18+ Fiction, no minors allowed
Contains: Labor, childbirth, mention of past miscarriages, tmpreg, vaginal birth, slight birth denial, pregnancy denial, clothing birth, difficult birth, post apocalyptic setting, t4t, multiple births. About 9.4k words.
{A king, traumatized by multiple losses, has been in denial his entire pregnancy. Everything comes crumbling down when he gets word of his wife's impending return.}
To say that Iliad felt as if he had swallowed a stone would be an understatement. Every day he woke up expecting sharp pains, blood running down his legs, and the sting of grief over what might have been. Despite his anxiety, those sensations never came. He wore loose clothes, but as king, he didn't dress himself. Due to that factor, word spread through the palace about 25 weeks in. No one said anything directly to him, but the maids had quietly set up a nursery within his side of the palace for the seemingly impending arrival.
Iliad couldn't bring himself to believe it. There had been seven before this. Three times he had gotten his hopes up, twice that he had been terrified, and twice that he had just cried in his wife's arms at the news. They all ended the same, and even though he had come to expect it more each time, it didn't hurt any less. To avoid that feeling, he opted to be silent about it. He hadn't told anyone, not even Edith.
It was ridiculous that it had gone on this long, but what was he to do now? His wife, the queen, had begun her diplomatic journey through the broken remains of what used to be the one large country the day after he found out. He’d thought to tell her, but seeing how stressed she was to appease their allies and adversaries, Iliad clammed up. He couldn't put anything else on her then, especially when it was unlikely to come to fruition, so he kept it to himself. He had watched her leave and simply hoped that the family he did have would return. He moved on, or so he thought, maintaining Reuben and the palace; waiting for this too, to pass.
All Iliad wanted was to be in the forge, continuing a project, but every time he arrived, he was promptly (though politely) shooed out. Instead, he had settled for fixing up a nearly eighty year old 3D printer. Finding parts had been difficult and storing enough electricity himself to power it for longer than a few minutes was also a challenge, but that gave him something to do other than wait.
As the months passed by it was getting more and more difficult to sit for long periods of time to work and today was no exception. Being forty weeks and two days pregnant meant that everything hurt, he was constantly exhausted, and he could barely breathe. At least until a week ago, when he started getting cramps. He was relieved at first, it was finally over. Soon he could go back to his normal life of tinkering and get over the inevitable grief. Then, his belly dropped and it threw him for a loop. Being physically able to breathe again was the strangest sensation after so long, but mentally, he was more panicked than ever before. He had no idea what he was doing, he hadn't prepared for a baby, and he hadn't even admitted to himself that he was pregnant.
Instead of figuring any of that out, he opted to keep tinkering, completely in denial. It was fine for the time being, but the way that these cramps had been hitting him today, he knew deep down that he wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer. That was the thought he kept shoving away as a knock came to the door of his workshop.
He recognized the voice of Kallan, his ever growing shadow, immediately. He didn't even look up or stop fiddling with his screwdriver to answer.
The door opened and the young man entered the room, taking a look around. At the silence, Iliad finally stopped to look at him and scratched his beard.
“What is it, Kallan?” He asked tiredly.
Kallan’s jaw clenched and he swallowed thickly. Nervously, he pulled on the collar of his shirt.
“I was told to let you know that the queen is on her way, she should be returning tomorrow morning.” He said.
On the outside, Iliad kept his face even, but he was sure that he felt his heart stop and then resume. Hearing every beat in his ears, he gave Kallan a curt nod and returned to his work.
“Thank you, Kallan. Have the palace begin preparation for her arrival. You know her favorites by now, I hope?” He said.
Through the corner of his eye, he saw Kallan shift on his feet and confusion flash over his face before he remembered who he was speaking to. “Of course, my king.” He said. He paused, it seemed like he wanted to say something and Iliad already knew what it was about. He wasn't going to give him the chance.
“You are dismissed, Kallan.” He said, trying to ignore his goggles fogging up on his face.
“Alright. I will let you know how the preparations go. Have a good rest of your day, sir.” He said.
Finally, he politely shut the door behind him, leaving Iliad alone with his thoughts. He tried to keep tinkering, even as his heart raced, tears pricked his eyes, and his breaths grew shallow. Eventually, he dropped the screwdriver and ripped off his goggles, feeling hot all of a sudden. He moved to push his elbows into his thighs, but was stopped by his massive burden. He cried out and pressed them into the table instead, resting his head in his hands. Tears ran down his arms as he cried silently. Even though everyone knew, he still didn't want to be heard. The curve of his belly jumped as he sobbed, making the weight of his situation even more apparent. What the hell was he going to do now? How was he supposed to continue? Would any of the palace staff tell Edith? Did he have to keep doing this alone? He didn't think he could take much more, and as more cramps spread through him, he was sure that his body felt the same.
Iliad didn't sleep much that night, mostly due to worry, but also because the pain would interrupt his weariness. He still didn't know what to think. What was he going to say to his wife when she saw him? He had always been stocky, and his large breasts masked the growth of his belly a bit, but he’d never been this heavy. Even if Edith didn't immediately suspect that he was pregnant, surely she’d notice the changes. Maybe he’d tell her that he’d wanted it to be a surprise? Lie and say that he’d sent letters but she’d just never gotten them? Maybe he could tell her the truth, that he was afraid of losing this one too. That he hadn't expected to get this far.
