Binding Of The Bloodlines

[Alistair]

Alistair did not look like a knight; which was just as well because at heart he was not a knight. Today he almost looked like his old self; in nothing but pants; and a shirt on. Yet his old self would not have been up on roof helping repair some of the damage done to a many of the local homes and businesses. Many were helping this day. A few knights had followed his example and climbed up in order to impress the ladies who came with baskets of food. Noble men offered coin; and then went about their way.

It didn't matter to him; for this was one of the first things that he'd done since arriving here; that felt like he was doing something rather then playing pretend. He was actually doing something that had a purpose. And--if he let a bit of his new and growing self confidence (or ego) speak; he had encouraged the others to take part. Leaning over the edge of the local inn; Alistair gave a sharp whistle sot he young knight would trow up another bundle of the straw used in the roofing. As he did; the ladies there giggled and told the young knight how strong he was. Alistair rolled his eyes; but let them play their stupid games. The work was getting done and that was all he cared about; let them pick their own reasons for helping.

[isadora]

"Where -is- he?!" Isadora demanded with frustration of the frazzled looking servant who had just poked her head into the room to report that the prince was no where to be found in the castle, and no one seemed to have any idea where her beloved husband could be found. The baby was earlier than the healers had predicted, but that was mostly because they thought the baby had been conceived a full month later than it actually had been; but Isadora was very ready to have this baby out of her.

She wasn't ready for the pain that came along with that. She cried out wordlessly as the pain from another contraction ripped through her; all this, and the midwife kept insisting that they still had a long way to go, and telling her to take nice, deep breaths. Isadora tried to obey, but the woman's calm seemed to be having the opposite effect on her, making her want to tear her stupid serene head off if she tried to tell her not to worry one more time.

"Go. Find. Him." Isadora ordered harshly, she didn't care if Alistair was wandering out in the woods, if they didn't find him before this baby was born, someone's head really was going to get torn off.

When the poor servant eventually managed to track down the druid, it was with relief and complete breathlessness that she greeted him, trying to catch her breath and speak all at once. She was terrified of what would happen if she didn't deliver her message quickly enough; the princess definitely had a homicidal gleam in her eye when she'd ordered her to find her husband. "Sire....I've just come....it's very important...you have to go to....well, you see, not that I'm ordering you, or anything, Sire, it's actually the princess...she's very angry...but that's not the point, what I mean to say...Sire, you need to go to the castle at once." She stammered out in between breaths, trying to make sense of her scattered message. "The baby's coming." She finally managed to summarize it in a way that made sense.

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[Alistair]

Sire! Alistair was ignoring the sounds, until he remembered that; that was his 'name' now. Turning to look down at the worker; he waited for them to spill their message. He did not grow concerned; why should he? Workers like this one always thought whatever their message was; was the most important one they would ever deliver to him. It got annoying on the best of days. Finally they managed to spill their message.

Standing on the beams that held the house together from the room; Alistair just stared down for a moment before turning to climb down. Seeming to forget in his state that he was only balancing there, he ended up falling though the top. Lucky; for him that the flooring below it, meant to keep more of the rain out; caught him; making him only all a few feet.

Alistair got out of the building; down the street of markets --outrunning the worker-- and toot he castle in record time. He kept running up the damn steps; and down the damn halls the whole way there. By the time he burst though her door; slightly stumbling in his hast; he was out of breath slightly. Noble men might not want to be in the room when their child was born; but the old grumpy noble women and their middle wife; or whatever the hell she was called; was not sending him out. The hell they would. Walking over to the bed; he sat down on the edge; facing her and not the workings from below her waist. "Isadora," Using her name because he knew she liked it.

[isadora]

Isadora's screams echoed through the halls of the castle, startling anyone who wasn't already aware of what was going on. By the time Alistair burst through the door, almost bowling over the servant who was stationed outside to send the curious onlookers on their way, she had collapsed back onto the pillows, trying to take deep breaths as the midwife kept encouraging her to do. She looked up in surprise when she heard the door open with quite a clatter, smiling weakly when she saw who it was. Yeah, he better have run all the way here.

