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Something was building up, Cynane could almost feel it moments before Charis suddenly moaned in pain and gripped the sheet. Cynane held better onto her hand, should she want to squeeze it – and she gave her friend a worried look. Of course she knew that with childbirth came a lot of pain, but she never tried it herself, so she did not know what it was like. Possibly worse than being beaten up in the arena, she thought to herself. And that could be pretty bad.

When Charis was finally able to relax again, she looked at the Charis too, didn’t know how it worked, “I guess we’ll find out.” Cynane replied, before the midwife and Rhoda returned. Cynane did not leave Charis’ side though, while her friend spoke, wanting to give birth a different way. But this was Rome and they would do it the Roman way, because anything else would be considered barbaric and uncivilized. To Cynane, it seemed quite official, this whole thing. Everyone knew Charis was pregnant with Tertius’ child and now she was giving birth in his room. With a Roman birthing chair and everything.

Charis asked if he spoke when Cynane arrived and she looked at her, “He did, but only briefly. He told me to not speak our tongue with you. And he made it clear that I may be from the palace, but I am still nothing to him.” She could not pretend to be pleased and didn’t. Then she looked at Charis, as it dawned on her, the thoughts from before about this room, If that was not a statement about the child being Tertius’, what was? “I think he may free the child. Why else go through such lengths with all this?”

@Sara

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Charis

Charis blinked, glancing between Cynane and the midwife and Rhoda. They didn't seem particularly interested in Cynane's estimation of their dominus, but one couldn't be too cautious and she added, quietly; "We are slaves," She glanced at her friends, hoping to keep the peace if only for the next few hours, until things with her child were more settled, more confirmed. "It's natural he feels that way." Not to mention the fact that she suspected Tertius was still suspicious over just how close Cynane and she were. After all, she had been with the blonde woman when she had told Helios all those home truths, an act she'd regret to her dying breath. Look where it had landed her, after all!

But Cynane's comment made her bite her lip as she shifted to ease some of the discomfort in her back. It felt like pressure building and building and she dreaded to think of what it would feel like when the pressure inevitably gave way.

"I...don't know." She admitted with a little wince and a shrug, glancing around the grand room. It only occurred to her now that the last time she had been in here was the last time they had made love...if that was what you wanted to call it. Charis had another word for what happened between them, but she doubted he'd share her views on it. "I struggle to read him sometimes," She admitted with a little sigh before adding with a gentle smile, "But he was good to me. Everybody else was asleep when the pains started but he took care of me, made sure I was comfortable, organised everything." From what (little) she'd heard and understood of birth in Roman society, men were about as far removed from the process as in Britannia - aka, utterly. That he'd taken such an interest in it was odd, if indeed positive. "I hope he does." She managed quietly. That wasn't too much was it? The midwife seemed not to hear her, or react, and nor did Rhoda. "I...don't know how I'll cope if I can't be its mother..." If Tertius followed through with the plan of taking the child from her. 

She had not wanted this child, born of non-consensual sex to a man who she loathed in most respects, but things had changed. The Gods had protected the child, and punished her for trying to end its life. She couldn't part from it now, she wouldn't let that happen. 

 

TAG: @Atrice

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Cynane

Of course Cynane was slightly upset with how Tertius had spoken to her – but she might be upset with anything that came out of his mouth, because honestly, he could go fuck himself with a sword if it was up to her. He did all this to Charis, it was his fault she went through all this pain, now. Charis blinked at her words though, stating that they were slaves and Cynane sighed quietly. Not even now could they speak freely – unless Charis had truly come to terms with being a slave, which Cynane hoped wasn’t the case.

They talked more though and Cynane mentioned she thought Tertius would free the child. Charis wasn’t sure, said he was hard to read… and then said he’d been good to her? She even smiled. Cynane looked at her, unsure if she liked this almost submissive side of Charis. This side of Charis that seemed to accept her dominus.

“Well that does sound… new. Again though… why would he do all that, if he would not be good to the child also?” She said and Charis of course hoped Tertius would free the child. Because of course she could not imagine not being mother and Cynane arched a brow, “Why should you not be? If he’s so good to you… let us hope that will continue, at least. Perhaps even you can earn what I still haven’t… your own freedom too.” There was a chance, for Charis. Maybe Claudia would not free Cynane because she cared too much. She wouldn’t lose Cynane if she did not free her. It was flattering and sad at the same time.