He found himself resting his hand on the crest of his abdomen, his silver wedding ring gleaming in the moonlight. Even if he had gotten this far, there was no guarantee that this child would live. There was still time, he could cope with another loss. It could still be ripped from him, and he wanted to be prepared for when it was. As he thought, he felt movement under his hand and pulled away as if he had been burned. He wanted to roll over and turn his back on the moon, forcing his eyes shut, but he was currently pinned on that side. Too heavy to move.
His shabby alarm clock pulled him out of his light sleep the next morning. Tiredly, he pressed his old project to make it stop and lifted his head to read the hands. It was five in the morning. Four hours of sleep simply wasn't enough. Iliad felt worse than when he’d gotten into a bottle of twenty year old melatonin as a kid. Despite that feeling, it wouldn't be like him not to show up to meet his wife.
Pulling himself out of bed had proved to be a chore. The burden attached to him tried to drag him back into the sheets, along with his sleepiness. Eventually, he sat on the edge of the mattress with the comforter kicked off to the side. He sighed and brushed his curls out of his face, letting his hazel eyes meet the morning sun. His belly rested firmly on his knees, pressing his feet into the floor.
“Sir?” Kallan called through the door.
Iliad huffed in annoyance and turned towards it.
“The queen is supposed to be arriving within the next hour. Should I call the housekeepers to dress you?” Kallan asked.
Iliad sucked a weary breath in through his nose. “Of course. Thank you, Kallan.” He said.
A curt hum came from the other side. “My pleasure, sir.” He said.
After a moment, Kallan's footsteps departed, leaving Iliad alone again. Preparing for his servants to arrive, he rolled his neck and pressed his hands into the bed, trying to stand. As soon the remainder of his core muscles tightened, a flash of pain rushed through him. He winced and plopped back down, hearing the bed springs squeak.
His left hand flew to his belly before he pulled it away again. He didn't want to acknowledge the pain, but it was intense. His womb hardened as he gritted his teeth, waiting for it to pass. This couldn't be happening. He wasn't ready. He was afraid.
After a few moments of holding his breath, the ache subsided. He let out a long wheeze and rubbed his hand down his face, a light layer of perspiration was left on his hand. Without even knowing, he had spread his legs, letting his belly fall between them. As soon as he realized, he closed them and felt something cold and wet in his undergarments. He frowned and tried to look down, before remembering that he wouldn't be able to see anyway. As he tried to figure out what to do next, someone knocked on his door.
“Sir?” Another voice asked.
It was the other servants, he had to do something before they came in. Almost losing his balance, he pushed himself off of the bed and began to rush to the adjoining bathroom.
“Just a second!” He called back.
As soon as he shut the door, he pulled his pants down and sat on the toilet, finding a clump of mucus in his underwear. He could feel all of the blood rushing away from his face. Iliad had lost mucus plugs before, but never all at once or one that seemed so…healthy? He wasn't really sure what that meant, but it wasn't mostly blood like before. He huffed and rested his head in his hands again.
This was real. This baby could come any day now and he had no idea what he was doing. Had he really just spent over ten months ignoring it and hoping that it would go away like the others? What the fuck? As he started to wonder what his next move would be, another ache, which he just barely acknowledged was a contraction crept up on him, tightening him up. The way things were going, this baby was probably coming sooner rather than later.
His wife was coming back, he wasn't prepared for anything, and he still wanted to believe that this was some dream that he would just wake up from. Hell, he was forty, what was he doing having a baby? Would they be healthy? Did they have a cord wrapped around them? Had he eaten enough? He started to pace, until he remembered that his underwear was ruined. Still out of it, he cleaned them and changed. Hopefully, he hadn't taken too long.
After a tiring waddle to his bedroom door, he opened it, letting the servants inside. Soren, head of his team, was the first to greet him with a slightly anxious smile.
“Good morning, sir. How are you feeling?” He asked, others trailed behind him with clothes for him to choose from.
Iliad shifted his eyes in thought.
‘Like a death row inmate on his way to the electric chair.’
“I'm well, thank you. How far out is Edith?” He asked as he was surrounded by servants, who ushered him to the seat of his and his wife’s shared vanity.
“About half an hour sir, so we must make haste. Do you have any suggestions for us today?” Soren asked.
Iliad did his best not to move as his hair and beard were trimmed. “Surprise me.” He said. At this point, he didn't care, he was just trying to prepare for Edith’s wrath.
Soren blinked curiously. “Alright then.” He replied.
Iliad noticed that his employees tried to keep him seated as much as possible and while he hated so many people knowing, he appreciated the effort. His feet and ankles were far too swollen to be standing for long periods of time. Not to mention the cramps that would come every now and then. He worked to keep his face even, especially as they worked on his hair and make up, but it was proving difficult, especially since he had just acknowledged that he was even pregnant. He could feel the baby pressing low, pushing against his cervix like a hydraulic press. For the first time, he allowed himself to rest a hand over his aches, hoping to soothe them. It didn't do much.
Through the corner of his eye, he noticed a maid reach for his binding tape. He shifted his eyes towards her, feeling a bit of panic rising in his chest. If he was bound, it would only make his belly more apparent, and his breasts were already tender.
“Not today, Lily.” He told her.
Lily nodded and moved on to another task. Iliad sighed inwardly as he was dressed. Eventually, he donned a white silk shirt, a black suit with silver detailing, the coat was a bit big on him and the color was slimming, so he was concealed as much as he could be while being heavily pregnant. White lace gloves encased his hands, he wore a silver necklace in the shape of a collared lizard, black dress shoes that would have been too big for him months ago, and a long white cloak with a hood and a silver clasp to further hide his form.
