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 Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:34 pm
How long had it been? Weeks? Months? For once, Mikaril was irked with himself for his bad habit of failure to keep time in the Wilds. He could still remember the day that he and Kyil had found themselves joined with this circus caravan, Kyil in a state of illness and he himself mentally fatigued to the breaking point. A deal was struck, and they were confined to Ssussun's wagon, save for when he had to leave to do just enough menial chores to take away the suspicion that there were two males sneaking a free ride with the circus' fire-dancer. Lolth knows there were enough rumors already spreading, from the moment they had been seen. And now.....sometimes it was difficult to hide the sounds of poor Kyil's retching, or the times he had cried out in pain in the dead of night, his body doing it's best to prepare for a ritual that it was never meant to naturally experience.
As time had progressed, he had watched his friend's belly increase, making him more and more nervous. Was it supposed to be that large? Would putting too many blankets over it smother the child? What if he accidentally bumped it; would it do any harm? He didn't doubt that his panicky ignorance amused Ssu to no end, but he was finding it hard to hide his nervousness from Kyil. So much could go wrong in a natural birthing; how much more so for a male? Kyil still showed signs of holding up, but it was as though he could sense his friend's weariness day by day, the slow grinding down of his resolution. Still, at least through it all, with Ssu's help, they had strived to make him comfortable and keep him moderately fed. Ssu herself had been a marvelous help; after she had gotten her extra bed made, she had been able to sleep and as a result the atmosphere seemed markedly less tense. Being a female and knowing more about childbirth than the pair would probably ever hope to know, she had made sure that Kyil ate what he needed and steered clear of what he did not, and Mikaril was careful not to betray anything to the other members of the circus, continuing to take the whispers in stride.
Thet had traveled to many cities, luckily nothing so far as Undrek'Thoz, and as they had stopped and brought a few hours of entertainment to the writhing, miserable existance that was the life of most drow, Mikaril chose his select places to sneak off and recite from his magical scrolls. He recited the spell for the bedroom on the outskirts of Sshamath, where they would sleep soundly surrounded by many various incantations of warding that they could easily take advantage of. For the bathroom he had chosen just North of Llurth Drier, where volcanic activity would ensure warm water, and the overall derelict atmosphere would help to hide their wonderful secret. In truth, he would rather not be reminded of just where he was; that particular city had unsettled him quite a bit. He was so afraid that unsavory beings would try to ambush the circus as they slept, that every night they had been there, he had slept with his arms around Kyil and his knife strapped within easy reach. At every city they had stopped at, Mikaril would try to find some time to sneak away and steal a trinket for Kyil; a mock-spidersilk wrap from Menzoberranzan, a glowing necklace from Ched Nasad, a hair ornament whos jewels changed colors to match your clothes from Sshamath. Often when he came back, he brought two things, giving one to Kyil and placing the second somewhere where Ssu was sure to find it. Ever thankful for all that she was doing for them, he didn't hesitate to show his gratitude, even if it meant doing it in secret, almost like a game. And for some reason, he really liked it when she did find the gifts and he could see her trying them on and showing how pleased she was. He was finally getting the chance to please a female, and it was every bit as satisfying as he had hoped it would be. By the time they had reached the final city, he was feeling more than pleased; he honestly thought that the last time she had found the hairpiece, he had actually felt the stirrings of real fondness.
But now they had come full circle and were back in Eryndlyn after what seemed like both an eternity and a heartbeat. He wanted so badly to return to the cave and see how it fared despite the disarray they had left it in, but Ssu had insisted that they stay hidden in the wagon, in case anyone in the city still remembered them. As soon as it was made clear that Kyil was exceedingly close to what Ssu referred to as the due date, Mikaril willingly complied so that he could be with his friend during what he knew would probably be the worst part of the entire ordeal.
And now here he was beside Kyil, almost beside himself with anxiety as his friend lay with sweat dripping down his forehead, wracked with a pain that he could do nothing about. He sat there and took Kyil's hand, encouraging him to squeeze it as hard as he could if it meant the slightest distraction. He could sense Ssu's presence, but he was unaware of anyone else except him and Kyil as he mentally begged that his strength become Kyil's. He could sense that the end of the pregnancy was near, but it also signified what he had been dreading for so long; the final test to see if Kyil was indeed strong enough to accomplish what even some females could not; bringing another life into the world. Would both lives emerge intact? Or was this the moment where his friend would go first on a path he could not follow?
