It was a little after midnight, and Ghet lay on the verge of sleep. It was early for her to be in bed, but she'd just been so tired lately... she knew it was because of the baby, but at the same time it still annoyed her: she was strong, she should be strong enough for two. Stubbornness could only keep her going so long.

It was a relief to be here, really, finally relaxed and basking in the warmth of Galain's body beside hers. Her back had been aching terrbly all day, though for some reason, lying down wasn't making it any better. And she kept getting those stupid practise contractions she'd been getting on and off for weeks now, and they were getting strong enough to hurt. That and while she was having them her body went stupidly triangular... Damn, there was another one now. She shot a glance at the clock beside the bed. 0013.

She shifted, dozed a little more, but she was pulled out of sleep by another twinge of pain in her back. 0022. This was just stupid, she was never going to get to sleep. That was when it hit her. Was she in labour? A little thrill went through her at the thought; fear and excitement. She was probably imagining it. Still, at least she was ready. She'd taken the last of the stuff to the cottage two days ago: a medical tricorder, drugs for the bleeding, just in case, baby clothes... the baby clothes made it real.

There was another one, the slight pain wrapping from her back round to her abdomen now. 0030. She slipped quietly out of the bed. There was a long road ahead of them, and Galain would need all the sleep he could get. She'd wake him later. She went into the bathroom and ran a hot bath. As an afterthought, she turned up the heat and humidity in the room: best to get used to it.

The bath helped; she stayed in as long as she could stand it. When she got out, she went downstairs and made herself a cup of tea. She had to stand up when the contractions hit. Walking around seemed to make the pain lessen. While she walked, she crooned meaninglessly to her baby. She was not going to go down and talk to Dr M'Sea. She wasn't going to have another lecture about how she should stay here and have the baby in the lab, in case she needed a caesarian. She wouldn't.

She looked at the clock in the lounge. Half past three. Galain would be cross if she didn't wake him soon. She went to the bottom of the stairs and started to climb, but the pain forced her back. She leaned on the bannister and rocked until it passed. Still, it wasn't too bad. She could handle this. It hurt, but not too badly, she'd had more painful wounds, sometimes voluntarily. Galain? Melda? Honey, I think we might have to go to S'Hea soon.

It was about three hours past Zenith on Whispin, meaning Ro had only been awake about that long. He was in his Father's chambers, glaring at the redheaded King over the desk. "I am not wandering around half this planet or more looking for Lord Arketh! I have two baby daughters to care for and ... " His sentence was cut off by a jolt of pain and the half-elf clung to the desk in confusion for a moment.

Several moments passed in silence, and the half-elf's eyes closed, his expression blank. "I have to go, I can't talk about this right now."

"Y'Roden D'Riel walking away won't make this go away! Someday this throne will be yours and you'll have to put the people first!"

Ro didn't seem to hear him as he rose mechanically from his chair and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Derwin stared at the spot his son had been occupying a moment before, then let out an explosive sigh. He didn't quite understand his son ... to much darkness and too little light. It had put a rift between them long ago.

Meanwhile, Ro crossed the hall and slammed the door to his own chambers as well, passing Silverthorn on his way to the bathing room. He seemed a little dazed, his eyes far away as he started stripping off his clothes and slipped into the water, his hand tapping at the dragon rune to adjust the temperature. Sitting down on the carved steps he simply stared into the depths of the pool, as if watching things only he could see.

Silverthorn looked up in surprise as the door slammed, a slight frown appearing in her eyes as Ro walked past her without speaking. Rising silently to her feet she followed him into the bathing room. The dark-haired elf paused just inside the doorway and for a moment she said nothing, her jade green gaze studying her husband thoughtfully. "Ro?" she said softly, "what is it?" If he tried to tell her that nothing was wrong she wouldn't believe him. She knew him far too well for that.

Ro stared blankly at the surface of the water, Silverthorn's voice barely registering. His blood felt like it was on fire, every instinct in his S'Hean blood screaming at him to move. His child was calling, his child was coming into the world. Why was he just sitting there? The galaxy of Y'Roden's soul spun wildly, a tumultuous sea of Aethyr that crashed in heavy tides against the coundit. A sweat broke out on his brow, and he shoved his hair back out of his face with shaking hands.

The fight had begun to resist something that was as strong as the urge a lemming felt when it cast itself off a cliff to its death.

"Ro?" This time her voice was little more than a questioning whisper as something close to fear ran through the dark-haired elf. She wasn't sure she could take anything else, not now. Her eyes closed for a moment as she took a deep breath, trying to calm nerves that were suddenly all over the place. Moving towards her husband she crouched down at the edge of the pool and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Melda?" Her tone was one of concern.

The half-elf jolted violently at the touch on his shoulder, turning wild aethyr laced eyes on his wife. It seemed to take him a moment to actually recognize her. "Arianne?" Unmoving he stared at her for several heartbeats, his breathing erratic. "You don't want to be here for this," he rasped, "I need to fight it on my own."

"You need to fight it on your own or you want to?" his wife asked softly, "because there is quite a significant difference between the two." She sat down on the side of the pool and just looked at him. "I'm not going anywhere."

If she was honest she wasn't sure that she really wanted to watch this but part of her felt as if she had to. It was her fault that he was going through this. The least she owed him was not to ignore the fact that he was hurting.

"Fine," Ro ground out, "But don't say I didn't warn you." He didn't have the strength or patience to curb the sharp tone in his voice. "At least you can make sure I don't drown." That said, he did what he had come here to do. Moving towards the center of the pool he filled his lungs with air, lay back, and slowly sank to the bottom of the pool.

