![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-1.png\")
<\/p>\nSayma was pacing, up in the top level of the work building where they had their alchemy ingredients and where, on the bottom level, she could hear Brynjolf pounding away at the dagger he\u2019d still never gotten finished to his own satisfaction.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That was the best thing she could do, under the circumstances; in fact it was very nearly the only thing she could do at that particular moment.\u00a0 Sitting still wasn\u2019t a possibility. Sleeping or reclining was only marginally more comfortable.\u00a0 She\u2019d gone into Riftvale\u2019s tiny lake several times to float, the water adding buoyancy to her body and relieving some of the pressure from carrying about the extra pounds of the baby; but it was clear to her from every sign her body was providing that Qaralana, daughter of Sayma Sendu and Brynjolf of Riften, was impatient to make her appearance in the world.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s too soon, little one. It\u2019s too soon. <\/em>She\u2019d whispered this to her child over and over.\u00a0 Even if she considered the outside chance that they\u2019d begun Qara\u2019s life in the tiny house in Ben Erai, and not the much later evening at Honeyside when Brynjolf had almost shyly replaced her wedding band on her finger, it was still too soon by several weeks.\u00a0 And she was worried about that.<\/p>\n When wee Bryn had been born, she\u2019d been alone and yet in the company of her other chosen family. When the first signs had begun \u2013 the long, slow tightening across her back and beneath the bulge of her womb \u2013 she\u2019d been nearly panic-stricken. It must be Brynjolf\u2019s son, she\u2019d told herself. It must be.\u00a0 But what if it isn\u2019t? What if he\u2019s got blonde hair, and blue eyes, and looks like Roggi Knot-Beard? <\/em>Her other voice had kept goading her.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why we did this, she had told herself. That\u2019s why I am Sayma now, and not Dagnell. That\u2019s why we left both of them behind. That, and\u2026 this. She\u2019d been pacing near the Night Mother\u2019s coffin at the time, and she\u2019d heard the dry, drawn-out whispers in her mind.<\/p>\n Babette knows the way. Go to Babette. <\/em><\/p>\n She\u2019d listened to the Night Mother, and had a stern talking-to about relaxing from Cicero, who in spite of his madness seemed to know that she needed support even as she prepared to do something that women had done since the dawn of time itself. That had been one of the moments in which she\u2019d been glad that she\u2019d let him live.\u00a0 She\u2019d touched him on the arm, briefly, and he\u2019d shied away as he always did; but she had gotten the sense that Cicero was pleased – dear, sweet Cicero<\/em> \u2013 that he\u2019d been able to offer her some strange form of comfort at an hour when she was nothing but terrified.<\/p>\n It had seemed the strangest of all possible things to go to Babette \u2013 a child in outer form, a three hundred year old vampire in reality \u2013 for her skills as a midwife. And yet, Babette had been calm, and encouraging, and had mixed some concoctions that were soothing to her so that she stopped fighting against the pain as it built in wave after wave but rather let it do its work.\u00a0 She\u2019d known the things to say to help her endure the hours of labor as her body readied itself to deliver a child. She\u2019d shooed Nazir and his recruits out of the Sanctuary for those last few hours as Sayma tried, with various degrees of success, to keep from moaning audibly.\u00a0 It was one thing to have torture subjects moaning loudly at all hours of the day or night. It was another entirely to have the shrieks of childbirth agitating people who were already highly attuned to screams.\u00a0 She herself had left Sayma, just briefly, stepping out of the area to slake her own thirst; for childbirth was a bloody event, and she was, after all, a vampire.<\/p>\n And Babette had been there, quietly encouraging, as Sayma\u2019s world had contracted to the small point of focus which was her pain and her need, and had pushed her child into the frigid air of Skyrim with a howl of pain and relief. She\u2019d wrapped the boy and handed him to her, and calmly attended to those matters that needed to be attended to, while Sayma\u2019s heart had broken into a million pieces at the sight of his vivid red hair and green eyes and had then begun to beat again with a love the likes of which she had never known before.<\/p>\n Brynjolf, she had said to him. Your name is Brynjolf, after your father. It\u2019s a good, strong name for a good, strong boy; and even though you\u2019re only half Nord you are going to be a good, strong boy like your uncle. I can tell.