They were nearing the end of summer, as august leisurely slipped past.

William had been assigned as an alarm. Because his mother was nearing the point, where the water would break loose and welcome another soul into this world.

William felt warm and sweaty, sitting in a bed under blankets during the last heat of the year. It was because his mother was feeling cold. So she begged him to lie with her. Even though William was overheating, there was something comfortable about resting in the bosom of Vanessa.

To pass the time, Vanessa was embroidering her favorite swans in the corners of their beddings.

She hummed her song about Fair. Sometimes stroking and petting William’s now greasy hair. Her lulling stopped before she softly giggled “Mirabelle, don’t fall asleep… Here, why don’t you try to make a stitch? Try holding the needle but d-HNGH!...”. Suddenly pain rushed over Vanessa’s body and she began to sweat. Finally feeling the heat from outside.

William woke up from his slumber and stared at her for help. She drew her breath sharply and whined “Mirabelle! Fetch Jacqueline! I think my water just broke”.

The little girl struggled with the quilt and ran out the master bedroom. Yelling with her small voice “Help! Mother thinksh her water broke!”.

Within minutes, Jacqueline appeared along with another servant. The pregnant Jacqueline who was also due, had doubts when she saw Vanessa. She was afraid that she should give birth now, that she was supposed to help her master. The big bellied servant asked “Vanessa, your water has indeed broken. Let’s first start by removing the soiled quilt…”.

She pointed to the other servant and ordered “You, go fetch some water that we can warm up later. Oh! And don’t forget the extra pieces of cloths”.

William observed his mother who went in and out of painful cramps. He then asked “How long will it take before the baby ish out?”. Jacqueline and Vanessa gave him their attention and both responded “It depends…”. Having said the same thing, the sisters looked at each other puzzled. A warm smile spread on their faces as they were reminded of their kinship. 

Vanessa sighed “Before I could only dream of one of you standing by my side… It’s nice to see someone from my own family again… I’m counting on you dear sister”. Jacqueline seemed a bit embarrassed by these heartfelt sentiments. Then she helped Vanessa spread her legs into the proper position.

Because of her full belly, Jacqueline had a hard time bending down, to take a look at the birthing progress. So she asked William “Mirabelle, I can’t get a proper look because of this”, Jacqueline lightly patted her stomach, before she continued “Can you please take a look and see if your mother has opened up down there?”.

This request filled William with shock and disgust.

No way was he going to take a good glance at the contents between those thighs. He felt like a scary monster was lurking between them… But hearing the continued whines and screams from his tortured mother made him change his mind. He tried to find the courage he lacked as he crawled closer to the unknown. Chanting in his heart: Please, be normal, please, be normal…

Then he took a quick peek at the forbidden area! Luckily it was fairly normal. He reported back to Jacqueline “It doesn’t look open yet…”. Hearing this, the servant answered “Good girl… I’ll leave it to you to look down there once in a while. Because it might take some time before she is ready to deliver”.

William wanted to faint but decided to complain instead “Pwease, don’t make me do that!”. However Jacqueline didn’t feel like listening to this small master…

She simply said “You must! Think about your mother. It’s a great help to her”. And so 6 hours went by.

Vanessa sweated more and more while she grunted and sobbed. William had been asked to look countless times, but he could only report that she had opened slightly up. Not much. Overseeing this birth, Jacqueline still felt confident that things would go smoothly and run their course. However another 6 hours went by without leaving a baby to hold.

It had become late and both Joss and the father was now home. They gathered around Vanessa, who seemed to grow weaker with each minute. The father lamented “This isn’t normal… Shouldn’t she have birthed the baby by now? She has after all, already given birth to two children before!”.

Jacqueline and the servant could only shake their heads and remind him “Sometimes it can take up to 17 hours… She has only gone through 12. There is still hope that this birth will go as expected”. The father didn’t seem convinced, for his wife was turning as white as the sheets. So he went out to look for the master of delivery. Surely they could help his wife.

When the father returned with help, another two hours had churned by. His wife could barely recognise that someone new had entered the room. It was the doctor’s apprentice he had brought. Although they had hurried over, the apprentice still had other births he needed to check in on first.

Many new children would be birthed in august this year, due to the unexpected bandit raid.

The apprentice asked “How are we tonight? Do you servant girls, perhaps know, how much time has passed since she started going into labor?”. Jacqueline wiped Vanessa’s forehead as she answered “About 14 hours, sir…”. The apprentice went over to feel the stomach as he asked questions about past births.

Then he grimaced before giving his judgement to the pregnant woman. “I’m afraid she won’t be able to give birth to these children…”. All those who were present, were appalled by those words. Especially the father, who stuttered forth “What do you mean by, t-these c-c-children!? Are there more than ONE!?”.

Vanessa was just as shocked by the voice, that exclaimed it. She panted like being strained under a boulder and weakly asked the delivery master “Does this mean?...”. The mother’s eyes began to burn red as tears fell with each blink.

The apprentice had to be honest and said “Yes… Tonight, one of you must say farewell…”.