The cocoon of water blanketed him somewhat from sound... from light... from pain. It grounded the Aethyr and provided some amount of sensory deprivation. Closing his eyes the half-elf let himself drift ... fighting the driving instinct, the memories ... himself.

The sharpness in his voice cut into her but Silverthorn accepted it with barely a flinch. She couldn't help thinking that she had deserved it. Wrapping her arms around her waist she watched him sink beneath the surface of the water in silence.

If it hadn't been for you he wouldn't have had to do this the little voice whispered in the back of her mind. You claim to love him and yet you cause him more pain than anyone else.

What else could I have done? she thought in reply, to react in any other way than I did would be to go against who I am.

Would that have been so bad? queried the voice.

Yes she answered. She had fought too long and too hard to keep some sense of herself, of who she really was. After the asylum she had sworn that she wouldn't let anyone take that from her again. She couldn't let that happen. The battle to regain her identity had cost her too much for her to go through that again. If she was honest, she wasn't sure she would have the strength to be able do it again.

Shaking fingers reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry, melda" she whispered, although she knew he couldn't hear her, "for everything." All she could do now was wait.

In the dark ... there were things Ro never spoke of. In the dark ... there were memories. Faces, faces without names, only screams. Screams for mercy, pleading, begging for an end to the pain, and the pleasure. Blood ... sometimes he wondered why his hands were not permenantly crimson. Time ... so many faces over several centuries ... and glimmers of light. Children that never had a chance to be, snuffed out before they were much more than a soft glow on his mental horizon. There had been many ... and it made his soul bleed.

In the light ... there were things that made him smile. The feel of water against his skin, Valin's first cry as Ro lifted him up for his first breath of air. The joy that had nearly overwhelmed him when he had spoken his son's name. The expression on Summerlin's face. It was all firmly engrained in his memory. Happy .... the reason for that name was all to clear when he remembered that moment. A first child for them both ... Yes ... he had known joy then.

In the twilight ... there were things that haunted. B'Ryen and B'Ryan ... he remembered naming both boys. And then .... it was best not to remember what happened then. It had been the beginning of the end, now that he looked back on it. Si'Lyen had been the last remaining light ... before the darkness stamped it out. His living dream had drifted beyond his reach.

There was darkness again ... helplessness, watching another son on the brink of death. Imoreki had lived in the end, but the circumstances of his birth had left him scarred. And Y'Roce ... the son he didn't know about until it was much to late. Ro blamed himself ... how could he have missed it?

Light glimmered again ... the birth of Fechine, his son, his heir, his pride and joy. And his girls ...Yse and Drysi ... Fair and Thorn ...

And then .... screaming .... everything always started with it ... everything seemed to end with it as well. The half-elf plunged into the depths of the dark, trying to drown out the sound of Ghet's screams. He couldn't handle those memories ... not now.

Galain shot upright in bed, staring blankly into the darkness, his breath coming in short gasps. He'd not been sleeping all that deeply after all -- Ghet had turned about enough to awaken the Elen who noticed her absence for a moment before slipping into grateful sleep.

All that was gone.

Where are you? The stairs? Gods! The elf leaped out of bed, grabbed clothes, dumped them, grabbed them back up and then just shot out of the rooms, half-slipping and tripping down the stairs to settle by Ghetsuhm's feet.

"Was I supposed to bring anything? You had something for him to wear? No? Yes? Gods! I can get that! Sit! Sit down! I'll go get it! Wait, I should stay here. S'Hea! We should go to S'Hea! Hold my hand. Ow! Oh!"

He was babbling and he shouldn't have been, but each time a child was born that he was present for he became a bit of a wild loon. He told himself to shut up and opened his bond to her, quite aware of the pain she was bearing. She could at least share her frustrations.

"We'll go right now. Okay?"

Fortunately, Ghet had a moment to catch her breath, because Galain was not helping. "Honey? Shut up. Shut up now." Oddly, it was still kind of comforting having him there, as if she wanted to hold him and smack him one at the same time. She should be used to that by now.

She did squeeze the heck out of his hand when the next one came. When it let go, she gave him what was meant to be a reassuring smile. "See? Not that bad. I guess I could sit down for a bit. It's okay, honey, everything's taken care of." If there were ever a next time, she'd remember to leave him something constructive to do. "We don't have to go yet, but soon. I don't want to go there any sooner than we have to." She felt kind of weird about it, actually. It was like, once she went to S'Hea, she belonged to the D'Riels. She kept telling herself it was just the gravity and the heat making her reluctant, but it wasn't. She was a Riker, and after that an Alcarin, and she would not be... oh, ow, holy...

"Get me the tricorder, will you honey? We may as well see how far along we've got." She was conscious of a faint, nagging yearning, and she was pretty sure it wasn't hers.

“I can shut up! See? I just shut up - oh wait,” Galain finally did shut up, his eyes widening perceptibly when Ghetsuhm squeezed the life out of his hand. He just nodded mutely and stared at his crumpled hand for a moment before he started up the stairs again and then stopped.

“Keep sitting. Just yell. Tricorder! Got it! Be right back!” He skidded back into the bedroom, found the necessary item and raced back, eagerly turning it on and scanning his wife’s body.

“Wow! Lookit that! What does that mean? What if I stick it down here?” He lowered it downward and suddenly winked at her. He was slowly getting his brain back.