<\/p>\n That had been the moment she\u2019d begun healing. It had been a long, slow process, years in the doing, while the infant had grown, and changed, and stretched up into a toddler, reminding her more every day of his father whom she had betrayed and left behind in Riften. She could still remember the day she\u2019d decided that she couldn\u2019t stand it any longer and that Brynjolf at least had to know that his wife was still alive. She remembered the day when Babette and Andante had moved her into the small house in Dawnstar, the day when she\u2019d decided to send her answer back to Brynjolf with Andante, not knowing that the two of them were lovers.<\/p>\n It was all so unnecessary. And yet somehow, maybe I had to do it and we had to be apart in order to come back together. Now I know that we will never be apart again.<\/em><\/p>\n She rubbed her belly yet again as it tightened up into a band of muscles that felt as though it would rival the strongest shield Balimund could forge. There was no help for it and no mistaking it for anything else. She was going to have to have help, and soon.<\/p>\n She grabbed the handrail and began picking her way down the stairs one at a time. One foot down, then the next onto the same step; then a deep breath against the discomfort and repeat.\u00a0 She\u2019d made it as far as the first landing when a particularly strong contraction left her no further room for doubt.<\/p>\n \u201cBryn?\u201d she called out quietly.<\/p>\n He was hammering, humming a mindless tune as he did so; and he obviously didn\u2019t hear her.\u00a0 She waited, closing her eyes, forcing herself to breathe and try to relax and wait for an opening.<\/p>\n Clank, clank, clank\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cBryn!\u201d<\/p>\n There was a pause.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, lass?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you come here for a moment? I need some help.\u201d<\/p>\n She heard the dagger clatter to the floor and the sound of Brynjolf\u2019s footsteps thundering up the few stairs between them.\u00a0 His hands grasped her shoulders.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you alright, lass?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d She opened her eyes and smiled into his, brilliant green and huge with concern. \u201cWell, yes<\/em>, I guess I am, but it seems that our daughter has decided to make an early appearance.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to need help getting down the stairs and into the house.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight away.\u201d<\/p>\n Before she knew what was happening, Brynjolf had scooped her up into his arms. Even as big with child as she was, she was far from a heavy load for a man of his bulk; and it took only moments until he was kicking the door open and bundling her into the bedroom.<\/p>\n \u201cIona!\u201d he bellowed as he laid her on the bed.<\/p>\n \u201cBryn, it\u2019s not at that point quite yet. I was just afraid that I was going to fall down the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n He ignored her, turning to the door as Iona pushed it open.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIona, it\u2019s time. I\u2019m going to need you to take wee Bryn over to Honeyside for the night.\u201d\u00a0 He fished into a pocket for the keys and tossed them to her. \u201cI\u2019m sure everything will be fine there, but if anything goes wrong\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo to the Flagon. I know. Delvin will protect us.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf laughed. \u201cYeah, old Delvin will take any excuse to see a pretty face.\u201d<\/p>\n Iona chuckled. \u201cIt\u2019s not just me, sir. He likes little Chip a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma had been squinching her eyes shut against another strong pain but popped them open at that.<\/p>\n \u201cChip<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf gave a low, slightly embarrassed chuckle.\u00a0 \u201cYeah. He said he was getting tired of having to specify which<\/em> Brynjolf he was talking about.\u00a0 We were in the Flagon visiting one day while you were gone and the boy walked right up to his table and tried to snatch a septim off it, right in front of Delvin. Got caught, of course, but Delvin said he was a chip off the old block.\u201d<\/p>\n Iona snickered. \u201cAnd then leaned over and said \u2018Well, Chip, I can see we\u2019ll have to start training you pretty soon. I\u2019ll talk to Vipir about some pickpocket lessons.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 She\u2019d done an admirable job of imitating Delvin\u2019s accent.<\/p>\n Sayma started to laugh, and then stopped as Qaralana kicked her squarely in the bladder. \u201cOuch that hurt. I\u2019m going to need to get up again for a minute.\u201d\u00a0 Brynjolf helped lift her up off the bed.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright then. Listen, Iona, stay with Sayma for a few minutes before you leave. I need to run a quick errand. I\u2019ll be back in just a bit.