#ombrielle

[whatareyoureallyafraidof]

[mndine]

3eme portrait toujours sur du Gn: Solon Ombrielle

[daaft-prick-69]

[sagelyexalt]

@ombriielle -- continued, b/c I too like to indulge

     AND TO THINK  if they had not agreed on a stroll at dawn to feed the birds, they might had missed it all. Trips to Regna Ferox did not happen often, but Maribelle could be more optimistic about them in the country’s swift period of fair weather, when the mountains were much easier to take on carriage without the fear of slipping from the cliffs on the trek up to the fortress. Still, Emmeryn was to be expecting her first child the Khan himself – there was hardly any holding back on whether she would go or not, the shift in weather had just been lucky.

    Ideally, Lissa would have been beside her as her midwife, yet Lissa herself was dealing with her own bundle of joy. It would have been far too much for her to do double duty between her rowdy son and midwiving for her elder sister. Though, they had already seen her up and at ‘em this morning with Owain strapped to her chest by a scarf-sling, poor thing was still having trouble sleeping after so long, carefully patting his back through a tired smile – she must have been just going back to bed, as it was still dark at the time Emmeryn rose for a walk.

     She had to, though, it was ideal for her this far along in her pregnancy. Everyone around Maribelle seemed to be sprouting and rearing children, she could hardly keep up  ! While a blessing all of them were, Maribelle would have quite the trouble keeping up with all of them if they continued on like this. Yet, the peace and promise was more than enough reason, she supposed ( though she had yet to indulge in it herself ).

       The sun would rise over the hills, bathing the whole fortress in the bright light that came with it – enough to actual radiate heat on their skin and to be outside for longer than three minutes without their fur coats and layers. Sleeping flowers open up their petals, ready to welcome the morning sun and a day of dancing within the rays. Birds chirp erratically as both of their hands start spreading their crumbs about the ground in front of the bench to give a view safely from a bench a few feet back. The wind blowing through the trees, making quite the ruckus among the courtyard – a rare, lovely sight for the kingdom, and moreso for her – Maribelle had never been privy to a sight such as this.

      ❝ Eight in the morning ? Why, my lady, it is just — ❞

         Then, just as suddenly as all of this is able to unfold does the town tower strike – eight chimes for each hour, even though Maribelle is more than certain that it could not be only eight o’clock in the morning. Emmeryn’s words don’t surprise her – for in the sense of seeing anything, it was only the small issues of beauty within the courtyard. In the duchess’ eyes, they perhaps hadn’t seen a thing. For a moment, she could appreciate the surroundings until the fortress began its day of bustle, and thus when she and Emmeryn would need to begin theirs in preparation for the Khan’s wife’s upcoming delivery.

       ❝  Eight in the morning, of course. How keen of you, I should have expected you to know your own time here better than I . . how are you feeling, then ? Does the fresh air feel better for you ? No hot flashes ?  ❞

It wasn’t easy to walk. It hadn’t been easy to walk before, but it was less so being the size she was. Due any day now, Emmeryn was swollen and clumsy, but walking was important nonetheless. Walking, Maribelle informed her, helped bring the baby into position and helped her body to stimulate natural labor. 

Naturally, that was a fear. That she couldn’t even deliver naturally, given the damage her back and her hips had taken years ago. But no one wanted to talk much about possible cesarian. They’d leave that for when labor was in progress.

“I’m feeling well enough,” Emmeryn said, though her breath was short. In one hand, she grasped her carved cane-- a swan’s head, gift from her husband-- in the other, the bird seed that she scattered to the sparrows and wrens. The sun was beginning to warm the Feroxi spring, letting purple irises bloom. Some small drifts of snow still lingered, coming off the mountains, but the chill was manageable this time of year. It was pleasant.

“No hot flashes. Just tired,” she admitted. “I’m always tired... that comes with pregnancy, I suppose.”

Emmeryn looked to Maribelle with an exhausted smile. “My mother used to sleep all day when she was pregnant. I think I’d rather do that, but I need the air.”

The entire fortress seemed poised with baited breath as they waited for her to deliver. Olivia and Henry did their best to keep Inigo occupied, so he wouldn’t be clinging to Emmeryn when she was in this state. Lissa and Chrom had their own families to wrestle, yet still had come to visit and wait with her for the baby. 

Basilio, naturally, was a nervous wreck. But he hid it well. A Khan can never show fear.

“You’ve seen this plenty of times, I know,” Emmeryn chuckled lightly. “Goodness... how many babies have you delivered now? Just about every Shepherd child, I think.”