The pain had begun in the early hours of the morning. The contractions were not intense in the beginning as Dreidi had been warned so she wasn’t struggling with the breathing, nor screaming through clenched teeth as she felt them. At least not initially. Grisial, her sole companion in the temple, was whimpering and whining as he could sense the intense contractions through their bond growing with each passing hour. Hearing his whines, Dreidi knew that she needed to seek help with her contractions, the birth of her son was coming this day and she could not hide from that any further. Which led her to lean into the breathing exercises her mother and the mothers of the nearby clans taught her.
In through the nose, hold for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. Repeating it and looking over to Grisial.
“Light the fire to alert the… nearby clan mothers… that I need their help, we can’t do this alone, boy.” Dreidi leaned against the wall, breathing in sharply through her nose and hoping that help would arrive soon. It was only because the labour was still early that Dreidi could consciously think beyond the primal fears and pain that lanced through her body.
Time was not in her favour in thinking this clearly.
Grisial looked at Dreidi, not wishing to leave her alone during this, however, he nodded his head then turned around and headed towards the fire tower. Once he left, Dreidi let her thoughts rush with the idea that she was now going to be a mother. That this child was definitely coming and then there would be everything she would need to figure out after this birth as well. Things she had held off on for months now.
What did that mean? What did the Force have in mind for this child? Should she name him the same name as her father?
Pain was building in her mind as she felt so unprepared for this moment. She was too young to step into the role of being a mother. She wasn’t ready for the responsibility, nor was she prepared for the massive changes in her life. Suddenly everything she had done in preparations for the past few months felt insignificant and not enough. Panic was flooding the mind as she could feel the pain increasing drastically as she wandered to her bedroom.
Dreidi had months ago suspected that her son would one day become a Jedi, a warrior of the light that would be facing the evils out there. She also knew the dangers that life posed for a warrior, her father died fighting such dangers, her family destroyed because of such dangers, Dreidi had nearly lost her own life several times fighting as a Jedi. Yet she knew that she could not be there constantly with him. A protective charm, something to always keep him safe, to keep him strong, to ensure that he would be able to handle threats that faced him. That was what he needed. Instincts told her to cast the spell in her deepening fears.
In her panicked and pained mind, Dreidi knew what she had to do, she felt her lips move and a chant that escaped her mouth. Her fingers hovering over her belly as she instinctively cast Magick in the hopes of protection granted to her child would be enough. Dreidi could not afford to lose her son.
Once her chanting came to an end, the mothers of the nearby clans entered the room with her. They rushed over to her and guided Dreidi out of the study room she was in into a bedroom nearby.
“Sister Dreidi, you waited till the last chance for our assistance. Why is this?” One of the clan mothers asked in a stern voice.
Dreidi sighed and shrugged, “I… didn’t think… it would be… this intense. Silly me… huh?” Dreidi groaned, tears running down her face as another contraction kicked in and Dreidi started to groan and growl deeply. The pain wracking through her body once more, she instinctively clenched the hand of the clan mother helping her walk into the bedroom.
“Breathe, slowly, we will help this pregnancy go smoothly.” The clan mother spoke in a soft, soothing tone. Already waving her free hand to cast something to soothe the intensity of the pain as well as ease the birthing process for Dreidi.
Sliding into bed, Dreidi looked up, “I… I… I did something stupid… I panicked…” Dreidi was feeling the intense sweat all over her body as she grunted deeply through another contraction. They were not even minutes apart now.
“It is done, focus now on this. We can discuss what it is you have done once the birth has been completed.” The Clan Mother stated in a calm, soothing tone that both helped soothe the anxieties of the spell she casted but infuriated Dreidi as the pain made her feel anything but calm.
Moments later, Jairdain stormed into the room, Dreidi’s mother had been staying on Dathomir the past few months to look after Dreidi since the younger woman had been stubborn in having her child on Dathomir. Determined to make the son Dathomiri by birth and blood. It was important to the witch but she was never sure why. Right now, all Dreidi could think was how woefully underprepared she was for this.
“Mum! I’m… fuuuuuu… Mummmmmm… I’m not ready!” Dreidi breathed with tears in her eyes and panic still burning in her heart as the contractions shifted into the final stages of the labour. Dreidi knew that there wasn’t going to be much more time till the baby was being pushed out of her.
The Clan Mother looked over to Jairdain then looked back to Dreidi, shifting into position to help with the birthing while Jairdain moved to be at Dreidi’s side. “It is okay, Dreidi. I am here with you and you are more than ready for this. You have done so much already for this child.” Jairdain spoke softly as she caressed the wet strands of Dreidi’s hair from her face.
Dreidi burst into tears, clenching the hand of her mother tightly as she howled loudly through the last portions of birth.
The evening moons of Dathomir hung high in the air by the time that Dreidi had finished giving birth to her son. Her body and mind were exhausted beyond belief. Dreidi had fought wars, faced death and dealt with the grief of losing her father. None of that compared to the intensity of birthing her son and she knew that this was something that she could never forget any time soon.
Holding her son in her arms, Dreidi sang a Dathomir song that she had learned since she discovered that she was pregnant. Looking at this child, she knew that her suspicions on his origins in the Force were likely to be true. But seeing him in her arms, pressed against her skin, Dreidi only saw her son. Only saw the love she felt as a mother. Only felt the bond that a mother has to her son.
“Aileni.” Dreidi spoke softly as she caressed the top of his head, “Aileni Ifor Xeraic. My little Aileni, that is who you are.”