“Look, you pregnant, me not pregnant. Pregnant, not - not, pregnant,” he said, scanning her, then himself and vice versa. He was grinning and gave her his hand again. S’Hea could wait. Yes. Right now.

Ghet laughed, weakly, and then she couldn't stop. "I love you, honey. Give it here. No, you're not pregnant, though I suppose if you were feeling adventurous, I know some guys who'll carry out just about any medical procedure you'd care to suggest. No, it's this bit here I want to look at..." She scowled, and slapped the tricorder, hard. "That can't be right. I can't be only two centimetres, I've been at this for four fracking hours!. I'm going to kill Y'Roden, I really am. There's going to be chestnuts roasting over an open fire alright."

She stood, and quite reasonably pitched the tricorder across the room, where it bounced off the squirrel cage. Lucretia shot out and dragged it off, but Ghet didn't notice. As the pain built, so did the force of invective. Still, she was trying to hold as much of it to her as possible, fighting Galain trying to bleed it off through their bond. Later, she would need his help, and she'd need him to be strong when she was exhausted. She had no idea afterwards what she'd been yelling, but she was pretty sure it was something to do with Silverthorn, her life philosophy, parentage, physical attributes and probably sexual practices. Well, no, not probable.

Four hours?! Galain stared at his wife, awe replacing the incredulous expression at last. Four FRACKING hours even! He rather agreed with the killing Y’Roden bit and knew where there was a nutcracker Ghet could use on the S’Hean elf. He watched her toss the tricorder and absently noted that Lucretia now had three of those things and he had no idea what the scary little squirrel did with them.

“You’re fighting me,” he said suddenly, his voice amazingly mild. He cocked his head and backed off from the bond a tad, reluctant but understanding a little of her logic. And then Ghet was taking off on a wild verbal tangent about Silverthorn that had him simultaneously grinning and not grinning.

“Gods woman. Can you walk? Maybe that will help? I could run a mild bath? Just two centimeters? Maybe it was mistaken? You’re not at the ‘don’t touch me’ stage yet are you?”

Ghet got her breath back and shot Galain a rueful little grin. She came and slipped under his arm. "My back really hurts. You could rub. Right down there. Really hard. Harder than that. But when I say stop, stop, cause I'll have to get up. It's better if I walk." She rubbed her head against his shoulder. "I'm not really fighting you. I'm just defending you against your better nature. You know, what really worries me about those tricorder is, I think it's part of her plan for world domination. Oh, here comes another one."

Ghet lost track of time, which was probably a good thing. It was nearly two hours later, and some time after she'd started letting some of the pain flow through to Galain, when she said, "Okay, we'd better go now. It might not be much longer. It better not be much longer." Lines of strain showed clearly on her face. "Can you do the portal for me? I don't think I can control it."

Six hours .... six hours had gone by and it wasn't getting any easier. The half-elf was in the pool again, his arms on the side, his head laying on the cool marble. The expression on Y'Roden's face was drawn, his eyes drained. "Something is wrong," he whispered, "It shouldn't be taking this long ..."

Ro could feel his child's distress, hear him calling. The tug on the Web was becoming painful, sending him into shaking convulsions every time his soul was wrenched. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out.

Another pull on the connection twisted his soul and his body tensed, a low wheeze escaping his lungs. A cold sweat broke out over the Prince of Corin's skin and he bit back tears. This was NOT the sort of pain he enjoyed.

I'm sorry ... Atto can't ... I can't.

Silverthorn sat on the floor, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. This hurt, more than she had ever imagined. To watch Ro going through this and to know that it was her fault... A dull agony settled deep in her soul as she realised what she had to do.

Gracelessly she pushed herself to her feet, her hand bracing herself against the wall as she wavered a little unsteadily. "Gods, I can't watch this anymore" she whispered. "Go, just... go."

Without looking at him the dark-haired elf walked out of the bathing room and into their bedroom. For a moment she wondered if she was going to be physically sick. As she looked down at her hands she realised that she was shaking. Why wouldn't the pain end?

"Yes, no worries. You just hang on and --" Galain formed the portal, wishing it would widen just a little faster than it was. Beyond was S'Hea and surely some relief for her. The elf wrapped his arms around her and guided her through, sagging a bit when the portal closed behind them.

"Well it's very charming," he observed drily just before another contraction hit Ghetsuhm. Galain had the terrible feeling things weren't totally right and wondered just how long this labor was going to last. Each time her body was wracked by another pain he felt a twinge of panic seize him.

"Okay, tell me what to do, keep me from bubble-heading off," he said suddenly as they stepped forward.

Ro closed his eyes, a mix of agony and relief flooding his soul. He hadn't asked for any of this, none of it. He couldn't control his S'Hean side anymore than Silverthorn could control what she was going through. It killed him that she was hurting, but he was starting to think it might literally kill him if he didn't go.

Shaking he pulled himself along the side of the pool and stumbled up the stairs. Somehow he managed to find his trousers and pull them on, not much caring that he was still wet. A few tears had streaked his face and the half-elf weakly wiped them away. He wasn't any good to anyone in the state he was in.

Leaning heavily on the wall he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. I'm coming ... Atto is coming little one. There was instantaneous relief and Ro sagged against the wall. "Gods ..."

He had to go ... how could he leave Silverthorn like this? He wanted to scream. Maybe he did, the Prince was to far out of it to really know. I'm sorry Arianne, I'm so sorry ... I have to go. Thank you. Gods ... I can't ever make this up to you.

