Chapter 12

Daemon swore as Lyla's horse darted away from him, headed for the nearby cottage. He was irritated that she hadn't heeded him, but even as he followed her, he couldn't help but be amused as well. She was a McDougall lass, and it seemed she'd follow her heart nae matter what was at stake. The least he could do was follow, and see that she didn't fall into a trap of some kind.

Another cry split the air as he pulled his horse up beside hers. "Be careful."

She gave him a sharp look, but forewent a response in favor of hurrying to the door and rapping on it twice. "Pardon me. Are ye well?"

There was no answer, and after a moment, Lyla nudged the door open and stepped inside. Daemon followed behind her, hoping they weren't both about to get a blade to the gut or a cudgel to the head for their troubles.

The inside of the cottage was divided into two rooms. Lyla made for the back one without hesitation. "Yer pardon fer the intrusion, but we...och. Och, me goodness."

Daemon followed her as she darted into the back room, then stopped in the doorway, stuck in place with astonishment at the sight before him.

The room was a bed chamber, and inside was a woman in a loose dress. She was sweat-soaked, her face tight with pain, and her belly was huge with child. Even as he realized what he was seeing, her body stiffened, and she cried out.

Lyla set her sash aside and rolled up her sleeves. "Ye're in labor." The woman gave a short nod. "And where is yer husband? Or a midwife? Is there any available?"

"Husband's gone tae the fields... midwife... other town…" Another cry of pain.

Lyla smiled encouragingly and grabbed a cloth, poured some water over it and wiped her forehead. "Well, ye're in luck then. I'm nae a midwife, but I've aided the one near me home, and I've helped deliver a bairn or two in me time. I can help ye, if ye want."

"Dinnae... ken who…"

"Och, me apologies. I'm Lyla, and that silent fellow in the doorway is Daemon." The woman's eyes came to him, but Daemon didn't think she registered who he was, especially not as another spasm of pain wracked her.

Lyla made a sympathetic sound. "Och, ye're well ahead." She moved around to the end of the bed and lifted the woman's skirt. Daemon whipped his gaze away, heat in his face. "And almost ready tae bring the babe intae the world, too."

"I cannae." The woman's face twisted with fear as well as pain. "The babe's nae due fer more than a fortnight – nearly an entire month. ‘Tis why me husband isnae here. I cannae have the babe now. ‘Tis tae soon, it willnae survive." Her hands clutched at the edges of the bed in desperation.

"Seems the bairn has other ideas, ye're too far along fer anyone tae stop the birth."

"'Tis me first. I dinnae want tae lose it…"

"And ye'll nae, nae if I have aught tae say about it. And I'm very stubborn, ye ken. Very stubborn, and very determined tae see ye have a healthy bairn in yer arms by the end o' this." Lyla's jaw was set in a stern line. "Will ye trust me, and let me help ye?"

"Aye." The woman nodded.

"Bonny lass. What's yer name?"

"Rose…"

"Rose. ‘Tis a grand name." Lyla smiled, bustling around the room getting more water and gathering up cloths. "Do ye have a well or dae ye get water from the stream nearby?"

"S-s-stream." Rose panted.

"Good tae ken. And here's cloths." Lyla bundled up an armful of varying types of cloth and set it on a chair. Then she turned, grabbed a bucket, and thrust it at Daemon. "Go tae the stream and fill this fer me and bring it back. Och, and this too." She shoved a large kettle at him as well.

Dazed, Daemon did as he was told. The rill was only a two-minute walk for him, and he filled bucket and kettle to the brim before he carefully made his way back to the cottage. He still couldn't quite believe what he was witnessing as Lyla grabbed the two vessels. The kettle went over the fire, while the bucket went near the bed, with a cloth dipped into it and used to make the woman – Rose – more comfortable.

Rose was panting, and every so often, she let out a cry of pain. Lyla seemed to be counting between the spasms, and her lips pursed. "Two minutes between contractions. Yer nae quite there yet, but yer close."

Another peek under the skirt, and then she urged Rose to her feet. "A little walking will help a wee bit. And a few sips o' water." She helped the panting woman to her feet, to waddle around the room, muttering encouraging words.

