Woman of Sorrows-The Black-Veiled Woman

Night Hope

Hearing his footsteps on the steps, she set down her dishcloth and turned towards the doorway. A moment later, he turned the knob and pushed open the door, causing the usual dull thud as it stuck to the frame, swollen from the damp. Before he passed through the doorway, he stomped off his boots, brushed off coat, and shook out his hair. Behind him, he closed the door, having to lean on it a little to make it shut fully. Chalandra smiled, hearing the click of the lock. Thane turned around, smiling as he greeted his wife. She was beautiful as ever, though her cheeks were flushed with red from the cold, and her hair did not fully cooperate with her bun. Her face was a little more swollen, and her body had filled out as she began to show her pregnancy. Yet he saw nothing but beauty in his wife. Placing his hands on her sides, he stooped, just a little, to close the distance between his lips and hers.

"Good evening, my darling," he muttered, pressing one of his hands against her swollen stomach.

She was due in just a few weeks now. In mere weeks, they would welcome their child.

"You are so beautiful, my love. I fear I do not tell you near often enough."

Chalandra laughed a little, knowing full well that she was hardly in her most attractive state.

"I believe only you would see that at this time."

"How could I not? You are carrying my child. Our child."

Chalandra went into labor early the next morning, before the sun had risen above the rooftops. She woke with a start, feeling a sharp stab of pain in her lower stomach. Thane woke with her, feeling her jolt awake. He placed a hand on her face, trying to comfort her.

"It is alright, nothing is wrong," he said gently, thinking it another false contraction.

"No, Thane, it is today," she answered.

"Today?" he echoed, his voice filled with disbelief.

The day dragged on, each contraction harder than the last. By late afternoon, they came less than five minutes apart. Trisha was summoned, and arrived promptly. Throughout the day, Thane remained by Chalandra's side, not wanting to be more than a few feet from her. His hand was constantly on her stomach or across her body as he assisted her to walk. Through every contraction, he held her hand as she squeezed it tightly and moaned in pain. Every time, without fail, he looked into her eyes with a beautiful, pure look of joy. His eyes sparkled with the overwhelming happiness he felt and the thrilling excitement he had to meet their child.

Though the labor was difficult and rather painful, Chalandra did little more than squeeze Thane's hand. During a particularly bad contraction, she cried out but mostly stifled her cries. Thane wiped the sweat from her forehead and face after almost every one, trying to help her anyway he could. She had rarely seen him so happy, and that knowledge masked the pain. She could see in his eyes the joy he was feeling. This was the day his child was born, the child so long awaited. Since they had been together, he had spoke of wanting to have a child with her, but she never deemed it more than a dream. So often she had seen the desire to have a child with her, but he rarely spoke of it. Now, their child was to be brought into the world that very day.

At around four in the afternoon, Chalandra lay down to deliver the child. Unlike many fathers and men of the time, he stayed by Chalandra's side. When she lay on the bed to prepare for delivery, Thane pulled up a chair and sat by her. Kissing her once more, he sat down and held her hand, holding it against his heart. The delivery was short and without complications, with Trisha guiding Chalandra every step of the way. Chalandra never cried out, but moaned as she brought their child into the world. Once the child was born, she lay back exhausted from the strain. The sound of crying filled the room almost immediately. Chalandra's body was drenched in sweat, but her heart was filled with joy. Thane caressed her face and kissed her hand again and again, waiting to see his child for the first time.

After cleaning off the newborn, Trisha wrapped it in a blanket. Neither of the parents had seen their baby yet. It seemed as though no time had passed before Trisha handed them their baby. With a broad smile, she passed the crying infant to Thane.

"You have a daughter, Thane."

Accepting the child, his world seemed to stop. In his arms he held his daughter. Her screams were unheard, and all he saw was the beauty of his child. Her head was covered in sparse black hair and though she was red at the moment, he could tell she had fair skin like her mother. When she peered at him from between her cries, he saw her beautiful piercing blue eyes. Chalandra reached out, touching her baby. Thane kissed the child's head and lay her on her mother's chest, letting them meet.

Breathless, he watched his daughter and her mother meet for the first time. Chalandra wrapped her arms around the baby, holding her close. The baby ceased to cry, and silence fell over the room. Chalandra looked at the child, taking in her feature and her beauty.

"She looks like you," she said, taking his hand.

"I pray not too closely though," he muttered as he fought off tears from amid his broad smile, "She would do better to take after her mother. Though she may have my characteristics, I have no doubt her beauty comes solely from you."

After Chalandra held their daughter for a few minutes, she gave her back to Thane. Once again, the overwhelming, crippling happiness spread through his body.

"What shall we call her?" he asked.

Looking again at their daughter, Chalandra thought for a moment.

"Neither Trystel nor Arenda suits her. She is different."

"What about Eveona?"

"Eveona? Night's Hope," she whispered, touching the baby's head, "Yes, she is an Eveona."

Night came faster than it ever had before. Chalandra was exhausted, and had fallen asleep several times in short increments. They went to bed early, with both Eveona falling asleep and the long, though thrilling day, tiring them out. Chalandra ate very little, not being hungry. She drank some water so please Thane, and kept down a bit of bread, but did not want anything else. Trisha left soon after, once everything was in order.

That night, Thane lay the baby between them in the bed, and slept with his arms around both of his women. Eveona slept through the night for the only time in her life, but the rest was much appreciated by Chalandra. She slept holding her child and being held by Thane. Though he was tired, Thane could barely sleep, but instead marveled at both Eveona and Chalandra through the night. His wife and his child. Throughout the night, he touched the cheek of either his baby or his wife, unable to hold back his hand. They both were so perfectly beautiful. Never would he have dreamed that his Chalandra, the only woman he ever loved, would bear him a child.