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Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:20 pm
Once the bed was installed, Ssussun had to admit she felt much more her normal self. She had a BED again! Oh how she had reveled in sleeping on soft material and actually being able to put her cloths away properly! She lamented the loss of her mirror. The small rectangle of brightly polished steel was -not- a proper looking glass...but it was enough for her to finish her hair and make up in the morning. She was certain that in time she would become used to it. Maybe a few sprigs of flowering moss tucked around the edges?
As the days passed and they traveled from city to city, Ssussun found herself spending more time checking up on Kyil and Mikaril then she had first thought. The pregnant male was not handling his condition well. He should have been finished with his sickness within the first few months, rather then having it linger on. She told Mikaril that he would be fine though. Assured him that it was just all the traveling, and that some females just were cursed to suffer like this. She was not going to make him anymore fearful for his apprentice then he already was! She had the healer come and check upon Kyil twice daily, despite her grumblings about being needed elsewhere. Ssu insisted she could spare the time to make certain Kyil was in fair health reguardless of her plans.
In an attempt to help Kyil stay healthy, when the circus came to a halt to rest, Ssu insisted that Kyil get out of the bed and walked around a little bit. She did not want his legs to shrivel up or for him to gain bedsores. When his belly grew too heavy and low in the last month, Ssu fought her desire to pull Mikaril from that bed to lay with her. Kyil slept easier when Mikaril was close, she could see that easily and had no wish to cause him any duress that could be avoided.
Duress... that was a word that best suited the situation. Ssussun had tried on a few occasions to make a move on Mikaril. To hold and kiss him as well as pet that lovely face. But when Kyil was awake...those watching eyes made her uneasy. She could see a weird sort of pain reflected within them, something she could not quiet understand, and so she kept her hands off Mikaril while Kyil was awake. Her hunger for him still grew though. She just...wanted to drag him into her bed and kiss the breath out of him! Instead...she settled for the small gifts she found around the wagon. Oh! She knew where they had come from, and though she never actually spoke to Mikaril about them, she made certain to make happy delighted sounds when he was around and she was affixing the lovely things upon her person.
When Kyil fell into labor...he had not known it right away. His belly began to pain him. Particularly between the legs. As if some hot blade was slowly cutting a hole into him. Between cries of pain, there came cold shuddering sweats. His screams of pain had brought Ssussun back to the tent, and in short order the healer was brought. Ssussun hovered behind Mikaril, watching as the healer parted Kyil's legs and began to prepare him for the delivery. Ssussun reached out to place a hand on Mikaril's shoulder and gave him a slight squeeze.
"Hnnn...Well...this answers the question on how it's coming out." The healer spoke harshly as she inspected the area, then made a fluttering hand motion. "I need more rags, lest you want your bedding saturated in blood."
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Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:45 pm
The feeling of Ssu's hand on his shouder, along with the sudden aroms of her perfume brought Mikaril out of the small congested world where it had been just him and his ailing friend, and back into the wagon where Ssu and that moldy old sporesack of a healer joined them. Mikaril had never forgiven the female for her attempt on Kyil while he was sick, and her being here to aid his friend as he screamed in pain still did little to diminish his feelings toward her. Now that he registered her presence, he watched her like a hungry spider eyeing a fly, ready to pounce at the slightest hint of malicious intent. He scowled as she would part his friend's legs, but what little reason he had intact reminded him that this was most likely standard procedure for a delivery.
Ssu's hand on his shoulder helped to anchor him. He found her presence reassuring and slightly more comforting. If anything happened that was out of the ordinary, she would know about it. Granted, the healer probably had seen more deliveries from her profession, but he wouldn't trust her word if she had told him that water was wet. He knew that she wanted this to work almost as much as he did, and he liked her all the more for it. He remembered several times before all this had happened when she had seemed to try and get him into an intimate moment, much like they had been that day when she had pushed him down onto her makeshift bed. She had let touches linger, made verbal and nonverbal suggestions, always playful and never forceful, but he had been so consumed with worry for Kyil that he had not really responded much to them. He knew that she wanted him to, and he did want to continue with his end of the bargain and at least try to succumb just a little, but the mere fact that she understood his dilemma enough to not turn her playful advances into forceful ones spoke volumes to the panicked male.
