Bessa

My Light

Odin stands in front of the door with his full furs on, spear in his hand. Knife and ax at his waist, just as his father is dressed.

"Odin, you can't come this time. You're needed here for your Mother. She needs you to keep the fire going at night until I come home. She is in the late part of her Nesting and it's up to you to help her when I'm gone." The Savage kneels at eye level to Odin who looks betrayed.

"Odin come here, your father needs to go by himself this time." Odin raises his spear, a growl from his father's chest has the spear tap down nicely on the ground.

"Odin we discussed this, we will be gone too long for you to come this time. Only juveniles and adults this time." A regret is heard within the throat of my mate. Everywhere he goes his shadow follows him.

"I'll see you in two weeks," a cheek presses against cheek. He does the same for Ryeson who gives him his kisses as well.

The Savage places both hands on either side of my expanding abdomen. Kissing where her heart is beating. She kicks him, knowing his touch already. He stands pulling me into his arms. Kissing my lips, long slow, the way I like.

"Two weeks?"

"Two weeks," his sound grazes behind my ear. I'm still dripping from the early morning goodbyes we shared, over and over again. Neither of us wanting to part, so we continued our rhythm until we heard feet wake up on a wood floor.

When the door closes behind him, the house feels the loss. The males slump looking out the window.

Three days after the Savage's departure is the first early signs of labor that shouldn't start for another month.

"Odin, come here." Holding onto the wall, leaning against it as soon as he wakes up to load the fire.

"I need you to get the healer for me, not the lover of crows but the other healer. It's time for your sister to come out." Talking as calmly as I can.

The water is in a pot on the wood stove. The furs are by the bed that I will labor on. Everything is ready, except my mate is not here. A blizzard blew in last night that hasn't stopped and Odin will have to walk in it.

Opening the door, the wind wants to push Odin back inside. He takes his spear as a walking stick and marches out. Determined. 

When Ryeson wakes up, Odin is still not back. The contractions are coming harder than before but I can still breathe and talk through them. This is progressing faster than normal. Back to back contractions has my eyes blinding in pain.

We are playing the rocking game, I rock he rocks back and forth until grunts barrel out of a mouth that can't clench.

A gust of air hits the inside of the home when Odin comes in with snow-covered furs that have a rope tied to him and the healer. The weather worsening.

"Odin I'm going into the bedroom, your brother needs to eat something. If you hear me make noises it's just your sister coming out and don't be scared. I'm fine." Getting off the ground slowly the healer takes the water from the stove and gathers the rags I have set aside for the birth.

Closing the door, I stripe away my Silk. Getting on the fur.

"I need to push." the knife is by my side. She's the same healer that was there for Ryeson's birth.

"It's coming quicker this time," Another hard contraction.

"Follow what your body is telling you, Luna Bessa." Squatting on the furs, I'm leaking the birth all over them.