Dark Tide

Writers: Emma, Paula
Date Posted: 4th September 2006

Characters: Corowal, Miranek, Ofelia (NPC)
Description: Corowal's wife gives birth but the happy occassion turns into a tragedy
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 13, day 24 of Turn 3

Corowal squeezed encouragingly his wife's hand. Despite the bedrest, Ofelia's condition hadn't improved and Miranek had moved her to the infirmary, where she was under constant supervision. Her due date came and went pass and there was still no sign of imminent birth... Miranek had

finally decided (after talk with the Steward) to start the delivery. They were now waiting to see if the medication that should get the birth going would work. If it didn't, they would have to do a surgical delivery. Corowal

just wished that it didn't go to that.

"You know, this is first one of our children that's overdue," Corowal remarked. His voice was calm, almost absent but inside he was scared.

"Sometimes babes are like that. It doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong, just that they are making the most of those final few days to grow strong and healthy," reassured the Healer.

"Let's just hope the baby hasn't grown too big. She's not very large person," Corowal said with quiet voice. He didn't want to make her scared.

Ofelia groaned. Corowal was instantly alerted. "What is it?"

"A contraction, I believe," She replied.

"Then this babe will be making his or her appearance soon," said Miranek.
Outwardly calm, he did note that the medication had seemed to finally kick in and begin labour.

It still took almost two candlemarks before Ofelia's contractions were coming often enough and regularily to say she was in labour. She bit her lip, moaned and squeezed her husbands hand everytime a new contraction hit.

"I think things are progressing nicely, it won't be too much longer before the babe's here." Miranek had come back into the delivery room to check on them.

Corowal was relieved to see her labour progress normally.

However, Ofelia wasn't so optimistic. The headache she had been suffering from intensified. It became a blinding light of pure pain behind her eyes.

She whimpered.

"Ofelia," Miranek spoke to her. "I need you to tell me if the contractions change in anyway, if the pains get worse. The babe is nearly here and he or she will need your help."

"My head," Ofelia whimpered. Then her body sent her another kind of signal.
"Need...push," she panted thru gasps of breath.

"Go on, I can see the head."

"Courage my love, not long now," Corowal said and stroked her hair. Ofelia couldn't reply. Her all attention was in the need to get the baby out. She let out an animal growl and pushed with all her strenght. Somehow she knew

she was running out of time.

"One more big push," urged Miranek. "You can do it," with those words, he had the head in his hands. "Take a moment, deep breath and just a few more and we'll have your babe for you."

But Ofelia didn't have a moment. The pain in her head exploded. She give the one last push.
"Cor...I'm sorry, I didn't want to leave you like this..." she whispered.

"Ofelia! What's wrong?" Corowal was alarmed. Two things was happening at once. The baby was born and Ofelia's eyes rolled over and her body went into a convulsion.

Occupied as he was with the baby, Miranek knew that something really was wrong. He called straight away for the journeyman on duty to come and take the baby. Then he quickly cleansed his hands, but something was telling him

it was too late. Even so, he tried his hardest to stop the convulsions.

Corowal had to move aside to let the master healer do his work. He watched helplessly when his wife slipped away.

"Corowal," said Miranek softly. "I am so, so sorry. I'm afraid that she's gone." The healer's words were simple, and there was no easy way to break this news, it never, ever got easier.

"NOO!" Corowal's scream was filled with primal rage. He found a chair and took his rage into it, completely destroying it. Then he just stood still,

trembling, fighting to get his rage, denial, grief under controll.
"What happened? How's the baby?" His voice was now unnaturally calm. But the sorrow was there, visible in his eyes.

"You, you have a lovely little girl." Miranek told him, watching the initial grief work through. "She's beautiful, looks very healthy. As for your wife, I'm not sure yet what happened." The healer had a nasty feeling that it was

something they would not have been able to prevent, but how could he tell a grieving husband that, not now, when he had other children to think of.

Corowal just nodded. "Can I hold her?" he asked.

"Yes, I think she's all cleaned up now," Miranek gestured to the Journeyman he'd called in, hoping that was indeed the case.

A wrapped bundle was given to Corowal and he cradled it gently in his arms.
"Hello there, Wallia. You really had a bad start with life. What I'm going to with you?" The name had been agreed with Ofelia long time ago. A boy would have been Wallof.

"We'll be able to find you a milk mother for her, there were a few ladies who had their babies in the last sevenday or so who might be able to help."

"Can you keep her here day or two? Until I got things organized? I need to arrange the care for the older children too," Corowal asked. Erassa's name bopped into his mind. Didn't she nurse her baby? Maybe she could nurse

Wallia too.

"We can organise that," Miranek realised that right now there were probably many things going around in the Steward's mind. Having him take a new baby back was probably the last thing he wanted to do right now.

Corowal gave the baby back to the healer. "Good," he said gruffly. He glanced the sheet-covered form on the bed and turned away. "How I'm going to tell this to the children?"

"It'll be hard, but they will have to know."

"Yes, and her parents, my mother..." his shoulders slumped.

"Take all the time you need first," Miranek said softly. "Everyone will understand."

Last updated on the September 5th 2006

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Dark Tide