Daemon watched, transfixed. He'd never seen anyone so calm and capable, not in this type of situation. His guts were twisting themselves in knots with every scream from Rose's mouth, and he'd seen warriors in the healer's huts after battle in less pain. He shivered at the looks of determination on both women's faces.

He wanted to be somewhere else, but he couldn't think of anywhere else to go. He couldn't go back to the keep and leave Lyla alone out here. She might be kidnapped, or attacked. He couldn't go find Rose's husband, when he didn't know who he was or what he looked like. For that matter, he wasn't sure where the man labored, and there didn't seem to be a good time to ask.

He wanted to offer to help, but had no idea what to do. Birthing babes was nothing he'd ever been involved with. At the moment, he couldn't tell if he was glad of his inexperience or terrified.

Lyla, in contrast to his own feelings, looked calm and confident, as if she dealt with this sort of thing every day. She helped Rose walk around for a bit, then got her settled back on the bed. Rose was panting and pale, groaning every few moments.

Lyla smiled as she helped the woman down and offered her a sip of water. "Yer doing well, Rose."

"It hurts…"

"I ken. I ken. But remember, ‘twill all be worth it in the end." Lyla soothed. Daemon watched her move around with swift, sure steps as she checked Rose again. "Ye're doing well, and down tae a minute between contractions."

A minute? Is that good or bad?Daemon had no idea. He had no idea if Rose's pain was a good or bad thing. In a wounded warrior, he would have been looking for something to dull the pain and knock the man out. Every scream twisted his guts, but Lyla seemed to be taking it in stride as she worked, keeping up a steady stream of calming words and gentle chatter as she supported Rose and helped her stay as relaxed as possible.

Watching Lyla work as she prepared for the birth was the most stunning sight he'd ever seen, and Daemon couldn't tear his eyes away.

* * *

An early babe could be difficult, but Lyla couldn't afford to worry about that. Rose was almost ready to push the babe into the world, and she had to focus on that.

Fortunately, the babe was turned the correct way, so that was one concern out of the way. Lyla wasn't sure she could have handled a breech birth. Rose was also a healthy young woman, and dilating well, as much as Lyla could tell.

An early babe would be smaller, which meant less likelihood of a tear in the birth canal. That was good for the mother, even if there were problems with the babe. Lyla took a moment to pray that the babe was healthy and strong, then turned to Daemon. "I need a knife."

Daemon blinked at her, looking as if he'd been slapped. "A what…"

"A knife, tae cut the birthing cord." She glared at him impatiently. "I only have a belt knife."

"Och. Aye." Daemon fumbled at a boot to produce a smaller boot knife. "Will this…?" Rose cried out again, and his gaze jerked to her, his whole body twitching as if he'd been smacked.

Lyla huffed and took the knife from him, then set it in the kettle. It would need to be boiled clean. Then she turned back to her patient, ignoring the baffled and rather panicked-looking laird in the doorway. "Dinnae stand there like a lump. Keep watch for the husband. Someone may have heard the commotion as we did, and gone tae tell him the news."

Rose groaned and heaved again, and Lyla checked her. "Ye're close. Just a little more, lass, and ye can start tae push. Just a little more. Bear with me, aye?"

"A-a-a-ye." Rose gasped through another contraction. Lyla soothed her with a cold cloth to her brow and another to the back of her neck, then guided her into a better position for the birth.

She would have liked to have some cloths boiled clean as well, but there was no time for them to dry. She did set one in the kettle so she could use it to clean off the babe.

She wished there was a trained midwife, but there was no chance to wait for one, and if Rose was right, no way the woman could arrive in time. Lyla made a note to see that the MacMillan Keep healer sent a packet of pain-killing herbs for Rose, and ones that eased the mother, restored the lost blood after birth and promoted milk production. It was unlikely that she had any such packets, if the babe was as early as she said.

A few more minutes passed, with Daemon standing quiet and dazed looking in the doorway. The time between the contractions shortened with every moment, and Lyla kept busy between checking Rose's readiness for delivery and keeping the new mother calm.

With a rush, Rose's water broke, the pinkish fluid gushing from her as she groaned. Daemon made a strangled noise. He was white-faced and staring, but Lyla only had attention and time for Rose as she gently calmed her and wiped her clean. "Nae much longer. Nae much longer. Just a little more, and we'll be ready."