@Sara

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Charis nodded, biting her lip. She tried not to read Tertius or his whims and moods; much in the same way she tried not  to divine the will of the Gods. Not that the man was anything close to Godly, but it was a little amusing that his decisions and choices were just as opaque as those of the immortals. 

She glanced up at Cynane at the mention of her own freedom and saw Rhoda eye the pair cautiously. Not in malice, of course, but intrigue. From what she understood few, if any, besides Teutus had been freed from slavery under Tertius' watchful eye. She couldn't get her hopes up. As long as her child was freed, and with her, that was all she wanted or needed. She only offered a slight smile at her friend, as if to say 'we'll talk of this later'. She couldn't now, not with the midwife hovering over her and already feeling exhausted. 

Unfortunately for Charis, the exhaustion only got worse.

---

She had been labouring with her intermittent contractions for nearly two days now. She felt wrung out and exhausted, snatching a few moments of sleep here and there when she could, but those precious moments were always interrupted by that horrible, awful tightening across her back and bump. She felt tears well in her eyes as she hurriedly spoke to the midwife; "It's...it's been days, why is nothing happening?" She glanced across at Cynane, panic on her face as the midwife only tutted. "It will happen when it happens," But at Charis' urging, she had examined her and stood up with a smug grin on her face. Charis, meanwhile, moaned in pain as another contraction rilled over her. Her fingers blanched as she gripped the sheet as hard as she could, trying to breathe through the pain. 

"It'll get worse now," The midwife managed - trying to keep the emotion out of her voice - "You're established now, the pains will be closer together and then before you know it, it'll be here." Charis didn't know if she was trying to sound reassuring or not, but in that moment as the pains crippled her, she honestly couldn't care. 

When the pains finally subsided, she glanced up at Cynane with teary eyes as  the midwife busied herself with arranging pans of water and strips of linen around the birthing hair - still looming ominously in the centre of the room. "I can't do this," She whispered to her friend, "I'm so tired." 

 

TAG: @Atrice

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A matt had been arranged for Cynane in the room, so she had a place to sleep. For some reason and she wasn’t sure it was good, the birth didn’t go fast and easy and the more time it took, the more it worried Cynane. Seeing Charis so tired, exhausted and in pain didn’t make her feel better about anything and the number of times she’d inwardly cursed Tertius to Hel were unknown. She did that a lot. For doing this to Charis, for putting lovely and sweet young Charis through this. It had been days now and she barely knew what time it was. She sat by Charis’ side, while her friend wondered to the midwife why the child was not coming.

It was then the midwife stood with a smug grin on her face and Charis had another contraction before she had a chance to answer. Cynane heard the midwife say it would get worse – as if it wasn’t bad enough already – before it would be here. The child, she meant? Cynane reached for Charis’ hand, while her friend looked at her too, tears in her eyes. Fuck that bloody Roman!

But she had to make sure Charis made it. The child had to be born, and live and Charis better not die in childbirth! She’d become Cynane’s closest friend in Rome and she was not losing her now. If she did… she swore, by all of her own gods, that Tertius would die painfully before Cynane was dragged off to her own execution!

“You can do it and you will.” Cynane said, “I’m here. And the midwife knows how it goes. Before you know it, the child will be here.” She added with a small smile, “I pray the gods show some mercy this time.”

@Sara

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Charis reached for Cynane's hand at her soothing words and squeezed it as hard as she could. She wanted to cry, bawl her eyes out. Nobody had warned her that it could take so long. She suddenly felt very small, as if she was just a girl, desperately seeking comfort and her mother. In many respects, she supposed, she was just a girl. She had only turned twenty-one a few days prior, and the man that had bedded her, fathered this child was over double her age. She had maturity, but not nearly enough for this surely? 

She sat in silence, sniffing back tears for a few moments before the pains started again and she doubled forward in pain, moaning through gritted teeth. Se tried to swot her hair from her face, finding it itchy and irritating and as she breathed through the pain with mewls of pain. Everything was so...tight and cramping, as if her body was contained in a vice that was being tightened and tightened until she splintered. When the pain finally settled she breathed and pushed hair from her face, blinking up at Cynane. "I'm so glad you're here...and the baby will have you..." She squeezed Cynane's hand again as she added in a whisper, "And you have to hold the baby second, he has to have us before he goes to his father..." 

