New Life Begins (1/2)

Writers: Jane, Kaysea, Vix
Date Posted: 13th July 2008

Characters: Tayette, Hartam, Teene, Geni, Edabor
Description: Tayette and Hartam's twins arrive with the help of Geni & Edabor
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 10, day 26 of Turn 4
Notes: This story describes, somewhat graphically, the problem birth
of a baby. Read with caution.

The niggling pain in her back had grown throughout the day, from a dull ache this morning before Hartam left for the Tavern, to a sharp clasping pain this afternoon. She had barely moved all day, only enough to replace the warm coals in the warming pan, but now, she was beginning to feel anxious. Was this the start of her labour? One part of her hoped so, the other wasn't so sure.

She had managed to rise from the bed, and drag her cloak around her, but Hartam wasn't due home today - this was her day for sending him his luncheon from the Hall and the only way she could do that - or send a message to him - was if she made her way down to the dining hall. Binta wouldn't call in to see her for another candlemark or more.

A sharp pain grabbed at her again as she opened the door to the quarters. She clasped the handle tightly and breathed slowly through the pain - this had to be a real contraction - surely. A small moan emitted from her, as she pulled the door closed. She walked slowly, her hands holding the bottom of her large belly as she walked down the hallway towards the staircase.

~*~

Geni had been visiting with Hardnan in his rooms. The old, almost blind journeyman was nearing the end, but he still enjoyed company occasionally, and today she had taken his luncheon as well as the latest news of the crops. She was on her way back down to the dining hall when she heard a woman moaning. Hurrying quickly to the staircase, she could see a huddled figure halfway down the stairs, sitting on a step sobbing and moaning at the same time. She took the steps two at a time, and then drew close, recognizing Tayette, the Harpers wife.

Laying a hand on her shoulder, she stepped around the hunched figure and onto the step below. It didn't take her more than a moment to realize what had happened. The darkening stain on the staircase proof of Tayette's labour. "Stay here, I'll get help."

~*~

Edabor didn't rush anywhere, these days. He was walking slowly out of the main building of the Vintner Hall, admiring the fittings of the former abode of the Techniciancraft. There were some wonderful things in the world, he thought as he walked. All mysteries to him, mind.

"Help! Edabor - we need a healer!" Relief swept over Geni as she spotted the healer leaving the main building. She waved from the accommodation block to attract his attention. She could still hear a low moan from the staircase behind her, and hoped the healer would act quickly - with a twin birth imminent it would test their metal.

"Coming!" Edabor didn't move as fast as he used to so there was no sprinting off to see what the Hallmaster's wife wanted, but he did hurry. "Now, Geni," he said as he approached her, "what's the problem?"

"It's the Harpers wife - Tayette? She's in labour - on the staircase." as she was talking she hurried back to the staircase. "If you could help her, I'll go and summon some drudges to help us get her back to her room, and also send a message to the harper."

"The twins?" Edabor hurried a little faster. "Has she fallen? Is she hurt?"

"I don't think so..." she hurried further up the staircase, she could hear heavy breathing and new Tayette was going through another contraction, "but her waters have broken." She turned the corner and saw the woman in question ahead.

The healer nodded. "You get those drudges," he murmured to the Hallmaster's wife before greeting the other woman. "I hear your babies are keen to put in an appearance, Tayette."

"Uhuh." she nodded, her hands gripping her skirts tightly, she could do no more. "Har... Hartam." she panted.

"I'll see that he's brought up immediately. Don't you worry about him." Geni reassured her. "I'll be back shortly, I have to get some more help, but Edabor here, will help you and coach you through the pains."

With another nod, Tayette panted through the rest of the contraction.

As the contraction eased Edabor asked: "You didn't fall, did you? Didn't hurt yourself?"

"No..." she shook her head in reply, "I was going to get some help, but the pains, they became so strong..." she panted as the contractions eased a little. "They're getting so strong, so fast - is this normal?" she asked, not sure if she were like other women.