Soren helped him to his feet and he stood in front of the mirror, suddenly very aware of what he looked like. His cheeks had filled out, his nose and lips were swollen, his freckles were blotchy, his jawline was barely there, and his belly looked as if he were on the verge of liver failure. He clicked his tongue and shook his head at himself. He was so fucked.
“Is something wrong, sir?” Soren asked.
“I can't go see her like this.” He said.
He hadn't even meant to say such a thing, an admission, but it just rolled off of his tongue before he could think. This was insane. Who did he think he was fooling?
“I'm sorry, we must have gotten the wrong measurements for the shirt. I can send for another o-”
Iliad cut Soren off with a bitter smile. “Thank you, but that won't be necessary. There's nothing more I can do to hide this.” He said.
“I'm sure the queen won't mind, in fact she’ll be overjoyed. I know how long you have wanted children.” Soren replied, trying to reassure him.
“She would be, if she knew.” Iliad said.
The room froze. He wasn't really looking at them but he caught the eyes of several servants lock onto each other in shock. Soren blinked, confused.
“She doesn't know. I never told her.” Iliad clarified.
“Oh, that's… quite the revelation.” Soren said quietly.
Iliad huffed and made a blank face. “What did you think I was doing all this time?” He asked.
“Just say something. I'm not going to persecute you.” Iliad grumbled.
The servant looked at his eyes through the mirror rather than directly at him. “I suppose I assumed that you simply didn't want to talk about it. It makes sense considering….” He trailed off, letting the heavy silence of implication fall between them.
“Alright, I suppose that's fair, but I actually just couldn't believe it. I didn't want to.” He admitted, trying to keep calm so that he wouldn't ruin his make up.
“My king, if I may?” Despite asking, Soren didn't wait for his reply. “After everything you've been through, I don't blame you for reacting that way, but the queen is your wife. You’ll have to tell her at some point. Hopefully before you have a newborn on your hands.”
Iliad nodded. “I know, but she's going to be upset with me.” He said.
“Probably, but there's really nothing you can do about that now. You will just have to take accountability. We’ll be here no matter what happens.” Soren replied.
Iliad let out a deep sigh, blinking back tears. “You're right.” He said.
As the conversation died, another knock came to the door. Trying not to let his voice crack, he ushered the newcomers in. Two knights from the royal guard entered the room and bowed to him.
“My liege, the queen has arrived.” One said.
Iliad bit the inside of his cheek and hid his arms under the cloak. He had thought to force a smile, but decided not to, just wishing that he could fast forward through his doom.
“Rise. Take me to her, please.” He replied.
The knights rose and escorted him from his chambers, leaving the servants in shock.
Iliad’s hips and back aches with every step. Noticing this, the guards slowed down to match his pace, stopping when he started to become short of breath. While he was grateful to have attentive staff, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed. The staff had been silently accommodating him all this time and he had said nothing to thank them. He hadn't even acknowledged the baby growing inside of him.
After another pause to rest, Iliad took in a deep breath and sighed.
The guards nodded curly and waited for him to start walking again. Iliad was in disbelief about how big the palace was. Every stair, hallway, and corridor winded him. He was always a bigger man, but being pregnant had nothing on that. He gritted his teeth at the thought. The word, pregnant, stuck with him after so long in denial. It was a sickening feeling.
Finally, after another half an hour, he reached the great hall, greeted by the beautiful sight of his wife. As soon as she heard his footsteps, she whipped around to look at him. When he looked at her face, his breath was taken away again. It had been seven months since he’d seen her and she had only become more enchanting.
Edith’s presence commanded any room that she was in. Having been the crown prince in her youth and brave enough to become a queen, she knew her power. She was six foot three and made of lean muscle. Her long, dark red coils graced her shoulder blades, her smooth, dark brown skin had a healthy glow, and her deep brown eyes absorbed the sun like quartz crystals.
Then, there was her smile. Her raw happiness and love bled through the gap in her teeth and stretched her repaired cleft lip to its limits. Her dimples seemed ready to poke through her cheeks. She was precious. How could he have hidden so much from the woman that he loved?
Iliad froze as Edith giggled and ran up to him, her suit of silver armor sending echoes through the palaces. She opened her arms and before he could even think, she was lifting him off the ground to hug and kiss him.
“My king! It's been an eternity!” She breathed blissfully.
Iliad stiffened, accidentally pressing his belly into himself, causing his womb to cramp. He winced in pain. Edith immediately, but gently set him back on his feet, her eyes filled with worry.
“I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you okay?” She asked, dusting off his shoulders.
As the contraction faded, Iliad sighed and smiled softly, momentarily forgetting about the predicament that he was in.
“I'm fine, Edie. I was just a little surprised.” He said.
His heart instantly sank at the lie, as he was brought back to reality. Forty weeks and two days pregnant. How was he supposed to admit that to her now?
Nodding, Edith rested her hand on the small of his back and began to walk with him down the hallway.
“I have so much to tell you about my journey to the east coast! And I brought you gifts! We can catch up before the banquet.” She said excitedly.
Seven months of catching up to do. If they were getting ready to do that, now was a good opportunity. He could get it out of the way quickly, before things got worse.
“That's exciting, dear. I have something to tell you too.” He said, trying to keep up with her pace.
Edith's eyes felt like lasers staring into his soul when she turned to him, her loving smile stretching larger.
“Oh!? What is it? I’d love to hear what you’ve been getting up to, Iliad.” She said excitedly.
