Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper

Chapter 78: Creation of Life (Part 2)

―At Winterfell―

Lady Talisa tightly gripped the bedsheets and nearest wolf pelts, shutting her eyes tightly every three minutes or so as more beads of sweat slid down her face and neck, strands of her hair stuck to her cheeks. A strike of pain hit her, and she cried out again. By the Gods it hurt so badly. Talisa had been in labor for several hours now. Her stomach felt like it was being ruptured as Maester Luwin prodded Talisa between her legs forcing liquid to rush out of her.

"That's good. You're doing well, my lady," Luwin reassured her, moistening a cloth and handing it over to one of the midwives to continuously press all over Talisa's body.

"Auuuu! Ooooh! Mnnnneeeghh!" Talisa's voice was hoarse and strained. She closed her eyes again and began to push down again.

One of the midwives, Agatha, addressed Talisa's forehead, neck, arms, breasts and stomach with cooling pressure that aided, however minimal, in the Volantene lady's relief during her laborious struggles. She wrung it out before exchanging cloths with another.

Robb Stark hurriedly entered the room, nearly wearing himself out. "Talisa..." he murmured to her.

Talisa panted as she slowly, wearily opened her eyes. "Ooh, Robb!" she groaned through gritted teeth. "It hurts so much!"

The Young Wolf moved to his wife's bedside, clasping her hand in his. "I'm here, love. It'll be all right. I'll be right here by your side the whole time."

Panting and sharply drawing breath, Talisa pushed as hard as she could, squeezing Robb's hand really hard. Robb felt as though every bone in his hand would shatter, but he didn't care. His wife was in more pain than he was right now. "Aargh!" Talisa exhaled sharply, dropping her head back onto the pillow to catch her breath.

Maester Luwin cleaned the sheets beneath Talisa's legs as well as his hands before diving back into the fray. "My lady," he said, trying to get her attention. "You're doing good, but I need you to hold your breath and we'll begin while you tuck in your chin."

The combination of Robb's encouragement and the flurry of action sliding from her midsection to her waist, Talisa felt her knees being brought up and her legs spread apart by three of the midwives in the room and somewhat pinned them against her chest.

"That's it. And push, push, push, push."

Talisa's contractions seemed to get more and more painful along with being increasingly more frequent. Exchanging brief glances with Robb, Talisa breathed in, closed her eyes tight again and pressed down, pushing as hard as she could. "MMMMMNNAAAH!" Talisa bellowed.

"Breathe in and out," Robb tried to encourage his wife. "In and out—"

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" she snapped. "WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW?!"

Robb had never seen Talisa shout so much before. Not so much direct at him. But it wasn't like he expected this would happen—it was always something the Young Wolf anticipated would happen once the hour of moment had arrived at Winterfell. Breathlessly, Talisa heaved herself forward again for another ten seconds until she was allowed another brief moment of respite. Robb stroked Talisa's hair lightly with his fingers, removing strands of wet, sticky hair away from her face.

"It'll be all right, I promise," he reassured her again. "We're in this together."

Talisa nodded, before another contraction started and she cried out in pain, the pressure beginning to grow between her legs all of a sudden. "Nnggaahh!" she screamed, shutting her eyes tight again. "Oohh! O-Oh my! Damn it! Ooh, Robb! Auuuu, I can feel something! I feel it!"