Mortal (Book 3)

Chapter 23

"Remember, no Thalmor in the city. Don't arrest them, but send them away at the gate." I explain to Carth. Her quill moves on the paper silently.
"Got it. Anything else?"  She asks after a few moments.
"What do you have?" I ask her. She puts the quill back in the inkwell and flattens her paper.
"Find a tutor for Sofie and Lucia, must be extremely patient and highly qualified. Continue searching for potential housecarls; if there is no clear choice then begin preparations for a tournament upon your return. Finish renovations on the Pelagius wing. Keep Endarie and Taarie in check, nothing too fancy for your wardrobe. Zero tolerance on Thalmor."
I look at Ulfric, sitting on the bed nearby. He looks so strange dressed in fur armor, even his hair is pulled back in a neat ponytail; I'd wager he feels strange out of his usual fur robes. We agreed though that we'd take a hunting trip for our honeymoon. Two weeks in the woods, just the two of us; No politics, no ball gowns. However, it's imperative for our safety that we're not recognized, so the disguises are necessary.
"Any suggestions?" I ask him. He thinks for a moment.
"Try your best to keep Galmar sober, but know that you won't succeed." He says with a smile as she writes. I hear a woman groan from somewhere in the castle, but Ulfric and Carth don't seem to notice. Still, I immediately sense that something is wrong. I grasp a hand on my dagger at my hip and jog out of the room, walking to the balcony that overlooks the ballroom. Ulfric and Carth call after me, but I ignore them. Some sort of static hangs in the air, as if something terrible or wonderful is about to happen but the gods haven't decided yet.
"Are you alright, love? We should get a healer..." Ralof says at the bottom of the steps as he tries to escort poor Tolvana to a chair.
"No, I'm fine. It's just—"  She's interrupted by another groan of pain as she clutches her swollen stomach. I reach the bottom of the stairs and prepare myself to start healing her, but then I realize a flaw in my judgement; healing her would do nothing, and I have absolutely no idea how to deliver a baby. In my many adventures, this is one situation I've surprisingly never encountered.
"Tolvana, you need to go back to your room. I'll get someone for you-" I start, looking around for more guards to help.
"No! I want to have the baby at home, in Riverwood." She protests; this is the loudest I've ever heard her speak.
"Even if you left right now you wouldn't get back to Riverwood for at least three days, and that baby is coming today. Do you want to have your baby in the wilderness??" I'm not sure how much she hears me through her cries of pain. A few guards have gathered around, waiting for orders.
"You three, help Bone-Breaker Tolvana back to her room, carry her if you must. You, go to the temple and get Priestess Freir, and her Acolyte too, if she's available." I tell them, and they spring into action. Priestess Freir is Priest Rorlund's wife, and from what I've heard an experienced midwife. I look at Ralof, who appears almost as nervous as he was at the battle for Whiterun.
"How long has she been like this?" I ask him.
"She woke up in the middle of the night and started pacing around the room, but when I asked her about it she just kept saying she was fine... I didn't know what to do..." He stutters.
"She'll be alright, Ralof. This is the best place for this to happen."
Ralof and I follow the guards carrying Tolvana back to their room. Once they lay her back down on the bed I order one of them to get Marcurio from his study; he might have something to help her with her pain. Ulfric has just caught up with me, waiting by the door for me to explain. I leave them for a moment to go and explain.
"She's having the baby now?" Ulfric asks incredulously.
"Yes, I think so... I think I should stay just a bit longer, just to make sure she's okay."
"That's fine with me, love. The deer aren't going anywhere." He says with a smile. Just as he says this, Priestess Freir and her acolyte arrive.
"Thank you for coming, Priestesses. She's in here; I'm not sure how close she is but she doesn't sound well." I explain to them. Priestess Freir greets Tolvana briefly, then kneels at the foot of the bed and begins reaching up her skirts. Meanwhile, her acolyte begins drawing the curtains closed and shoving Ralof out of the room. Marcurio arrives at the door, but is immediately pushed back out.
"Is there a problem, acolyte?" I ask. The acolyte freezes in my stare, but Priestess Freir answers for her.
"We don't typically have men in the room, your majesty. It's nothing personal, they just tend to get in the way."  I would argue, but she definitely has more experience in this than me. "Are there any other women in the castle that may be able to help? Healing experience would be preferable." She says as she and the acolyte begin undressing Tolvana.
"I have some experience myself, but I can get a few others." I tell her.
I lean out the door and ask Marcurio to get Camilla, Erdi and Carth, and he rushes away. When I turn back, the acolyte is burning herbs in a small bowl and reciting blessings of Mara, Kynareth and Dibella as she waves the smoke through the room. Tolvana begins to cry softly as she struggles against her pain.
"What's the matter dear?" Priestess Freir asks. Tolvana shakes her head, covering her face.
"I can't do this... " She moans.
"Of course you can dear. Mara blessed you when you came from your own mother; you were made to do this."