[CONTENTID1]♒ Les Poissons ♒[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]

Ariel’s screams once again shook the house. It had been almost nine hours of labor and everyone was exhausted. Ariel herself looked like she took a dip in a sea of vaseline. She screamed again, and Ulla clutched her hand tighter.

“It’s time Milady,” the head midwife said. Ariel moaned in response, and both Ulla and Eric, who was on her other side, propped an arm behind her, to help push her up. “I’m here my love,” Eric said.

Everyone got into position, and then the midwife said the magical words Ariel had been waiting for, “Push.” Push she did.

It was quick; less than ten minutes before Ariel released her loudest yell yet. It sounded more like an angry sea lion than a woman’s scream, but who was Ulla to judge.

When the first cries rang out, Ulla could feel her heart swell and soar as loud as the baby wailed. But then she saw her, covered in blood and goo. “Ew,” she uttered leaning away. Then, realizing what she did, looked at the two new parents.

Ariel and Eric stared at her in surprise, while the midwives and nurse maids gave her a judging look. “Sorry,” Ulla bowed her head. This caused Eric to burst out laughing.

He eyed his own child as she was being cleaned. With a nod he said, “Newborns are kind of funny looking.” He then let out a raucous laugh that Ariel soon added to.

Everyone else was still giving Ulla the evil eye though, so when they handed the new bundle of joy to the mother she gentle squeezed her shoulder, giving both parents a smile, and traversed her way out of the room. She gave Grimsby a small nod as she passed him in the hall, announcing proudly, “It’s a girl.”

Ulla headed straight for her room, only allowing a nod here or there as she passed excited attendants and guards.

As soon as she closed her bedroom door behind her she stripped and allowed herself a nice long bath. She had woken up late today, but had been stuck in stuffy room without changing out her bed robes and was in dire need of a wash. She knew night had already fallen and the celebration in the streets was probably reaching its peek or it would be when the of the child was announced.

It was one of the most relaxing moments s