It took everything in him not to avoid her eyes. He swallowed thickly as he tried to think of what to say next.
‘I’m heavily pregnant and I’ve been hiding it from you for over half a year!’
‘I’m in early labor and yes, it's yours.’
‘Surprise! We’re probably having a baby today!’
Despite a couple moments of sarcastic thoughts, he drew a blank. How was he supposed to tell her such a big secret now? What would she think of him afterwards? She would never trust him again!
“Oh, it's nothing important. I’d love to hear your stories first.” He relented, his voice trembling with both anxiety and shortness of breath.
Edith's brows furrowed so briefly that if Iliad had blinked, he would have missed it.
“Are you sure? It's only seven in the morning. We have until five in the evening to talk. I would be a lousy wife if I didn't want to listen to the love of my life.” She asked, her smile waning.
‘She’s giving you a chance. Just come out and say it!’
Still, her slightly fallen face terrified him. He couldn't imagine how upset she would be when he told her after all this time. They rarely fought, and even then, she rarely was angry at him, but disappointment and lost trust was worse. He couldn't be on the receiving end of that.
Edith jumped back a bit. Seeing that, Iliad cleared his throat and tried to compose himself.
“I mean, no. It's fine. I can wait. Really.” He said.
Edith nodded with a low hum. Iliad recognized it well. It meant that she was only conceding for now.
“Okay then, I have a lot to tell you. Have you ever tried a Philly cheese steak?” She asked.
The couple spent blissful hours talking over tea and overseeing the banquet preparations. Edith came home with a few new scars that he fussed over, points of view, and experiences. Despite the pit in his stomach, Iliad laughed more than once with her. He even told her a few things that had happened at the palace while she was away, dancing around his pregnancy nervously.
While she listened, he noticed many curious looks on her face and he would change the subject to let her talk when he got too close to admitting the truth. All the while, he could feel the baby kicking and getting lower. He tried to ignore it, some people labored for days, it might not happen any time soon. He just needed more time to figure out how he was going to tell her.
Before long, it was three in the afternoon and time to get dressed for the celebration of the Queen's return. Edith gave him a kiss goodbye as she went with her lady’s maids to get out of her travel clothes, leaving Iliad feeling alone. As she left, he stared in her direction until she wasn't even there anymore.
“Sir?” Kallan asked, snapping him out of his trance.
He whipped his body around, or at least attempted to. He was so heavy that it nearly knocked him off balance, not to mention that tightening his core to move only added pressure. He winced and immediately raised his right hand to his roundness, feeling his womb constrict under his skin and muscles. It was the strangest thing that he had ever experienced.
“Are you alright?” The young man asked, reaching out to him, just barely stopping before he made contact.
Iliad waved him off and nodded, gritting his teeth until the pain stopped. When it did, he gasped loudly and deeply as his muscles finally relaxed. As he came out of it panting, he noticed that he had hunched over, letting his belly hang between his knees. His left hand had a white knuckled grip on his necklace. The lizard's collar left prints on his palm.
“Sir. Have you been timing your…” Kallan hesitated for a moment before speaking. “...pains?” He asked gently.
Iliad shook his head. “This is the first one that's really taken me out like that.” He admitted.
“I'm not the most educated on the matter, but you might be in active labor. Do you want me to summon the queen and doctors?” Soren asked.
At the mention of his wife, Iliad’s breath hitched. He responded without thinking.
“No. I'm fine. The ba- it might not happen today and I want Edith to enjoy her first day home without stress.” He responded gravelly.
Kallan looked absolutely mortified. “My king, are you sure? This is serious. You're in pain. You need to be resting to prepare for- for the ordeal.” He urged.
Iliad shook his head. “I can't.” He whimpered.
“Just help me to my chambers. That's an order, Kallan.” He grumbled.
Kallan shut his lips tight and nodded. Gently, he helped the king stand and let him lean on his shoulder as they walked. Now, instead of stopping because he was short of breath, they stopped to let him groan out the pain every five to seven minutes.
Iliad was silent as the servants dressed him for the banquet, looking upon him with worry as they wiped sweat off of his face every so often. He could see how uneasy everyone was, especially Soren and Kallan. They clearly wanted to advise him to get help, but being that he was their king and he was barely acknowledging the fact that he was pregnant, let alone in labor, there wasn't much that they could do.
His outfit was similar to what he had worn earlier that morning. After working with his contractions, he donned a black damask shirt, it was heavy against his hot skin, but it masked his parous belly enough. A deep blue cotton suit covered more and a grey, velvet cloak graced his shoulders and back.
After they were done, he tried to stand, but was weighed down by his belly and lingering pain. He let out a long huff and silently raised his hand. Soren took it and lifted him to his feet. Just from that, Iliad was exhausted and leaning on the other man for support as he caught his breath.
“Thank you.” He whispered with effort.
Soren nodded quietly and waited for the king to let go. Slowly this time, he turned to the hodgepodge alarm clock by his bedside, finding that it was already 5:03 in the evening. He swallowed hard as his heart picked up speed. With the way this baby was battering his body, he was going to be incredibly late for the banquet. What would Edith say? What would their guests think? The delay could probably confuse everyone.
Should he concede to the contractions and call the night off? He pressed his hand to his belly as he tried to think. Any reasonable person would give in. Hell, a reasonable person would have never been in this situation in the first place. He had to get out of this. Damn the thoughts of everyone else, this was an emergency. He was going to give birth, and soon.
A sudden knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts and he looked up. He turned to Soren, who started for the entrance. He took one second to look at the peephole before turning around.