Somewhere he found the strength to open a portal, though fighting past the wards nearly did him in. With one last look towards the bedchamber, he stepped through. Finding himself face to face with Galain and Ghet he looked away for a moment, leaning on the wall and averting his face to hide the weakened state he was in. The land beneath his feet surged and his soul reacted, healing itself and recharging the energy lost in the past six hours or so. When he turned back his countenace was still pale, drawn, but aethyr danced in the back of his emerald gaze.

As the portal closed behind him all the strength seemed to leave Silverthorn's legs. Her knees buckled and she slid gracelessly down the wall to the floor. Pain and anguish glazed her jade green eyes. Why, if this was the right thing to do, did it hurt so much? It felt as if her soul was being torn in two, ripped to shreds by the love that was supposed to be her greatest support and had instead proven to be the source of her greatest pain.

She didn't think she could take this any more. Just breathing seemed to be an effort these days. just existing had become something close to torture. She wanted it to be over, wanted the pain to stop. With fingers that shook slightly she slid a dagger free of its sheath and held it against the soft skin of her wrists. How many times had she done this before? Ten? Twenty? More? How many times had she felt the chill metal of the blade slice open her flesh, felt the warmth of her blood trickle over her skin to splash down on to the stone altar?

A soft exclamation escaped her as her hand jerked involuntarily. Blood welled up in a line across her wrist. Blindly she watched the crimson trail snake it's way over her tanned skin. All she had to do was press down on the blade a little bit harder, cut a little deeper... and it would all be over.

The dagger flew across the room to slam up to the hilt in the wall opposite as a cry filled with rage and pain left her mouth. She couldn't do it, couldn't hurt her family that way. That wasn't how she wanted Fechine and the twins to remember their mother, and as for Ro... How could she endure the guilt of knowing that she had taken him with her in that way?

Harsh, racking sobs swept through the dark-haired elf as she buried her head in her hands. Slumped in the corner of the room she wept until she could cry no more and then, exhausted, huddled against the wall in a defensive ball.

Ghet stepped through the portal, and two things happened at once. They physical strain increased, like a punch in the gut, and the mental strain eased. That part of her she tried to hide from, the S'Hean part that had been yearning for this place, relaxed. She leaned heavily on Galain as S'Hea's gravity tore at her, the next contraction hitting her so hard she screamed, tailing off into exhausted sobbing.

Then she raised her head. Something was different. She stared in utter incomprehension. "Ro? What the hell?" Hysterical laughter burbled up. "You look like shit." She turned back to Galain, now she had her breath back. It was so hard to make a sentence. "Pool. Help me get to the pool. Then can you find where I put the blankets and the clothes? In the drawers, I think."

Not good -- it wasn't good when she screamed like that. Galain didn't want to hear her scream like that again and spared Y'Roden just a quick glance. He wasted no time and immediately headed Ghet into the cottage, knowing the S'Hean elf wouldn't be far behind.

"Drawers are very logical, melda. That's a good place for blankets and clothes. I'm sure I'll find them there. Ah... look... the pool. It's a great pool. Come on, just hang on and we'll get you in."

He moved quickly, anxiety pushing him to move quickly as he could. And when she was in he straightened a moment and wiped his brow. He was going to look for the blankets and clothes now. He knelt down once and kissed Ghet's ear, caressed her shoulder and moved away.

"That's about how I feel," Ro muttered to Ghet before following the couple inside. Watching Galain he hung back a little leaning on the wall as he waited for his body to adjust. "That is one insistant little boy," he said to the redhead, flashing her a weak smile, "Not that I'm surprised."

As Galain moved away Y'Roden came around the side of the pool and crouched on the edge beside Ghet's head. "Give me your hand Ghettie," he said softly, "I can help with the pain."

Ghet lowered her naked, aching body into the water, whimpering as the water took some of the weight, easing the strain. She watched Galain leave with a gentle smile on her face, then turned to Ro. "I'll probably break all your fingers, you know that, don't you." Tears leaked from her eyes, and scrubbed them away impatiently. "He's determined. He wasn't coming without you." She could feel that quite clearly now, in the difference between the previous struggle and the calm acceptance she felt now. He'd been quite prepared to torture both his parents to get what he wanted.

She took Ro's hand and raised it briefly to her lips. Her heart ached for what this must be costing him, what it would still cost him in future, the division it must cause in his marriage. But she knew, this was right. "I'm glad you're here, Rodi. I hate to think... oh, holy... WHY DIDN'T I TAKE THE BLOODY PAIN GODDESS?! SHIT!!" Pride went out the window, and she shoved the pain away from her, out towards both men. They could bloody well be useful for something...

The pain goddess would have been very useful about now as Galain caught a good chunk of Ghet's pain and slammed his hands in the drawer of clothes he'd been rummaging through.

He had to laugh a tad hysterically though. Y'Roden had caught the other chunk of the pain.

GOOD.

Well, it wouldn't be the first time a woman had crushed his hand during labor. Although that hadn't been one of Ro's. He smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, right before she kept her word and nearly snapped a few digits. It was the wall of pain hitting him that caught the S'Hean elf off guard though, and he catapluted head first into the pool with a howl of surprise.

A moment later he resurfaced, spluttering, his arm twisted behind his back seeing as Ghet still had his fingers in a vice grip. "Bloody hell! I should have seen that coming!" It took him a moment to get sorted out and turned around without disturbing the pregnant lady, his eyes a little wild as he drew on the Aethyr and started drawing runes across her skin. "Ok... just hang on Ghettie ... I'm trying."

