Arcaea/Dining Hall Late 08-09/A Princess is Born
Roleplay from Edara Kindon (1 day ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (52 recipients) The last few weeks that Edara had spent in Talex had been miserable. Oh, she was happy to be home, especially after Jenred joined her; but, she had never been more uncomfortable in her life. The cute little bump of her stomach had grown and grown until she thought that it would burst. She asked Idelle repeatedly if she was certain that there was only one baby in there…surely anything so huge must have two or three babies in it. Both Idelle and the mid-wife, Ketadri, assured her every time that there was, in fact, only one. Edara never believed them.
Standing up made her ankles and feet swell. Sitting down with her legs on a stool was better…until she had to get back up…and as she had to go to the privy constantly Edara had to get up all the time. She finally gave up trying to lever herself up on her own and just let Jenred or Fin pull her to her feet. It was humiliating, but she didn’t care. Her back ached and her heart burned even when she drank the milk that was supposed to soothe it. Breathing had somehow become laborious instead of something done without thought. And gods she was tired…but sleeping was just as miserable as everything else. No position was comfortable. Edara wedged pillows around her giant beast of a belly, under her legs, behind her back…and as soon as she would find a combination that would let her sleep, the urgent press of her nethers would send her back to the privy…once she got Jenred to heave her out of bed.
Edara very, very ready for her baby to get out of her body and into her arms where she could love it properly. Some days it was damned difficult to remember that this was all very worthwhile.
Still, time did pass, if with molasses speed; preparations were made. Idelle had boiled new sheets and swaddling cloths with knurlweed to guard against the rot. She had prepared a mild decoction of tarvis leaves and bottled it and made a thick paste using tarvis leaves and winter berries that she promised would numb Edara’s lady-parts when applied. Idelle got quite indignant as she explained this to her.
“There are folks that don’t use any herbs a’tall…birth their babies screaming in pain…and so wore out by it that sometimes they can’t even push the mites out. Foolishness. I’m not having any of that for my girl.”
Not one, but two, wet-nurses were obtained, both with bountiful milk and living babes. Idelle would not have any whose child had died.
“It’s too hard, lamb. I was lucky with you…you needed a mother. But your babe won’t...and giving up the baby…that’s a second death for the little mother that I’d rather not be a part of.”
When the day finally came, Edara didn’t realize it. She had been feeling crampy off and on for the last two weeks, initially, these pains didn’t seem that different. Her lower back was an agony, but she just thought that was some new way her body had decided to torture her. When Idelle came in to check on her, she put one hand on Edara’s swollen belly and waited, counting between the tensing of her muscles.
“It’s time, my girl,” Idelle gave her a swallow of the bottled concoction, “Now, get up out of that bed and start walking. You,” she pointed at Jenred, “help keep her up and moving about. It’ll speed the birth. I’ll summon Ketadri, not that I don’t think I could manage this on my own,” she sniffed, “And we’ll get everything ready.”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Roleplay from Jenred Bedwyr (23 hours, 39 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (52 recipients) Jenred leapt up and carefully pulled Edara with him, trying to carry as much of her wait on his arms and back as he could. They had worked out a bit of a system, these past few weeks...He wrapped his arms around her stomach and waddled along with her. Given the height differential between them, this did horrible things to his back, but when Edara hadn't protested that he shouldn't hurt himself, he knew it was worth it. Besides, it didn't hurt any worse than getting an arrow in his side, and he'd had that happen more times than he could count. He might be older...But he wasn't that much older.
He felt her stomach, trying to feel...Whatever it was Idelle had felt. He had been prepped just as Edara had been...But this was not something he had paid much attention to. He had been more focused on how to lever her out of bed with a minimum of discomfort, what sort of foods and drinks she needed, how to cuddle without causing her more pain, what sorts of pain meant he needed to tell her it would pass soon, massage, cover with ice, or run screaming to Idelle for.