“It's the queen, sir.” He said, barely hiding his own anxiety.
Iliad's temperature and heart rate were at an all time high now. His queen, his love, was on the other side of that door, probably wondering what was taking him so long. All of his resolve washed away at the thought of her face.
“Let her in.” He said sternly, straightening himself up.
Soren looked upon him with disbelief, his jaw dropped and trembled as he started to protest.
“Please, Soren.” Iliad said, his voice crumbling.
Soren bit his lip and nodded bitterly, opening the door for Edith. Calmly, with knights at her side, his angel on earth entered the room. She wore a deep blue, floor length, off the shoulder trumpet gown that glittered silver. Every curve of hers was gently hugged. Her hair was styled in hundreds of voluminous mini twists adorned with gems that shone just like her eyes.
She seemed concerned at first, but when she laid eyes on him, her expression shifted into a soft smile. Love flowed from her big brown eyes.
“Oh, there you are. Are you ready?” She asked.
‘Not at all.’ He thought.
Instead, he forced a smile and nodded, carefully walking towards her to take her hand in his.
Most of the banquet was a blur for Iliad from the start of the walk to the first dance. He did his best to sit through the event, smile and make conversation, but as the hours passed, it was getting harder and harder.
He nibbled on small portions and faked sipping the wine. Labor was making his stomach queasy and even if it wasn't, he’d be in too much pain to concentrate on eating a full meal. The sounds and smells were making his head hurt. His hips, womb and cervix were sore and he’d had to excuse himself to use the bathroom multiple times so that he would soil his clothes.
As this was happening, he began timing his contractions on his watch, growing more and more anxious as they went from lasting thirty to eighty seconds as the night wore on, and started to come within three minutes of each other. By 9:30, he could feel his body starting to attempt to force himself to push, and the baby’s head steadily pressing against his cervix, starting to shove it way through at times.
He gripped the table and curled his swollen toes as the conversation and music droned on in the background of his agony. Little by little, he could feel his resolve breaking, it wouldn’t be long before he couldn't delay this anymore. He'd have to give birth at some point. He just hoped that he could hold off until eleven, when the banquet would end. It was wishful and ridiculous thinking, but he had put himself in this situation. After eleven, he could retire to his chambers, summon medical personnel and give birth on his own while his queen rested in hers. At least he could hold off having to tell her until morning then.
As his new plan formed, it was quickly dashed when he felt a thick gush soak through his clothes. After that, it felt like everything below opened up. Without the cushioning of the amniotic sac, the baby's head bashed against his cervix so brutally that he jumped. He started to cry out, but just barely managed to turn it into a high pitched squeak. Multiple nobles turned to look at him with expressions in between concern and annoyance.
Quickly, Iliad waved them off as he gathered the energy to speak.
“Sor- I’m sorry, just chills.” He stuttered.
With a few shrugs, they all went back to talking. Without even noticing, Iliad began to spread his legs and lean forward. His hand was pressed against his belly as his womb shrank inside of him. As he panted as quietly as he could, trying not to push, a hand on his shoulder interrupted his storm of thoughts. He flinched and turned to his wife, who looked upon him lovingly.
“I'm not sure what's going on right now, but you don't look well. If something is wrong, please tell me. I want to help you, baby.” She said just loud enough for him to hear.
While his fears were still trying to spill from his throat, eyes, and gushing manhood, his wife's words broke his resolve.
“I- *umph* I ne-need to go. It's-it’s too much.” He grunted.
“Go where darling?” She asked gently.
“Mmmm-my cham-chambers. Make it stop.” He panted.
Edith nodded and immediately took action. “Okay. I’ll tell the staff to get the guests to leave. I’ll be right back, just hang on.” She said, starting to stand.
Iliad instinctively grabbed her arm and gripped it like a vice. He wasn't trying to hurt her, but the pain he was in made it impossible for him to be gentler.
Eyes turned towards him again and while he didn't look back, he did force himself to be quieter.
“You have to stay. Help me!” He pleaded.
Seeing his expression, Edith frowned in concern, nodded and quickly summoned a guard. When she came up to her, she whispered in her ear and she left with a curt bow.
As Edith helped him to stand, he just barely heard the announcer bring an end to the ball. The guests clamored in confusion, but he was too focused on trying to get to his chambers to care. With his arm around her shoulders, he felt her look back, but neither of them said anything.
They ducked through the servant passageways to get around quicker. Despite the anguish, he was relieved that she didn't try to take them the normal way. He didn't think he would have made it. He was barely walking himself as it was. Edith held him up, her strong arms supporting him. The more they walked, the more pressure that he felt. It seemed as if he was going to burst at the seams if he didn't start to push soon. This baby was not waiting and that was made clear when he felt a thick pop when they stepped out of the passageway. His child had rammed past his cervix. While it was only a matter of time before he’d have to give in to what his body was telling him it needed to do, at least it wasn't happening in front of all the nobles. He just needed to get to his room before it was too late.
“Iliad. What's going on?” Edith asked as they entered his side of the palace. “Are you sick?”
He shook his head, feeling salty tears run down his face. “No.” He whimpered.
She frowned deeply, but not in anger. “Then what's happening? I saw something on your chair.” She said
Iliad white knuckled his shirt as another contraction geared up to run him through.
“I can't. I'm scared!” He cried.
“Can't what, Iliad? Who do I need to call to fix this?” She demanded, her voice cracking with fearful tears of her own.