The discussions on the spell she had casted before his birth. The consequences of that could wait. For now, Dreidi wanted to enjoy the comforts of her son in her arms. Drink in the happiness and love that she was feeling in this moment. The reward of the day for all that she had suffered before.
In through the nose, hold for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. Repeating it and looking over to Grisial.
“Light the fire to alert the… nearby clan mothers… that I need their help, we can’t do this alone, boy.” Dreidi leaned against the wall, breathing in sharply through her nose and hoping that help would arrive soon. It was only because the labour was still early that Dreidi could consciously think beyond the primal fears and pain that lanced through her body.
Time was not in her favour in thinking this clearly.
Grisial looked at Dreidi, not wishing to leave her alone during this, however, he nodded his head then turned around and headed towards the fire tower. Once he left, Dreidi let her thoughts rush with the idea that she was now going to be a mother. That this child was definitely coming and then there would be everything she would need to figure out after this birth as well. Things she had held off on for months now.
What did that mean? What did the Force have in mind for this child? Should she name him the same name as her father?
Pain was building in her mind as she felt so unprepared for this moment. She was too young to step into the role of being a mother. She wasn’t ready for the responsibility, nor was she prepared for the massive changes in her life. Suddenly everything she had done in preparations for the past few months felt insignificant and not enough. Panic was flooding the mind as she could feel the pain increasing drastically as she wandered to her bedroom.
Dreidi had months ago suspected that her son would one day become a Jedi, a warrior of the light that would be facing the evils out there. She also knew the dangers that life posed for a warrior, her father died fighting such dangers, her family destroyed because of such dangers, Dreidi had nearly lost her own life several times fighting as a Jedi. Yet she knew that she could not be there constantly with him. A protective charm, something to always keep him safe, to keep him strong, to ensure that he would be able to handle threats that faced him. That was what he needed. Instincts told her to cast the spell in her deepening fears.
In her panicked and pained mind, Dreidi knew what she had to do, she felt her lips move and a chant that escaped her mouth. Her fingers hovering over her belly as she instinctively cast Magick in the hopes of protection granted to her child would be enough. Dreidi could not afford to lose her son.
Once her chanting came to an end, the mothers of the nearby clans entered the room with her. They rushed over to her and guided Dreidi out of the study room she was in into a bedroom nearby.
“Sister Dreidi, you waited till the last chance for our assistance. Why is this?” One of the clan mothers asked in a stern voice.
Dreidi sighed and shrugged, “I… didn’t think… it would be… this intense. Silly me… huh?” Dreidi groaned, tears running down her face as another contraction kicked in and Dreidi started to groan and growl deeply. The pain wracking through her body once more, she instinctively clenched the hand of the clan mother helping her walk into the bedroom.
“Breathe, slowly, we will help this pregnancy go smoothly.” The clan mother spoke in a soft, soothing tone. Already waving her free hand to cast something to soothe the intensity of the pain as well as ease the birthing process for Dreidi.
Sliding into bed, Dreidi looked up, “I… I… I did something stupid… I panicked…” Dreidi was feeling the intense sweat all over her body as she grunted deeply through another contraction. They were not even minutes apart now.
“It is done, focus now on this. We can discuss what it is you have done once the birth has been completed.” The Clan Mother stated in a calm, soothing tone that both helped soothe the anxieties of the spell she casted but infuriated Dreidi as the pain made her feel anything but calm.
Moments later, Jairdain stormed into the room, Dreidi’s mother had been staying on Dathomir the past few months to look after Dreidi since the younger woman had been stubborn in having her child on Dathomir. Determined to make the son Dathomiri by birth and blood. It was important to the witch but she was never sure why. Right now, all Dreidi could think was how woefully underprepared she was for this.
“Mum! I’m… fuuuuuu… Mummmmmm… I’m not ready!” Dreidi breathed with tears in her eyes and panic still burning in her heart as the contractions shifted into the final stages of the labour. Dreidi knew that there wasn’t going to be much more time till the baby was being pushed out of her.
The Clan Mother looked over to Jairdain then looked back to Dreidi, shifting into position to help with the birthing while Jairdain moved to be at Dreidi’s side. “It is okay, Dreidi. I am here with you and you are more than ready for this. You have done so much already for this child.” Jairdain spoke softly as she caressed the wet strands of Dreidi’s hair from her face.
Dreidi burst into tears, clenching the hand of her mother tightly as she howled loudly through the last portions of birth.
The evening moons of Dathomir hung high in the air by the time that Dreidi had finished giving birth to her son. Her body and mind were exhausted beyond belief. Dreidi had fought wars, faced death and dealt with the grief of losing her father. None of that compared to the intensity of birthing her son and she knew that this was something that she could never forget any time soon.
Holding her son in her arms, Dreidi sang a Dathomir song that she had learned since she discovered that she was pregnant. Looking at this child, she knew that her suspicions on his origins in the Force were likely to be true. But seeing him in her arms, pressed against her skin, Dreidi only saw her son. Only saw the love she felt as a mother. Only felt the bond that a mother has to her son.
“Aileni.” Dreidi spoke softly as she caressed the top of his head, “Aileni Ifor Xeraic. My little Aileni, that is who you are.”
The discussions on the spell she had casted before his birth. The consequences of that could wait. For now, Dreidi wanted to enjoy the comforts of her son in her arms. Drink in the happiness and love that she was feeling in this moment. The reward of the day for all that she had suffered before.