But when the healer spoke of blood and coming out, Mikaril felt his insides grow cold. SATURATED in blood? What was she talking about? Certainly the child had to come out, and it had crossed his mind that since Kyil was a male and probably unable to deliver it by regular means, but what would this wretched female do that would mean that the bed would become saturated? No, Kyil must not be allowed to bleed so! He needed to stay strong so he could survive this! Mikaril felt the panic well up inside of him like steam from a newly tapped spring; Kyil couldn't die and leave him all alone. Without his friend, his life would be joyless; he might as well go back to Haellara and serve her as a decorative sacrifice. There had to be another way; he just couldn't be made to bleed so much. But why should he? He turned his head to look at Ssu, fear and panic plain on his face. "What does she mean? Why would Kyil bleed that much? What is she planning to do?" He turned his head around quickly to face the healer with a downright murderous stare, his eyes shining with anger and a touch of hysteria, his voice rising in both volume and pitch. "You're not doing anything like that to him; you can't bleed him like that! You can't! You touch him like that, so help me I'll take my knife and slit you right across your wretched eyes!! Get away from him!!"
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:12 am
Ssu began to pull out old bedding to hand to the healer, but stopped as Mikaril's raised voice cut sharply through the wagon. The healer sat back a bit from Kyil with a highly irritated expression on her face. "Why you insolent..."
The healers words came to a halt as Ssussun dumped the bedding on the floor where she knelt. Ssussun shot the older female a dark glare. "He is just upset. He has never seen a blessed birthing before. Now tend to your duty." She ordered the woman, then she laid her hand upon Mikaril's shoulder once more. This time, however, it was not in the same gentle support as it had been. Her fingers dug in, not to grip into the flesh and bone, but into the material of his cloak. Firmly she pulled back and attempted to drag Mikaril to the back of the wagon so she could pull him outside. "Come with me Mikaril. Now." She firmly spoke.
Only once she got him away from the crying Kyil, she tried to position herself before him, so all he could see was her firmly frowning face. "Mikaril you need to keep yourself calm. Your fear is effecting Kyil, which effects the baby, which effects his chances of surviving the birthing. If you can not keep yourself from freaking out..." She shook her head slightly and tried to ignore the sharp cry that came from behind her.
"It is normal for bleeding to happen when giving birth. Lots of blood, lots of pain. Lots of noise. You should be comforted to know that Kyil's condition is not different. It would mean something is wrong. I promise you...I'm not going to let them die. Okay? I didn't give up my bed, share my tea, and sacrifice my mirror to have them die."
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:49 pm
Mikaril was on the very verge of getting up and showing that wrinkly old face the full depth of his 'insolence' when Ssu's voice caused him to pause. When he felt her hand on his shoulder, her touch harder than he had ever felt it, and he found himself being pulled away. He tried to pull away a bit, but the female's grip on his cloak was firm, and there was no way he would be able to pull away from her without risking his cloak falling away and exposing his ears, which would most definitely not take away from the current chaos. Making a strange sound somewhere between a growl and a whimper, he allowed Ssu to pull him outside, though he kept trying to glance back at the wagon. Kyil was alone with that hag! She could kill him and make it seem like he died from his pain!
He forcibly looked at Ssu's face, seeing the look there and suddenly fearing to look away, in spite of the sounds of his friend's agony behind him. He listened as well as he could to Ssu's words, clinging to them, so desperate to believe them. He felt himself quailing under her stern gaze, and as the sounds of Kyil's distress continued behind them, Mikaril found himself shaking from within. "I'm sorry, I just.....I can't ever forgive her for what she did to Kyil." He took a deep, shuddering breath, willing calm to return to him, though he sure couldn't feel it succeeding. "He's been through more than enough s**t just like that, and he shouldn't have to go through one second more. And to do it when he was sick and couldn't do anything......." Another deep breath. "I know what it's like to be that helpless. I couldn't just do nothing." He didn't admit that he had seen a bit of Haellara in the eyes of that female, the day she had seen Kyil for the first time. It wouldn't have made any sense to Ssu and she probably wouldn't be interested in the troubles of a male, even if he was hers for the time being.
He looked at Ssu again and nodded, fighting back tears that were threatening to flow over the rims of his eyes. Why was it that he always seemed to cry in front of her? "I promise I'll be good from now on. I won't act crazy and I won't be insolent. But please don't send me away from Kyil; he needs me. I just can't leave him in there alone with her. I just.....you were right. I've never seen a birthing before. I didn't know there was supposed to be blood....." He knew he must look pathetic as Hell, with his teary eyes and his pleading face, but he didn't care; right now he would dance naked down the Eryndlyn marketplace if it meant helping poor Kyil. He reached out quickly and grasped Ssu's hand, trembling as he held it, his eyes full of the shadows of Hael, looming over Kyil with that ever-present hunger, so much what he had seen in the healer. "Please, I beg of you......don't let her kill him......and don't let him die."