 

TAG: @Atrice

I'm not sure if you want to do a Tertius reaction post to how long it's taken? I reckon the baby might be born in the next post (set a couple of hours later!)

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The gods better have mercy on Charis. Pity she could not kick their asses for putting Charis through all of this, but she could imagine it, at least. Meanwhile she said nothing when Charis reached for her hand and squeezed it hard. She felt so bad for Charis. She was young, but of course, at the right age to have a child. Many both Romans and Britons had their first child earlier than Charis did. Charis could do it, she knew. But if Charis could not be confident, Cynane would be confident for her.

And it would happen – the child would be born and Cynane would be right here by Charis’ side the whole time, helping her, encouraging her and helping her curse when something hurt too much. Charis cried out in pain again and when it was over this time, she said how glad she was that Cynane was here and that the baby would have her too. And she wanted Cynane to hold the baby second after her. Cynane wondered if Charis would get any time to recover or if the baby had to be laid by its father’s feet right away. Not all women were able to just get up and walk out after they gave birth, after all. Well, she supposed she’d wait and see.

“If that is your wish, then that’s how it will be. I will be here, for both of you.” She promised her friend, knowing that the worst was probably still to come, but it had to happen and it would. The day went on, afternoon turned into evening and Cynane didn’t leave Charis’ side once until it was all over.

@Sara

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He had not seen Charis since she left the garden with Rhoda. It was all very strange, he did not recall that he was so worried when Antonia was born. Maybe that was more afterwards, because her mother lost so much blood, but it didn’t take this long, did it? He tried to focus on his work, to other people it was ‘just’ a slave giving birth to her master’s child, it wasn’t unheard of and not unseen either. It wasn’t that big a deal. But for some reason, it was hard to focus and he worried more and more the longer it took. It had been days now and they didn’t tell him much. He’d run into Charis’ friend a few times, but the woman seemed a bit cold and hostile towards him and definitely not interested in talking.

The problem was of course, that despite all that Charis had done, despite how much he should actually despise her, he had liked her. And he still did, apparently! How could he feel so hurt and betrayed if it wasn’t because a part of him actually cared about her? And now she was having his child and it was taking too long. He recalled she’d been pregnant and lost a child when he just bought her and he hoped that wouldn’t be happening again. Would he lose them both?

Another day had gone by, it had now been two whole days and Tertius had his dinner brought to his tablinum, where he sat, trying to do some actual work, while the wails and whimpers of Charis could be heard through the whole house. Not that it was easy to work. Was she dying? It grew later and later and soon not even the lamps could keep him busy, it was too dark. He leaned back with a goblet of wine instead, considering to call for Hector and ask for a massage when suddenly…

There was a strange silence in the house. The sounds had stopped. 

@Sara

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Minutes turned to hours and everything blurred into one long, endless moment of pain. She had, at some point (although she couldn't recall when) been moved into the birthing chair, that was mildly less terrifying than when she had first laid eyes on it. She had spent hours pushing, and the pain was more intense than anything she could recall. She had oscillated between swearing, crying and moaning in pain - the other inhabitants of the house be damned. Yet she didn't let go of Cynane's hand for more than a moment or two in the whole ordeal, and now they were at  the very last moments of Charis' existence as a young woman, before she became a mother. 

Sweat beaded on her brow as she bore down, trying not to scream in pain (the midwife, telling her it wouldn't help). When she couldn't push any more, she collapsed back breathlessly and choked, as the midwife urged; "Nearly there, you're so close now, I promise, one or two more pushes, I can see him!" Spurring Charis on, she repositioned herself, and almost immediately returned to the mind-bendingly painful task of pushing. "Good!" She heard the midwife say and then she felt something...different, as if a great pressure was releasing and she heard Rhoda (when had she arrived?) gasp. Not that Charis noticed as, as instructed, she gently breathed until the pressure was...gone. 

Silence filled the room for one heart stopping moment and time stood still. She collapsed back against the chair in a fit of tears; exhaustion, pain (or the absence of) and fear until the glorious sound of a wail, loud and healthy sounded out from a small little bundle in the midwife's arms. 

