Baby bedroom

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Force-spawn was often associated to same-sex marriages (except in hermaphrodite species like Hutts; then again, hermaphrodite species rarely had any recourse to Force-spawn), and Jessica watched her wife's midriff bulging more and more as the pregnancy progressed. It was uncharted territory for the couple but she knew [member="Summer Sovereign"] desired kids. Now that she was carrying the baby to term, the arrival of the firstborn was to be a happy day for the couple. On the one hand, they both knew that the baby was going to be a girl, provided, of course, that Force-spawn worked. Thus far, their successes as a same-sex, royalty couple were clear, but it is often said that the arrival of children is the main game-changer in same-sex couple. Also, Jessica made use of telecommuting for many purposes, especially when the headquarters were destroyed in a pirate attack on Ringo Vinda, with production personnel progressively returning to work at their original location. The reconstruction was almost complete by now; even so, she would usually think that she only seems to go on Ringo Vinda for the quarterly meetings, leaving the day-to-day operations to Marcia and, to a lesser extent, Julie. For the time being, however, Jessica was in her wife's bedroom, while she sees Summer's belly contracting...

"The baby should come any time soon"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Summer would feel the contractions start and would freak out. She had been sick as a dog since she had begun to carry the baby, but she knew it would be worth it in the end. For family was the most important thing to her. She would scream before beginning her deep breathing exercises, in through the nose out through the mouth

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"I know, love: this baby will be one of the best things in your life. But, for now, it might be best for you to go to the hospital"

True, [member="Summer Sovereign"] was sick as a dog, especially early in the day, but it was par for the course for pregnant women. And that did not leave her with much time to think of a name for the resulting baby either. Something uncommon, perhaps. Because she knew that names were in finite supply and there were common and uncommon names, but nothing more than that. But, knowing that a baby was worth Summer's while in a hospital, she had to guide her screaming wife in pain up to the royal carriage that would carry her to the nearest hospital. Admittedly once news get out that their queen is giving birth, there will be a journalist or two coming for Summer and the royal baby. A tabloid journalist perhaps but that was not the end of it as far as she was concerned. Jessica would be taking her wife inside the royal carriage, with Jessica seated to the left and Summer to the right, so that she can minimize the amount of pains on her way to the obstetrics ward.

"It's all for you and the baby: it will be worth it for you in the end, I know as much: the baby's room has already been earmarked"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Summer would breathe deeply and try to think of a name but every time she did the pain would get the better of her.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Don't worry: we have time to choose a name. If what I know about baby delivery is correct, it takes a few hours before the baby is completely out"

It didn't take that long for the couple to arrive to the obstetrics ward of the hospital. Sure, births were a daily occurence in the capital's hospital, but she was unlucky: for many ladies, contractions began at the worst of the morning nausea, and [member="Summer Sovereign"] was no exception. True, Jessica was at her side this entire time, and she witnessed how her wife became as sick as a dog for months at a time. She'd better not suffer from post-partum depression: she wanted the baby for so long, and a new chapter in this same-sex marriage idyll, either its ending as an idyll or just a new chapter in the idyll, she thought. Perhaps Omwati had a different prevalence for that sort of thing, but she knew that it existed and that it would be something that would make the first few days of the baby a little uncomfortable but, then again, since the servants associated with the early childhood of the baby have already been picked so that the yet-to-be-named baby would have everything it needs.

"We have a patient undergoing contractions, right here, Her Majesty in person, so if there is room available, please, tell me where Her Majesty will be slotted" she told the obstetrics receptionist.