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:30 pm
It was harder then she expected it would be to draw his attention to her. Well..that was because he thought his apprentice was currently dieing in the wagon behind her. Or that the healer was purposefully killing him or something. She kept her hand upon Mikaril's shoulder, in part to affirm her power over him..but mostly to help keep him from darting around her each time she heard a shrill cry. Kyil...really was in a lot of pain. More so then she expected was right. She was not going to tell that to Mikaril though. She'd continue to insist that this was natural and normal, just to keep him calm.
"You don't have to forgive her." Ssussun spoke as Mikaril would shake and try to explain what it was that he was feeling and fearing. "I understand. Your apprentice is very pretty. I'm sure he's had more then enough in the way of female attention...and I'm sure you have as well." Gently she moved her thumb, in an attempt to rub the shoulder she still gripped hold of. "She won't challenge me, and she won't act against my wishes. She will do her job, or the Ringleader will cast her out. I promise. You do not need to fear her."
She saw the tears gathering in his eyes, and Ssussun gave a careful scanning glance of the area around them. Kyils cries alone had drawn a few of the circus folk, and seeing her confronting Mikaril outside the wagon had drawn more eyes at that. Oh bother! Ssussun lifted her other hand, and moved to lightly smack her fingers against his cheek.There was hardly even enough force behind the gesture to leave a warming upon his cheek. "She is a healer. She will not kill Kyil. I won't let either of them die Mikaril. Just... I will let you come back inside. But you must not freak out. You must..." Ssussun paused in her words as the screams behind her came to a sudden halt. She turned a bit and glanced over her shoulder at the door. Time seemed to grow incredibly tense for her, and the hairs on the back of her neck rose as silence ticked by. Then..a small squalling sound came from the wagon, and Ssussun released a breath she had not realized she had been holding. She released her hold on Mikaril and opened the wagon door. Within the healer was bent over the baby, shaking her head and muttering under her breath what seemed to be a prayer of some sort.
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:08 pm
Oh, she had no idea of the sort of attention Mikarl was so afraid Kyil might be getting that very minute. He wanted to tell her that it wouldn't matter a whit to him if the healer got kicked out of the circus; if she killed Kyil, nothing else would matter to him. That would be the end of his world. Ssu was kind and gentle, but she apparently hadn't felt as strongly for anyone as he did for Kyil. Such fondness was uncommon; he had even been reminded of that months before when he had dared to suggest that what Ssu was directing at him might be just that. He wanted to calm down for Kyil's sake, but it felt so hard knowing that he was there now, suffering without him by his side, and after he had been by Mikaril's side so many times when he had been the bedridden one.
The cries continued behind him, and in spite of his slowly returning to a panicked state, enough to run back into the wagon and drag the healer outside, he sensed the eyes upon him from all directions. He felt a momentary twinge of reason; they needed to end this discussion quickly and get inside, away from all the potential tale-tellers. He recoiled more than was necessary at Ssu's light smack, but remembering the game he and Kyil had played in the occasional marketplace, that of master and servant, he was familiar with the face-saving maneuver and did his very best to look properly cowed.
When the cries suddenly ended, it was all he could do to keep from shoving Ssu aside and bolting inside the wagon. The tiny sound issuing forth told him that the child lived, but what of Kyil? It seemed so eerily quiet after such a long time of intermittent cries of pain. At any rate, the instant he felt Ssu's touch lift from his shoulder, he briskly walked inside, shutting the door to the onlookers outside and moving to get past Ssu. He saw the healer bending over the child, mumbling under her breath. He wasn't too terribly concerned there; the child had cried out, so it had to be breathing. His only concern was for the pale form laying on the bed, surrounded by the pungent stains and smell of so much blood. Disregarding the mess entirely, Mikaril moved close to Kyil, his eyes wide with concern and fright as he reached out and gently took Kyil's hand, willing his strength and warmth into it. "Kyil? Are you alright? Please say something. Anything."
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:23 pm
Lloth...please let them both be alive. Ssussun's thoughts staggered as she stepped into her wagon and smelt the strong scent of blood. She shifted to one side so Mikaril could push past her, and she moved instead to the healer.