\u201d Without waiting for a response, he dashed away and slammed the door behind him.<\/p>\n Sayma sighed. But he wasn\u2019t with you the last time, either, and you did just fine. Nothing bad is going to happen.<\/em><\/p>\n Except for my son suddenly being Chip. Not Brynjolf the Younger, not Red, but Chip.<\/em><\/p>\n I suppose it <\/em>will be easier to tell who I\u2019m mad at, huh.<\/em><\/p>\n Iona kept a close watch on her for the next little while, calling \u201cChip\u201d in from playing in the yard to tell him to get a fresh set of clothing and a couple of toys.<\/p>\n \u201cWe going \u2018way?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n Sayma bundled him into a hug and ruffled his increasingly shaggy red hair. \u201cWell you and Iona are going to go to Honeyside for tonight, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause, my little one, your baby sister wants to come out into the world now.\u201d\u00a0 She took Chip\u2019s hand and placed it on her belly, just in time for Qaralana to do the impatient dance she\u2019d been doing for the past several weeks. \u201cCan you feel her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh-huh.\u201d He looked very somber. \u201cCan we play tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n Both Iona and Sayma giggled. \u201cProbably not tomorrow. She\u2019s a very little girl and she will need time for her legs to get strong like yours are. But it won\u2019t be too long.\u201d\u00a0 She held his face in her hands and kissed the top of his head. \u201cSo can you be a very good little Red for Iona tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChip!\u201d He said, grinning. \u201cDelvin says I\u2019m a Chip offa bwock.\u201d<\/p>\n She started to laugh and then winced a bit as her muscles tightened again. My gosh this is going so much quicker than I remember. I hope Bryn is back soon. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re definitely a chip off the old block, little one. Just like your daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma paced the room a bit more, growing a bit more concerned by the moment. Maybe it hadn\u2019t been such a good idea to let him leave. Maybe it wasn\u2019t such a good idea to send Iona with \u2026 Chip.\u00a0 Iona was a soldier, through and through, not a midwife; but at least she was a woman. She would know some things.<\/p>\n Just when she was starting to settle down to a serious moment of panic the door opened again and Brynjolf barged through it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m back. Is everything alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDa! Baby sister is coming to play!\u201d Chip ran to him and Brynjolf, laughing as he did nearly every time he saw his son, scooped him up and settled him on one hip.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye! It is!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I suppose you\u2019re going to teach her how to get into all the mischief in the world, aren\u2019t you, you little monster,\u201d he asked, grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cAye. Of course.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBryn, don\u2019t encourage<\/em> him,\u201d Sayma snickered.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a difficult enough task to keep you<\/em> from getting in trouble, Brynjolf, and you were nearly grown,\u201d a warm, dark voice said from the doorway.\u00a0 Sayma turned to find Karliah standing there, smiling at her. \u201cHe really was incorrigible, even as a child.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKarliah! I\u2019m glad you\u2019re here!\u201d Sayma breathed. Of course he went to get Karliah. She\u2019s been around a lot longer than any of the rest of us. She\u2019ll be perfect.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s \u2018corrigible,\u2019 Karliah?\u201d Chip asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means<\/em>,\u201d Karliah said, walking to him and poking him gently in the nose with one finger, \u201ca little boy who likes to take things that don\u2019t belong to him. Like septims that belong to big people like Delvin Mallory.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma chuckled again, meeting Brynjolf\u2019s gaze. He was smiling at her, gently, warmly, and at that moment she felt as loved as she ever remembered feeling.<\/p>\n Yes, Bryn, this is your family. It\u2019s a strange one, but it is a family and you\u2019re at the center of it. <\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDid you take Delvin\u2019s septim Da?\u201d Chip said, pretending to look cross but failing miserably at it.<\/p>\n Brynjolf mock gasped. \u201cHow dare you accuse me of such a thing, young man! What do you think I am, a thief?\u201d<\/p>\n Chip giggled.