Thank all the gods that he'd settled that cease-fire with Cathay...This had absorbed far more time than he had suspected. Jenred winced, both at the old blasphemy he could never quite erase in his more stressed moments, and because his back was already beginning to register its opinion on his mistreatment of it. Still...Better to think about that one spectacular incident where he was trampled by a horse than to think about all the complications...No. Not now. Horses. Remember the horses. The iron-shod hooves as he frantically danced aside to prevent his vitals from being smashed, the weird out-of-time feeling he had when despite the chaos, he examined the horses and realized that the blasted Aenilians had mixed mares in with uncut stallions...
Jenred heard footsteps, and hoped this was Idelle returning...And hoped even more fervently that she would tell him no more walking was required.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
Roleplay from Edara Kindon (23 hours, 21 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (52 recipients) It seemed to Edara that she had walked miles around their suite before Idelle and Ketadri finally decided that she could retire to the bed. She had had regular swallows of the tarvis brew, but she was still feeling a fair bit of pain as the cramps instensified.
“Don’t worry, lamb,” Idelle soothed, “I’ll be giving you a much bigger dose soon. You’ll feel right as rain.”
Edara though that Idelle was a liar. She should walk a few thousand leagues carrying this giant belly around. And Jenred’s normally comforting voice and touch were starting to annoy her. Why didn’t he have this baby? She was tired and she hurt by all the gods. When were they getting this thing out of her? This was not at all lovely!
Maids had stripped the bed and Idelle and Ketadri had replaced the sheets with the prepared ones. The pillows were piled against the headboard and Idelle indicated for Jenred to seat himself against them. She helped Edara onto the bed and positioned her so that she was draped across Jenred’s spread thighs, practically sitting on his lap. Only then did she give her the promised deep drink of the blessed potion.
“Raise up your legs a bit, laddie, and wrap your arms around her. There you go, my girl. Now, you just hold onto your man there the way the gods intended while he holds onto you,” she gave Jenred one of her gimlet stares, “I expect a man of your character can manage not to faint. You’d be surprised at how many do.”
Ketadri examined Edara and applied the tarvis paste where it would do the most good. The relief was instantaneous. The brew was making her feel mellow and happy and the cessation of pain rejuvenated her. Edara leaned back in her husband’s arms happily, wondering how she could have ever been cross with him. He was such a warm, solid loving man. He was going to be a marvelous father. Having babies was wonderful ; she should have more…maybe a dozen…and each one would be more lovely than the last…
“I need you to push now, your Grace,” Ketadri said calmly, “I can see the baby’s head, if your Majesty would lift her a bit…”
Jenred lifted; Edara pushed…the sensation of…not quite pain…bringing her back to her senses.
“That’s it, your Grace…wait…I have the head…now…one more big push…”
Edara grunted as she gave her all. There was intense pressure…and then…relief. Ketadri and Idelle were doing something…she couldn’t see…where was her baby? Was it all right?
Then…the cry…
Through smiling tears, Idelle lifted the tiny bundle and laid it on Edara’s chest.
“She’s perfect, my lamb. Absolutely perfect.”
Lady Edara Kindon Duchess of Talex, Marshal of the Tribute Collecting Army
Roleplay from Jenred Bedwyr (23 hours, 15 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (52 recipients) Jenred had to swallow a few times, and he had trembled a bit...He was not particularly used to seeing his wife's blood and not slaughtering anything. Or even planning to slaughter anything, at that. Fortunately...Idelle and the other woman cleaned the baby up nicely and despite Idelle's rolled eyes she did not comment when he turned away while they did so. But when Idelle handed the child over...'She'...He reached down, and stroked his daughter's face with tired, trembling fingers, as wonder grew in his heart.
"Ashkeyana Aerywyn Bedwyr-Kindon...Gods...She's...Beautiful..."
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
Report from Jenred Bedwyr (23 hours, 10 minutes ago) Message sent to everyone in your realm (52 recipients) His Royal Majesty King Jenred Kindon-Bedwyr and Her Royal Majesty Queen Edara Bedwyr-Kindon, Duchess of Talex, hereby announce the birth of their first child, the Princess Ashkeyana Aerywyn Bedwyr-Kindon.
Sir Jenred Bedwyr King of Arcaea
