Tatiana al'Pillan
Painful Days and Sleepless Nights


Sunlight was streaming through the large glass double doors that led out to the balcony when Tanya opened her eyes the next morning. Despite having denied being tired that night, the hard labor had exhausted her and she’d fallen into a restless sleep.

Raven had given her another leaf to chew on and it had lessened the pain enough so that she could doze off for an hour or so at a time. But, in spite of the rest she’d gotten she was still worn out.

Her sister was sprawled in a chair next to the bed, only half-awake. Tanya felt bad that she had deprived her sister of sleep and so decided to be as quiet as she could as she began a bath for herself.

She held a hand to her aching back as she waddled around the room, putting water on to heat and collecting a few towels. She stopped and stood still for a moment, moaning low in her throat as another contraction rolled over her. When the pain faded she thought about letting her husband in, but discounted the idea. Quince would probably be too tense and worried to do much besides pace. And that would only make her nervous.

Tanya tested the water and found it only lukewarm. She moved back over to the bed and sat down, sighing with relief as it took the pressure off of her aching legs. Then, feeling a peculiar gushing kind of feeling, she looked down and grimaced.

“It’s only your water breaking, Tanya,” Raven said, her voice low and husky.

Tanya jumped in surprise, having thought her sister asleep. “Oh,” she replied, shifting back onto her feet. She moved back over to the cauldron of water and smiled as she felt that it was the perfect temperature. Hefting it with a thick weave of Air, she carried it over to the double tub in the bathroom and dumped it in.

“You shouldn’t be working, sis,” Raven called out from behind her.

Tanya turned and frowned. “But I need something to do. I’m only taking a bath, Ariel. It’s not all that strenuous.”

“You should have let me fill the bath for you.”

Tanya grinned and shook her head. “I can do it myself. Besides, it’s already done.” She gingerly touched a toe to the steaming water, then put both legs in and sighed in pleasure as she submerged herself in the hot water. “Wonderful,” she murmured, smiling.

She lingered in the tub for a good half an hour, only getting out when the water turned cold. The bath had lessened the pain of the contractions slightly, relaxing her muscles and calming her.

When Raven checked her, she was surprised to hear that she was almost ready to push.

The contractions began to get even stronger, something that Tanya didn’t think possible, and she moaned loudly in pain. To her, it felt like they were coming right on top of another, a steady onslaught of pain.

Tatiana moaned pitifully, her eyes closed tightly.

“I hate you, Quince!” she shouted at the top of her lungs during a lull between the pain. “You’re never going to touch me again!”

Raven chuckled softly and Tanya turned her burning violet eyes toward her sister. “What’s so funny?” she hissed.

She then leaned her head back and let out another keening moan. Sweat broke out on her forehead and chills coursed through her body, racking her tiny frame with shivers.

“Ariel, when will it end?” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her sister wiped her brow with a cold cloth and spoke softly to her.

“Not too long, sis, hold on. It’s not much longer before you can start to push.”

Tanya moaned and turned onto her left side, curling herself into a ball as best she could. “I want the pain to go away,” she whimpered.