's not safe. Wherever she is, she, and her baby, will die, or even worse, if the Howe men find her. And when he realizes it, he understands there's only one thing he can do.
Kyle runs out of the Hall, almost forgetting there are still enemies to be defeated, charging against and running over them on his way to the side door. Runs to the servants quarters, saying under his breath a single name, "Mari", like a prayer, and reminding that other night, the night he arrived too late.
___________________
I'm silent, mother, I'm silent. But my baby doesn't agree, and he's kicking, and moving, and sometimes I feel he's going to tear my flesh appart to get out of my body himself, because the space is now small for him, and he needs to breathe. I bite my lips to avoid screaming, and I think I'm drooling when I feel a taste of iron and I realize it's my own blood runing down my chin.
I try not to move, but the pain is growing, and I need to change my position from time to time to be able to cope with it. I'm covered in clothes and blankets, so if anybody opens the wardrobe there's a chance that they don't look further… Men never are interested on women's clothes, specially if they're poor servant's ones.
I hear noises in the room and I freeze. I had not used the bed, so I hope they think this is an empty room and not take a lot of time searching it. I hold my breath. I hear voices.
"Nothing here?"
"No. A pity, I wouldn't have minded to find a couple of elven bitches"
"You always thinking the same"
"Yeah. Sure. What do you think I signed for? The pay? The adventure?"
The voices laugh. I count two…. No, three men. Scavengers. Probably searching for loot now this part of the castle is silent. Don't even think, Mari. Your thoughts can betray you. A sigh, a sudden movement. Anything.
And the sudden movement happens, because I feel another stab of pain in my belly when a contraction arrives. I have felt some before but none as strong as this one and I know what this mean: the baby is coming. It is too soon, it is not the moment, but he has felt my fear and wants to run away too. It surprises me and I moan. And I know it has been a mistake, becaue the voices out there are now silent.
I stop breathing again, while I hear only the beating of my heart. Finally, I hear steps. Coming towards the wardrobe. I'm lost and I know it. Me and my baby. I didn't bring a knife with me. But I won't surrender without fighting. Just wait, my little one. Let me fight for you, and you'll have time to see the world after that.
I locked the wardrobe from the inside, like that last time, but I know it won't be a nuissance for those men. The handle moves, the door rattle. The man curses under his breath, and a second one says "Move away". A loud thud, and the blade of a two handed sword shines through an open hole in the wardrobe's doors. I cover my head with the blankets, but these are not children ghosts. That won't make them go away.
A few hits after, and a hand gets into the wardrobe looking for the bar which blocks it. I step back trying not to be touched, but I know it will be useless. But before the doors are opened, the hand disappears and I hear again fighting sounds. I take a chance and peer through the hole.
And I sigh of relief and thank the maker.
Here he is… My Kyle, my knight in shining armor, fighting his way to me through those bastards. I have the feeling that going out is safe now and I finish the work the hand did… falling shamelessly to the floor because after all this time into the wardrobe, my legs don't support me anymore. I crawl to a safe place, and when I see one of the soldiers down on the floor, I get his sword and point out with it, just to let anyone know that coming to get me can be dangerous… or at least, painful. Kyle just fights. I can see his rage and as always I feel a mix of fear and pride. He's a killing machine… and he's doing it for me.
When the last of the three men in the room falls lifeless on the ground, Kyle turns his head and looks at the pityful mess of hair and sweat and clothes I am. He's covered in blood and I pray that it is not his, and for a moment I smile… . He thinks I'm crazy when I say I find him sexy that way, but his green eyes shining through his enemies blood always makes me feel excited. But my smile changes into a grimace as soon as another contraction makes me fold in two.
Kyle realizes my pain and reacts swiftly, taking me in his arms and craddling me like a baby. He softly kisses my face, my tears, my sweat, and I realize I have been crying. I hold onto his neck and whisper
"The baby. It's coming".
I see his eyes widening with terror.
"You can't bear him here".
"Tell me something I don't know", I scowl while feeling another contraction.
"There's a secret passage", he says. "Can you make it to the pantry?"