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, give me a hug and go say goodbye to your ma,\u201d Brynjolf told him. \u201cWe\u2019ll see you tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Chip threw his arms around his father \u2013 or at least as far around him as he could reach \u2013 and squeezed.\u00a0 Brynjolf closed his eyes and kissed the top of his son\u2019s head. Sayma\u2019s heart never failed to melt just a bit more each time she watched the two of them together like that.\u00a0 He set Chip down on the floor; Chip ran over to her and gave her a matching hug.<\/p>\n \u201cLove you, little one. You be a good boy, ok?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOk, mama,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Then he surprised her. He leaned over and put his small face next to her belly, and said \u201cSee you tomorrow baby sister. Be a good girl.\u201d\u00a0 Sayma felt the infant wriggling in response to the sound.<\/p>\n She giggled at him. \u201cThank you, little one. I\u2019m sure she will be. I\u2019m pretty sure she heard you say that.\u201d<\/p>\n Iona and Chip left, and Karliah approached Sayma.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, Sayma, how are you doing?\u201d\u00a0 She reached out and placed a hand on Sayma\u2019s belly just as another contraction started.\u00a0 Sayma winced and tried to breathe. \u201cAh, I see things are proceeding apace.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a little surprised at how apace they are coming,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m actually a bit worried. It\u2019s still too soon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, sometimes these things happen on a schedule of their own,\u201d Karliah said calmly.\u00a0 I think we should prepare, though. Don\u2019t worry, Sayma. I\u2019ve attended several mothers over the years and I am certain you\u2019ll be just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs there anything I can do, lass?\u201d Brynjolf said, hovering around them as Sayma returned to the bedroom and sank down on their bed.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, there is,\u201d Karliah said, smiling at him. \u201cA number of things, actually.\u00a0 You can boil some water.\u00a0 I think Sayma could do with a nice cup of warm tea to relax. I have brought along some herbs that will help. Let me know when the water is warm. And we\u2019ll need\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma smiled as Karliah followed Brynjolf out into the main room, giving him a list of things to gather.\u00a0 While they were busy she changed out of her black robes and into the most comfortable thing she could find to wear.\u00a0 She went past the end of the bed to hang the robes up in their closet; and as she passed by she felt a warm sensation coming from nearby.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n She looked around the room, seeing nothing there that should be radiating heat.\u00a0 There was no fire there, no lighted candles yet, nothing that would be providing a sensation of warmth and comfort; and yet as she passed the tall table at the end of the room she felt it again.\u00a0 She looked down at the table and realized that she was facing the ornate vase in which they\u2019d placed the ashes of Vitus Perdeti.<\/p>\n She\u2019d felt very odd about having him in the room with them when they\u2019d first brought him home.\u00a0 Brynjolf rarely if ever addressed the fact that the ashes were there with them. In fact, he rarely acknowledged the vase\u2019s presence at all. Soon enough, it had become just another piece of the background of their lives.\u00a0 And it was, after all, just a vase with ash inside.<\/p>\n Or so she thought.<\/p>\n She placed her hand on the vase and jumped to feel that it was in fact, quite warm. <\/strong><\/p>\n I must be hallucinating. This isn\u2019t real. I\u2019m just having pain and it\u2019s doing things to my head. <\/em><\/p>\n She touched the vase again and was surprised to find that she hadn\u2019t been imagining it. The vase was warm.<\/p>\n \u201cAndante?\u201d she whispered. Qaralana wriggled frantically in her womb.<\/p>\n \u201cHow can it be? Are you\u2026 somehow\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you talking to, lass?\u201d Brynjolf said, coming in behind her to place his warm hands on her shoulders and begin massaging gently. She sighed and closed her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cWow. Didn\u2019t realize how tense I was,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are. And you were talking to someone,\u201d he prodded once more.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you\u2019ll think I\u2019m crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe. Probably not.\u201d\u00a0 He kept rubbing her shoulders; she was about to relax fully into his hands when another contraction started.\u00a0 \u201cWhoops, here we go again. By the gods that hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat can I do?