It was really, really hard to laugh right now, but Ghet was trying. She'd been irritated briefly, but the annoyance had faded with the pain. Except this time the pain hadn't let go all the way, it was still there, lurking in the background. She was trying not to show it.

"And what would you have done if you'd seen it coming? I guess you could have got your pants off. That must be uncomfortable. Sorry about that." Sorry... You're coming back sometime, right melda? Oh, this was going to be awkward.

She didn't need to say it, Ro could feel it. His emerald greens flickered up to meet her gaze for a moment, concern in their depths. He had been through this enough times to know when something didn't feel right. "I've had worse sensations than wet leather trousers," he said. His fingers stroked over her skin in a rythmic pattern, a glowing design of runes forming beneath them on Ghet's abdomen. "Relax," he said in a softer tone, "Don't worry about a thing. You are what is important right now. Galain and I will deal. I think for once in our lives we can agree on just this one thing."

Ghet laid her head on the edge of the pool and shut her eyes for a moment. Time was starting to drift on her, as if it was moving really fast and yet she was stuck in just one moment. She knew something wasn't right, and yet she wasn't really worried. Whatever happened would happen, and there was no point in panicking about it. Still, she said, "Don't look at me like that and tell me to relax. You know I can feel you. That's nice, though." Even with her eyes closed, drifting, she could 'see' what he was doing.

"Oh, we're going again." She controlled the release of the pain better this time, as it built, peaked, and faded. But still it was pain without purpose. It wasn't time yet. She smiled tiredly at Y'Roden. "He must take after you. I'm sure I've never faffed around like this."

Oh yes, I'm coming back, Galain silently replied. He had no idea why he was taking so long, and then he did. Finally he had to mentally berate himself. He had an ache deep down inside him, but he buried it deeply, gathered up the stuff he'd found and headed back to the pool. He took one look at the two in the water and slid his eyes away.

"I'll just put these things over here. You feeling better?"

Inane statements and questions, but it kept his brain busy on things of the moment.

Ghet looked up when Galain came in and smiled, and then the smile faded. She didn't have a lot of spare energy. Yet she couldn't help but understand why he felt like he did. Still, perhaps it was best not to be able to handle long discussion. "You. Come here. I mean, in here, right now. If you're smart, you at least will manage to take your pants off first." I need you, anarnya, please.

Galain couldn't help but give Y'Roden a double take. Did the guy really have his pants on in the water? He raised an eyebrow and then nodded.

"Yes, dearest," he said meekly and shucked off his trousers. That was all he'd on as well and was in the water quickly enough. He was here for Ghetsuhm.

I'm right here. No nonsense from me, I promise. Let's just get this baby born. He kissed her ear and instinctively slid his hand behind her until he found the small of her back which he rubbed in tiny tight circles.

"You just let me know what faffed means and then I'll make my mind up on that one," Ro said with a smile. His gaze flickered up for a moment when Galain entered the room, then returned to Ghet. He didn't have the time or energy for anything but her and their child at the moment.

Have you decided on a name yet?, he asked, We are going to need to know before he gets here.

And yes, Ro had his pants on, and for once, they were going to stay on.

Ghet leaned back against Galain's hand, seizing the moment of respite from the pain. She looked at him, looked at Y'Roden, and the whole situation suddenly seemed rather absurd. There'd been a time when she would have given a lot to get them both into a situation like this - minus the whole baby thing, of course. She started to giggle, knew it wasn't helping, tried very hard to stop, made it worse, and lay helpless against Galain's arm laughing until she had to fight another wave of pain.

"Sorry," she muttered, fighting for her breath. She had to wonder what the pain would have done to her mind by now if it weren't for the men. "What were we talking about? Oh, names. You want me to make a decision now?" She tried to think. She knew, the only way to keep the peace was if she chose the name. She was the connection point here. She'd thought about it over the last few months, though the problem was trying to avoid any kind of association. Even choosing a language to name their son in was problematic. And the pain was wearing her down, so much. This was not the kind of pain she liked.

Her relationship with pain had always been kind of dodgy. Even from this pain, she would gain something. The thought of finally seeing the child whom she'd been aware of for so long. She would hold him, and there would be reward for all she'd endured. It was only right that his birth should be steeped in pain, just like his conception had been. So much pain, and then there would be joy, surely, after so long. Pain... joy... She remembered so many hours, in the caves, debating long into the night... it was the closest thing the People had to a heresy, though they would never use the word. Still, it hadn't been entered into the Rolls. It wasn't one of the Joys. Rhagi... She had given too much of her soul away, and stopped arguing. She could not share with the others what she knew, that pain could bring the profoundest pleasure.

She smiled. She'd fought for the answer between the conflicting needs of Alcarin, D'Riel, Riker, and it had come in the end from her mother's side, from Terrano. "I shall do as my mother did with both her children. She named us after the Joys. So my son shall be a Joy as well. His name will be Rhagi. It's the Joy that comes from Pain." She relaxed briefly, relieved, and then tensed again as the pain returned. She waited for it to fade, and it didn't, it kept building. She felt a shift in her son. She leaned forward, between the two men. It wouldn't stop, how could she get her breath if it didn't stop, let go of her. Just for a moment, please. Helpless, she wept, clinging to both men, demanding their strength.

