Shadow and Snow

Chapter Eighteen | Bated Breath

Isla gripped her husband's hand as pain surged through her body, her stomach tightening swiftly. Her breath hitched with every intake and caused her to gasp desperately for air.
"Paxton, we need to go now!" 

He closed his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows as the world around them spun. Isla pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to keep herself from spewing her previous meal all over herself.

She barely contained a shriek when her vision was filled with sparks of light.

Paxton's voice whispered into her hair, calm and reassuring. "Isla, we're home."

She cracked open one eye, prepared for the worst, only to be met with the familiar surroundings of the nursery.

"How did you-" Her sentence was cut short by Eos and Epione as they rushed into the room, their faces flushed. "Your Highness! Isla! What-"

Isla's body shuddered as a wave of pain coursed through her body, groaning in agony.

Eos and Epione looked at her for a moment, blinked, and began running around the room in a panic.

"You were supposed to deliver in the medical room!" "We don't have any of the supplies here!" "She needs to be moved!" "Skies above, why do I even try? Everything always goes wrong."

"LADIES!" Paxton bellowed, his voice booming. "I appreciate the work you've put into setting up a delivery room, but as you can see my wife needs assistance immediately."

The women stopped in their tracks to glance at Isla, who was struggling to take deep breaths. Their eyes sharpened with clarity as they ran to gather the needed supplies, calling out instructions to Paxton.

"Do breathing exercises with her!"
"I don't know any breathing exercises!"
"Just breathe like normal!"
"I don't remember how to breathe like normal!"
"Shooting stars, you absolute idiot! Breathe in and out!"
"But-"
"In! Out! In! Out! Heeeee! whoooooo! heeeeee! whoooo!"

Isla glared at her husband as he knelt beside her, placing his hands on her shoulder.
"You forgot how to BREATHE?"
"I'm nervous, alright?"
"You're nervous? You're not the one giving BIRTH-"

Her screams filled the air as her stomach clenched, leaving her breathless.

"Paxton, I don't know if I can do this! It hur-" another scream broke free from her lips, her brow glistening with beads of sweat.

Eos and Epione burst into the room, their arms full of cloths and blankets. Eos rushed to her side, placing her hand on Isla's stomach.

"Listen to me, Isla. You can do this."
Isla shook her head miserably as a sob shook her body. Eos turned to Paxton, "Do you want to deliver the baby?" His face paled. "I don't know how-" "That's what I'm here for!" she snapped, reaching for Isla's leg. "Epione! Hold her other foot."

They hiked up her legs, bending them at the knees, causing her dress to flutter back onto her chest. "Paxton, get ready!"

Her husband scrambled to crouch in between her legs, shifting against the settee uncomfortably. "You really chose an inconvenient spot to give birth, my love."

"Do you think I would have chosen this myself?" she snipped, face scrunched in agony.

"Alright, Isla, get ready to push!"

"One... Two... Three... PUSH!"

Pain was all she knew, erasing her every memory.

"One... Two... Three... PUSH!"

The voices around her seemed to dull into a whine.

"You're doing great, love."

She would have moaned, but her throat ached for water.

"One... Two... Three... PUSH!"

Her body trembled with fatigue, lips quivering as tears streamed down her face.

"Isla! PUSH!"

"I can't!" she croaked, using every ounce of her strength to utter the words.

"Look at me, Isla, " Paxton murmured, leaning to cup her face in his strong hands.

"A few more minutes of pain for a lifetime of happiness."

A few more minutes

just a few more

Her eyes fluttered closed, but she forced them to open, meeting her husband's gaze.

"okay"

"Okay, Isla! We're going to start pushing again, ready?"

"One... Two... Three... PUSH!"

Fire coursed through her veins, leaving her charred.

"One... Two... Three... PUSH!"

Her uterus contracted with renewed vigor, stealing the breath out of her lungs.

"One... Two... Three... PUSH!"

A strange sensation filled her body.

"Almost there! One... Two... Three... PUSH!"

Wetness gushed between her legs.

"One... Two... Three... PUSH!"

The world was silent for a moment,

   held by bated breath,

        before being pierced by the wail of a baby.

Author's Note:
ASHRNIXCNEIXBDIE guys!!!!!!!!

We have a BABY!

Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?

Will there be more than one????????

Name guesses / suggestions?
(I have some in mind but I'm open to other ideas!)

{tacticaltoast suggested for a boy: Paxton Jr. and for a girl: also Paxton Jr.} I cracked up.

I also wanted to say that I love reading your comments! They make my day. Don't feel nervous to add your own commentary on the story.