\u201d Brynjolf sounded almost frantic.<\/p>\n \u201cHere.\u201d\u00a0 She placed both hands on the table for support and leaned forward. \u201cRub my back. The lower part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf began touching her lightly, and then snorted as his fingers ran across the exceptionally tight muscles on either side of her spine.\u00a0 \u201cBy the Eight, lass, you\u2019re tight as a drum!\u201d\u00a0 He started massaging her back.\u00a0 It was almost more the warmth than the pressure that made her feel better.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Red,\u201d she told him as the wave passed again and she was able to take a deep breath. \u201cThe last time \u2013 with Chip \u2013 this went on for just hours and hours. But it feels like it\u2019s moving faster this time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you were still talking to someone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n She turned around to smile at him and laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re worse than a hunting hound when you get an idea in your head, aren\u2019t you?\u00a0 Here. Feel this.\u201d\u00a0 She took his hand and laid it on the vase; and she watched his eyes widen before he looked back at her.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s\u2026warm!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, it is.\u00a0 I can\u2019t explain it. It\u2019s never been warm before.\u00a0 Call me crazy, Bryn, but I think he\u2019s wishing us luck.\u201d<\/p>\n A whole parade of emotions ran across the face of the man she\u2019d grown to love so much as he gazed down at the vase.\u00a0 Then he raised his hand and stared at it.<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t call you crazy, lass. Feel my ring.\u201d<\/p>\n She entwined her fingers with his, squeezing his hand.\u00a0 The ruby ring Andante had made for him not long before his death was usually warm simply by virtue of being on Brynjolf\u2019s hand ; but at this moment the ruby itself seemed to be radiating heat.\u00a0 He stared at their hands and then raised them to his mouth, kissing her palm and smiling at her with his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I wouldn\u2019t have thought such a thing possible. I hope it isn\u2019t distressing to you. I can move the vase if it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma smiled back at him. \u201cNo. It\u2019s not distressing at all, now that I\u2019ve realized I\u2019m not insane.\u00a0 It\u2019s \u2026\u201d She shrugged. \u201cI\u2019ve missed having him around. It\u2019s like he\u2019s not really gone at all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye,\u201d Brynjolf murmured.<\/p>\n Then his expression changed. One eyebrow rose into an arch and he laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, lad, you haven\u2019t changed a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma was puzzled. \u201cWhat do you mean he hasn\u2019t\u2026\u201d\u00a0 She trailed off as the implications of having, somehow, some portion of Andante\u2019s consciousness there in their bedroom dawned on her. \u201cAre you saying that he\u2019s been listening<\/em>? Every time we\u2026 Bryn!\u201d\u00a0 She whirled and glared at the vase.\u00a0 \u201cAndante! Really!\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf tossed back his head and laughed again, the big, hearty laugh she loved to hear. \u201cWell he\u2019s certainly gotten an earful if he has.\u00a0 Something tells me it\u2019s not quite the same as really listening in, but\u2026\u201d\u00a0 He rubbed her back some more. \u201cLass, Vitus knew that you and I were meant to be together.\u00a0 He really did. One of the first days we ever spent together, he asked me if I was married.\u201d<\/p>\n She bent over again, panting as the pain resumed. \u201cAnd what\u2026\u201d she said between gasps, \u201cdid you tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI told him I was. And that the thing I wanted most in the world was to bring you home and hold you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll bet he was pleased to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled, even as her eyes closed, focusing on Qaralana\u2019s steady progress toward joining their lives.\u00a0 He chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. He wasn\u2019t. But do you know what he told me? \u2018I\u2019ll help you find her.\u2019\u00a0 Right then, even when he\u2019d finally gotten close to me after trying for a long time to get my attention.\u00a0 He always knew.\u201d<\/p>\n She was surprised when he leaned forward and kissed her on the neck.\u00a0 \u201cI love you, lass. Tell me if there is anything I can do to help.\u201d<\/p>\n As the pain receded, she straightened up and turned to him. \u201cYou\u2019re already doing it, Brynjolf.\u00a0 Just by being here.