The Gaze of a King

Chapter Forty- Six | Labor Pains

A jolt of aching pain emanating from my stomach and spreading its talons across my lower back had me losing the grip of the chalice in my hands. It tumbled with a clank to the floor. My handmaidens turned to me, eyes widened with concern and shock. The one nearest me offered me a steadying hand. I leaned into her, as I breathed through clenched teeth until the pain eased into a bearable lull. "Are you alright, Milady?" It was a pain that was familiar. It meant my time had come. I felt relief that I had made it to my eighth month of pregnancy. This child would be born on time, not too early as his brother before him. It gave me a surge of hope that the prophet's words would indeed come to pass. "Summon the King. I need him here. Now." I barked out the order. "Should we also call for Abigail to assist you?" I shook my head. The handmaiden supporting me led me to the edge of my bed, urging me to sit. I could not have Abigail here this time. It would be too painful. I needed only one person. "No one else, but the King." I heard their murmurs. I knew it was unthought of for the King to be in attendance to a birth. King David had never seen any of his other children born before. Perhaps he would refuse my summons out of courtesy for his other wives. But I knew what I needed this time. I needed him to remind me of the promise God spoke to him. "Go!" I shouted, losing my patience as the next set of labor pains eclipsed. Their murmurings stopped. Two of my maidservants departed my chambers. One to summon the King and the other to fetch the midwife.

Several hours later...

I no longer could speak. My body was shaking from uncontrollably from the pain. I reached out for David's hand. He offered it to me willingly, and I squeezed with all my might. As the tremendous wave of pain rolled over me, I felt the bile rising from my stomach. The maidservant at the side of my bed, stood ready with a basin. I emptied the contents of my stomach into it. Sweat was pouring from my brow. With a wet cloth pressed in his other hand, David wiped my forehead. The midwife looked up from in between my knees, and patted them as she stood. "You are doing great, Your Highness." I groaned at her in reply. The pain was immense. I was exhausted from the hours of labor that had led to this point. My strength was withering. "I'm too weak," I whispered. David bent down to my ear. "You are the strongest woman I know. You can do this, Bathsheba." Another intense wave surged through me, and I screamed out. My body tensed up, and I listened to what it was telling me. With whatever strength I had left, I mustered it. I squeezed David's hand as hard as I could, drawing strength from him. Then, relief flooded through me. I heard a piercing cry ring out. The handmaidens around me began ululating. David did not leave my side to check on the babe. He looked to the midwife. "Is she alright?!" The midwife worked to clean me up, while I searched the room for my new born baby. Someone laid him on my chest. "A boy!" I exclaimed, looking up at David. He began to laugh, tears lining his eyes. He kissed the top of my sweat stained forehead. "You gave me a son." The prophet's words came to pass. I was so grateful to see the fruition of the prophecy before my very eyes. I had a son. He was beautiful. His skin was pink, his lungs strong- which I could ascertain from his fierce cries. He was healthy. I gave him a kiss on his head, then lifted him up to David. Pride swelled in my heart, seeing him hold the baby in his arms with such grace and strength. "His name is Solomon."