the darkest night | hicsqueak | the worst witch 2017

chapter forty

TW: nightmares of rape

"Miss Hardbroom, I've got something for you," Mildred spoke in class the following week. She got out a piece of paper that had miraculously been unscathed in her mess of a bag. "I finished that portrait I told you I was doing."

She thrust the paper at Hecate. Hecate glanced down at it. In the portrait, she was holding a pink bundle in her arms and Pippa was standing behind her, a hand on the pink bundle's body. "I hope you like it," Mildred said.

"I love it, Mildred. Thank you. I am sure Miss Pentangle will love it when I show her it tonight," Hecate responded. She sent the paper to her quarters to protect it from any damage that might ensue from working in a witching academy.

"By the way, if you and Miss Pentangle need name suggestions, I think the name Matilda is lovely. You could call her Tilly as a nickname," Mildred suggested.

"I will keep it in mind, Mildred Hubble," Hecate responded. She was feeling exhausted and needed to take a nap before Pippa was due to arrive at the academy. The girls now no longer flocked to see her arrive now that she was coming every evening once everything was taken care of in her own school. Mildred left Hecate, meeting up with her friends in the second-year common area.

Hecate made her way back to her quarters and laid down on her couch, determined to get at least an hour-long nap in before Pippa was supposed to be arriving. The woman was beginning to have a penchant for arriving earlier than she was expected. Hecate fell asleep with her familiar at her feet.

-

She was back in the woods, tied up again and crying out for help. She could see the faces of her rapists and their half-naked bodies. She was then aware of gentle shaking as she began to slip out of the dream and back into the real world.

"Pippa?" She asked blearily, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"You were having another nightmare and crying out, darling," Pippa said softly. The sun was just beginning to set in the window. Hecate touched her cheeks and they were wet from tears. Pippa handed her a handkerchief and Hecate dried her cheeks off.

"Thank you for waking me up," Hecate spoke. She sat up on the couch. Her back was hurting from her decision to nap on it. Pippa hugged Hecate.

"How about we talk about something that's more cheerful today. You're thirty weeks pregnant. Just ten more weeks until we meet our daughter," Pippa said. She touched Hecate's belly. "Is she starting to keep you up at night?"

"Only a little later than I would like. You're always asleep by the time she settles down and allows me to go to sleep for an hour before I need to use the bathroom," Hecate responded. "I felt the need to take a nap today."

"I'll stay up with you tonight then," Pippa said. "But I think tonight we should talk about how you would like to give birth. You're starting to come down on the wire for a birthing plan. What were you thinking about doing?"

"I already know that I do not want a cesarean because I already have scar tissue near where the incision would be made and I fear it would cause more trouble than what it would be worth to bring our daughter into the world," Hecate responded. She placed a hand on her belly. Their daughter had woken up and was now moving around in her mother.

"Would you prefer to give birth in a clinic or would you rather give birth here at the academy?" Pippa question. She summoned the birthing book she had bought herself that she and Hecate were already beginning to use for research.

"I think I would like to give birth here. Cackle's Academy is my home and it will be our daughter's home. I would prefer to give birth in my bed, with you by my side and Ada if needed," Hecate responded. Pippa began to write notes in the book and copied them onto another piece of paper to have a copy to send to Hecate's doctor.

"That sounds perfect," Pippa said. "And I will be there every step of the way for you, Hiccup."

"And I do not wish to have medication during the birth. I would like for it to be as calm as possible," Hecate continued. She was beginning to get on a roll, becoming passionate about how she was to give birth within the coming weeks.

Pippa kissed Hecate's cheek. "And I'll make sure that it's followed perfectly for you so you won't need to worry about anything, Hiccup," she said. Hecate smiled. She was beginning to be worried but with a detailed plan like the one she had in mind, she hoped that it would help lessen the fear that was beginning to rise. Talking to Pippa about it did help tremendously.

"Thank you, Pip," Hecate responded. "Now, I wish to be cuddled by you."

"A bit needy, are we today?" Pippa joked. She pulled Hecate into her arms, placing both hands on Hecate's baby bump.

"Oh, Mildred Hubble drew something for us," Hecate said, remembering the drawing laying on her table. She summoned it into her hands. She showed it to Pippa.

"It's absolutely beautiful. She's captured us so well. She's a very talented artist, darling," Pippa said. "She's even included our daughter! I want to thank this girl if I see her at dinner tonight. I think we should ask her to create a drawing for the nursery. We still need to decorate and get everything we need to have a baby."

"I know. I'm going to begrudgingly agree to Ada throwing me a baby shower but I want it to happen during the Yule holidays so the girls will not be distracted by it," Hecate replied. "Mildred has also suggested a name for our daughter, Matilda."

"I do like it. It has a certain witchy feel to it," Pippa spoke. "We will have to come up with names soon." Hecate nodded and relaxed into her girlfriend's arms, only humming in response.