\u201d<\/p>\n She was about to lean in for a kiss when Karliah came bustling into the room and set, on the side-table, a tray with three steaming mugs on it.\u00a0 \u201cThis one,\u201d she said, picking up a mug made of a more ruddy-colored clay than the others, \u201cis for Sayma. You may have had some of these herbs the last time, Sayma. They\u2019ll help with the discomfort.\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma took the mug and sipped.\u00a0 \u201cYes, I remember this flavor. Thank you, Karliah.\u201d<\/p>\n Karliah handed one of the other mugs to Brynjolf. \u201cSomething warm for you, my friend. There\u2019s nothing special in it; it\u2019s just tea. Some for you and some for me,\u201d she added, taking the third mug. \u201cI think it will continue this way for some time. The important thing for all of us will be to relax and let nature take its course as it will.\u00a0 Brynjolf, I\u2019ll need to examine Sayma and while I know you two are acquainted with each other\u2019s bodies\u2026\u201d She trailed off and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI should be a good incorrigible lad and scurry off for a bit, is that what you\u2019re telling me? All right, Karliah. I can take a hint. I\u2019ll be just outside if you need anything.\u201d<\/p>\n And so it continued, late into the night.\u00a0 The pains came closer together, and her ability to keep the extent of it from Brynjolf diminished with each new wave. She felt her consciousness drawing inward, ever inward and downward, and her eyes closed; but she focused on their voices, Karliah\u2019s and Brynjolf\u2019s: Karliah\u2019s calm, steadying instructions and Brynjolf\u2019s murmurs of reassurance.\u00a0 At one point, inexplicably, the warmth of his hands rubbing her back almost had her dozing off; and then she realized that he was singing, softly, as he massaged the painful muscles in a slow rhythm.<\/p>\n \u201cSing me a song of a lad that is gone\u2026 say, could that lad be I?\u201d<\/p>\n Her eyes started to sting. She listened quietly, trying not to scream her pain as he made his quiet, beautiful way through the song because she didn\u2019t want to interrupt him.<\/p>\n Finally she heard Karliah say, quietly, \u201cThat was lovely, Brynjolf.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBah. I\u2019m not a singer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, you are,\u201d she whispered. \u201cI told you that a long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou did,\u201d he said, leaning forward to kiss her neck once more. \u201cI didn\u2019t believe you then, lass, and I don\u2019t believe you now. But I\u2019m happy if you enjoyed it.\u201d<\/p>\n And before too much longer had passed, she found herself crying in relief as a tiny, but vehemently squalling little girl with a full head of flaming red hair entered the world.\u00a0 She looked up at Brynjolf and smiled as she saw the look of wonder on his face.<\/p>\n \u201cHere, Brynjolf,\u201d Karliah said, handing him the sharpest-looking dagger Sayma had ever seen. \u201cAs the father, it is your prerogative to cut the cord. Go ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf looked at Sayma in amazement.\u00a0 She nodded at him as she stroked their daughter\u2019s head and then watched him do the task with Karliah supervising.\u00a0 He was shivering when he was finished.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t\u2026 hurt you, did I?\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma laughed. \u201cNo, dear. Of course not. You\u2019d have heard me screaming if you had.\u00a0 Now stop shuddering and say hello to your daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n He moved closer to her arms and looked at Karliah, as if he was asking for permission.<\/p>\n \u201cYou silly boy. As many years as I have known you, and you still haven\u2019t learned to take direction. Pick up your new daughter, Brynjolf. Here. I\u2019ll show you how to hold her.\u201d\u00a0 Karliah took the baby from Sayma and handed her to Brynjolf.<\/p>\n He dwarfed her. She had arrived early, and therefore was smaller than most newborn children; but she was perfect in all respects and had let it be known that she was quite tired of being squeezed and shoved.\u00a0 When she looked up at Brynjolf, though, she quieted. Her eyes, unfocused as a newborn\u2019s eyes always were, squinted and blinked, and she looked at him with one of the most somber expressions Sayma had ever seen.<\/p>\n Brynjolf cleared his throat several times before reaching up to stroke her tiny cheek with the back of one finger.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, my wee little lass,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cWelcome to the world. I\u2019m your da.\u201d<\/p>\n Qaralana gurgled, and squirmed in his arm, but otherwise seemed to simply be studying his face.\u00a0 He laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cOh you and yer brother are going to be a right handful for us, aren\u2019t ye?