"The baby?" She asked the healer while keeping an eye on Mikaril and Kyil. In answer the healer swiped a damp cloth over the baby's arm, then handed the half wrapped bundle to Ssussun. "A girl." She proudly spoke. "Mark's on her left shoulder, it's a good gift from the Goddess. Best make a sacrifice to her soon." She informed Ssussun before kneeling to collect her healers equipment.
In the bed, Kyil remained motionless. His chest however rose and fell steadily, despite his face being shiny with sweat and his eyes closed. When Mikaril took his limp hand, he did not stirr. Ssussun shifted to stand near to the males, with the baby squirming in her arms and making unhappy sounds.
It took Kyil a second before his lips moved. Very slowly and very softly, he whispered in answer to Mikarils heartfelt plea. "So...no more...morning sickness now?" He murmured. Ssussun's lips quirked upwards faintly and she turned to the healer. "When you leave, send someone back with a bottle and some milk for the baby...and for Lloths sake..I need a change of bedding. This is all going to have to be taken out and burned."
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:52 pm
Completely ignoring anything else around him except Kyil, Mikaril felt his breath catch when he noticed his friend's chest moving. He saw his lips moving and obligingly lowered his head to listen to the whispered words of his friend. But at the words, his eyes bulged out of his head, and wanting so badly to just laugh and cry at the same time, he reached his hand down to stroke Kyil's hair fondly. "No, silly; no more morning sickness. Matter of fact, from now on I'm tasting EVERYTHING first before you eat it. I don't think we can both take doing this again." He allowed one tear to travel down his face as he stopped stroking Kyil's head and reached out with the arm to give Kyil the gentlest of hugs around the shoulders.
Ssu's last words caused him to turn around, his face no longer panicky, but deeply concerned. "Is it safe to move him to change the bed? I know it can't be good for him to be laying in blood, but......can they usually move around so soon after giving birth?" He moves to stand up, casting furtive little glances at the bundle in Ssu's arms, as though afraid to let his eyes linger upon it for too long. "I'll help to move him if need be; I'm calm enough now to help." He couldn't help but wonder if any more curious eyes lingered around the wagon, and what conclusions they might draw when they saw the blood-soaked bedding being hauled away. Well, no matter; the healer would be sure to spread around what gossip she thought she could get away with, having witnessed the whole thing firsthand. He couldn't resist a sideways glance as he watched her collect her things and remove herself. Already the air seemed cleaner in spite of the lingering metallic tang of blood.
He lowered himself again beside Kyil, glancing once or twice over to where he knew there must have been some terrific bleeding. "Does it still hurt? She didn't cut you, did she? Do you need a bandage? Just let me know; I'm here for you."
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Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:32 pm
Ssussun gently rocked the bundle in her arms, and the babe within quieted. She looked at the little wrinkled face, and pressed one of her fingers to the infants lips. It amused her a little as the baby seemed to instinctively know to begin sucking on her fingertip. Holding the little creature, she watched Mikaril worry over Kyil. When he turned to her, Ssu's brows knit slightly. "He should not be moved much at all. But we can't let him lay in the blood. He needs to be cleaned up properly I am sure. Once the new bedding arrives, we'll shift Kyil out of the bed box using the old mattress as a sort of sling. I can clean him up, then we'll put him in the new bed."
Peering out through a small window, she saw with a bit of relief that the healer was not choosing this time to be difficult. Elkaun struggled under a rolled bundle of bedding towards the wagon. Sszor walked along side him with some sheets under one arm and a bottle lightly bouncing in the palm of his other hand. Ssussun stood in the doorway and waited until the pair got to the wagon.
"..a hand." Elkaun panted in irritation at Sszor, whom merely smiled slightly at him in answer. Ssussun shook her head slightly and gently tugged her finger from the baby's mouth. A thin angry wail immediately followed, and Sszor tossed the bottle one last time before handing it over. "Good Sszor. Now hold on a few minutes. Elkaun catch your breath. I need you two to help with this task." She paused then and turned to peer back at Mikaril.
Kyil felt like the worst of the pain was definitely over. The healer had been cold and snapped at him every time he cried out in pain. Though her words were a soft mutter so he was sure she did not even mean for him to hear her calling him a weakling and a miserable choice for carrying a child. Still, despite being so exhausted and drained, he could easily hear the pain and worry in Mikarils voice. He had to try and make him feel better. To lighten his worry and smooth it away. His pink eyes opened as Mikaril brushed a hand over his hair. His lips pulled upwards with effort into as reassuring a smile as he could manage. "As I recall.. you drank first." He murmured softly, but let it drop there. Mikaril had leaned in to hug him, and Kyil whispered softly to him. "I will be okay. I will not leave you yet Master."
