Victor Rosevale's Arc

Chapter 17 of 18

Sable's pains started in the gray hour before dawn. She shook Victor's shoulder and told him plainly. He was up before his feet found the floor. He pulled on his boots, kissed her forehead, and ran for Seraphina. The elf midwife opened her door on the second knock. She was already dressed, satchel over her shoulder, silver hair braided down her back. She did not ask questions. She only said, "How close together." "Short," Victor said. "Sharp. She said to hurry." "Then hurry." They went back together through the empty street. Victor kept looking sideways at doorways for castle colors. He saw none. Inside the house Sable was on her side on the bed, one hand fisted in the blanket. Her red hair stuck to her forehead. She looked up and gave him a hard, small smile. "Told you," Sable said. "Today." Seraphina set her bag down and washed her hands in the basin. "Water on the fire. Cloth from the second bag. Victor, sit where she can see you. Do not stand behind me." He obeyed. He sat by the head of the bed and gave Sable his hand. She took it and did not let go through the next pain. She squeezed until his knuckles went white. She did not cry out. She breathed through her teeth the way she used to breathe steering into wind. The hours stretched. Seraphina spoke in short, even instructions. Push here. Wait. Not yet. Now. She kept her voice level even when Sable's grip broke sweat on Victor's palm. Victor wiped Sable's face with a cloth and told her she was strong. He told her the baby was coming. He told her he was not moving from this bed. The sun was high when Seraphina said, "Once more." Sable bore down. She made a sound low in her chest. Then a thinner sound answered it, a small hard cry from Seraphina's hands. "A girl," Seraphina said. She cleaned the baby quickly and laid her on Sable's chest. Victor leaned in. The baby had a red face and a full head of dark hair and tiny fists already working the air. Her eyes opened for a second. They were dark and steady. Sable was crying and laughing at once. "Look at her," she said. "Victor. Look." "I see her." His voice broke on it. He put one hand on Sable's hair and one finger under the baby's palm. The baby closed her fingers around it. Seraphina worked quietly at the foot of the bed. When she was done she washed her hands again and picked up her satchel. At the door she stopped and looked back at Victor. "I figured out who the man that was looking for you was. He was your boss at the Castle. He was wondering if you could pick some extra shifts up, but I told him to wait because you just had your baby.”