"Alistair," she said in return when he said her name, then reached over and grabbed one of the unsuspecting pillows resting next to her, swinging it up with as much force as she could muster to whack him in the face. "You're late," she growled, switching in an instant from being glad to see him to pissed that he hadn't been here sooner. Under the circumstances, she didn't see anything wrong with that.

It was only after that she noticed the scandalized look on the midwife's face at having a man in the birthing room, and the woman looked as though she might say something, until Isadora turned her wrath on her, shooting her a withering glare that would stop even the bravest knight dead in his tracks. "He stays." She growled with a finality that just dared the woman to argue. It might be unconventional....but Isadora didn't care. He had inflicted this on her. He should be here to suffer through it with her.

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[Alistair]

"Alistair," She looked clam; which he supposed was good. He'd heard of women having fits of rage; and of others who would threaten their husbands manly parts; and even some who had dared swear their husbands would never touch them again. Knights talked too damn much but in this one case; he had taken their words. They'd gone to visit their wives; heard their fits; and left them to women's work. Cowardly bastards. Hiding from a few little fits.

"You're late," He took the pillow and dropped it at his feet; removing her weapon of choice from her reach. "I was on a roof." He used as his only explanation; not caring to explain more; for he had other things that demanded his attention today. After she barked at the maids hoovering at her ankles; he reached his hand up to move any strands back from her face; allowing him to lean forward and kiss her forehead before moving back and speaking in an overly clam tone. One he doubted would last. "Leave the women alone; and tell me what you need. I will give you anything you ask of me on this day."

[isadora]

Isadora's brow furrowed at his explanation, was that supposed to make sense? "Why were you on a roof?" It might not seem like the most important thing right now...but if the midwife were to be believed, then they were going to be here for a while yet, and she wanted him to distract her. It didn't hurt (much) for the moment, so she might as well find out what on earth had compelled her husband to climb up onto a roof, today of all days.

Her eyes narrowed when he told her to leave the women alone, glancing past him to the women, who she decided to leave alone for the time being. Why abuse them when he was a willing victim? And he deserved it. Yes, yes he did, this was clearly all his fault, her soon-to-be-unpregnant brain kept telling her. "I want the pillow back." She stated in response, then added, "unless you want to give me something heavier to hit you with." He did say anything.

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[Alistair]

"Why were you on a roof?" He had been repairing it from the recent damages; and getting the lazy nobles working to aid the people who could not afford to pay for the work that needs to be done. "It needed attention." Was all he said on that matter; for there were more important things happening here then some roof that he did some work on.

"I want the pillow back, unless you want to give me something heavier to hit you with." If she was going to use it to hit him with it; then she her hands could be filled with something more useful. "I think your words are heavy enough." He told her; reaching out to take her hands so they were filled with his own. "If you feel the need for violence then you can use them to hold fast to my own." Squeeze them to her heart's content if it made her feel better.

"What happened this morning?" How long had she been like this? He though it took days; but he also admitted he knew nothing but the occasional horror story that he had not ran away from fast enough when around a campfire on a trail. Women seemed to brag about the baby's size and how long it took. Alistair rather hoped that days was an exaggeration.

[isadora]

Isadora gave him a plaintive look at his plain, common sensical answer, yes, she might've guessed that he was fixing a roof. But why would he do that? "You're no thatcher." She pointed out, wondering why he was spending his time on roofs when he could be doing...well, there had to be something else he could be doing. She just couldn't be bothered to think of it at the moment, despite her desire to be distracted, she wasn't quite thinking straight.

Her eyes narrowed when he refused her request. "What happened to doing as I as-" Her words devolved to groans of pain as another wave of pain washed over her, her muscles tightening involuntarily as it ripped through her. As the pain receded, she let out a ragged sob, squeezing her eyes shut tight and letting herself collapse back onto the bed. "I'm going to kill you," she murmured thoughtlessly, pulling one hand free of his to brush her hair back out of her face.

