Chapter 9
Finn wandered over to see why Azimeth was standing alone by the kitchen. “Where’s Kyrin?”
She bowed slightly. “Lady Kyrin has gone to the orchard to walk off a back ache.”
“Why aren’t you there?”
“She asked to walk alone.” Azimeth glanced around and then leaned in toward Finn. “I suspect she is embarrassed about eating as much as she does, and she goes out there to sneak apples.”
Finn nodded. “I keep telling her she’s not overeating.”
“As have I.”
“I’ll go check on her,” Finn said, and started toward the door. He knew that Kyrin still didn’t like Azimeth, and he wondered if she’d gone on a walk. He also planned on finding out if her knights were with her, or if they had again allowed her outside alone. Since their return to the Valharan castle, they had twice allowed Kyrin to go out alone, even against orders.
Finn saw Kyrin from a ways off, and he hurried his steps when he saw her lean over against a tree. “Kyrin, what’s wrong?”
Kyrin looked up at him and whispered, “My back.”
“Did you hurt it?” he asked, checking her for injuries.
She shook her head and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, she stood up and stretched her back, then started walking again.
Finn frowned slightly and watched her walk. “Your back must really be bad. You’re walking funny.”
“It is,” she said, and started down a long row of apple trees.
Finn caught up to her. “Why did you back off Azimeth and your knights?”
“I don’t plan on leaving the trees, and Azimeth was going to go get Alric.”
“He could maybe help your back.”
“Except that I didn’t hurt it.”
“Did you sleep on the bed last night?”
“No, I moved to the floor when the backache started.”
“So it’s been going on for a while?”
“Yes, started last night,” she said, and took a deep breath of the crisp morning air.
Finn watched her closely. “How far along are you again?”
“Just over eight months.” Kyrin started walking again, at more of a waddle.
“Does the back pain come and go?”
She nodded just as she gasped and sunk to her knees, groaning slightly.
Finn knelt down beside her. “Breathe through it. Take deep breaths.”
Kyrin leaned over slightly and tried to take his advice, but the pain was stronger now. When the pain backed off again, Finn helped her to her feet, and she rubbed her back.
“Okay, kiddo, let’s go to the temple,” Finn said, gently taking her arm.
“For a back ache?”
“It’s not a back ache. I’m pretty sure you’re in labor.”
“The babies are in front.”
He began to lead her toward the castle. “I forget how little you know about this stuff.”
“Saith was going to go over signs of labor this week.”
“Well, it’s a tad late. Course, I’m not a priest, so I could be wrong.”
They stopped again when another back pain hit, and this time, Finn picked her up and carried her quickly toward the castle. He stopped at the first knights he came to.
“Zaugg, get the carriage, now. Fremont, get the king,” Finn ordered.
“I can walk,” Kyrin said from his arms. He set her down carefully and then stayed close to her.
Finn smiled when he saw the terror in her eyes, and then he pulled her into a hug. “It’ll be okay.”
She nodded against his chest and then turned when the carriage pulled up. She crawled in with Finn’s help, and he stepped out to wait for the king.
One of the knights came up quickly. “The king has gone to the temple in town.”
“Good, that’s where we’re going,” Finn said, and then crawled inside and motioned for the carriage to head out.
When Finn sat down, Kyrin looked at him. “I thought I had nine months.”
“That’s not an exact science. Emerisa’s carried one of mine for seven months and one for almost ten.”
“No one told me that.”
“It’s hard to cover all of it. It’s just common knowledge.”
“Here”
“Yes, here.” Finn started to defend his statement, when another pain hit, and Kyrin leaned back to breathe through it.
The carriage stopped after only a few minutes and Alric opened the door. “What’s going on?”
“Labor,” Finn said, stepping out.
“Are you sure?” he asked, crawling into the carriage.
“Well, I’ve been with Emerisa for four of them, and it seems pretty obvious.”
Alric helped Kyrin out of the carriage, and she stretched her back again. “I just know my back hurts.”
“How bad?”
In answer to his question, another strong pain hit, and he picked her up as she started to fall to her knees. He carried her quickly inside, followed by Finn.
“Saith!” Alric yelled, and laid her down on a bed in the back.
The High Priest came in. “Yes, my Lord?”
“We think she’s in labor.”
Saith sat down beside her as her pain ebbed, and she looked up at him. “It’s just a back ache.”
“Let me look,” he said, and laid his hands gently against her stomach. He waited patiently until the next pain hit and then smiled up at Alric. “It’s time.”
When he tried to stand, Kyrin’s hand shot out and grabbed him. “Don’t leave.”
“I just want to go wash my hands, dear. You won’t be alone. I promise.”
She finally let go of him and watched as the room became a blur. The curtains were pulled, furniture was covered, and the priests kept busy readying things for the birth of the nobles.
Kyrin breathed through the pains, but they were becoming worse and the room seemed to grow extraordinarily hot. Alric stayed by her side, not entirely sure what to do. He’d attended many births but none he cared about as much as this one. His mother’s death came back to him over and over, and his worry about Kyrin increased.
Emerisa, Finn’s wife, joined them and Finn stepped out when she arrived, leaving just her, Alric, and the priests to watch over Kyrin. Emerisa immediately put a cool rag across Kyrin’s forehead and then sat down beside her.
When the room was prepared, the priests moved back along the wall, except for Saith and Dewell, who brought chairs up by the bed.
As the night passed, the pains became worse and Alric began to pace nervously across the room. Emerisa kept cool rags on Kyrin’s forehead and often asked to see if she needed anything. Cold water was the only thing she would accept, and the priests made sure she had as much as she needed.
“Not done yet?” a voice sounded from the corner. They all looked over and saw the dark cloak of Creteloc.
“Why are you here?” Alric asked, irritated.
“She’s mine to watch over.”
“We have this handled.”
“Do you?” she asked, stepping out of the shadows.
“Yes, you just upset her.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Creteloc,” Kyrin whispered, and the assassin looked down at her, uncaring.
“What?”
“Can you help me?”
“No, this is punishment for allowing yourself to get pregnant.”
“It is not!” Alric roared. “Now get out!”
“I can help you though,” Creteloc told Kyrin, ignoring the king. “First, you put a knife under the bed to cut the pain in half.”
“That’s absurd.”
“Then I have a potion that will help.” Creteloc began to dig in her bag, but the priests stepped between her and Kyrin.
“You’re not giving her anything,” Alric told her. “We don’t trust you.”
“Which is smart, but I’m not going to harm the babies. Daemionis wishes them to arrive safely.”
??
?I’m sure he does. What does he think of Kyrin though?”
“If she dies in the process, he’ll take that loss.”
“Exactly, now get out.”
Creteloc turned her red eyes to Kyrin. “Remember about the boys.”
Kyrin nodded. “I do.”
“It’ll happen.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Boys, Kyrin.”
“What about boys?” Alric asked, frowning.
“It’s up to you then,” Creteloc said to her. “Do you want me to stay?”
“Yes,” Kyrin whispered, “but I don’t need help getting away.”
“Wait!” Alric said, turning to her. “Getting away from what?”
Creteloc moved back into the corner without a word. When she didn’t answer him, Alric sat down beside Kyrin and took her hand.
She pulled it away from him. “Don’t touch me.”