Almost before she could register it, the midwife placed the little thing on her chest and Charis blinked. "A boy," The woman smiled triumphantly, "Healthy, praise Juno." Charis saw Rhoda flitting around nervously and the midwife's hurried glances down there but all she could do, in that moment was stare at the little boy mewling and blinking at her from her chest. Almost instinctively she reached down to kiss him on his forehead and utterly uncaring, spoke in Brittonic, "My love, you are so loved." 

Time still seemed in an odd flux, moving fast and slow at the same time. She heard the midwife mutter to Cynane and to Rhoda that all was well, there was no bleeding, no haemorrhage, and the only thing wrong was Charis' exhaustion - which after two and a half days of labouring, was to be expected. After a few long moments of staring down, utterly transfixed, she finally dragged her eyes away for a moment to look up at Cynane with tears in her tired eyes and a grin on her face that stretched ear to ear. "I did it. We did it." 

 

TAG: @Atrice

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Every step of the way, Cynane would be here. She never experienced childbirth herself, but she remembered it from Britannia and also a few women in the ludus, who got unlucky and had to give birth to children conceived unwillingly. Much like Charis. Poor Charis. And she swore and cried out and barely let go of Cynane’s hand for a single moment. And she allowed Charis to do it, because honestly, Charis needed it! She didn’t have her sister here, or her mother or any other family members. But Cynane recalled their moments together, when they confessed they loved each other as if they were sisters. And she would be Charis’ sister now… and the child her niece or nephew. No matter what the Romans said.

Eventually it happened. Charis was in the odd birthing chair and the midwife said she could see the child – she could see ‘him’, she said. She held onto her friend, until the child was finally released from her body and silence filled the room, while the midwife had the child and cut the string. Cynane stroked Charis’ warm and sweaty hair with her free hand, while her friend relaxed a few moments against the chair.

Then there was a wail. Cynane let out a little laugh, hearing the child cry out for the first time and then the child was handed to Charis, against her chest. Cynane felt tears in her own eyes but it didn’t matter – it was a miracle, that she had just witnessed! She watched Charis with the child, her friend kissed the boy on the forehead and spoke to him in their own language. She sighed, happy for Charis, however unknown the future for the boy still was.

Soon the placenta came and Charis just held the child and Cynane was crouching down next to her. Charis seemed so happy when she looked at Cynane and she nodded, “You did it, Charis. You and your son.” She said, “He is beautiful. Come, you need rest. Can you stand?” She would help Charis to the bed, with the boy in her arms and she would stay for as long as she would be allowed to, now the child was born. It was sad though, that she knew she could not stay for weeks, until it was announced whether the boy would be free or not. She wanted to be by Charis’ side when it happened, but she knew this birth was a special occasion and she’d soon need to return to Claudia. She had barely thought about Claudia while she was here, but now… for once she felt torn between her mistress and her friend.

@Sara

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Charis smiled up at Cynane, dragging her eyes away from the boy...her boy, her son for a moment and nodding. She repeated the words hoarsely, "My son." It sounded so odd to her. She didn't feel...grown-up enough to have a son, but here he was, blinking up at her and her friend. At the question she winced and managed a low chuckle, "I'm...I'm not sure." She was sure if she tried there was a significant chance she'd fall down but she didn't wish to stay on the birthing chair all evening, she was exhausted enough as it was.

At the midwife's dismissive flick of her hand, which suggested she was free to get up, she leant in close to Cynane, "Can...can you take him?" She eyed the woman carefully, as if telling her she wanted her to hold him. Cynane might not have long to stay here and Charis wanted to ensure the bond between her son and her closest friend was made in this room. She remembered her mother telling her that whomever holds the child in those precious first hours would have an enduring bond with the baby, and she wanted to count Cynane in that number. Cautiously, she held out her hands with the little bundle in, her left hand supporting his head as she passed him to Cynane. 

Rhoda was at her side for support as she shakily stood from the chair with strength she was surprised she had left. She felt weak, exhausted but utterly in love. She walked as fast as she could (which wasn't fast at all, in fact it was more of an ungracious shuffle) to the bed and sat down gingerly, pulling the blankets up over herself. She felt chilled to the bone and was trembling; tiredness and the reality of what had happened hitting her. She gestured for Cynane to join her on the bed and glanced up at her with those big blue eyes; "I can't thank you enough, both of us." She grinned and glanced down at her son in Cynane's arms.

