Page 45 of Dead Crown
“I guess not,” Tivar added after a pause. The door slammed.
Fuck him. He’d wanted a damn heir so badly but wouldn’t make sure it was all right. What if Lumi died, and the baby did too? Tivar wouldn’t have a way to make the Crown live again.
His rest between the pains was short and not nearly enough. He was sure if he closed his eyes, he’d fall asleep until another round of agony started in a minute or two. He stared at the shadows on the wall in front of him as sweat trickled down his back. Please, let the baby be all right. If something was wrong…
The pressure shifted lower as another contraction came, and he had the urge to push. What little strength he had left was quickly used up as he gasped for air and rested his forehead on the wood. What if it was stuck? He had to push. This was his and Jaki’s baby, and he wasn’t going to let it die if he could help it.
He bit his right knuckles so hard, he tasted blood as he bore down again. His rim stretched with a feeling like hot pins, and he reached down with his free hand as the pressure went evenlower. Oh, Elira, there was the baby’s head and tiny kitty ears. It had hair too.
He sucked in air as he reached down with his other hand before he gave another push. The flickering light on the wall grew blurrier as he struggled. What if he couldn’t get it out?
A sudden emptiness replaced the pressure as the rest slid out into his hands, and a mighty cry filled the air.
The baby was covered in fluid and a little blood. The cord still ran up and into Lumi’s hole. As he gasped and his pulse pounded in his ears, he stared at the pinched red face. His child let out another wail, and he started sobbing again.
His daughter had Jaki’s pink eyes. She also had his fine nose.
He had to lean against the headboard while holding her to his chest, not caring about the mess on her. He had a little girl now. More tears poured down his cheeks as she quieted. Lumi had another contraction that wasn’t so severe, and he positioned himself a little better. He’d almost forgotten about the placenta since he’d been more focused on getting the baby out, and he didn’t think it would come so soon.
The placenta didn’t look pleasant when it came out. It was supposed to stay attached via the cord to the baby for a time. He shifted over a bit and leaned back on the headboard as he held his daughter. Never had he been so exhausted and elated at the same time. Maybe that was why people went through the pain again.
It had been worth it to hold his daughter.
She calmed when he put her to his chest to nurse, and her little hand rested on him as she suckled.
When the cord was shriveled and white, he figured it needed to be cut. Unfortunately, he had nothing to do it with. He was sure it wouldn’t hurt if it stayed attached for a while. He had blankets and cloths stacked on his bedside table, so he cleaned himself and the baby the best he could before he put a nappyon her. Afterward, he wrapped her in one of the blankets he’d knitted. It was awkward with the cord in the way, but he managed and shifted farther down the bed where it wasn’t dirty.
“Jacqueline,” he whispered as he laid her down. She blinked, and one of her pointy little ears twitched at his voice.
Lumi carefully lay next to her. He was sore beyond belief, but he certainly felt better than he did an hour ago. Propped up on one elbow, he stared at Jacqueline as if Elira herself had dropped off his baby girl. He almost never wanted to sleep again, and he was sure he’d never get tired of looking at her. She was a perfect little cat fairy.
He touched her hands, and she grabbed his pointer finger. Her fingers were so tiny, and her ears were too. Since they’d dried, he noticed she had teeny little tufts on the tips too just like Jaki, and she had a head full of white hair like Lumi and Jaki.
Everything about her was so little and perfect. Content to hold Father’s finger, she closed her pink eyes.
Lumi rested his head and was happy to simply keep looking at her.
He woke up later when he heard a noise, and he instinctively pulled Jacqueline a little closer while his heart started to pound. Lost in his joy with his perfect daughter, he’d forgotten that he was supposed to have a boy.
He blinked and pretended to be barely able to keep his eyes open as Tivar stood by the bed.
“I cut the cord and got rid of the placenta.”
He knew to do that much? Lumi must have been dead asleep because he hadn’t heard a thing.
“How is he?”
“Fine,” Lumi mumbled.
“The bed’s a mess. Can you get up? You don’t look like you can tell up from down at this point.”
“No.”
“I’ll sleep elsewhere and see you in the morning. Are you sure he’s fine? There’s nothing wrong with him?”
“Perfect,” mumbled Lumi. Thank Elira, he hadn’t moved her nappy down and saw his heir wasn’t a son after all. Lumi didn’t have the energy to deal with anyone else.
Tivar hesitated. “Good job. It took you long enough, Lumi, but you finally gave me what I wanted, and I didn’t have to return to cut him out of you.”