Kyil took the opportunity to close his eyes and rest a bit as Mikaril and Ssussun would speak. When he heard the small cry from the baby, he opened his eyes and stirred his head up a bit. The child... he wanted to see it. But Mikaril had returned to speak to him. "I don't remember everything she did Mikaril. She may have cut me, or it could have just been the baby. I do not know. I do not...need a bandage though. She...she said the Blessing would 'set me right' after the baby was out and..I do not feel any sharp pains. I just..it is a very dull ache in my muscles. I feel like I have done far too many sit ups and have ruptured something inside. I am weak and so..so tired." he paused then and looked up to find Ssussun hovering nearby with the infant, and behind her the two males peering in like gawking sightseers.
"I...would like to see my baby...it is a girl? Is she okay? Healthy? I did not make her sick did I?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:15 am
Mikaril nodded at Ssu, glad at last for the chance to be useful and not stand there being hysterical and shouting at the healer, even though he felt that she deserved every bit of yelling that he had given her, had been giving her, and ever would give her. "Well, we'll just be as gentle as possible, and then Kyil will definitely do better once the smell of blood is gone from the air. And I'll help clean up too; I'm not afraid of blood." Which was positively true; goodness knows he had seen enough of his own to be absolutely certain of that.
When the two new males arrived, he kept a wary eye on them, pausing in his unrelenting gaze only when he heard the child's small cry. Knowing Ssu would do nothing to harm it, he suspected that it had just realized what sort of world it had been born into. Hell, if that leathery old face had been the first thing he had seen when he was born, he would probably wail too. He nodded at Ssu and looked down at Kyil with a smile as he straightened up after the hug. "Now that you mention it, you're right; I did drink the first drink, didn't I? Well then, I am going to have everything de-spelled if it costs a fortune for every meal. How's that?" He felt so relieved from Kyil's whisper that his knees felt like they would give out. Kyil was actually going to be okay. He had done it; he had survived what some females did not. He had beat the odds and come through. It didn't matter how weak Kyil viewed himself; right now Mikaril felt as though his friend was truly the strongest drow alive.
He widened his eyes a little as Kyil described his injuries. He was not about to peer down there and see just how it happened; he would surely be able to witness it again someday, and hopefully with a clearer head. But it astonished him that after all that blood, a bandage of some sort would not be needed. It must be what Kyil said; a part of the process of a blessed birthing. Though after losing that much blood, it made perfect sense for his poor friend to feel weak. "Well, don't you worry; you'll have more than enough time to rest up after this. I'll bring you everything you need until you're strong again. You deserve it after all of that."
As Kyil requested to see the baby, Mikaril looked over at Ssu and the two gawking males. He fixed them with his best 'what are YOU looking at?' stare before watching Ssu come over with the bundle. Until then he had given all of his concern to Kyil; the healer had said the baby was healthy, and so he had no reason to share his concern. But now that it was being brought over, he found himself wanting to see what had been staying inside of Kyil for so long, what he had been afraid of hurting every time he came remotely close to bumping Kyil by accident. He marveled at the tiny face, even reaching down to touch the skin on the cheek, soft as the petals of his roses. Something suddenly clicked inside his head. A girl; the baby was a girl. So many female drow in the Underdark strived to make a girl whenever they gave birth; another strong being to train and teach in the ways of their people and add to the strength of their Houses. Some of them lived and died after centuries and never once produced a female. And here his friend had done it on the very first try. He smiled at Kyil as he reached out to hold her. "You know, some females go their whole lives without producing what they call a suitable heir. You're so incredible, Kyil. And don't worry; I heard the healer say that she was healthy. You did it, Kyil. You really did it."
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:30 pm
Ssussun stepped over to Kyil, then hesitated. "Tell you what. Let's get you out of that bedding and into something clean. Then you can see the baby and be able to rest easier." She decided as she gently rocked the baby in her arms. As long as the babe had the bottle in it's mouth it seemed happy enough to stay quiet and calm. She nodded slightly to Mikaril and managed a faint smile. "Don't worry. Elkaun and Sszor will be able to handle the lifting, I'll take care of the cleaning. You just make sure Kyil doesn't show any side effects...and here. Hold this." She shifted the baby in her arms and held it out in expectation of Mikaril taking her.
