Stin

Life and Death

I want to preface this chapter with this: In this chapter, I amplify the power of a certain weapon in Skyrim and make it more powerful than it was in the game. My reasoning is that this weapon is the weapon of a god so it had to be extremely powerful - powerful enough to do what it does in this chapter.

Also, this chapter does include childbirth but nothing graphic or descriptive at all.

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Xaliyah stops in her tracks and leans against the bookshelf, book still in her hand as her free arm wraps around her pregnant belly, a loud exhale leaving her as a painful contraction hits. She remains in that position until the contraction subsides, "I guess today is the day, little one," she says with a smile as she rubs her stomach.

She walks over to the table and tosses the book onto it just as Anglia, a Breton Scholar she has been working with for the past few months, approaches with an armful of books, "I found everything we have on Solstheim, ma'am," she announces, setting the books on the table in a more careful manner than how Xaliyah did, "I do warn you that Asteria did already scour these thoroughly before her departure to Markarth, so I doubt we will find anything new,"

Xaliyah grits her teeth as another contraction starts, determined to not let Anglia know her current predicament, "it's worth a shot," she manages to say, praying to the Divines that is didn't sound as strained as she thought it did, but Anglia's expression proves her prayers were ignored.

"Ma'am, should I escort you to the healers?" she questions, forgetting the books and hurrying to Xaliyah's side, hand on the brunette's arm, "or should I go find your husband?"

Xaliyah shakes her head, "No," she says, "it isn't time yet,"

Anglia doesn't relent, "if you excuse my intrusive question, ma'am, but I had noticed your last contraction on my walk back to this table and that was a few minutes ago," she continues, her youthful brown eyes silently urging Xaliyah to go find her husband or midwife, "your baby is ready. This," she gestures to the table, "can wait for another day. Now, let me help you find your husband,"

~~

"Bryn," Xaliyah calls out to the redhead, who was sitting on a bench a few halls from the library, a few reports from the Guild in his hands. He looks up from the reports upon hearing her voice, "it's time,"

Immediately, he shoots up from the bench and gathers the reports before rushing to his wife's side, "go find the midwife," he orders the Scholar without sparing the young woman a glance, his attention only on his wife.

Xaliyah sends Anglia an apologetic smile, "please," she says just before another contraction hits, "her name is Trevla," the woman nods and hurries off as Brynjolf leads them both to their room.

~~

"It looks like you are ready to start pushing, Xaliyah," Trevla, a Redguard woman, announces as she sits down on the stool at the end of her bed. Two nurses wait nearby; one with a clean blanket to help clean the newborn off and the second with water should Xaliyah need some, "ready?"

Xaliyah nods just as the door bursts open then slams shut behind the newcomer. Brynjolf scowls and goes to confront the intruder but halts when he sees a frantic looking Taliyah, who hesitates with wide eyes as she realizes that Xaliyah is in labor.

"Tal?" Xaliyah asks and this pulls the assassin out of her silent shock.

Trevla clears her throat, "Ma'am, this is not a social event, so-"

"The Thalmor are attacking the base," Taliyah informs, eyes flicking between Brynjolf and Xaliyah, "they have entered the base," she adds and watches as Brynjolf draws his sword and sets it against the wall next to him.