A Broken Fate

"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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She is surprised to hear Mandos speak to her like that.

And it brings more tears to her eyes.

"Up more. It's easier... if I am up more... but closer to the edge of the bed."

It was how she had delivered all but the last of her children -- balanced at the edge of a bed with maids around to help hold her.

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Gorlim helps her shift around, and holds on tight, humming softly to her.

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namo

From beside her, his hand still in her other, Námo watches closely. When she sways some with her fatigue, Námo looks at Maglor.

"Give her support from behind?" he asks, caught up in all of this and forgetting just what it is they are doing.

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Maglor just nodded, and did it without saying anything; he supported her, shifted, and was there for her to lean on as she moved.

This way, he wouldn't have to look at her female bits, either. Leave that to Guppy who knew what the hell he was doing.

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Guppy watches, then gives her a small smile of encouragement.

"Okay, ready to push now Nerdanel?"

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She waits for the next contraction to come, for the that need to push comes.

When it does, she grips the hands offered to her and bears down through the wave of the contraction. The waves passes, and she sags back against Maglor.

And she knows it is just the beginning of it all.

The next twenty minutes are spent pushing and resting, panting and whimpering. Her back ached, her head hurt, and she just wanted to stop.

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"There's no going back, only forward," Maglor murmured, at some stage. "This one needs to come out, and come out he will."

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"Soon, now," he murmurs to Nerdanel. "You can rest once it's over. Just hold on to us and give it one good try."

...it occurs to him right around this point how curious it is that Nerdanel is giving birth with the assistance of four men.

He bites his lip to keep from snickering.

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