It was Ghet's especial delight in the absurd that usually led to the sort of hysterical giggles she had just dissolved in and he didn't grow alarmed. He just let her ride out the laughter, a small smile playing at his own lips. He held her and stroked her hair as she explained how she was naming her son and the elf's heart nearly burst with something indefinable -- pride? deep love? awe?

Joy from pain.

Amazing.

And then she was seeking strength from the both of them and he slid along their bond, opening himself to the pain she was shunting their way, yet at the same offering her all the strength he had.

A soft smile flickered across Y'Roden's features. Ghet could not have picked a more perfect name for their son. It defined them, their boy, their relationship from day one. It had always been joy from pain, and Rhagi would be the ultimate outcome of that. No matter what it was costing either of them, Ro could never regret this child's existance.

Pushing reservations aside he gave himself over to the birthing, letting what was left of his bond to Ghet flare, absorbing the pain. Aethyr flowed from his fingertips, releasing endorphins in Ghet's system that eased the agony.

For an indeterminate time, Ghet clung to both men, unable to speak in the grip of a pain that only waxed and waned, never ceased. She sensed her son's implaccable little will: he was coming, and he would bend her body to his purpose, regardless. She could not have a moment to gather strength, from now on there would be no break for any of them until he was born.

Extremities of pain did funny things to her people, and she was keeping herself just a little distant from Y'Roden. Sometimes, when things were very bad like this, a connection could be formed, and she really wanted not to reconnect with Ro. Her mind was already starting to come unanchored from her body, seeking to escape its ordeal. How could something natural possibly hurt so much? What Ro did eased the pain, but there was still the sensation that she was being torn apart. She leaned on them both, physically and mentally drawing on their strength to make her feel not quite so tiny and helpless. Odd how the fact that they both loved her seemed never to have drawn them together.

She sobbed, weary, wanting so much to give up, to be able to quit. Her mind was filling with pain and despair, with the memories she would most wish to forget. She opened herself to both men. Tell me something happy. Tell me.

Something happy. Galain was lost in his wife's pain, concentrated so deeply upon her and taking the pain she sent his way that her silent words didn't immediately register. He stared at her, then at Y'Roden and bowed his head.

Well Raoul's gonna be pissed off after this is done. And Lucretia might have to be kept from the diapers. And did you know the refrigerator broke again? I wasn't going to tell you, but heck, why not tell you now? I found two heads of cabbages back there. That's the sauerkraut I've been making. And did you know I painted a picture for the baby's room? It's of a biiig dragon eating Y'Roden. Okay, Y'Roden's doing a fine job of beating the dragon on the nose. Wait? That's not happy? I can wait to give it to him when he's a teenager then.

And after this is all done and things are situated I've got us reservations for a cruise to a really decadent planet full of all sorts of relaxation and naughty stuff. You know you can tell me to shut up anytime you want. Oh! 'Lain has a present for the baby too. It's one of his favorite sparklies -- some sort of really big beetle, but it's made of gold which is a lot better than the beetles I usually collect. You know you can tell me to shut up whenever you're ready.

He went on and on, giving Y'Roden a wide-eyed look, but quite unable to stop silently babbling.

Ghet actually snorted with laughter. She was now picturing a frieze around the baby's room where a big gold dragon chased Y'Roden around and around and periodically flamed his bottom. She suspected she and Galain shouldn't make children's books, but then that had always been pretty obvious. And she couldn't tell whether Rhagi thought this was a good thing or a bad thing, but there was certainly a reaction. Gods, her son had a name, he was a proper little person...

After a solid moment of blinding white pain, she decided he was a proper little something. There was a horrible, tearing, top-note pain that cut through all the rest, and she realised, it was time to start working. She pushed sweaty hair out of her face and grimaced in Ro's direction. Ready? Cause I don't think he cares if you are or not.

Y'Roden was actually laughing. Why? Because if you replaced that golden dragon with a blue-black one, well.. Ro had lived it. It was then that something else funny struck him. Valin's name meant Happy. His children ranged from Happiness to Joy. Gentle fingers helped out with the sweaty hair around Ghet's face and he nodded. I've been ready for months.

Now, if Ghet had tried to think of circumstances in which the three of them could have been laughing together, her giving birth to Ro's baby wouldn't even have been on the list. She wouldn't have ruled it out, but only because with them she'd never rule anything out. And if she's had a hand free, and the strength, and the concentration to spare, she would have smacked Y'Roden over the head. Well good for you. You'd be the only bloody one. Well, you and him. This is all some kind of conspiracy, isn't it? I'm doomed to D'Riel men trying to control my life. This was a completely unfair call. She made those.

She leaned heavily on Galain. Ro would shortly have his hands full. I don't s'pose you wanna help me push, melda? Oddly, now that she could do something useful, it didn't seem to hurt so much. She could concentrate on pushing with the peak of each contraction, they served a purpose. Okay, it still hurt, but it was different. It was wearing, too, and it was impossible not to yell. After five (though who was counting) she managed to raise both hands into a 'T' position. "Okay, I need a break now. We'll just.... wait for a bit, and do the rest soon, okay?"

Push? She wanted him to help push? Galain went stupid -- more normally than usualy -- and then mentally nodded. He pushed. He gave Ghetsuhm everthing he had, gasped and readied to give more. He really wanted to die though. That hadn't done it?

"Wait?" He asked aloud in a cracked voice.

