Sophie tried not to squeeze keefe's hand as hard as she could while the two of them walked to greet Elwin at the door. Biana, Lihn and Edaline had stayed with Sophie while everyone else went home to await the birth (apart from Sandor, of course who insisted on guarding the door.) Marella had wanted desperately to stay, but had to get home to her mother, Caprise, who lived with them, and was having a "bad mood" and her father had called to ask her to come home, so she reluctantly left, promising Sophie to come as soon as she could.
Sophie opened the door to elwin, who had a whole suitcase of medicines.
"ummmm, Elwin, I thought having babies for elves didn't hurt?" Sophie said, stepping away from the painkiller supply.
"it doesn't, this is to stop over exhaustion, for you... and maybe keefe as well by the looks of it."
Sophie looked over at her husband, who tried to smile, but it came out looking like a wince. he looked the most scared Sophie had ever seen him, and she had watched shadows pour into him, and his mind leave his body. she squeezed his hand.
"hey, keefe" she put her hand on his cheek.
he looked into her eyes, oh how she loved those ice blue eyes.
"you're going to be great" she smiled. "so will you."
Sophie settled into a comfortable spot on the floor, as elwin examined her. "shouldn't be long now." he said. Edaline took one hand, Lihn took the other, and Biana took keefe's. Sophie mouthed thankyou from across the room. Sophie looked at keefe and smiled. "okay Sophie" said elwin, almost as excited as Sophie herself. "are you ready?"
Sophie squeezed Lihn's and Edaline's hands. "yes"
7 hours later
Sophie sat on the edge of the bed, holding her new born baby girl. keefe reached out and the baby held his finger. Sophie watched as his whole body blossomed with love. the girl had ice blue eyes like keefe's, and a small tuft of blonde hair on top of her head. it was just Sophie and keefe in the room. everyone had come in and was introduced already. the labour was short and almost painless. it had only taken about an hour for Sophie to meet her little Jolie sencen. Edaline and Grady's eyes had filled with tears when they heard the name, and the women of the group squealed in delight. Sandor had held the baby and immediately melted, cooing at the baby girl. finally they were alone. the crib that keefe had made was painted beautifully, covered in stars and moons.
Sophie laid her baby down in the crib and as quietly as they could, they crept to their bed, when Sophie stepped on a creak in the floor, and Jolie started to cry. Sophie and keefe looked at each other with wide eyes, then burst out laughing. beautiful Jolie sencen had made each of their hearts 100 times bigger.