Iliad shook his head and started to respond when the worst contraction that he had ever felt hit him. Even with Edith supporting him, his legs went limp and all of his weight was shifted onto his wife. Realizing that his body was giving out, she set him on his knees as gently as possible and kneeled down at his side.
Instinctively, Iliad got on his hands and knees, letting his big belly hand down. His nails scraped the smooth floors as he finally pushed. He howled in pain as the baby stretched him out, forcing its way down. Edith pulled his shirt up, exposing the tremendous swell of his belly. It was so large at this point that his popped out belly button just managed to touch the floor. Angry blue and red veins strained across the taut paunch. Red and purple stretch marks raced along with them.
In shock, Edith looked between his face and belly.
“How?” She whispered, watching his belly shrink against him as he pushed.
“UUUUUUUUAAAAAHHHH!” He screamed, split flying from his mouth as the pain completely took over.
At this, his wife leapt into action. She tore his cloak off of him, exposing a giant wet spot on the bottom of his pants, growing as fluid dripped from his vagina to the flawless floor.
“HHHUUUUUUUUGGGHHHHH!” Iliad bellowed as the baby's head began to part his opening.
He spread his knees apart and pressed himself lower to the ground, pressing his heavy burden into the floor.
“Wait stop, the baby's crowning!” Edith urged.
Iliad gasped deeply. “I can't! It hurts so BAAAAAAAD AAAAAHH!”
He effectively screamed the baby into a crown, feeling the head pressing against his underwear. His labia and opening spread impossibly around the wide head, only making him scream harder.
“IT BURNS! IT BURNS! GET IT OUTTA MEEEEEEEEEEE!”
“Ohshitohshitohshitoshit!” Edith cried in panic.
She reached to pull down his pants by the waist band, but it was tight around his laboring hips. She tried to pull them down by the pant leg at the thigh, but his body was too tense and clammy for the fabric to budge even an inch. As the baby slowly turned inside of him, Iliad cried until his voice broke. Seeing no other way, Edith quickly ripped open the seat of his pants, revealing the bulge of the head in his underwear.
The shock of realizing once again that her husband was giving birth nearly froze her, but she fought through it, tearing open his underwear as well. Feeling the cold air on his backside, Iliad went down on his elbows, arching his back, adding more pressure to his womb.
The baby's head only seemed to stretch wider as he pushed. He gurgled as the effort took all of the air in his lungs.
He didn't listen, he could only think of pushing this baby out. He needed it to be over. It was so painful.
“Honey!” She tried again.
Iliad gasped for air and kept pushing, spreading his legs wider to make more room for the baby. As the head began to come to its widest point, Iliad was suddenly pulled up and into Edith's lap, changing his center of gravity. His belly jumped up at the sudden movement, causing fluid to spurt painfully past the baby's head.
“You have to rest in between contractions, Iliad! You're going to hurt yourself.” Edith said, holding him just above his massive load.
Despite her cries, he didn't stop, he pulled his left leg back and planted his foot into the ground, trying to force the baby out faster.
“I CAN'T! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!” He screamed.
“You have to! We’ve already lost so much on the way to this moment, I can't lose you too!” She urged.
Finally, she reached him. As the contraction ended, he relaxed his leg and stopped pushing. His baby's head hung out of him at the widest point, dripping with amniotic fluid and blood. He was painfully spread, but if he had kept pushing he would have surely torn. Trembling in his wife's arms, he panted through the pain as best he could. Letting himself stretch more carefully.
“That's it baby. Slow deep breaths for me.” She rasped tearfully.
She rubbed gentle circles at the pinnacle of his belly with her warm hand as she whispered words of encouragement in his ear, kissing his neck and jaw. Comforted by her embrace, his breaths slowed as he waited for the next contraction.
Slowly, she reached for his hand and guided it below.
“Don't you want to feel our baby?” She asked.
Silently, but firmly, Iliad nodded and let his wife gingerly place their hands on the baby's head. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. For the first time, a baby was coming out alive. Their warmth struck him straight in the heart. He couldn't believe that he had denied them for so long.
“I wan- I want to see.” He whimpered past hiccups, tears of relief filling his eyes this time.
“I can see it in the reflection on the floor. Believe me, it's beautiful, baby.” Edith said softly.
Iliad tried to follow her gaze, but his belly blocked his view. He was disappointed, but he didn't get to wallow in it for long. Following the tender moment, he was sent into the throes of another contraction. While the pain was still unbearable, he was more focused and less forceful. This time he breathed through pushing, keeping his hand on the baby's head as he did.
“That's it, Iliad. You're doing great.” Edith whispered.
“Hooooh.” Iliad blew, his voice trembling from the pain and the ordeal in general.
Finally, the baby's head burst free with a loud squelch, spilling more fluids from him as the contraction waned.
“Ohhhh.” He groaned in a mix of relief and pain.
“Good job, baby.” Edith said, kissing his jaw.
Iliad swallowed thickly and began to trace his baby's face. Feeling a tiny nose and lips.
“I bet they look like you.” He said with a breathless laugh.
He could hear Edith's smile in her voice. “We’ll just have to see.” She said, patting the hand that rested on their baby.
Iliad took a deep breath as he felt the next one coming and planted his feet again. Letting out a deep sigh, he pushed and the baby's left shoulder escaped him.
“Keep going, darling.” Edith said.
With another deep breath, he pushed out the right shoulder. Immediately after, his body loosened up and the baby fell into their parent's waiting hands. Pulling them up into his arms, he laid eyes on them for the first time. A brown skinned baby girl with a flash of red curls. As he focused on her face, she opened her mouth and started to cry.