~*~

Geni hadn't wasted time when she left the pair on the stairs. Two drudges were sent immediately to help the healer return Tayette to her rooms, and Geni decided she would inform the Harper herself. She didn't want some incompetent drudge blurting the news to all who would listen in the Tavern - nor did she want the Harper panicking.

She opened the door to the Tavern and was surprised at the amount of light that filled the normally darkened room. All windows coverings were pulled back and the room actually looked less pokey than usual, making it easier to find the Harper sitting in his usual alcove.

"Hartam..." she called, smiling - not wishing to alarm him.

He glanced up from the slip of paper he had been frowning over, a song that kept running through his mind and deserved a note to look further into it later. He smiled as he recognized the woman. "The Hallmaster's wife. . ." He put on a sad face. "I don't suppose that you're bringing me a special new wine to sample?"

"Er, no. No wine at the moment." she said, slipping into the seat opposite him."I don't want you to panic, but Tayette is in labour." she said quietly. There was no time for her to deliver the message in more coached words, he needed to get back to their rooms, but she didn't want to alarm him. "She's being taken back to your quarters right now, and a healer is with her." she assured him as she rose from the table again.

It took a moment for the words to sink in little time for the harper to react. He rose to his feet and headed for the door, his song and the Hallmaster's wife forgotten.

~*~

"Twins are always different," Edabor assured Tayette. "Look, here's some help to get you back to your room. The last thing we want is for you to fall and hurt yourself or the babies, so we'll wait until the next contraction has passed and then we'll help you onto your feet."

She gasped again as another pain ripped through her abdomen. She flapped her hand as the nearest drudge tried to manouver around her, shaking her head and puffing ferociously at him. The pains were becoming almost unbearable - she was having a hard time keeping her moaning to a minimum, but with the small crowd of spectators growing, she felt the need to maintain some dignity - despite the pain.

Finally the pain began to fade to a ull ache in her lower back and she reached out to the drudge again. "Quickly, please?" she asked.

Edabor led the three of them to the room the woman shared with her husband, the journeyman harper who worked at the Tavern. "Do you want to lay down, Tayette? Or would you like to stay on your feet?"

"Just let me rest a moment -" she gasped as yet another pain stretched through her. Her hands gripped the edge of the bed tightly, and she could feel the sweat break across her brow as she panted her way through the worst of the contraction.

Hartam entered in mid-contraction and paused in the doorway, shocked by the sight of his wife. The pain was evident upon her face, both in her expression and in the sweat upon her. He could see the rippling of her muscles as he glanced at her stomach and could only imagine the struggle within her to produce that result. As her expression relaxed, he moved tentatively toward her. "Tayette? What. . . what can I do for you?"

"Hartam!" she reached out for him, tears springing to her eyes. Her breathing slowed again, as the pain eased, but it didn't disappear altogether and by he time she had his hand in hers, the pain was upon her again, even more intense than before. She eased herself off the bed, and squatted by the side, the pain in her back easing a little. Panting hard, she clamped her hands around Hartam's squeezing tightly, but her eyes didn't leave his while she concentrated on her breathing.

He kept his eyes on hers, breathing with her but uncertain how to feel about any of this. He had to admire her courage, the way she kept going through the obvious pain. And yet he was terrified, seeing her in this state, and wondering if she shouldn't be in bed and being checked over by the healer. At that thought, he broke eye contact and looked to the other man, wondering why he wasn't doing more for the laboring woman.

"We'll make her comfortable when the pain eases again," Edabor said in an undertone, interpreting the harper's worried look. "And I can do an examination if she would like me to, but I think things are progressing fast enough that that will only confirm what we already know." He smiled. "Your babies are on their way, Hartam. A little early, but that's expected of twins."

The pain eased again, and Tayette finally collapsed against the bed. "It feels better standing..." she managed before the contraction hardened again. She turned from them both and knelt by the side of the bed, her arms cradling the pillows as she panted through the pain. "I...need...to...push..." she said tightly.

(To Be Continued)

Last updated on the July 14th 2008

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New Life Begins (1/2)