Festina Lente

Chapter One Hundred & Thirteen: The Duke of Rothesay

22nd of October 1537 - St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Screaming in agony, Madeleine of France, Queen of Scotland clutched at her ladies' hands as she continued to labour with her first child; her waters had broken early that morning and she had spent most of the day labouring to bring her child into the world. 

She had never felt anything like this before and Madeleine just wanted it to be over, the hours felt like they were not moving fast enough nor was she any closer to delivering. 

"You're doing so well, you're nearly there," one of her ladies encouraged, wiping a damp cloth across the top of Madeleine's head to try and cool her down; her words soft as she spoke knowing that it would not be too long now. 

Having laboured for most of the day, it would surely not be long before the child made its way into the world; the labour had been slow to start but things were starting to speed up now. 

Madeleine gritted her teeth trying to calm down on the shout of pain that threatened to spill from her lips; she could not understand why women had to suffer in such a way. 

Surely if penance were needed for another's wrongdoing, then the debt would have been repaid, she did not see how women did this multiple times and she just wanted it to be over already. 

"We can see the head now, Your Grace," the midwife encouraged glad that the babe was making progress, it had been a long day for the mother, and she was pleased to see that the delivery was going as smooth as she hoped it would. 

There was no denying that she found herself feeling rather nervous when it came to the delivery; the last thing that the midwife wanted was for the new Queen of Scotland to die under her care. 

Madeleine gritted her teeth, focusing on pushing her babe into the world; she was sure once she was done that her hard work would be rewarded in holding her child for the first time. 

She gave one last almighty push and collapsed back against her pillows just as a shrill cry filled the room, she barely heard the words that her ladies said to her in congratulations of her delivery of her child. 

The midwife handed the newborn off to one of the Scottish ladies to clean up once the cord had been cut and prepared to deliver the placenta while the lady dealt with cleaning the newborn up before they were given to their mother.

Once the placenta had been delivered, Madeleine's ladies helped clean their mistress and take away the soiled bedding; once everything was clear of the signs of birth, they allowed her to rest in her best. 

Madeleine's eyes never left her baby while she was cleaned up, she could not believe that she had done it nor the fact that her child seemed most health given the sharp cry that they had produced. 

Already the gender had been noted and one of her new ladies had rushed to inform the King's steward of the birth, the King of Scotland had an heir and there was much to celebrate after twenty-four years without a true heir to the throne. 

"You have given birth to a very healthy baby boy Your Grace," the Lady Hamilton informed Madeleine taking the baby once the midwife was done with her checks and walking over to the bed where Madeleine was resting. 

No doubt there would be celebrations all night long, King James had an male heir that secured his throne and hopefully the peace with the English would last. 

King James had been put a child when he came to the throne at the age of seventeen months, he was the third son of King James IV and his wife Margaret Tudor and was the only legitimate child of James IV to survive infancy.