Tears dribbled from his eyes and he smiled at her. “I knew it. She does look like you.” He said.
“I guess that's what I get, huh?” He said. He brought her to his chest and held her close.
“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, baby girl.” He whispered as he kissed her.
Edith nuzzled him as they watched their little girl kick and cry.
“What should we even call her?” She asked.
Iliad shook his head. “I have absolutely no idea.” He replied.
Soon after, the medical team and servants swooped in to take care of Iliad and the baby. As he heard Edith fussing at them for taking so long in the background, he watched them like a hawk as they brought him and the baby to his chambers separately. After taking about fifteen minutes to clean them up and make sure the baby was healthy, they handed her back to him.
By this point, Iliad was laying in his bed in only a pajama shirt with a blanket covering his lower half and his legs propped up as they waited for the placenta to evacuate. Edith sat beside him, running her fingers through his hair.
“The newborn princess of Reuben. Congratulations, my king and queen.” The doctor said as she gently placed the swaddled baby into Iliad's arms.
Edith kissed his cheek as they looked upon their little girl. After fifteen years of marriage and seven losses, they finally had a baby girl to call their own.
“I can't believe it.” Edith breathed, letting her daughter grip her pinky finger in her tiny hand.
“Neither can I.” Iliad agreed.
Edith's expression shifted. “When did you find out?” She asked.
“The day before you left.” He replied.
“Why didn't you tell me?” She asked.
While he could tell that she was upset, her tone wasn't accusatory.
For a moment, he turned to look into her big brown eyes. “I was scared, Edith. I was sure that I’d lose her like all the others, so I tried to wait it out. It wasn't until yesterday that it hit me.” He paused, but Edith let him continue.
“I couldn't bring myself to think that it was real until I started having contractions. I'm sorry, my love.” He said, turning away in shame.
Edith thought for a moment. “I wish you would have told me so that I could be there for you, Iliad. Even if a pregnancy ends badly, you're still my husband. I love you and I want to see you healthy.” She replied.
Iliad sniffled as a tear left his eye. “Thank you.” He said.
In response, Edith turned his head so that he faced her and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. “We made vows to each other, my dear. As long as they aren't broken, I’ll be here.” She said.
“You should be more angry.” He said.
“I'm upset, but I understand why you did what you did. We’ll just have to navigate this later.” She replied.
Iliad nodded in agreement. “Okay.” He said softly.
As soon as the conversation died and they started to marvel at the baby again, Iliad winced at a sudden, familiar pain. He had still been hurting since he had just given birth, but they were mostly dull aches. This was sharper.
He groaned in annoyance. “Just one more thing.” He muttered.
Noticing this, the doctor came back and began to look between his legs again.
Edith smiled sympathetically. “And after this you can rest.” She said.
“I'm never doing this again.” He said.
“Alright sir, just one more big push when you need to and the hard work is over.” She said, pulling on her gloves.
“Thank God.” He said, sitting up a bit.
It didn't take long for another contraction to come and Iliad was ready for it. Immediately, he bore down, breathing through his efforts. He felt his cervix stretch once more, but when he let go, nothing had gotten past it.
“It's alright. It might not be fully detached yet. Just push again when you're ready.” She said.
Iliad sighed and waited again. This time, a sharper, more intense contraction took him by surprise. He jumped, sitting up fully when he felt a deep burn inside of him.
“Oooh.” He groaned, wrenching his eyes shut.
Calmly, Edith took the baby from him and turned to the doctor.
“What's going on?” She asked.
“I don't know. Hold on. This is going to be uncomfortable, but I'm going to have to feel what's happening up there, sir.” The doctor replied.
Iliad's eyes opened so wide that they looked like they might fall out.
“I know. I'm sorry, but I need to make sure that everything’s okay.” She replied.
Iliad sighed in exasperation, but stopped as another contraction came over him.
Edith took his hand. “It's gonna be okay, Iliad.” She said.
The doctor spread a generous amount of lube on her hands and some on his swollen opening. He squeezed Edith's hand and curled his toes to get through the stinging sensation.
“I'm sorry, I’ll be as quick as I can.” She said as she inserted her hand.
Iliad had had exams before, but feeling something enter his vagina so soon after giving birth made him see stars. He yelped and started to kick the doctor, trying to get her to stop. Quickly, Edith handed the baby off to a servant and helped another to gently hold his legs back. While he knew it was for everyone’s safety, it didn't frustrate him any less.
The doctor’s arm stilled and while her expression remained neutral, she blinked rapidly.
“What is it?” Edith asked.
Gently, she pulled out her hand and changed her gloves.
“That's not the placenta. It's another head.” She replied.
The entire room went cold and silent.
Despite the pain, Iliad released a trembling laugh.
“You- you're joking. Right?” He said.
She shook her head. “I'm not. You're having twins, your majesty.” She replied.
Edith turned to him in surprise. “Did you-”
“Edith, I barely acknowledged one until yesterday. No, I didn't know there were TWO!” He shouted.
Immediately after, his womb contracted painfully. He was starting to feel similarly to when his first was born. Edith backed down and turned to the doctor.
“Dr. Ingram, the first baby took a lot out of him. Is there anything we can do to try to make it easier?” She asked.
“He probably won't be able to move much, so we could move him to a tub of warm water to help.” She said.
“Okay. Let's do that.” Edith replied intently.
“I’ll draw a bath.” Kallan said, running to the bathroom.
