Manon's Child

Part 71

btw this part is like REALLY long 

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The night before we're due to leave, I'm lying in my bed unable to sleep. It happens when you're pregnant, given that there is no comfortable way to lie. Bronwen and Petrah are still being frostier than usual, but that's to be expected.

I shift slightly, and my stomach gives an uncomfortable pull. I freeze, my thoughts immediately turning to labour, and my breath catches. I wait and nothing else happens. It can't be labour then. Besides, my water is supposed to break or something, and I haven't noticed that. So it can't be labour. It's probably the weird human food they served tonight.

Still, I don't sleep that well, and wake in the morning exhausted. We're planning to leave at dawn, so we'll arrive on the outskirts this evening and rest for the night before attacking tomorrow morning.

I'm the first to arrive, so Abraxos is saddled and we're ready to go by the time everyone else arrives. My stomach cramps are getting more frequent, but my water hasn't broken, so I'm fine.

Just before we're about to leave, Bronwen and Petrah pull me aside from the others. "Look," Bronwen says, "I know you told us you'd strangle us if we brought this up again, but... are you sure you're fit to come?"

"Yes, I am," I snap. "You cannot stop me from coming."

They both look like they want to physically restrain me, maybe tie me to a chair, but Petrah just nods. Bronwen is glaring at me. "Be careful."

"I always am," I mutter as I climb not-so-elegantly onto my wyvern. There are not very many of us flying in, namely because we have to fly and the wyverns can't carry loads of people. Only I am riding alone, because I am Queen.

Despite what we're flying out to do, I am enjoying the early morning air on my face. I haven't been flying in ages, and it's a relief to be in the air. Even if these cramps won't stop coming.

We follow the Avery River west, flying over thick woodland in our aerial procession. I am silent the whole flight, too far from anyone to talk, even if I'd wanted too. Occasionally, Bronwen or Petrah drifts closer to me, to check on me I'm assuming, and it would have been irritating if I weren't beginning to worry.

It's nearing midday when I think maybe, I might actually be in labour and I should probably turn back. I'm about to call Bronwen over when my waters break and I realise how much trouble I'm actually in.

I groan aloud at the next contraction (there's no point hiding it now) and Abraxos looks round worriedly. "Turn back, turn back," I gasp. He shift his direction, but not towards Adarlan - towards the ground. "What are you doing? We need to go back!" I say to him, but he doesn't deter. 

We land and he lowers me gently onto the forest floor. I turn to him. "What are you - ah!" I cut myself off, wincing. "We need to go - to Adarlan."

Abraxos gives me a look that plainly says, you are in no way fit to travel. 

Bronwen and Petrah land beside us, sliding off with ease. "What's going on? Why did you stop?" Bronwen demands.

"I'm - in labour," I pant through my teeth. 

"What?! Manon!" They rush over, taking my arms as I pant through a contraction. Their eyes say, I told you so.

"Don't look at me like that," I growl as I shake off their arms and the contraction ends. I pace around the clearing. "I need to get back to Adarlan."

"Are you serious?" Bronwen demands. "You're in labour, Manon. You can't travel in this state."

"Well I am not delivering the future heirs to the Witch Kingdom in this manky forest!" I  yell.