\u201d<\/p>\n Sayma giggled. \u201cYou definitely were from Falskaar, weren\u2019t you, Red?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye,\u201d he said quietly, never taking his eyes off the tiny form in his arms. \u201cI was.\u201d He heaved a great breath and smiled. \u201cAnd I never thought I\u2019d ever have a moment like this in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll new fathers feel this way, Brynjolf, or so I have observed,\u201d Karliah said. \u201cBut I\u2019m sure this moment is especially lovely for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye,\u201d he said again, nodding.\u00a0 His hair fell forward across his face and a strand of it brushed the baby\u2019s face.\u00a0 The next thing Sayma knew, he was laughing and saying \u201cow, ow, ow, little one, you have quite a grip for someone so new!\u201d and she saw that Qaralana had grasped that hair quite solidly and was pulling it.<\/p>\n Sayma scooted herself back up against the head of the bed and held out her arms. \u201cHere.\u00a0 I need to feed her. That\u2019s hard work for everyone involved.\u201d<\/p>\n Brynjolf very carefully transferred the infant to Sayma\u2019s arms, bending over until she was safe and then very gently pulling the errant strand of hair out of the baby\u2019s fist.\u00a0 Qaralana looked disgusted for a moment; but then Sayma helped her find her breast for the first time, and the baby gave a comfortable burp and began nursing.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd there you have it,\u201d Karliah said. \u201cAll is well.\u00a0 I\u2019ll stay here for the night, Brynjolf, so that the three of you can take rest as you\u2019re able.\u00a0 In the meantime I\u2019ll leave you to it and clean up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Karliah,\u201d Sayma murmured.\u00a0 It had been a much easier birth than Chip\u2019s had been \u2013 much quicker, and much less painful; but the calming influence of an older woman had once again helped her a great deal.\u00a0 Karliah and Brynjolf bustled about, taking care of those things that needed doing and chatting happily to each other.\u00a0 Karliah had known Brynjolf for so long that it must seem to him almost as though she was a mother \u2013 or at very least a much older sister.\u00a0 She knew Karliah\u2019s presence had made a huge difference in this day\u2019s events, for both of them.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s she going to sleep?\u201d Karliah asked, reaching for the child.<\/p>\n \u201cOne moment,\u201d Brynjolf said. \u201cI\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n They looked at each other, puzzled, as his heavy footsteps retreated and the door banged.\u00a0 Karliah rocked the baby in her arms, humming quietly, and Sayma smiled, thinking how Karliah had been a surrogate mother of sorts for so many young people because she\u2019d had no children of her own.\u00a0 Then the door banged open again, followed by a thump and the sound of Brynjolf yelping.<\/p>\n \u201cShor\u2019s beard! Got my finger.\u201d<\/p>\n A moment later he maneuvered through the door of the bedroom with a tiny cradle, elevated to the height of their bedside but constructed in such a way that it would rock side to side, easily.<\/p>\n \u201cThere. She can sleep there. Give it a moment or two to warm up and, uh\u2026 we\u2019ll need to put some blankets in it or something.\u201d He smiled at her. \u201cIs that alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBryn,\u201d she said, her heart swelling once more.\u00a0 \u201cDid you make this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye, lass,\u201d he said, smiling. \u201cIt seemed like the least I could do, especially since I wasn\u2019t around to help you the last time.\u201d<\/p>\n That was my fault, Brynjolf, not yours.\u00a0 But this is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me.\u00a0 <\/em> Sayma was pacing, up in the top level of the work building where they had their alchemy ingredients and where, on the bottom level, she could hear Brynjolf pounding away at the dagger he\u2019d still never gotten finished to his own satisfaction. That was the best thing she could do, under the circumstances; in fact … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-2.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-3.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-4.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-5.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-6.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-7.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-8.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/baakay.com\/FanFic\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-2-2-9.png\")
<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nPart II: Resolution<\/a><\/div>\nPrevious<\/a> \/ Next<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"