She drew in deep breaths, surely this had to be coming to an end soon? Not according to the midwife, however...loathsome woman that she was. Alistair asked her something, and she groaned, opening her eyes. "Shut up," she ordered, having no energy to even care what he wanted to know.

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[Alistair]

"You're no thatcher." No; but he would be whatever she needed him to be. And what she needed; often was the same thing as what her kingdom needed; so today he fixed the roofs in order to help get the town back to it's normal daily adventures. He'd thought it amusing that he'd managed to say the right thing before the right young knight that made more help out; he was getting the hang of this talking to get what you wanted bit. Though it almost backfired when he was asked how he'd known how to do this. He had gone back to ignoring them then.

"What happened to doing as I as-" He noticed her pain and how it filled her. This was however one thing he could not protect her from; not matter how he wanted too. He could only sit beside her and let her do what she needed to do to help her. "I'm going to kill you," That only made him smile; and watch her. She was pushing her her back; and Alistair let her go to reach up and do it for her.

"Shut up," Still slightly grinning; he moved his hands back down to encourage her to hold them if he needed to squeeze them. He thought it amusing that the girl who tried to get him to talk more now told him to close his mouth. "Isadora," He called to her in a soft voice so that it was soothing; something he'd learned was helpful with horses while he was with the druids; though he would never tell her that he was using the same tricks with her. The Druid elder had said it worked with high spirited horses; and his princess was high spirited. "In a few hours you will be holding a babe in your arms." His son or daughter. His blood mixed in with her's.

[isadora]

She glared at him when she noticed he was smiling at her death threat, and she pushed his hand away when he tried to brush her hair back for her. "Don't smile," she growled angrily, he could at least pretend he thought she might actually do it. As it was, with his little smile, she was seriously considering it. "This is your doing, you should be apologizing. Not smirking like an idiot." She added harshly, in no mood to be sweet and gentle at the moment.

"Since when do you smile, anyways? You hate smiling. You have some kind of a...prejudice, against the whole practice. And yet here you are, smiling about my pain. I never thought you were a sadist." She ranted, rambling on slightly because he wouldn't say anything to distract her, so she was going to rant and rave to take her mind off the fact that every few moments it felt like she was about to be torn apart from the inside.

And he was so bloody calm! It made her livid. His calm tone did the opposite to what he wanted, instead making her irrationally angry. Well, not entirely irrationally. It faded some when he reminded her of the purpose to her pain; their baby. It would make it worth it...if it didn't kill her first. "Faster would be better." She pointed out, she couldn't imagine this going on for much longer.

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[Alistair]

"Don't smile," That only made him grin; "This is your doing, you should be apologizing. Not smirking like an idiot." Soon he would be a father; and hold a child of their bloodlines bound to one son or daughter. Soon; as in hours; or less if things went well. Alistair felt strangely nervous and pleased at the same time. The knowledge that soon he would hold his child in his hands was daunting but enough to keep the grin on his lips eve while his wife talked enough for the three of them now.

"Faster would be better." Yes; it would for he did not like knowing she was in pain and hurting. He wanted her happy and holding their child sooner rather then on the morrow. He hushed her softly; "I would take this unto myself if the stars allowed it; but I cannot. Soon this will be but a memory." Even if he had to use magic to make it so. "Tell me instead what you wish name your son or daughter." They had spoken of names; but this would give her something beside his grin to speak to him of.

[isadora]

At least he didn't interrupt her...one thing she could always count on Alistair for, he was never going to interrupt her. Even if he didn't stop smiling like a moron. Oh, she wanted to hit him again. The urge was only strengthened when another wave of pain swept over her, making her clutch his hand like a vice while her body rebelled against itself, muscles tightening and straining while the midwife continued telling her to just breathe. When the pain subsided, Isadora looked at Alistair again.