"Is here another option?". I get up with my remaining strenght, and I lean on Kyle's reassuring armored presence to walk, as fast as we can, to the near kitchen. At least the servant's dependences are close enough to trust we won't have more unpleasant encounters.
We arrive to the pantry, Kyle carrying me like a baby, because the contractions are so painful I can hardly walk. The door is blocked from inside and I feel a moment of panic, but he just leaves me sitting against the wall and charges with all his strenght. He still surprises me, when he leaves the rage take control, he can do things I can't imagine. After a few blows, the door falls down… and a blade points directly to his heart.
"Lady Eleanor!", he shouts. "It's me, Kyle!".
The woman lowers her sword.
"Kyle? Maker's breath, I almost kill you! I thought you were one of Howe's men!"
"I'm here with Mari. Please, let us use the secret passage!"
Lady Cousland nods. "Ryan has already gone, with that Grey Warden… If you rush maybe you can reach them…"
I walk slowly to meet them. Each step is painful, the baby is demanding to go out, but I resist as much as I can. Lady Eleanor gasps.
"Is she…?"
"Lady Eleanor, please", I beg. "Help us… the baby… all this has rushed everything"
The Teryna covers her mouth and makes me enter the pantry. Kyle is trying to put the door again in place, to give us a bit more time. I see a body in the ground. It's the Teyrn, Ser Bryce. He's dead.
Lady Eleanor follows my glance and lowers her head. No words are needed, though I can whisper "I'm sorry" before another contraction takes my breath away. Suddenly, I feel something wet between my legs and I gasp. "Oh, no!"
The Teryna has seen it too. "Andraste's sake!! The baby's coming now!"
She hurries and opens the secret passage for us. "Hurry, go out there. You can't bear him here!"
"Lady Eleanor", I beg. "I'm afraid. It… it hurts so much!". I wish Lauren was here. I'm sure she would know what to do.
Lady Eleanor seems torn. "You're so young… and Kyle won't be of much help, will he?". Kyle shakes his head, ashamed. This is too much for him. He can face an entire army of enemies, but the miracle of life is still an enigma to him.
What a couple we are. I can't say a word, I'm bitting my lips trying to control the pain, and Kyle just doesn't know what to say, because he's never been the talkative type. I just beg at Lady Eleanor with my eyes. She looks at her husband's corpse and mumbles "Bryce"…
"He's already dead, milady", Kyle finally manages to say. "And I'm sure he will prefer to see you alive than dying alone…"
She's got tears in her eyes. She looks from her dead husband to me, and I can understand her pain… If Kyle was dead, I'd have it hard to leave him behind too. But me, now, I have something else to fight for. And she knows it, because she's a mother too. She finally makes her mind up.
"All right. I'm not going to let your baby die. I… I can't do anything for Bryce, but I can do it for you… like… like when little Oren was born…"
She kisses her dead husband's lips one last time, while whispering "Forgive me", and gets up. Kyle is nervous blocking the door; after having knocked it down, it won't resist another attack from outside. Lady Cousland takes me by my shoulders and leads me to the passage. Kyle rushes behind us and blocks it from inside. We were lucky Ryan didn't block it when he used it, I guess he still hoped we would arrive. We walk some meters, but I can't resist anymore. I can feel the baby making his path through my hips. I need to sit down. I need to help him out.
____________
After a few eternal minutes in which I swear Kyle wouldn't lay his hands on me ever again, I hear a baby's cry and I know everything is over. Lady Eleanor hands me a small figure wrapped in the dirty blanket I've been dragging around since I got out of the wardrobe, and suddenly all my pain, all my concerns, disappear when I see his tiny face, his dark hair and his rounded ears… Rounded ears. He's a shem. Funny enough, that's my very first thought, but I don't mind. I know nothing will matter now, nothing except this baby's happiness.
"He's a boy", Kyle says, all pride in his voice.
"He's a miracle", Lady Eleanor adds, smiling for the first time, and while looking at him, such a tiny sparkle of life amongst all this death and darkness, I can't but agree. A miracle, indeed.
Bonus:
