Chapter 20

It was within a year of the Ascension that Swift and Seel had been blessed with their second child. It seemed a propitious moment for the start of new life, with one era come to an end, a new one about to be born.

The hosting had gone smoothly and two weeks before the due date, during Festival, Forever had been full of joy as the Tigrons Pellaz and Calanthe made an appearance, visiting the house together for the first time in thirty years. The Ascension had brought many changes, including the freedom to come back and face old friends and sometime enemies. Tyson was there along with Azriel, who Cal had never met. Cobweb may not have held out the torch for Cal, as the rumors went, but it filled his heart with gladness to see that at long last, perhaps for the first time, his friend was whole, his damaged mind and soul restored. Of course, the reunion had had its bittersweet moments and tensions, but all in all, it had been a happy time. Moreover, for Swift it had come as a welcome distraction from constantly dwelling on his developing pearl.

It was two days before the approximated due date that the house received a visitor, invited by Cobweb. Lisia had been called down from Harling Gardens in order to assist with the birth. The request hadn't come from Swift, but rather from Cobweb. Ever since the conception had been announced, Cobweb had worried that Swift might encounter problems such as he'd had himself. He didn't want his son to undergo any unnecessary pain or complications.

Then one day he'd been in town and happened to meet a hostling with a three-month-old harling that had been delivered at Harling Gardens. Although the school was not a birthing facility, occasionally hara, having taking courses there, would go there to have their births attended. Lisia had been an immeasurable help to him, the hostling reported -- so much so that he planned to see if he could call him down to attend the birth of his second pearl, whenever that occurred. Cobweb wondered if Lisia would come to Galhea on behalf of this relative stranger. Then he had another thought: Why not request him to come down for Swift's birth? Lisia, talking via thought transference unit, happily agreed to make the trip. He would arrive a week or so after festival.

Lisia arrived on a bitterly cold afternoon. Alighting from his horse, he shook icicles out of his hair. Cobweb was out front to greet him and offer him a fur wrap. "I'm so glad to be back here and help, but heavens, it's cold!" Lisia exclaimed, following Cobweb inside.

After handing off Lisia's bags to a servant, they headed straight for the living room. They found Swift curled up in an armchair by the fire, idly leafing through a book. Seel was sitting at a desk on the side, apparently working.

"Lisia!" Swift called warmly. "I'm so glad you could come." He put his book down on the table beside him and smoothed his robe over his knees. Glancing over to Seel, who Lisia noticed seemed a bit anxious, Swift remarked, "We're both so ready for things to happen, me especially."

Lisia came up to his friend and patted his shoulder in sympathy. "You're almost there, I'm sure," he said. "Let me look at you!"

Wearing large fur slippers and a dark blue robe, Swift stood up, a little slower than usual but quite ably. His thick middle was obvious to everyone. Swift's face was glowing, healthy, and there was a sparkle in his eyes. Clearly hosting agreed with him.

"Swift's been doing very well," Cobweb said, slipping up to his other side. "Only some backaches now and again, isn't that right?"

Swift nodded. "Yes, I keep getting them right in the small of my back. Seel's been healing me with energy, but they keep hitting me over and over."

Lisia's bit on his knuckle, thinking. "Have you tried hot compresses?"

"What do you mean?" Seel asked. He'd given up on his paperwork. "Hi, Lis."

"Hi, Seel," Lisia responded, addressing the father-to-be. "Oh, I mean rather than doing healing every time, just make sure you've got some hot compresses ready. Just put together some hot towels, hot wet towels, or even stones heated by the hearth, and keep them around." He looked back to Swift. "Then, when you have troubles, have someone apply them to your back or even lie on top of them yourself," Lisia explained. "Combine that with occasional healing and a back rub and you should be fine."

Swift reached out and gave Lisia a sudden hug. "Oh, Lis, thanks for the advice. See, Seel, I told you he'd help. Now where's my back rub?"

They all laughed and settled themselves into an attitude of waiting. Pearls had their own schedule. When the time came however, everyone in the house would know.

The call, when it came, was loud and clear. Cobweb had been mired in a dream, a dark red dream, where he'd been lying on a table, his body ripped with pain. He was delivering a pearl!

With a start he awoke from the dream, dragged from his own memory, suddenly knowing that the result of that nightmare was calling him. Swift!

Cobweb leapt out of bed, threw on a robe, and grabbed a tie for his hair before flying out of the door. Lisia was sleeping in a guest bedroom, having wanted not only a night of rest but to avoid the appearance he'd come to Galhea to see Cobweb. Propriety and privacy were very high on his list of priorities.

Cobweb pounded on the door of the guest bedroom and soon his friend appeared at the door in a robe, hair twisted every which way.

"It's begun," Cobweb announced, taking hold of Lisia's arm. "Come with me."

Disengaging himself, Lisia ducked inside the room for a moment to grab a pair of slippers and a large purse before coming out and hurrying to catch up with Cobweb, who was almost back to Seel and Swift's bedroom. Cobweb waited at the half-opened door. He couldn't see the bed but he could hear Swift, who was moaning softly.

Lisia came up beside him. "Night births are sometimes easier," he whispered. "If you've already been sleeping, your muscles are more relaxed and you may find it easier to simply go with it."

Cobweb didn't reply, instead steadying himself mentally and taking hold of the doorknob. "Come on then," he said, stepping inside.

Swift was crumpled up on the bed, clutching his stomach and weeping just a little, moaning as Seel sat beside him, trying to settle him into a comfortable half-sitting position. Phlaar, ever the faithful family physician, was off to the side, bent over arranging the blankets and pulling up Swift's thick nightgown to perform an examination.

"Swift!" Cobweb called with his mind.

His child looked up. Swift's eyes were for a moment uncertain before suddenly he fixed them with confidence. "It's happening," he announced, gritting his teeth. "It's really happening."

"Yes, it is," Lisia said softly. He said to Phlaar. "How long?"

Phlaar turned. "Oh, about fifteen minutes. I just got here."

"Ah." Lisia sat opposite Seel at the edge of the bed and found himself recalling a memory from long ago. "Oh, dear Swift, do you remember when you first met me and you told me one day you were going to host?" he asked. At the time Lisia hadn't believed the governor of Megalithica would ever really and truly go through with such a plan. Little did he know that Swift had been completely sincere in his pledge.

Swift managed to flash a smile before grimacing with pain as his muscles contracted. For a few moments he was unable to answer. "Yes, I remember. I didn't know what I was getting myself into."

By now Cobweb was also sitting on the edge of the bed, farther down. "How's the pain?" he asked. He didn't want to see his child suffer.

"Fine!" Swift gasped, wincing. "I think. Actually it seems to be getting--" His words were cut off as he concentrated on a new round of pains. By the time they were through his cheeks were wet with fresh tears. "I was going to say better," he moaned.

"I don't mean to give you bad news, Swift," Lisia said, "but it gets worse. When its your first, there's usually about fifteen minutes where it's bearable and then it spikes, gets much worse. You're strong. I know you can handle it. Think of... think of what I went through, think of those articles I sent you, my book."

Swift nodded his head vigorously, eyes squeezed shut as the pains continued. His fingers dug into Seel's arm which he had grabbed for support. "I remember what I read, yes. You were so strong, our bodies are built for this, I know it. I can be strong too. I can do this."

Three hours later neither Swift's stoic attitude nor the encouragement of all four hara had produced any visible effect. Peering between Swift's spread legs as he gently opened up the passage with his fingers, Phlaar could just barely see the pearl, still lodged up high inside. It hadn't made any progress. Swift's patience and endurance were beginning to wear thin, although he had done little complaining, putting up with the spoken advice and leaning heavily into Seel, who had sat behind him on the bed and offered all the comfort he could.

Once the impasse became evident, Seel was the first to speak up about it. "What do you think the problem is? Something should have happened by now, don't you think?"

His question appeared to be directed at Phlaar and Lisia equally, but Lisia had thus far, so Cobweb noticed, kept himself in check, conscious that he was in some ways usurping on the physician's professional territory.

"I am concerned," Phlaar admitted to Seel. "Your delivery of Azriel was amazingly short, but the time varies. Sometimes it takes longer. Of course, this isn't nearly as bad as Cal--"

"Oh, Phlaar, don't even bring that up!" Swift cried. "That's not a fair comparison and I don't even want to think about it."

Lisia was puzzled. "What about the Tigron?" he asked. He knew all about Cal's history with the household and of course knew Tyson, but he didn't understand the reference.

When Swift closed his eyes, apparently trying once again to push down on the pearl, Cobweb decided to answer. "When the time came for Cal to deliver Tyson, it took him a full two days."

"Good heavens!" Lisia exclaimed. "That's the worse I've ever heard. What was the matter?"

"Hard to say," the doctor murmured, checking Swift for progress. "The entire labor was difficult. Cal was in quite a lot of pain and became violent and feverish, hallucinating, shouting. We thought he was going to hurt himself and had to keep someone watching him constantly. Swift watched over him a few times, actually." He finished his examination and frowned. "If he hadn't been so out of control, I would have done for him the same as I did for Cobweb and what, so it seems, I may do again here."

"And what's that?" Swift asked tiredly, falling back from his half-sitting position, staring at the ceiling as Seel ran a damp cloth across his forehead.

"Well, rather than prolong the labor or possibly damage the pearl through an effort which might be futile, I can just make an incision which will make it easier for you to push the pearl out." He looked to Cobweb. "That's what I did for you, although it was done more crudely than I would have liked. We were desperate and ill-experienced in deliveries, but I still believe your body was simply too small to allow the pearl to pass. Swift has a very similar body type and I think the surgery could save many hours of frustration and exhaustion."

"Will it hurt?" Seel asked worriedly. "I don't want him to go through any unnecessarily pain."

Phlaar shrugged. "Well, it certainly won't hurt any worse than a natural delivery and," he said directly to Swift, who was tilting his head up, also looking worried, "you'll heal pretty quickly anyway."

"Well, what do you think?" Seel asked gently.

Swift groaned. "I don't know. I--" he broke off, apparently cut off by a muscle contraction. "I don't feel like there's been any change for a long time and I'm only getting to get more and more tired. If this is the only way--"

"It's not," Lisia abruptly announced. Ever since the discussion had begun, the hostling had been listening to the proceedings attentively without speaking.

"Oh? Well, then, what would you recommend, in your professional opinion?" ask Phlaar, trying to keep the irritation out of his tone, aware of Lisia's expertise.

"Swift, what the doctor has suggested is... it's just absurd!" Lisia burst out. The doctor visibly flinched. "No offense intended, Tiahaar, but I would never recommend any sort of surgical intervention, not when there are at least two viable non-invasive, natural methods available. Also, during the period when our facility was delivering dozens of pearls a month, I never encountered any situation that did not resolve itself naturally."

Swift grunted, once again trying to push. "Tell me what I can do. I know that you know more about this than any of us, Lis."

"There are two things we can do. First, I have this." He reached over to the side table where he had his purse and brought out a small bottle. "This is an anaesthetic lubricant we developed at the facility. It works fairly simply to reduce pain and inflammation as well as to re-lubricate. Seel, if you would please apply it, I believe it would have some immediate effect."

Seel nodded, understanding, then looked down at Swift. "Is that all right with you?"

"Go ahead. It can't hurt--" Swift winced then smiled weakly. "Well, not more than I already hurt."

Seel, moving from behind his chesnari to get in front, took the bottle from Lisia and unscrewed the cap. The balm was clear and smooth as he spread it around the external and internal portions of Swift's female organs. Once finished, he glanced over to Lisia. "Is that all?"

"No, actually if you would massage the area for a minute, that would bring an even greater effect."

Seel raised a questioning eyebrow. "What sort of effect?"

"Quite simply to relax the muscles and work the medicine down further into the tissues. You might try to gently work on some of the energy centers while you're at it." Lisia's words were matter of fact.

Seel looked back to Swift. "All right?"

Swift shifted in place, then reached out with his hand and caught Seel's shoulder. "Yes," he sighed wonderingly. "Actually it feels a little better already."

As Seel went ahead with his task, Cobweb looked to Lisia admiringly, feeling his love well up inside him. "You're really good at this," he said. "I'm so glad you could be here to offer your expertise."

Lisia lowered his eyes at the praise. "I'm sure this could have been done without me but I am pleased to be able to help your son, given all that he's done for me."

Meanwhile Swift could be heard moaning in pleasure. "That's much better," he sighed. "Heavens, yes, much better." Seel had apparently done an excellent job at opening the energy centers and Swift's face had the glow of aruna about it -- very different than a few minutes earlier.

"Now go ahead and try pushing again," Lisia urged gently, after a few minutes had passed. "Just see if it's easier now."

Swift closed his eyes and gave it a try. "Ahhhhhhoooohhhhmmm," he moaned loudly. Down below the pearl had shifted. "Yes."

Phlaar, who hadn't been saying much, had to admit that the improvement was significant. He would reconsider the surgical option, as perhaps the lubricant would be enough.

Everyone felt relieved when during the half hour that followed, Swift managed to nudge the pearl down an inch or two. Despite the progress, however, it was becoming increasingly obvious that Swift might indeed simply be too physically small to pass the pearl. By the end of that time, Swift was complaining that the pain was growing intolerable, pressure building inside him, a feeling that the pearl was pressing up to bone and couldn't possibly make it out.

Seel again took up his chesnari's cause. "Lisia, you mentioned a second option." He was touching Swift's forehead with a damp cloth.

Lisia nodded, obviously prepared. "Yes. It's actually one we hostlings developed in the facility on our own." He looked to all of them before offering a full explanation. "As you know, we didn't receive the normal caste training, but we learned to do visualizations that would help us and which we could use to help others. Since going through caste training I understand more about how such visualizations work and have used it in conjunction with numerous deliveries, including Pansea's twins."

"What do you do?" Swift asked, his voiced strained. "Is it something simple? Whatever it is, I'll do it."

Lisia nodded. "Yes, don't worry, it's very simple. It's an assisted visualization. In essence, you must think of your body as a flower, opening up. You will need to concentrate, enter a state of meditation. Meanwhile, I can help you by guiding you through it. Seel can help you as well."

"Oh, Lisia," Cobweb blurted out before he could think, "you're so brilliant. How I wish you'd been able to help me delivering Swift!" He glanced to Phlaar. "Absolutely no offense, Tiahaar."

"None taken," Phlaar replied stiffly. "We didn't know much about deliveries or Wraeththu physiology in general, not at that time."

Swift, who had agreed immediately to the proposal, closed his eyes and, on Lisia's instruction, spread his arms out across the bed, palms outstretched.

"You mustn't be at all tense," Lisia whispered. "Think of your body as soft, flexible, opening wider and wider. Be flexible and lissom as a flower." He and Seel had arranged themselves, each sitting just behind Swift, holding his shoulders. Their eyes were also closed.

"Now, you are in a field," Lisia intoned. "The sun is rising with the morning."

"Breathe slowly," Seel whispered. "The morning is quiet."

"Now feel the sun warming you, filling you with energy." Lisia held his grip on Swift's shoulder. "Don't tense up with it, just soak it in."

Swift's expression softened. He almost appeared to be sleeping.

"Now think of your pearl, the center of the flower," Lisia continued. "Your petals are curling outward, reaching into the sunlight, but only partially. There are more petals inside, deep inside, and the center of the flower is a beautiful black orb."

Seel understood what Lisia was trying to do and softly offered his own instructions. "Now let yourself open. Just as naturally and freely as a flower."

After some minutes reinforcing these messages, Lisia and Seel began to squeeze Swift's shoulders and upper back, timing them to coincide with instructions to bear down. Swift still appeared to be asleep, but he was indeed pushing, because very shortly there were a series of movements below. The pearl was about to be born.

Cobweb observed with tears in his eyes. "Oh, Swift," he crooned, "I can see it, it's almost here."

Lisia, who had opened his eyes and leaned down to check the position, now resumed his former station next to Seel. "Now Seel and I will help you with the final bit."

"Help me?" Swift murmured from the depth of his near-trance.

"Yes, to give the last push." Lisia and Seel assisted the hostling up into a sitting position and gestured for Cobweb and Phlaar to hold his legs steady while with an unspoken signal, Swift began to bear down, Lisia and Seel feeding him with extra strength and determination.

Swift's head began to shake as he tucked his chin against his chest, growled, then finally screamed. Lisia and Seel were screaming along with him when the pearl shot out into Phlaar's waiting hands.

Swift slumped back into Seel's embrace, relieved but intensely exhausted.

The birthing expert meanwhile slipped over to have a look at the pearl, which appeared healthy as Phlaar examined it and gently wiped it clean. "It's quiet a large pearl, Swift," Lisia reported. "You should be very proud."

Cobweb suddenly couldn't resist giving Lisia a hug. "You should be very proud yourself," he whispered into his ear. "What you did for my son... I really appreciate it."

With Seel's help, Swift shifted onto his side. Phlaar brought the pearl up and set it on the bed, ready for its hostling's protection. Swift curled around the pearl and Cobweb pulled up a blanket to cover them.

"Thank you, Lis," Swift said, looking up, still dazed, almost asleep, despite the recent screaming. "That... this," he patted the blanket, "was amazing." With those words he closed his eyes and immediately dropped off to sleep.