Finally, it was time, or at least it seemed to be the right time to Lyla. She smiled encouragingly at Rose. "All right then. I think ye're ready. When the next birthing pain comes, I want ye tae push."

"I... I cannae…" Rose whimpered. "I need... I-I cannae…"

"Ye can, and ye will. Fer yerself and yer babe." She saw the wave of pain hit and called out "PUSH!"

She used the tone she'd learned as a laird's daughter, and Rose obeyed without thinking, bearing down with a grunt and a groan. The sound was echoed by another strangled noise from the doorway. Lyla ignored it, beyond a quick thought to hope that Daemon wouldn't faint. Some men did, when faced with childbirth.

"Good. That's good. Just like that." Another contraction came. "Again!"

There was a commotion at the door, and a masculine voice, raised in agitation. "Rose? Rose? What's going on? Who are ye? Who the devil…" There was a snarl of anger in the tone and a scuffling sound.

Rose was resting a moment, so Lyla spared a look at the door, where Daemon was restraining a man in sweat-stained, dirty farming garb. "Yer wife is giving birth, and she was alone when we came."

Her gaze went tae Daemon. "Get him tae change his tunic and wash his hands in the hot water there." She tipped her head at the kettle. "Then get him in here. With nae one else, I need him tae help support his wife."

"Who are ye?" The man was looking between her and his wife, panting on the bed.

Daemon finally recovered his voice. "We're the folk who heard yer wife in labor and came tae help. Lyla has some training with a midwife, and she's aiding in delivering yer babe."

The man looked shaken. "'Tis too early by far…"

"The bairn comes when it wants." Lyla snapped the words. The contractions were increasing, and Rose needed to push again. "Hide out there or come help yer wife, I dinnae care, but dinnae stand there like a witless lout!"

The man vanished from the doorway, and Lyla went back to the process of coaxing Rose to push once again. Then again.

At some point, Rose's husband entered the room, clad in a clean smock. Lyla nodded. "Get behind yer wife and support her. Give her something tae grip." She'd been afraid Rose would get splinters with how hard she was clutching the bed.

Her focus narrowed to Rose, contractions, and the commands of the birth canal. Time seemed to move slow as treacle, until finally… "I see the head." The babe was crowning. Lyla grabbed up a clean cloth and the blade from the kettle. "One more good push, Rose. Ready... push!"

Rose screamed as she bore down. Her husband grunted as she gripped his hand. Lyla's hands were ready to catch the babe as it slid forward and free.

Then the babe was in her arms, and she was moving quickly cut and tie off the birthing cord. The child wailed, a thin but healthy cry. "Ye've a set o' bonny lungs on ye, me lad."

"What?" The new father gasped the word.

"'Tis a boy. Ye've a son." Lyla set the babe down and quickly wiped him down with the warm, wet cloth from the kettle, then wrapped him in a fresh blanket. "Come here and hold him." There was still the afterbirth to be delivered.

The father took the child with shaking hands, and Lyla directed him in how to hold the child, before turning back to Rose. "There's nae much more. Just the afterbirth, and all is done, and ye can hold yer bonny new boy."

Seconds later, the afterbirth was delivered. Daemon and the father both gasped. "So much blood…"

"'Tis nae more than is common." Lyla shook her head. "Births are messy things." She was only glad that this one had been fairly uncomplicated.

She helped Rose up and changed the linens on the bed, then guided the exhausted new mother down again. "Is there a healer in the village, or more than one midwife?"

"Nae." The new father shook his head.

"I ken where there's a healer, and I'll have her send ye some herbs tae help yer recovery, Rose. When the midwife returns, have her check the babe. I think he's healthy, but ‘tis best tae be sure."

Rose nodded, but her attention was on the bairn her husband had placed in her arms. Her husband seemed no less dazed and entranced. "Ye ken how tae feed and burp and change the bairn."

"Aye. And I've an elder sister with two already, tae ask fer help if I need. Thank ye." Rose's husband managed to shake off the wonder long enough to speak.

"Then we'll leave ye tae it." Lyla felt exhausted.

Daemon hadn't budged. His eyes were riveted on Rose and the new child. Lyla huffed and grabbed his arm. "Come on, Daemon. ‘Tis well past time we were returning."

Together, the two of them left the small family and walked out, into the darkening sky.