Author: Conrad, Posted: Sun Sep 6, 2020 9:19 PM, Post Subject: (P) A Family Affair

Witnessing the responding smile upon Kythe’s features helped stir that unfamiliar sensation in his chest. He returned the smile with his own that was soft just as his personality was. Conrad gently squeezed her hand within his grasp before turning his attention to the women who were working quickly to get set up for the arrival of the family additions. ”If I remember correctly…did you not mention that this had not been planned?”. Conrad gave a slight smirk all while holding in a laugh at the joke, He glanced over to see that the diowolf was not doing as well to hold in his amusement.

-“Yes, mother….it seems that you don’t take many opportunities to plan these things, anyway.”-. The amusement did not leave the bi-colored eyes while looking at the women who were rushing to get their necessary gear set up. Teu looked to be grown by the day. Even so, she had not lost an ounce of grace in her movements while working with her instruments. Alairia was moving with more certainty. Habitual movements helped her shift from vial to vial, along with the increase in her ability to see. Ria was grateful for the treatments, even if they were taking some time to take full effect.

A thin blanket was placed over Kythe’s lower half to give some privacy. ”All right Kythe, we are going to check on your progress. See where we stand - then get these boys to join the rest of us,” Teu instructed while settling at the bottom of the couch. Her emerald gaze missed nothing. The healer saw the concerned expression written all over Conrad’s face as he tried to hold together his emotions. The main scar that marred his left eye was a large patch that had not been treated appropriately upon receiving it. Teu wished there was something she could do for him, but it was too far gone.

Hands gently lifted up the blanket and skirts to check on the dilation. Her eyes widened slightly as she appeared to double check what she had seen. ”It looks like they are going to be here sooner rather than later. I already see a head. Kythe, I need you to take a breath and then push. Only for a count of five. Then rest.” Hand rested on her belly to help push the first child out when Kythe was ready to push. Alairia already had a few blankets prepared for the newborns. Teu noticed her daughter glance a Raith with a hopeful smile before turning back to the task at hand.

”You can do this. I’m here,” the fire mage whispered against Kythe’s ear. He was slightly surprised at his own words, but they were true. He was not going anywhere.

Author: Kythe, Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:19 AM, Post Subject: (P) A Family Affair

The sound of his voice caused her heart to leap, and Kythe hoped Conrad would assume the blush in her cheeks was due to her labour, rather than the attraction she had steadily built for him during their interactions. Pol had abandoned her; one argument too many had driven the man from the Hall and out of her life - the two centuries he had been without her had changed him, she had only been parted from him for a few months and hadn’t changed at all… the strain had been too much for them to recover from.
At first she had been angry that he would abandon her knowing she was pregnant, but she had been prepared to raise her sons alone anyway, so what difference did it really make now? 

The man took her hand and Kythe smiled, glad of his presence in this trying moment. As he asked what was happening she managed a short, barking laugh, but that was all she could express as another contraction ripped through her. Kythe never got a chance to say anything to Conrad as Teu appeared, a whirlwind of activity despite her own pregnancy. 
”Not in my nature,” Kythe replied through gritted teeth as she squeezed Kiba’s hand. She gave both men a squeeze with her hands, letting them go so that she could properly grip the couch. ”I swear if I ever say I’m having children again just throw me off a cliff,” she groaned, eyes meeting Raith’s and blinking in surprise for a moment before the next contraction hit and forced her to concentrate on what she was doing.

Age wasn’t much of a factor for her people, but Kythe had never had easy pregnancies, even dating back to when she had given birth to her first daughter Kaya. Breathing as instructed she screamed at the next contraction, she couldn’t hold on any longer, she had to push!!

Author: Conrad, Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 6:15 PM, Post Subject: (P) A Family Affair

The cataloging had been a more in-depth project then Conrad had originally thought it would have been. Index finger gently pushed the glasses back into place on the bridge of his nose while examining the next tome to be placed back onto its shelf. He had completed a large portion of his research into flame magic, and now it was time to clean up after himself. The sorcerer had not realized the extent his stacks had gotten to; a rather large one had toppled over to finally indicate the necessity to clean up. Conrad had internally moaned at his lack of foresight and allow the pile up to happen in the first place. He had been distracted by a breakthrough that had allowed the man a new direction for his studies.

He glanced down at the spine of the next book to be put away as he heard a cry out. The voice was so familiar, that Conrad put his books down on the floor immediately to run down the length of the shelves. There was a tightness in his chest that he had not felt before, which in turn made him run even faster. It was a pain filled cry that made him panic.

Conrad’s shoes slipped on the smooth surface as he came to turn a corner sharply. A hand gripped the shelf to help pivot himself into the aisle he needed. If anything told him about their visits before, Conrad knew where Kythe was going to be. They had increased their meetings…even if Conrad had not told her the times he would be there. Each day he found her there would be more pillows and amenities that had been gathered by the man for the guild leader for her comfort. Niceties were always exchanged, but it seemed that Kythe had been able to find some sort of sanctuary within the Library.

”Kythe! No honorific was used as his mind could not bring himself to the usual calm. Another slide of his boots across the floor brought him to the woman’s side. Instantly he was holding her hand in his own, where his callouses rubbed against the back of her smooth hand. A hand was gently wrapped around her back to help her sit on the lounge couch. ”What is going on?” Eyes were searching her frantically; Conrad could not remember the last time he was as out of sorts as he was right then. Scarred skin looked more strained as the worry was written across his face. He brushed her forehead lightly to push away some of the hair that was sticking with the sweat. It took less than a minute for him to realize the issue. ”Oh…okay, I am here,” he said gently while kneeling at her side.