 

TAG: @Atrice

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That smile on Charis’ face, however exhausted and tired she was now… that was all that mattered, when she saw it. Charis was proud of her beautiful little boy, loving him already, even though his fate was still unknown to her. Cynane kind of wished she could just sweep them both away and back to Britannia, far away from Rome and their owners. But she could not. Instead she’d just help Charis the best she could. When she suggested rest and Charis going to the bed, Charis was not sure she could stand. Poor girl. She was so tired. Cynane sighed, although she stood up now and the midwife seemed to agree that Charis should be moved to the bed.

Then Charis suddenly asked if Cynane would take the boy. She remembered what Charis had said, that she should hold him second, but one thing was to say it then and another was to hear it now that the child was born. She nodded, of course, “Yes… yes, I’ll take him.” She said, almost as if speaking through her breath and then Charis held the bundle out to her. Cynane could not remember if she ever held such a newborn child before, but she took him and held him gently, a hand under his head and then up against her body, cradling him in her arms. She could feel his warmth and there he was, looking up at her face with dark blue eyes and how could she not smile at him? It was kind of sad to know that it would never be her child, looking at her like that. Then she remembered she should follow Charis to the bed, so she did.

Charis soon lay back against the pillows and cushions there, with a blanket over her and Cynane sat next to her. Charis thanked her and she smiled, “There’s no need for that. You’re my friend, Charis. I would do anything for you… and him.” She added and handed the boy carefully back to his mother, “Now rest, you two. You need it. I’ll stay here for as long as I can.”

((most newborn’s eyes are blue))

@Sara

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It was like the world stopped for a moment, everything was silent... before there was the sound of a wail, clearly from a newborn baby. He’d heard that before. So the child was born. Tertius tried to continue working, but it was getting late and dark and with a newborn child in the house, there was no way he could focus now. So he closed the tablet and put away the pen and rolled up the pieces of parchment he’d been sitting with. Just as he stood from the table, there was a knock on the doorframe and one of the female slaves, Jocasta, appeared.

“The child is born, Domine.” Jocasta said and Tertius moved around the table and sat down on the edge of it, silent a moment, while he watched her. Had she been present? He didn’t think so. She and Charis were never close friends and she had not even helped Charis during the earthquake. Actually he was not very impressed with Jocasta. Charis however…

“How are they? The child… and Charis?” Tertius then asked, hoping both were alright and that he’d not lose Charis the same way he lost his wife. That would be too much.

“I think they are both fine, Domine.” She replied. Tertius wanted to go to her, but he knew that the first many days, the mother and child were usually left alone and without any male visitors. It was not until 9 days after the birth, that the child would be presented to him during a small ceremony and he’d let it be known, that he acknowledged the child as his own, gave the child a name... and allowed it freedom too. What child though? Charis said she was sure it would be a son… did he dare ask? He wanted to know. He had to know.

“What gender is the child? Do you know?” He asked then and Jocasta inhaled a breath.

“It is a boy, Domine.” She replied. She had always liked her master, but he barely looked her way and now that Charis had a child, even a son, there was no way Tertius would take any interest in her. It was a lost cause and she didn’t like it.

“Thank you. You can go. If you see Charis… tell her I’ll look forwards to seeing them both.” Tertius said and Jocasta nodded and left, as instructed. So he had another son. Which he was pleased to hear, but Teutus had not yet been adopted. It wasn’t something you usually did – freed a slave to adopt them. Usually if a slave was freed, they could be adopted by another family, but not the one they came from. Teutus was a special case though, because he should of course have been freed all those years ago, but Tertius had not been very interested in the boy as an 18 year old and his father was the one performing the ceremony… and while he named the child, he did not pick up Teutus – so the boy remained a slave. It was not something he was proud of, especially not now. And finding a loophole had proved difficult. He might have to speak to Caesar himself to have it done… which wasn’t at all easy either, getting through to the most important man in the Empire to speak with him on such a strange matter. So Teutus remained his own until Tertius got through, although at least now he was free. This new son however… would not suffer the same fate.

@Sara

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