closed starter: @garlandhightower
setting: the bedchambers of the lord and lady of the hightower, on the day of the birth of their twins
zialla had heard from the women in her life that birth was beyond painful, but it was also beyond worth it when the babe was placed in your arms. however, no words they had used to describe the pain did it justice. a small scream tore from her throat as another wave of relentless pain washed over her. she had awoken in the night from pains, drenched in her birth waters, and immediately figured out what was happening. she had awoken her husband and they managed to have a short moment of calm together before the maester had to be called. it had been controlled chaos after that. everything had been prepared for the birth. their bed had been transformed into a birthing bed by the servants who had all been awoken. the red priestess disguised as zia's handmaiden was present, the maester and the midwives were there. garland was by her side. everything was as it should be. and yet none of that was a comfort to her as wave of pain after wave of pain tore through her body. the small breaks in between were never long enough. when she could sense that dawn was breaking outside, she begged to have the curtains opened to allow light to stream into the room. she felt slightly calmer when the room was lit up by the sun, more at peace. the disguised priestess hovered by her but did not bother her in any way, she only left the room occasionally to pray as zia had instructed her to do on her behalf.
as the morning became noon and noon became midday, her pains became more frequent and much stronger. she had snapped at the midwives three times by now, unable to find the energy to put on a fake smile and be polite even when they annoyed her by constantly touching her and asking her questions. it was all just survival. zia had even physically pushed away garland at one point as she managed to get on her side and throw up the contents of her stomach over the other side of the bed. birth was not as beautiful as she had imagined. she understood now why most men were not present for the birth ― and she could only hope garland would still desire her after witnessing her like this. exhausted and drenched in sweat, her face contorted in pain and unladylike noises coming from her. when she finally felt the need to push, she almost cried with relief. one step closer to the pain ending. "the babes are coming," lady hightower managed to declare to her husband. she was propped up by more pillows, her hand flying to grab hold of garland's, as she began to push. zialla did not think much during the pushing phase, there was no energy left to question things, no energy left to worry. all she could do was push and scream and yell out in agony while she did. she had enough mind to let go of garland's hand at one point, afraid that she'd somehow manage to break it. she grabbed hold of the sides of the bed instead and held on so tight that both her hands shook from the force of her grip. just when she thought that she could not survive one more push, she pushed one last time, felt something slide out of her and the room filled with the sound of a cry.
her eyes had been closed but they shot open now. every thought of having to suffer through this again went out of her head as she saw her child. the babe was covered in blood and slime that she'd prefer not to know what was, but none of that mattered in that instant. she was the mother of this screaming child and a rush of joy went through her. the maester took a quick look at the child and then smiled.
"congratulations, my lord and my lady, you have been blessed with a healthy daughter."
she looked at garland with glistening eyes, her hand taking his once more and holding it tight. a girl, a daughter. she felt serene at the thought as she knew their son was coming. she was convinced that she'd give birth to garland's heir on this day, she had been convinced of that for a while. zia almost protested when one of the midwives took her daughter away, but she saw they were just bringing her to a small tub to clean her up. the maester was then suddenly standing beside her and feeling her stomach. zia winced from the pain. "i am sorry, lady hightower, but i need to feel if there really is a second babe." it was only then she fully realised that she had to go through this all over again. she felt her unbridled joy dampen a little. but then the midwife returned with her daughter. she tried her best to ignore the pushing and pulling of the maester as she watched garland hold the babe wrapped in silks in his arms. "she is beautiful," zialla whispered as she reached out to caress the fussing babe's cheek, relieved that the maester had finally left her alone. she was enamoured with her daughter, so much that she almost did not hear the maester say that another babe would be coming shortly, that the babe was already in position. zia barely reacted to the news that there definitely was a second babe. it was what she had expected, what they had all assumed for a moon now. "you choose the name, ñuha prūmia, they are both as pretty as her." they had discussed names for a while now, constantly going between rosaria and lucia if they had a girl. zahrina as a second name was already decided upon, it had been zialla's wish to honour her closest friend.
zia opened her mouth to say something more, wishing to hold her daughter, but the weak cramps she had experienced since delivering the first of the twins now became painful contractions that would no longer go ignored. she let out a long whimper of pain and fell back into the pillows behind her. the name would have to wait. "it's time to deliver the other twin, my lady." one of the midwives carefully took the babe from garland while she steeled herself to birth another child.