Iliad rubbed his belly as another contraction ravaged him. “Can- can I see this ti- time?” He asked, rocking back and forth.
Edith ran her fingers through his hair. “Yeah. Of course, darling.” She assured him.
He wanted to respond, but his voice wouldn't come out, so he nodded instead, holding his belly as it pressed against him.
While they waited for Kallan to prepare the bath, Iliad got on his hands and knees, spreading his legs again as he labored. He rocked his hips side to side as Edith rubbed his back.
“It's okay. You’ve got this.” She said.
“I just want it to be over.” He whimpered.
“I know, baby. I know.” She said softly.
Despite the pain he continued to push as they waited. He could already feel his pussy opening up again. The cool air on his lips did feel nice all things considered. He dropped his belly lower and arched his back, leaning back into his heavy hips. Colostrum dropped from his nipples as he moaned and groaned through the pain.
Iliad listened to the sounds of the bed springs squeaking as he rocked back and forth, trying to keep himself as calm as possible. He let his face sink into his crossed arms and moaned into them as another contraction spread through him.
This one hit harder than the previous ones. He whimpered as he angled his hips down and pushed again. After so long, his water broke again, this time in a safe, comfortable space where he was free to feel every sensation. Hardly any chatter, no one to impress, just himself, his family, and the staff supporting him. Feeling the sac finally pop was an incredible relief. He moaned as the contraction waned. He could feel the second baby's head pressing against his cervix now, lying in wait.
Before long, Iliad was stripped naked and laying in the tub. The water was already becoming cloudy from the fluids coming out of him. He panted through the pain, gripping the side of the tub and his wife’s hand. With her other hand, she caressed his curls as his belly rose above and fell below the water with every breath, hitch, and contraction.
He had delayed the birth of his first for so long that he just wanted to get the second over with as quickly as he could. The water soothed his joints and his red hot opening. He let himself close his eyes and relax as much as he could before the baby really started coming.
“How are you feeling?” Edith asked.
“It still hurts.” He sighed. “But I think I’m okay.”
“It’ll be over soon, Iliad. You're doing great.” She said softly.
On the other side of the tub, Doctor Ingram and her team waited patiently. One held a mirror so that he’d be able to see his child emerge when the time came. After some rest, Iliad carefully pulled himself into a lazy sitting position at the edge of the tub and lifted his knees out of the water. Edith squeezed his hand tighter and the team focused.
When the next contraction came, he was ready. As soon as he felt it, he brought his chin down to his chest and bore down as much as he could. The baby rushed to his cervix and pressed against it hard. His breath trembled from the pain, but he pushed until the contraction waned. When he was done, the baby was still pressed against his cervix, so close to coming down.
“You're crushing it.” Edith said softly.
Iliad relaxed until the next contraction and got back into position. A few seconds after he started pushing, he felt a low pop within him and the baby quickly began to descend. He was beyond relieved that this seemed to be going by more quickly than the first birth. It wasn't long before he could see a teardrop shape forming between his swollen labia. He teared up at his second born.
“There they are.” Edith whispered in awe.
Iliad chuckled with bliss and dizziness, rubbing his belly and hoping that this one would be the last.
The ring of fire burned worse than before with his vagina being raw, but he was too tired to scream in agony this time. All his energy was focused on getting the baby out. He panted through it as he reached down to feel his baby for the first time.
“You're doing so good.” Edith said, squeezing his hand.
To calm himself, Iliad gently stroked his baby's hair as the head came to its widest point and leveled out. The baby pulled back a bit when he stopped pushing in between contractions. He groaned in discomfort as the baby's head pressed against his most sensitive, ravaged areas.
“It's going to be over soon, and then we'll have two beautiful children.” Edith encouraged him, kissing his sweaty forehead.
“Mmm.” He hummed tiredly as he felt the next contraction coming.
At first both shoulders pressed up against his opening, causing him to jump and yelp in pain. Doctor Ingram acted quickly and coaxed the right shoulder out first, giving Iliad some relief. After a moment to pant through the searing pain, he pushed again and the second shoulder emerged. At least, his baby was halfway out. Soon, he could meet them and rest. As soon as the next contraction came, he gave one last big push and heard the baby splash below him.
Immediately, Edith reached into the water and placed the baby girl on his chest. She was a little smaller and lighter than her sister, but she also looked just like Edith.
“I couldn't get one?” He joked raspily as he rubbed her back to encourage her to cry.
Edith grinned. “I don't think your genes even tried.” She replied.
As their baby started to cry and squirm, Iliad held her closer. They stayed in the water for a little longer before they were lifted out, cleaned up and placed in bed again. Once Doctor Ingram confirmed that the king was no longer pregnant, he finally relaxed and admired both of his baby girls.
The oldest had deep red hair like her mother, honey brown eyes, and red tinted brown skin. She was ten pounds and two ounces. Her sister had bright red hair, green eyes, and gold tinted skin. She was slightly smaller at eight pounds and nine ounces. Edith and Iliad were in awe of both.
“I can't believe I actually did that.” Iliad rasped.
“Eighteen pounds combined is a lot.” Edith agreed.
“It's your fault. You're too tall.” Iliad replied jokingly.
Edith grinned mischievously. “You never cared when you wanted me to-”
Iliad cut her off with a joking “Shhh! Not in front of kids.”
With sweet giggles, Edith conceded and held her husband and daughters close. Their subjects were sure to be surprised when they announced this. Imagine that, Princesses Osyth and Noctis of Reuben.