The Cripple and The Shieldmaiden III

// 3 //

Torhild never felt as alone as she did now and it scared her to dead. When she was giving birth to Raynor everybody was around, Hvitserk sat by her side, Ase assisted her and her mother was there with a proud smile on her lips. It was a feast, Raynor was the future of Kattegat in that exact moment. And now she was alone, lying on a bed, fighting the pain while the servant girl rushed away to get the healer living in the village. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she embraced her belly, begging to whatever god that was listening that this child would be safe and healthy. It was a month to early and she was afraid, afraid that she would lose the child, afraid that Ivar wouldn't return. Every second lying there she looked back to the door only to meet nothing else but an old lady with a caring smile.
'I need warm water, blankets,' Torhild lost that voice when another contraction made her arch. She knew it was a while for Raynor to run but needed him back. In this moment she missed Ase, she missed her mother, Hvitserk, everybody. 'Torhild.' She turned her head to the old lady and her servant. 'This baby is going to come, I need you to focus on that.' She reminded Torhild. Torhild looked to the door, nodding in tears before focusing all her attention to her little unborn child, hoping she or he would be healthy. The servant girl came to sit beside her and Torhild squeezed her hand with every contraction that came. Until he came back, totally out of breath, the corners of his lips down while he blue eyes looked scared fort and back between her and the old lady.
'Raynor, it is alright.' Torhild comforted him. But was it? Ivar left ... he wasn't on the beach, he left her and it made the pain not much easier to bare.

Three hours passed in which nothing changed. The pain kept torturing her body but the baby didn't came and Torhild couldn't look to the concern on the lady her face. This wasn't right.
'You need to rest.' She said. The servant girl swept her sweating forehead while Raynor sat beside her. In three hours the boy did nothing but sitting there, hardly saying anything. Torhild looked aside to him, tired and he slowly looked up, his eyes concerned and sad.
'It will be alright.' She whispered to him. He slowly wrapped his arms around hers and she rested her head on his black hair, closing her eyes in the little piece of rest she got before another contraction made her nauseous.
'She needs you.' The old lady said in the distant. Torhild felt like falling asleep, like she wanted to give up on the whole thing. Until Raynor started to move and her chin dropped away from his head. She looked how he crawled from the bed, his whole attitude angry and frustrated.
'You left us!' He shouted. And then she noticed him in the doorway. His jaw hanging open while he grabbed the wooden axe that Raynor swung to him. But he didn't look to his son, he looked to Torhild. 'Mother needs you and you left us.' Raynor said again. Torhild held her breath, looking how Ivar was there, sitting in the doorway, confused by the whole situation. He never left? Another contraction pulled her eyes away from him while she squeezed them shut.
'She is going into labor.' The old lady announced, walking back in.
'Excuse me, what? It's way to soon.' Ivar reacted, he seemed angry with the lady. Like she was the reason Torhild was going into labor.
'Ivar.' Torhild breathed in pain.
'Get him out of here.' Ivar nodded towards Raynor.
'Noo!' He yelled when Floki grabbed him with his arms. 'Noooo! Mother.'
'Out!' Ivar warned him. Raynor his eyes almost spit fire, in this moment there was nobody hating Ivar more than Raynor did. But he left, he followed Floki out of the room and Ivar returned his gaze back to Torhild before crawling to the bed.
'You left.' She breathed out. He pushed himself onto the bed while shaking his head.
'I was making you something, there is a difference. I promised you once, I will promise you again, I would never leave you, not like this.'
'Why did you leave?' She asked, feeling a new contraction Ivar laid his hand against her face and pulled her closer. She rested her head on his shoulder and breathed out her last of tears.
'I was angry because you were right again.' He answered, pulling her softly back. His blue eyes didn't showed the panic anymore, they stood determent, steady. 'You need to deliver this baby to the world, nothing else matters now.' He whispered and Torhild nodded, taking a deep breath before nodding more stronger. 'That's my girl.' He smiled proud, petting her cheek before turning his eyes to the old lady and the servant girl. 'Do your jobs.' He commanded them. Torhild smiled weak, holding on to his arm while she focused all her energy on the baby. It didn't matter how early it came, but it had to come, the longer she would stay in this state the more energy she would lose for when it was the time. She looked aside to Ivar who pressed a kiss against her temple. 'No woman was ever braver or stronger then you Torhild.' It was typical Ivar to say such a thing but at least it restored whatever fighting power she head, making her determent on bringing this baby to the world.