Y'Roden shot a look at Galain, he was a little wide eyed by this point. He was beginning to see the mechanics involved here. Summerlin and Silverthorn were both larger than Ghet ... but of course it had never occured to him. S'Hean women were tiny by nature, which was perhaps why they went they water birth route. Ghet was mostly human ... sort of, and built differently from the Elves that had borne Y'Roden's other children. Well ... aside from Greka. He found himself wondering how she had made it through Y'Roce's birth... then realized his concentration was better used elsewhere.

"Ghettie ... are you going to be ok? Do you want me to send for a S'Hean Healer?" Worry shadowed the depths of his emerald eyes, and a tinge of fear. He had lost two children and nearly lost a third ... a Father's worst nightmare. Three women had died carrying his children, the odds were frightening.

"No," said Ghet. She meant it to be a calm, reasoned refusal of the healer, but it sounded more like the sort of defiance that could result in someone losing a limb. No-one else was getting in here. Then her teeth stopped clenching and she let out an unholy roar. It seemed someone wasn't taking Time. And he was tearing her apart. Each push she managed to summon increased the awful pain. If someone had offered her the alternative of dying right now, she might well have taken it. She was so tired...

The look she gave Ro was desperate. "You can just pull him out now, right? Please?" The rest of the sentence was pretty much incoherent with yelling, but it might have been something like "Get this goddamn thing out of me!". She wouldn't be confessing to that later...

Ro shot another look at Galain, who wasn't looking any more confident than the expectant Father was at the moment. "No love, I can't just pull him out." Later he would think about his next sentence and cringe, "Just ... let me get between your legs here and see what I can do to help." The S'Hean elf shifted in the water and actually managed an appologetic expression in Galain's direction before he did what he was here to do.

"Ok Ghettie ... you are almost there, one more good push and his head will be out." The half-elf looked up at her, his expression indiscribable, "You can do this ... it's ok. Just another minute and you'll be holding our boy."

Ghet was either laughing or crying, she couldn't tell which. "Promise?" she asked Ro hesitantly. It would be over, it would end. She leaned heavily on Galain, sucking down the comfort of his presence, the pain twisting her body absorbing all her attention. Vaguely, she was aware that an awful lot had been done to make her as comfortable as possible, that without these men and everything they'd done for her...

Y'Roden's move seemed perfectly natural. He was here to take their son, so that was where he was going to have to be. Their son... When the next contraction came, she scraped up the last of the strength they had between the three of them, and bore down, pushing to the point where she knew she couldn't do it any more, and then further, pausing only to breathe in again. In desperation, she reached out to her son with her mind and willed him to come.

Galain's glance at Y'Roden was unreadable. He had to do what he had to do to deliver his son. Galain looked away and threw himself into simply being there for Ghetsuhm, giving her every ounce of strength he had to get her through this. He wouldn't rest until he heard that kid's cry and felt his wife's body relax.

"Yes! Here comes his head Ghettie!" A hysterical laugh barked out of Ro as the baby's head crowned into his hands. Now for the hard part. The half-elf's son had apparently inherited his Atto's rather broad set of shoulders. "One more good hard push Ghet, and then you can rest." Y'Roden's eyes were a riot of conflicting emotions when the flickered up to met Ghet's for a brief moment. "You can do it ... you're almost there."

Ghet raised her head and gave Ro a vicious glare. She couldn't believe she was doing this and it was all his fault. One more? She'd used all she had. "I am never having sex with you ever again."

Rest? She could rest? That was a hell of a thing to promise a girl. With a short sob she sucked her breath in again and pushed, sure she was going to burst some internal organs if she had to keep this up any longer. There was an awful, wrenching pain, and then such a strong sense of relief she started to weep, her head falling back onto Galain's shoulder, her eyes closing. She'd look in a minute...

An horribly perplexed look crossed Ro's features for a moment and he opened his mouth as if to say something. Then thought better of it and shut up. Which was likely a good thing, since he was a little busy bringing his son to the surface of the water.

A first breath of air was drawn, then an angry bawl of protest released from healthy lungs. Ro fairly beamed at the tiny life he held in his hands; taking in the downy, blondish red hair, and when they were finally opened, the intense emerald green eyes of a D'Riel. "Suilad Rhagi Riker D'Riel," the Prince greeted his child in his native tongue, "Creoso, yondonya."

On the edge of Ghet's consciousness, there was a sound like the world's most enraged kitten. She opened her eyes, and the intense weariness she felt seemed to vanish.

Ghet had seen babies before. She'd even tended some for brief periods, but none had really touched her, or even impressed her as being real, as people. She looked at her son in Y'Roden's arms and her heart stopped. She raised a wet hand to wipe tears away rather futilely. "Look at him," she said, her voice shaking with awe. "My gods. He's so beautiful. He's the most wonderful thing I've ever seen." The look on Ro's face made her immensely proud, for some reason she couldn't quite define. She looked away, to Galain, whom she knew she had drained to near-exhaustion. She tried to speak, then realised she had no idea what to say and no voice to say it with. She was so happy, and she knew it showed in her face, despite her tears.

And her arms ached. "Let me hold him, please. You have to, anyway, you can't cut the cord if you're holding him."

"Here we go," Y'Roden's voice had taken on the gentle tone he used with all of his children. "Mummy wants to see you." The D'Riel web was virtually humming with Rhagi's presence and Ro's soul was afire with the bond that only a S'Hean elf could share with their child. Eyes literally glowing he smiled softly at Ghet and tucked their son safely into her arms.

His favoured dagger appeared in his hands and he was just about to cut the cord when his eye caught Galain. The half-elf hesitated for a moment, shifting emotions flickering in his emerald greens. His expression settled, finally, and he held out the dagger to the Elen hilt first.

