[Discontinued] the love of the earth || Outlander

i. birth

CHAPTER ONE
↳ birth

"My baby" Claire whispered and looked at the mother. Hildegarde gasped, "She's alive" Mother Hildegarde nodded.

The midwives gave Claire the baby that they had wrapped in a length of white satin, a tear of happiness rolled down her cheek as he held the child in her arms. She was beautiful, and so small Claire would practically cup her head in the palm of her hand, her ears stuck out just a little and you could see the light them and her entire body like sunlight on a pearl that was still wet from the sea. She had a small galaxy of freckles and Her eyes were closed no lashes yet, they were slanted a bit, like her husband and she had wisps of the most beautiful copper hair.

Mother Hildegarde had named her Faith and had christened her so the baby could be buried in the graveyard yet she was alive she was in fact not dead. Claire ran her thumb over the babies lips and face. The baby began to open her eyes

"yes," The mother said, "She is a miracle". Claire now noticed her girl's eyes they were green like the sweet hue of a spring clover. Mother Hildegarde was in slight shock at what had just happened. Claire sat there and rocked her baby back and forth while singing a tune, she was still in a very feverish state and couldn't tell if it was a hallucination but enjoyed it nonetheless. a little while later when the baby started to cry sister Angelique came to her aid.

"Madame Fraser, ça fait presque une heure et l'enfant s'est mise à pleurer, je crois qu'elle a faim"(Mrs Fraser it's been almost an hour and the child has started to cry, I believe she is hungry) she said gently, Claire nodded. pulling her breast out allowing the baby to latch on and suck at it.

While Claire was still feverish and ill from birth the sisters took care of Faith, One night the fever had miraculously broken in the middle of the night, everyone was so very relieved that she would be okay and Claire and faith could finally go home. Fergus came to pick them up, and Claire came home, in a better mood than she was a few days ago.

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They returned to the peace of the Scottish highlands to start their new life as a family, and to heal of the traumatic experience France brought to them. Jamie's sister Jenny and her husband Ian had had another baby while they were in Paris. Their welcome, the daily routines of Lallybroch and the struggle and joys of caring for a newborn worked like a tonic on their battered souls. Claire and Jamie had hoped they had done enough to stop the war, they began planning their future and the future of their child but as a very prescient Scot once observed, the best-laid schemes of mice and men.

Claire was walking around trying to calm Faith down, who was crying for God knows what reason, in the garden when Rabbie McNab came running

"Claire, Claire, they're ready" he excitedly called holding up a large basket full of potatoes almost the size of American footballs, "Look how big they are, they're giant" he stopped in front of Claire holding the basket out in front of him