Tempest

Chapter 8

Belle rolled over onto her side with a heavy groan as a wave of nausea went through her when the Naunet rose and fell with the still-roiling waves. While the storm from the night before had subsided, the seas were still uneasy and the sky was grey and overcast. It'd been a terrifying storm, one that had sent Belle scrambling for the small bathroom that was located just off of the cabin she shared with Sera. Between waves of vomiting, the expectant mother had been so worried as to Sera's safety that the few hours spent in bed had been riddled with tossing and turning. Nightmares and terrifying thoughts that were interlaced with thunder and bolts of lightning.

Thankfully, the ship and her crew had survived unscathed and the only reported injury had actually been Belle. She'd fallen on her way from the bed to the toilet and the time she hadn't thought anything on it. After all, it wasn't as if she'd hit her belly on anything and while there was an angry bruise forming on Belle's right knee, it was hardly cause for concern. However, the cramping in her lower belly *was* starting to worry her. Belle knew by the calendar that Sera had helped her make that she was only eight months along. It was still too early for contractions to start but the thought that something *could* be wrong was still floating around in the back of the expectant mother's mind. She just couldn't bring herself to leave the cabin and seek out Sera. Belle knew she would be busy with tidying up the ship and making sure that everything *had* made it through the storm.

Still, though, Belle knew that she needed to get some rest and that was why the morning and early part of the afternoon were both spent in bed tossing and turning and fighting to get comfortable. The vomiting had stopped and that was a small blessing even if she did still feel sick. Now if only the pain would subs-

Crying out with a ragged scream as a painful tremor raced across her lower stomach, Belle tried to raise from the bed but it seemed the sudden pain had sapped all of her strength. She fell back amongst the pillows with another cry that threatened to tear her vocal chords as she became aware of a hot and sticky fluid coating her thighs. A glance downward showed a bright red stain forming on the light blue material of her nightgown and ice-cold fear gripped at her.

It was just as another more powerful shockwave went through her that the cabin door was thrown open and in came Sera and Todd. The moment Sera saw Belle writhing upon their bed she rushed over and knelt down next to her. One hand went to her stomach while the other to Belle's burning forehead.

"Captain," Todd stepped forward and knelt next to Sera. His mother had been a midwife and he'd assisted her with births in his village. "This doesn't look good. She stands to lose the babe and her life." He cast a wide eyes glance to the growing blood stain.

"Don't say such things!" Sera tried to soothe Belle through another wave but it did little good as she sobbed through the pain. "....fetch me hot water and towels."

"Pardon?" Not quite sure he'd heard his captain correctly, Todd leaned closer.

"Hot water and towels! Go!" Sera shoved the man's shoulder to send him on his way and the moment he was out of the cabin the blonde turned her attention to Belle. "Belle. Hey, listen to me, Sweetheart."

Belle choked on her tears as she tried to look to Sera and give a nod that she was listening.

"I'm going to make it all better. Okay? Just...I need you to try and lay still. It's not good for you to keep thrashing. Just try for me, all right?" Sera ran her hand over the jolting of Belle's stomach and she knew the baby was in distress. If she didn't act quickly both lives would be lost.

Closing her eyes and concentrating, Sera called forth a part of her inner self that hadn't been brought to the surface many years. It was a talent she'd had all her life but had long since suppressed...ever since her temple had been attacked and her people destroyed, Sera had never used her gift of healing. She'd sworn to keep it hidden and buried until the end of her days, but Sera knew she couldn't lose Belle. Not after everyone else in her life that she'd lost.