A Broken Fate

He senses her discomfort.

"You can move in a minute, I just need to see how dilated you are and this is the easiest position for me to do that."

He has a look , being very gentle not to cause her any more pain than she is already in.

"Okay, you're seven centimetres dilated, so you're not ready to push yet. But I think it will be soon. You can move to a more comfortable position now if you want."

He glances up at Námo. "If Nerdanel would like it, giving her a back massage may help to ease the pain." Turning back to Nerdanel. "I'm sorry, I don't think I can offer you any other pain relief. It would be too dangerous as it's meant for humans and we can't risk an adverse reaction."

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She moves onto her side, resting the bulk of her belly on another pillow, and pants with her pains. The Elf winces and mumbles, "Another is beginning now."

And she begins to count despite Gorlim having the timepiece -- it gives her something to focus on.

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namo

Námo just staaaaaares at Guppy.

"No, I do not think I would be comfortable laying my hands on her," he says quickly.

Let's forget he had to lay his hands -- and more -- upon her to get to this position in the first place.

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Gorlim watches the watch as instructed and stands by calmly. He helped his wife give birth to three children, two of them premature by at least a month. He knew how this worked.

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Maglor gave the Lord Mandos a very dark stare, not quite realising he'd have to refrain from dying in his world ever, now.

"She needs this; Gorlim, will you, or shall I?" he said.

Ad gave Mandos another stare, that clearly said 'wuss of a Vala'.

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Guppy shakes his head a little, but doesn't taunt Námo. The poor guy looks like he wants to fall through the floor with embarrassment as it is.

"One of you please would be helpful. What would you be more comfortable with Nerdanel?" he asks, feeling that she really ought to have the last say on this one.

"Maybe you could find a hot water bottle Námo." he says more gently than he is inclined to.

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"I will."

Gorlim scoots onto the bed next to Nerdanel and begins rubbing her back.

"Better, Nana?"

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Nerdanel's eyes flutter shut and a soft moan of relief passes her lips.

"Oh, ionen, thank you. Cáno? Cáno, there is a hotwater bottle in the bath. I don't think Mandos is inclined to--"

She groans and pants with another contraction.

"Guppy, I counted to fifty this time. And they hurt more. A lot more."

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Maglor went and got the hot water bottle; the Lord Mandos was definitely useless in this situation.

It wasn't usual for a Vala, of course. Hopefully, he wouldn't faint before this was over. They certainly didn't need a fainted Vala on top of all the alarmingly irregular things.

He returned to his mother's side and gave her the hot water bottle, his face trained for millennia not to show his opinion of those present.

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"Okay, Gorlim you keep doing that."

He shoots a glance at Námo, making sure he's all right.

"How does this compare with your other births Nerdanel?"

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namo

The Elf is leaning against the far wall, watching the scene in front of him. There is little showing on his face, a little whiter in pallor, but otherwise, outwardly, there was no sign of his being disturbed.

Inwardly, he was terrified of all that was happening.

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She takes the waterbottle and hands it to Gorlim, instructing him where to place it when he wasn't massaging.

"Longer. By the Valar, so much longer. The twins took the better part of a day to birth from onset of labour, but this one... three days of this is beyond my ability. But the pain is more like the last pregnancy. The twins. It was hard."

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It was hard for Maglor not to wibble at hearing that.

He managed by leaning against the wall and keeping very still.

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Gorlim shoots a goofy grin at his friend, like he used to when they knew each other on the battlefield and sometimes that was all they had, a smile. Catching his eye, he gives a little nod towards Namo, trying to encourage him to give him a bit of poking or something.

Because no situation is so solemn that it cannot be made infinitely more bearable by a little male horsing around.

He follows Nerdanel's instructions and keeps rubbing her back, saying nothing.

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Guppy manages to reexamine her without her having to move.

"Okay Nerdanel, you're fully dilated now. You can push when you're ready, okay?"

He leans over to Gorlim. "This would be a really bad time for Námo to faint so if he goes any whiter can you or Maglor get him sitting down with a glass of water? He's still coping with his new body so he might not realise he's about to keel over."

He looks over to Námo.

"Do you think you could find some warm towels Námo?"

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Maglor didn't groan. Oh no, he so did't groan. Nor did he try beat Mandos to the towels. Damn Vala probably wouldn't know how to warm towels anyway, but better let him try than have him faint.

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namo

Námo nods shortly, heading to the bathroom where he found several towels. He turns on the hot water and wets the towels, wringing them out under they were barely damp but still warm before returning to Guppy with them.

He offers a brief glance to Nerdanel, then Gorlim, before moving to the side of her that Gorlim was not on.

With a sharp, nauseous swallow, he gives her his hand, wide eyes seeking Gorlim.

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Gorlim pulls a face at Namo.

"Come on, then, smile! This is exciting," he reminds the Elf. "You're going to have a son. Are you all right, Nana?"

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Nerdanel shifts, half-sitting up. She uses Mandos' hand as leverage and reaches for Gorlim's as well.

This was not the position she would have chosen to do this, but she did not have the strength to sit fully up. As it was, she needed to use the Val-the El-whatever the hell Mandos was now and her son.

She did want to push, but as she choked on a sob, she shakes her head.

"Guppy, I can't. I just want to sleep!" She rests her head on Gorlim, just wanting this to all be over.

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"Nerdanel, look at me. You've delivered eight babies, you can do this. I believe in you."

At least he really hopes so, because even if he was qualified to do a caesarean, which he isn't, there's no way they could do it without any form of pain relief or drugs.

"You're surrounded by big strong men, is there a position you'd rather be in that they can help you into?"

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Maglor stepped closer; Gorlim had his job here, but he could help her with that.

"Come one, mother, tell me how you want to sit, or lie; let us help you," he said.

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namo

Námo looks at each face in the room and he is swept up by the realization that this -- this right here -- was family.

This was his family.

"Come, Nerdanel," he says quietly, his voice even, gentle. "Tell us how to help you."

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