Galain was wiped out. He'd heard the child's cry and been ready to just collapse, but he hadn't yet -- just too much was going on and he shuddered as he listened to Y'Roden and Ghetsuhm greet their child. He looked at them both, glad the boy was born. He was trying to breathe though. It wasn't a physical thing.

And then the S'Hean elf offered the dagger hilt-first to Galain and the Elen was confused for a few moments. What was he doing? He wasn't the father after all. The elf tried to breathe again, never quite looking into Y'Roden's eyes. He simply grasped hold of the dagger and stared at it, stunned, before he flashed a look at Ghetsuhm.

For a few moments, and for the first time in her life, both men had just disappeared as Ghet held her baby. She couldn't get over how little he was. He'd certainly felt bigger than that before. She stroked his head wonderingly, smiling at the red in his hair, blown away by those luminous green eyes. He was so tiny and defenseless and he was hers.

Something passed between the men, and she managed to tear her eyes away. When she realised what it was, she smiled, clutching her baby tightly to her. If he grew up to be half the man either of these two were... she loved them so much, she was so proud of both of them. Her eyes first met Ro's, then her husband's. For once she kept the flip remark back. She nodded. "It's right," she told Galain. It was an act into which a great deal of almost any kind of symbolism could be read, separating her body from her son's. But to her, Ro was acknowledging Galain's place in her son's life, and in her life. It was complicated, but it wasn't like they hadn't dealt with complicated before.

Galain nodded, wordless and still stunned. He held the dagger up and looked at Ghetsuhm again before he finally looked at the tiny baby, mesmerized by the bit of red in the child’s hair. So much fuzz on such a little head already. He leaned in and made the cut as gently as he could, the blade easily slicing the cord and separating mother from child.

“Done,” he said quietly.

Ro smiled slightly, then returned his attention to finishing up those little things that come after a child is born. It was strange ... so many centuries spent almost obsessed with Ghet, and now he was simply in the S'Hean role of a Father to his child, looking after that child's mother.

He did pause afterwards though, to take in the expression on Ghetsuhm's face as she held their son. It was something he had never expected to see, that wonder and contentment. It warmed his heart and a smile crossed his face that made it all the way to his eyes.

So what now? He was suddenly at a loss.

Ghet smiled at Galain, and raised a hand to stroke his cheek. The motion left a smear of watered-down blood across his skin. It brought the dim realisation that she probably wasn't too well, physically. It didn't seem that important, in the glow of holding her son. Thank you, verno. I couldn't have done this without you. I love you, so much.

She looked up at Ro, and saw the expression on his face. She grinned back, somewhat rueful. He wasn't half as surprised as she was. For the first time, she understood why Silverthorn hadn't wanted him here. This child made a bond between them, quite different from what had been between them before: a warm, stable, family connection completely the opposite of their previous passionate glorious miserable madness. And for the first time, questions started to occur to her. "Don't get me wrong, Ro, but why are you here? Does Silverthorn know?"

Shadows flickered in the depths of Ro's eyes and he sighed from a place deep in his soul. "Yes, of course she knows," he said softly, "She told me to come."

Silverthorn ....

"I should probably go home soon," all the joy suddenly faded from his eyes and tone. "She wasn't doing to well when I left. A little better than I was maybe ... but that isn't saying much." He touched the soft downy hair on the top of his sons head and managed a smile for Ghet, "He is absolutely beautiful, you know."

Just a couple of seconds too late, Ghet removed the sympathy from her expression. For her the fight was pretty much over, for Ro it might just be beginning. Another part of her was sucking down the irony. All that fighting, and in the end she'd just let him come? "Tell her I said... wait, no, don't, that'll just make it worse. But good luck."

She bent her head to her baby. Rhagi. Baby had a name. "Atto has to go now, okay? Now you let him, okay? When you've got what you want, it's time to give in gracefully, okay? The trick is to save demanding for when you really need it. What's wrong? Why are you snuffling like that? Oh, you're hungry." She laughed in sheer delight as the child placed his chubby little fist on her breast and began to suck aggressively. "Look, he really is a D'Riel." She blushed. "I mean, he's hungry. Man, I guess nobody ever told him not to eat anything bigger than his head." She looked up again, her eyes bright. "Thank you, Ro. We owe you. So much."

Ro nearly choked, then grinned despite himself. Yes, admittedly, that was definatly a D'Riel trait. "Me? No, you did all the work, obviously, I just ... you know. You're welcome though." He shrugged, then smiled. "Thank you, Ghettie. I really don't want to go, but I have to." He leaned in and kissed Ghet on the forehead before dropping a kiss on Rhagi's downy crown. "I'll contact you about seeing him again as soon as I can."

Ghet watched him kiss his son and thought, if her heart got any fuller it was just going to explode. She held his hand for a moment, and nodded. "When things are a little calmer for all of us. We'll work things out then. And yes, I know." I love you, Ro. I don't know what I would have done without you here. "Go on, get. We'll be okay."

The smile was genuine, but so was the pain in the back of Ro's eyes. I love you to Ghet. Take care of both of you. Those words meant something far different than they once did, and that at least seemed to ease something in his soul. The half-elf nodded at Galain, knowing he didn't need to say anything. The Elen would take care of Ghet, and by default, Rhagi.

It took effort to turn away from his son, even for a short time. But concern for his wife drove him. Climbing up the stairs to the pool Y'Roden opened the wards, then a portal, and stepped in his chambers in Corin.