Kyil shifted a bit and pushed himself to his elbows in eager expectation of finally looking upon the child he'd been holding inside of himself for so many months. He was denied though, as Ssussun would decide he needed to be cleaned and the bedding changed first. Well..he supposed that it only made sense. He smiled faintly as Mikaril would make a most ridiculous vow. Dispell everything they ate indeed! "Maybe we should just check our drink bottles from now on for strange markings that could be blessings." He lightly jested back. "Oh..please...no more bed service please. I feel like I've forgotten how to walk. I must be able to do some things myself now too!" He spoke with a lighter voice, the laughter was quiet clear in both his lips and eyes now. He fell silent then and watched as Mikaril would be able to look upon their daughter and touched her. He looked...awestruck? Was that possible? He had been assured that she was healthy, and that really was all that mattered he supposed. At Mikaril's soft words, he found himself smiling again. "Only because of you and Ssussun. I do not think I'd have handled this as well or pulled through without such care."
Elkaun and Sszor continued to watch from the door of the wagon. Despite Mikaril's watchful gaze, and clearly hostile looks, the males lingers. Sszors face did not change much from his somber mask. Elkaun however smiled so wide his pink eyes crinkled in the corners and he even had the gall to wave at Mikaril with his last shot. The exchange between the three of them gained no comments from the pair...though Elkaun did elbow Sszor to get his attention, and he poked a finger past his lips as if he were to gag. Sszor, unamused by Elkauns funning, lifted his jesters wand and gave the juggler a smart rap over the head with it.
Elkaun, jerking a bit at the whack, wrinkled his nose at Sszor. "You are no fun sometimes Sszor." he hissed slightly. Ssussun glanced over to the pair of males and crooked her fingers. "Stop gawking you two and come give a hand. I want this mess cleaned up quickly now." With a small sigh from Elkaun, he pulled himself up into the wagon, then helped Sszor in behind him.
"Really Ssussun. We spoil you too much. What shall we do after this? Shall we wash your unmentionables?" Elkaun spoke as he moved towards the bed. Behind him Sszor tread quietly, and he lifted a hand to sign over Elkauns shoulder.
~He only hopes for the chance to lay hands on such garments.~ The stern faced mime shared before taking a place beside the bed.
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:11 pm
As much as he hated to see such disappointment on Kyil's face, Miakril found himself in agreement with Ssu. Better that Kyil be cleaned up first; he wouldn't want the baby's first ever smell to be that of her 'mother's' drying blood everywhere. And the sooner the better, to prevent any diseases from spreading around. He had no doubt in his mind that they would have to be extra careful for a while; a weakened drow succumbed twice as easily to germs and illness.
He nodded his understanding to Ssu; he would gladly ensure that his friend was okay and able to communicate if something didn't feel right. He blinked in genuine surprise as Ssu held the child out to him, and before he knew what was happening, he was standing there holding a newborn baby in his arms. Right away he noticed that the head seemed almost too heavy for the tiny neck, so he automatically adjusted his arms so that he could hold the girl's head up. It almost felt like holding a wrapped fish; she was so limp. But he supposed logically that this was the first time she had room to stretch her arms and legs out, and remembering all the times when he had fallen asleep all curled up as a child and awakened with pins and needles, he figured she just needed time for her muscles to wake up. He peered down at her curiously, observing her tuft of white hair, looking softer than the down of a feather mattress, and as he watched, the two small eyes opened, showing an extraordinary pink with a hint of red. They looked as though they had trouble focusing at first, but when they settled upon him, he had a hard time meeting that gaze. So innocent and pure....what would the poor little one think when she grew old enough to understand just what sort of world she had been born in?
He found it easier to return his attention to Kyil when he heard his friend nearly laugh. How he had missed the joy in his friend's voice! He couldn't wait to show him what he had done with the spell scrolls; he had told him about them when he had done them, but of course he had felt Kyil ought to stay in bed instead of going exploring through magical portals that may or may not have hurt him or the child he was carrying. He nodded in agreement, letting a bit of his own laughter sound in his voice. "That's settled then; from now on, we read everything." He smiled and nodded at Kyil. "Ssu had the clearest head I think. I know what I said before about being fine on our own, but now I really think we both would have been totally lost without her." Remembering suddenly the presence of the two males in the room, he fell silent, even wrinkling his nose at Elkaun's cheeky wave. He watched the pair with a mixture of apprehension and unwilling amusement; were they the circus' clowns perhaps? He knew the somber one to be dressed like one, though he had seen snatches of his act during his chores and it didn't seem all that funny. Still, perhaps the over-silliness of the other helped play on that. Hearing Elkaun mention washing unmentionables had him picturing the pair doing silly clownish things with Ssu's undergarments, which caused him to snort as he moved back so that he would be out of the way while the pair moved the soiled bedthings away and replaced them with new ones.
