Wrest Pin | The Mandalorian

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Renaissance

Warning: This chapter describes birthing and all that fun stuff. Also, there is some forced checking of dilation, so I kind of see this as potentially being triggering for someone!

Please don't judge me, my medical knowledge comes from Grey's Anatomy. My master's is going to be in speech therapy, not doctoring people. But I did get my sister's help and she has been present for lots of births. XD

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Evangeline had not expected their bedroom to become a bunker of sorts for her, Grogu, her ladies, and Physician Rondu.

Not to mention Din, and Bo-Katan.

Truthfully, she didn't know what she wanted. The move from downstairs, through everyone readying for battle – changing so quickly from their attire and readying for a fight...Her head had spun, but also because Din had been so quick to get her upstairs. He had demanded Grogu be brought to them...Which made her feel glad to have him close and an eye on him but she also didn't want him seeing all of what was happening to her – because she knew and she knew and she knew, she knew all these things, even if she couldn't think straight...And suddenly they had been in the bedroom, they had changed her into a nightgown, and Physician Rondu had set out so much medical supplies on a rolling table he brought in, it almost made her unwell looking at it. She knew Din had been barking orders, but she figured she was in some sort of shock – able to see the bursts of light across the city as the fighting had begun far from them...But she knew if they didn't stop the Imperials from entering, it would only draw closer and those short bursts of fire would be within the walls.

She had been ignorant enough to believe those early contractions had been the worst of it – when they did decide to start after her water had broken. But it had been silly of her, a child's wish that the small cramping be it, but it soon turned into a deep and low pain the longer they sat in that room...The more the ladies moved about, bringing in cold water that Evangeline refused, and she hated having Bo-Katan come in and out – because all she was trying to do was convince Din to leave her to assist in the fighting...To do what a ruler was meant to do, but he wouldn't leave her. And Evangeline was grateful for it in the moment.

Grogu had been watching confused...Particularly when the pain had worsened.

Evangeline could hardly sit still, moving to the edge of the bed and she knew she had so much longer to go before it was over. It had only just begun after all – and their city was under attack, and she had spoken so little to anyone in the room, despite her ladies constantly asking if she needed something. Din hovered, and she felt like she couldn't breathe...No tears had come yet, the contractions still bearable for her to bite through and she still sat on the edge of the bed, staring straight ahead...Almost scared to move...As if it would invite more.

Her ladies stood near the door, waiting for orders and Physician Rondu had stepped out just a moment, Bo-Katan nearby, and Grogu standing in his cradle...Watching everyone. A particularly bright flash filled the room and Evangeline looked towards the giant windows, before whispering under her breath, "Maker..."

She shut her eyes, running shaky fingers through her hair that had become damp with sweat in the past hour or so they had been loitering in the bedroom and the fighting had become more intense she was sure...She prayed and hoped for someone to tell them that the Imperials had been pushed back, but no word came for something like that. Slowly sucking the hope from her that their child would be born safely and that she would survive it...Maybe they would come in, stab her to death – take her baby. Maybe not even it would survive, or Grogu, or Din. Her shoulders shook and Din made no move to touch her where he stood above her and she made no move to touch him...She didn't want to touch anyone at the moment, her body unsteady where she then gripped the edge of the mattress.