Well now he was trying to be sweet, and her expression softened slightly at the sentiment...he was still smiling, but she supposed she could forgive him, given that he was about to become a father. She knew how much this meant to him...to them both. She just had things distracting her from that joy right now. "I don't want to name him Alistair," she decided firmly. She had been toying with the idea of naming their son after both his father and his grandfather, but now she was sure that it wasn't a good idea.

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[Alistair]

Not name him Alistair; that might be a good thing. Alistair was not even sure how he received his own name. He never knew his mother long enough to ask these questions; of what his name meaning might hold. If their had been a man in her own; or his father's life that might have inspired the name. he knew that it must be; for names like his own were not common within the Druids. "A name should hold meaning."

It should give a presence; as it would be the first thing they could give their child to shape who they wanted them to be. This child could be raised with out the hate of her world; and the fear of his. This child could be taught the best of her world; and wonder of his own. This gift; this was the best thing she'd ever gifted him with; and in a few hours or even less he would be holding his child. His blood. His family. "What names hold meaning to you?" People who touched her life. "Your mother's name?" For a girl; is she was so inclined. A friend perhaps?

[isadora]

Isadora nodded when he told her a name should hold meaning; she agreed, but clearly they had different ideas about what meaning it should be. She shook her head at his suggestion of her mother's name. "I don't want to name our baby after anyone. The name should be their own." Their baby was special, unique. A child born of two worlds, she didn't think it should bear a name that came from just one of their worlds. Their child would be able to bring peace to their two people...and that reminded her of something.

"I heard a story once...about the women of the Sabines. They were able to make peace between the Romans who had kidnapped them and their own people." She smiled slightly, it seemed fitting. Especially with the kidnapping. "So maybe...Sabina. If it's a girl. Someone who brings peace to two peoples." She didn't think it was a girl, of course. She was so certain they were having a boy. "What would you call your son?" She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, much lighter then she held it when she was in pain.

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[Alistair]

"I don't want to name our baby after anyone. The name should be their own." He felt disappointed that the name would hold no meaning for them; but would respect her wishes to give the child a name of it's own. The druids were family people; and valued meaning behind everything; and even if he had not been raised as one; his years with then from before and more recent years with them had instilled a few values in his heart.

"Sabina. If it's a girl. Someone who brings peace to two peoples." A name with meaning; though not personal it was a name that represented something to her; which was important. "Sabina." He repeated; making sure not to forget the name. There was a chance this child would hold the name; his child. One that would belong to him in a way no one had ever belonged to him before. An unbreakable bond of family.

"What would you call your son?" After his father; perhaps. Though after her words of wanting children to have their own names he would not voice such thoughts. "Not Vaughn." He told her in a soft rumble to tease her while his mind thought over names he'd heard. Naming a child was not something he wanted to do by random chance; he wanted a strong name. One that carried the history of his people--both people. "What name would you give him?"

[isadora]

Isadora smiled when he agreed with her choice of name, but didn't think much on it. It didn't matter what they decided to call their daughter, because they were having a son. She was very determined of that. She rolled her eyes and gave him a somewhat sarcastic smile when he affirmed that their child would not be called Vaughn. "No, not Vaughn." She agreed, it was bad enough the vile man was going to be their child's godfather...a thought that still revulsed her. Best not to think on that now.

Another contraction came as she thought on Alistair's question, turned back on her from her own lips. She tensed, squeezing his hand and crying out against the pain. "I swear those are getting more frequent," she breathed out as she gasped for breath.

"They're supposed to, my lady. You're doing very well." The midwife assured her, and Isadora nodded. She had prayed that all would go well, that nothing bad would happen to her child, and the woman's words helped to reassure her of that. She hadn't had any bad dreams about this day, and if Alistair had, he hadn't said anything about it. That had to bode well, right?

"Mae told me some druid names," she finally responded to her husband, recalling the ones she had liked best. "Taliesin was the name of a seer, she said." They knew their child shared his father's gift. "And she mentioned...Duncan, I think, and Kilian. I forget what they mean." Mae had told her all kinds of names, she could only recall a few. She wondered if any of them would mean anything to Alistair.

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