A small sharp cry momentarily distracted him, and he looked down to notice that the bottle had come loose, and the little one, unable to find it with her new eyes, was giving voice to her frustration. Still unwilling to take his eyes off of Kyil for more than a minute, he carefully replaced the bottle in her tiny mouth, watching with growing fascination as she continued to suckle as though she didn't have a moment to lose. He couldn't resist a small smile; she certainly knew what she wanted. And those eyes.....had Kyil looked this small when he was born? Had he himself? He couldn't imagine how the matrons of the house could take such a tiny little scrap of life when they first saw it. Perhaps there was something about males when they were born that made it more tolerable to sacrifice them; looking down at the newborn female in his own arms, he thought he had never seen a face more beautiful. Surely this was what every matron mother hoped to see when her labor pains subsided. At any rate, he knew as he reached a finger out to poke the tiny palm and feeling the tiny hand respond in kind, that if anyone sought to harm this child, this life that Kyil had worked so ahrd to bring into the world, he would be more than happy to increase his kills from one to two, or three, or however many it took.
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Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 5:32 pm
Together Elkaun and Sszor lifted the bedding out of it's box and, using it as a sort of sling, lowered Kyil to the floor. Ssussun wasted no time in pouring out some water into a basin, and she knelt between Kyil's legs to clean him.
Needless to say, Kyil's face turned four different shades of red. "I...Ah..You don't have to...there..I can.." He began to protest.
"Hush." Ssussun ordered in a soft tone as she rinsed the rag in the water. "Your in no condition to be bending over like that. Besides. There is nothing here I have not seen before." Ssussun paused as Elkaun snickered softly. Her eyes darted up to where he and Sszor were replacing the bedding in her bed, and she spoke sharply.
"I'd watch it Elkaun. I changed your diapers and I'm more then willing to share that story about when you thought my white ribbon was candy..." She warned him. Sszor's lips quirked upwards while he tied the corners down of the bedding, and Elkaun cleared his throat.
"Ah...we're finished here..." he murmured in a more...humble tone. Ssussun returned her attention to cleaning the blood from Kyil's legs, then she gestured for the two males to help him back onto the clean bedding.
Kyil's face remained burning brightly as he half rose himself, but leaned heavily on Elkaun and Sszor. When he laid back in the bed, he released a small pleased sigh.
"I will admit... this does feel far more comfortable." He murmured as Sszor tucked a pillow up behind his head. Elkaun, still blushing himself, began to drag the ruined old bedding out the door, and grumbled as he did so. "Sszor. Give me a hand with this..."
Ssussun shooed Sszor off to help Elkaun carry the bedding out, and she flicked a thin blanket over Kyil. "There we go. Nice and clean. Come Mikaril, I'm sure Kyil wants to see his baby too now."
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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 9:45 pm
Seeing Ssu commence with the cleaning, Mikaril turned his back to give his friend at least a little semblance of privacy; that and he really didn't want to see the result of the past hour, for fear of his losing it again. Besides, unlike in that hour, he knew that Kyil was in good and capable hands. Instead he focused more on keeping the little one from crying out. She seemed oddly at peace, blinking up at him with her beautiful eyes, as though trying to figure out who he was. Just how much DID little babies understand when they first come into the world? Damned if he could remember what he had thought when he was that small.
He couldn't suppress a smile at Ssu's knocking Elkaun down a peg or two; not that he had anything against the male, but he was still getting used to a female that answered cheek with more cheek and not explosive violence. Though there was no mistaking the edge in her voice; a reminder that she still took no nonsense from males, or probably from anyone, for that matter.
Hearing Ssu address him, he turned around, happy to see that Kyil was resting on clean bedding and looking better already. He walked over to the side of the bed, cradling the little one in his arms and very carefully handed her over to Kyil's own waiting arms. "She almost has your eye color." He smiled as he looked down at the pair of them, then reached out and placed a hand on Kyil's shoulder. "You ought to drink something so you don't get dehydrated after all of that. Is there anything I can get you; water or tea or something?"
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