THE FIFTH FOUNDER ⚡️ [h.p./founders era]

Twelve

Rowena woke up early the next morning surrounded by a pool of water and severe pain in her middle region. She woke everyone up while groaning in pain, and immediately Godric tried to take charge. But as I was the only one in the room who had given birth before, I was not about to let Godric unintentionally harm this baby or the mother.

Salazar stood back in the corner, seemingly grossed out by the bodily fluids that now covered the floor. Helga was quick to clean them up though, and she seemed readily available to help out in any way she could.

"Godric," I said, polite but firm, "could you go draw her a bath?"

"What?" He asked as if I had just said the most absurd question.

"Draw her a bath. Trust me." I answered, trying not to loose my patience.

Rowena yelled out again, not giving Godric a chance to argue. He looked at me for a moment as if he wanted to protest, but when I refused to back down, he left to do what I said.

"Helga?" I asked, turning to my blonde friend. She was already beside me with her fidgeting hands eager for something to do. "We're going to need towels. And she might want something to bite down on."

Helga nodded once and left to fulfill her task.

I then turned to Rowena. The poor woman sat on the floor, breathing in and out rapidly. She was about to start panicking if I didn't step in soon.

"Rowena," I whispered softly and knelt down next to her.

She looked over at me with tears in her eyes. Her knuckles were white from how tight she held her hands around her stomach. Her hair was sticking to her face as sweat beads fell down her forehead.

"Lyra, I don't know if I can do it." Rowena whispered so only I could hear. "I don't know anything about being a mother. What if I do everything wrong? And what if something happens to me? Who is going to take care of my baby?"

"Rowena," I took her hands in mine. "You're going to be okay. I'm going to walk you through the whole thing. It will happen so fast and then your baby will finally be here. You're going to be an amazing mother. You're the wisest person I know and that baby will be so lucky to grow up with you as a parent."

My words seemed to calm her down a bit, but I knew she would not be fully convinced until the baby was actually here. Once she sees the child and holds it in her arms, she'll have a bond with the child she never knew she could have; I was convinced of it.

After Godric finished drawing the bath, Rowena's contractions were growing closer and closer together. I needed the men out of the room so I could check her.

"Salazar, Godric, unless you want to see more of Rowena than is appropriate," as I said this, Rowena groaned out something that sounded like a protest, "than I think you should step into another room."

I could tell Godric didn't want to, but neither of the men argued with me and they both stepped outside.

"Okay, Rowena, I'm going to lift your skirt. I need to see how close the baby is." I warned her with a soothing voice.

She nodded as consent and I appreciated that she trusted me. Lifting her skirt up to just below her waist, I was able to check and found the baby's head.

"She's almost here." I smiled encouragingly. "Let's get you into the bath."

Helga and I helped Rowena undress her lower half and step into the tub of water. She carefully sat down and I gave her a towel to bite down on if she needed help with the pain.

"You're doing so well, Rowena. You're almost there." I brushed her hair out of her face as Helga held her hand.

Soon, it was time for her to push.

"Okay, I am going to count to three and I need you to push. We're going to have to do this a few times. If you need to, bite down on the towel." I instructed her.

Keeping an eye on her, I counted to three and she pushed, her yells muffled by the towel in her mouth. After a few seconds, we repeated.

"Almost there, Rowena, you can do it." I said, counting again and telling her to push.

After a few tries, the baby was born and I caught her child, immediately cutting the umbilical cord and bringing the baby out of the water.

"She's beautiful, Rowena." I cried, placing the naked little girl in her mother's arms.

Rowena looked down on her daughter with tears in her eyes. For the first time that day, I saw Rowena smile. After giving her a few moments with her new born, I took the baby to clean her as Helga helped Rowena out of the tub.

I used a quick charm to clean her and I swaddled her in a wool cloth. I brought her back to Rowena as quickly a I could. She was now in her nightgown and laying in her bed, courtesy of Helga. Smiling ear to ear, I placed the little girl in her mother's arms and I could almost feel the love Rowena had found for her child.

"Helena." Rowena whispered, kissing her baby on her head.

"She's perfect." I breathed out, admiring the newborn.

Leaving Helga with Rowena, I went outside to find Salazar sitting on a stump tapping his foot and Godric pacing back and forth. As soon as he saw me, he walked to me as quickly as he could, the hope of news written all over his face.

"She's here." I said grinning, barely getting the words out before Godric ran back inside.

Salazar stood up and walked toward me quickly, but instead of following Godric in, he stopped before me.

"How are you?" He asked. I was taken aback, neither expecting this question nor having an answer to it.

"I've not had time to notice how I am." I breathed out a laugh at his absurd question. "I'm happy the baby is here and both of them are healthy."

"I don't know how Rowena would have been, if you hadn't been here to take charge." Salazar stated, giving me a tight lipped smile, before he walked in to go meet the child.