Tampered Beauty

Rebirth, Part 1

Mary exhaled slowly, her grip tightening on the nearby bookcase and vanity. She moaned in pain, her eyes closing and clenching a little, rocking slowly back and forth, a fruitless distraction to the pain and anxiety that coursed through her veins. She moaned again, her head falling backwards, swallowing thickly, grimacing at the feeling of the child within her bearing downwards. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, mouth opening and closing in slow succession. Mary's grip on the oak and the bronze tightened again, before loosening up, her body starting to respond to the lowering amounts of pain, one so familiar and yet so different.

From the back of her mind, Mary could hear the door opening and closing and opening again in quick succession. She heard the 'click' 'clacks 'of midwives shoes on the hard stone floors, the 'pitter' 'patters' of the servant's feet rushing around with cloths and bowls of hot water. Physicians boots 'clomped' on the flooring as the several doctors made their way around the room. Against usual protocol, she had decided to have the best male physicians brought in from all over the island, in addition to the midwives she had ordered. It was quite uncommon, but the Empress' word trumped the old court ladies' huffs.

"It's alright." Kenna was all of a sudden near her, rubbing soothing circles upon her back. The Baroness whispered quiet words of reassurance, remembering the fears of childbirth Mary had confided in her about not that long ago. "Everything's going to be alright." she said again, wrapping an arm to straighten up the Empress, to try and make it easier for her to make it to the bed. But, Mary let out a sharp cry and hunched over suddenly.

"Ah!" she wailed, her knees starting to buckle. Midwives ran towards them and caught the more powerful of the two, who started to moan in pain again. She lifted her skirts, ignoring the rustle of the fabric, coming back with soaked fingertips.

"Your child is coming, Majesty." One of the midwives said. Mary straightened up to look who spoke in the eye. Short, dark blue eyes, olive-ish skin and blue damask. Emanuel Edeline, one of her favourite midwives that had been with her in France.

Mary exhaled through her mouth, trying to calm the anxiety pounding through her. She knew there was nothing really to be scared of. After all, she'd done this before in France with James. But the general risk of childbirth going wrong sent a chill up her spine. She may have done it once, but that was no guarantee she could do it again. But the experience and the lack of surprise at whatever would happen was a cold sort of comfort.

"Majesty, Majesty!" Emanuel said, her voice loud. She looked up and saw familiar blue eyes looking at her. No, staring at her. With the eyes large and resembling more buttons than visual orbs. "Come quick! You must carry the Empress to the bed!" she instructed.

Francis -whom she now realised properly was still in the room and hadn't been thrown out in the bustling madness of midwives, physicians and servants- did as he was told, rushing off towards his wife, hauling her up into his arms. He took her moaning, whimpering form to the bed, gently laying her down.

He stepped back, the midwives starting to fuss over her, removing her dress and leaving her in a shift. Her jewellery was taken out and her hair pushed over her shoulders. She exhaled slowly, moaning in pain as the more more insistent midwives lay her back against the pillows, her eyes slipping closed.

"Yes, rest Imperial Majesty. It could be a while before the child arrives. You must preserve your strength." she instructed.

~~~

"What in God's name are you doing here?!" Bash asked, storming into Francis' chambers. From the bed, Lola snapped up. She was fully clothed, a nice thing to notice, and her hair was dishevelled. Eyes half lidded, red and puffy with cheeks to match. Lilac satin and grey chiffon covered her body, pearls adorning her ears and neck.