[FweepFwopFwoop]

"Well, they're river rocks. So they're not hard or jagged, thankfully." Astien started moaning as he clutched his belly in the wake of another contraction. "Oh gods, why must childbirth be painful?!"

[Eskal]

"I'll let you know once I find out," Wyn said.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Night turned to day, and again, Astien found no sleep. The next day went about the same, sitting in the water, stumbling around, and watching the harpies. Evening again came, and Astien lay in bed, panting, moaning, and crying. "This hurts so much."

[Eskal]

"It shouldn't be that much longer now," Wyn said, stroking his hair.
"Astien!" Marius' voice called over the sound of hooves. Wyn rushed to the door at the sound of Cormac landing in the grass. She stepped aside as Marius practically broke through the door. "I'm here."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien looked up, tears still streaming down his face. "Marius-s..."

[Eskal]

Marius knelt beside hte bed and kissed Astien's lips. "I'm here."
Wyn hugged Cormac as he came into the carriage. "Harpies have been watching us for the past few days," she said quietly. "They haven't done anything, but we need to keep aware."
Cormac sleepily nodded. "Alright."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien snatched Marius' hand and tightly squeezed it. "It hurts so much, Marius. I've delivered so many children, b-but I never knew..." Astien groaned loudly and painfully.

[Eskal]

"You can do it, Babe," Marius said. "I know you can."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien nodded and wiped away some of his tears. He kept groaning through his contraction, and once it ended, he let his head fall onto the pillow. He closed his eyes, panting. "I just want some sleep..."

[Eskal]

"I know Babe," Marius said gently.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Nighttime came and went, with no one getting any sleep. Astien stumbled out of the carriage the next day, and began pacing around whilst leaning on Marius and groaning loudly. With the rustling of a few branches, he looked and saw the harpies again sitting in the trees.

[Eskal]

Wyn and Cormac kept an eye on the harpies, with their weapons ready.
"You're doing great," Marius said.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"This is taking so long... My water hasn't even broken yet."

[Eskal]

"The water doesn't always break," Marius said.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien shook his head. "It always breaks at some point, Marius. And Aiden's not coming until it does." He groaned loudly.

[Eskal]

"You can do it," Marius assured him. "And when he's here we can all take our first family nap together."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"Spicy foods can pick things up. Wyn, can you cook me something spicey?"

[Eskal]

Wyn nodded. "Sure thing." She gathered some ingredients and began putting a meal together. She also brewed some tea to help keep everybody's energy up.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Astien looked again to the harpies, and felt himself growing enraged. "There's nothing for you here! Leave!" He screamed. Still the harpies remained, and said nothing. "LEAVE! " He screamed, and he threw a fireball at them, large and unstable. It hit none of them, instead flying through the air as it gradually faded and fizzled out, but scared two into flying away..

[Eskal]

"Babe, calm down," Marius said soothingly. "They're not doing anything."