For a moment his attention turned towards the main door off in the distance as he heard it open. Hurried footfalls echoed in the large room. As they neared, Conrad noticed a woman who looked pregnant herself along with a tall man. When they neared, they looked familiar. ”Let me get my things set up, and then we will take a look at what we are working with grandmother,” Teu spoke gently, though there was a smile playing on her lips. Kiba had put down the additional bag that was full of medical supplies for his daughter before he moved over to Kythe. He narrowed his bi-colored eyes at Conrad before a nod was given. Conrad felt a held breath release at that nod, knowing that Kiba could have easily quite literally bitten his head off.

-“Don’t want to do anything easy, do you mom?”- the diowolf chuckled. He positioned himself around the back of the couch to be on the other side of the laboring woman. His large hand encircled her free hand to allow her to grip both men during contractions. The diowolf leaned down to place a head on her forehead. Reluctantly he pulled away as his daughter, Teu, shooed the men back a little to make sure they would not witness the lower half from where they were positioned.

Healer Teu sat on the couch at the end while positioning Kythe’s legs as necessary. ”Ria! Bring the Hawthorne out; I want to make sure that her heart rate is kept at steady rate. A squeak of acknowledgement was given from the entrance of the Library as Alairia and Raith had arrived for the birth. Of course, it was not Raith’s true wish, but he would do anything for Alairia…and this was what she had wanted.

Ria had gained her sight after rigorous as well as painful healing sessions. It was going to be put to the test as she set up her own supplies to grab what was requested. The two woman gave instructions to the laboring woman for proper positioning, and specific medications to take for helping the labor along. It was not going to be an easy process.

Author: Raith, Posted: Sun May 31, 2020 10:35 AM, Post Subject: (P) A Family Affair

Raith was midway through an audience with some assassins when he felt the tug on his heart. The Deity raised a hand to silence the man speaking to him, cocking his head to one side and scowling beneath his ornate blindfold as he tried to ascertain what the hell it was he could feel. Slowly he stood up, the assassins scuttling away from the God as though they feared he might lash out at them at any moment. "Leave," he said simply, turning away from his Throne and leaving for the Watchtower to locate Alairia. 

It had taken him a moment to work out what that feeling was, but now he realised. Ever since he had saved his wretched mother from the edge of death he had felt linked to her, and her unborn children, in a way he could not understand let alone describe - now it dawned on him, as he had saved the lives of her and the twins he had inserted a part of himself into the boys unknowingly, it was them he could feel. Maybe he could influence one of them to kill his mother over time… but right now he felt drawn to them, as much as he loathed the idea of being there for his mother as she gave birth… as if the last birth he had been at with her had not been traumatic enough. 

"Ria? Mother's giving birth, I think she is likely to need a hand."

Author: Kythe, Posted: Sun May 31, 2020 10:25 AM, Post Subject: (P) A Family Affair

(Please note this SHOULD have taken place during Angela's event when the plants were attacking so it is set in the past) 

Kythe laughed as she bent over, one hand gripping the wall as she steadied herself against another contraction - as ever her children had impeccable timing. The world was in disarray once more - Kaya had lost her mind, or at the very least it seemed her heart, and disappeared into the world in her wolven form with Kiba on her tail, while the rest of them were forced to deal with the plant life attacking them all. Kythe had been dealing with a particularly aggressive vine in one of the courtyards when her waters had broken - months too early she might add - and her boys had decided that right this minute was a wise time to arrive. 
"Couldn't wait a little longer hey lads? Given your poor old mother five seconds to catch her breath?" She laughed, wincing as she pulled herself upright, the smile fading from her face as she realised a tree had crashed through one of the crumbling walls and was now blocking her way back to her private quarters - she was in no condition to fight the plant, she needed to get somewhere deeper in the Hall where she could have her boys safely. 

Grimacing Kythe turned down one of the other corridors, cursing the fact that her pregnancy seemed to have been accelerated by some unknown force. This entire last trimester had been odd, they had been growing at a normal rate until her near-death experience during the battle with the Void - but since Raith had brought her back… had her son done something to harm her and the boys? Was this his final revenge at last? She doubted it somehow, killing her and her unborn children would upset Kiba and Teu, and subsequently, Alairia and Kythe doubted that Raith would risk harming her where his lover was concerned. 
Groaning she turned another corner, stopping dead as another contraction ricocheted through her body. She couldn't walk any further, she needed a room and she needed one now. Shuffling down the corridor she realised she was at the library - Conrad had put a lounge chair in there for her, it would have to do her. Pushing open the door Kythe waddled over to the couch the librarian had added silently one day - he was always doing quietly kind things like this where she was concerned - and collapsed into it. 

Crying out she placed her hands on her stomach. Gods why did she keep getting pregnant?! She had never gone through one childbirth without some issue or other! "Valandil, call Kiba, get Teu, I need her love, I need them both. Hurry!" She cried, it was no use asking for Pol - her husband had vanished and Kythe had not forgiven him for his absence.
"I will get them, I'll bring them now"" The Dragon replied and Kythe gripped the couch tightly, praying they were quick.