"Your Highness, I presume? Her Majesty will be in room #423"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Summer would continue to breathe deeply as she was rolled to the room

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"It will get better once the baby is delivered"

Already Jessica had to stay close to room #423, where [member="Summer Sovereign"] was having her contractions, knowing that the contractions are the sign that the pregnancy is coming to an end. Don't be afraid to break tradition with this baby: she may have a name from a completely different culture or era, but I do not think they will care that much, she thought, even though it was agreed upon that it would be her decision, with only one guideline: given that the child will be a Crown Princess, she will stand out so long as the title is retained and she remains on Glyss. Outside of Glyss, however, she will be just a socialite scion like another at most, despite her parents being famous in the galaxy for their same-sex marriage. And Jessica for being at the helm of a major shipyard more than for any royalty title; even so, Jessica would never think that her same-sex marriage would have achieved the same fame without her position in the galactic corporate scene. If I was merely a princess consort without running the shipyard, perhaps I would be just a system-wide household name at most, but Glyss is considered a safe haven for gay couples, she thought.

"Remember: the name will be announced when the baby will finally come out"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Summer would be in labor for 7 hours, every moment was excruciating but she hung in there. She would continue to breathe deeply just to cope with the pain. But shortly after the 7th hour had struck one of the nurses would step into the hallway and come looking for Jessica, once she found her not far from the room. She would look at Jessica and speak "Your highness we think you should come, it will be only a matter of moments before the baby comes." As soon as they entered the room The baby would finally be born. She was beautiful just like Jessica. The doctor would look at Jessica who would be handed a pair of surgical scissors, he was asking her to cut the umbilical cord.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Let's see what all these months of enduring my wife's being sick as a dog, namely nausea, has brought us"

Because of Jessica's outsize frame, she needs to lower her head to avoid banging against the doorframe. The Force-spawned baby that came out seven hours after [member="Summer Sovereign"] was first assigned room #423 was much like Jessica as a newborn baby. But she expected it: Force-spawn was for cloning Force-users with minor modifications allowed in the process. Jessica had all manners of desirable traits for a crown princess and the only change requested in the baby was cosmetic in nature. Oh, yes, she knew Summer would be taking good care of the baby, she wanted it for so long. Of course, she knew that some absolute monarchies often had a desire for heirs and spares, where the proverbial spare is there for if something was to happen to the heir apparent, knowing that if there is no heir, often there will be a dynastic change or complicated succession disputes. But she knew that cutting the umbilical cord was a delicate operation especially with a crying baby. Then she cuts the baby's umbilical cord, announcing the name of the baby:

"Long live Crown Princess Ziana!"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Summer would smile as the cord was cut and the nurse took Ziana and cleaned her up, Summer would also be cleaned up. Soon the baby would be brought in and handed to Summer, Summer would hold precious little Ziana against her chest for a good moment before offering her to Jessica.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"One more thing: are you one for breastfeeding?" Jessica asked [member="Summer Sovereign"] with Ziana in her arms.

While, of course, she is pretty neutral on the topic of breastfeeding, she has to admit that breastfeeding would mean Summer will be spending more time with little Ziana than she otherwise would. She knew that sometimes, Omwati could be a little picky when it comes to child-rearing, and thus child-rearing issues are identified as one of the possible reasons why her marriage to Summer may not be, going forward, the idyll that same-sex marriage supporters across the galaxy once raved about: these days, children are at the core of a great many divorces, regardless of whether the divorced couple is gay or not, at least when one Omwati and one non-Omwati are involved. For her she has to tread carefully for something that may carry long-term implications well after the act is over: however, there is only so much shelter that a royal child should be provided with. Jessica might have had to deal with a few stragglers in the corporate workplace, of course, but family is not the same as business in this respect, especially not when Ziana will, one day, hold some political office/title, perhaps at a rather low level at the beginning, well before Summer dies.

"In a few days you will be, well, less sick than you used to be"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Yea I am." Summer said, she had always thought raising a child the old school way was better than doing what was popular now so she would breast feed.

She would sit up and look at Ziana, she was the best thing to ever happen to Summer. Summers life had started off not well at all, when she left Glyss sad and alone she had done her best to survive. Her eye was taken from her by a pack of rabid animals, it was not a good day for her. But ever since she met Jess things were looking up. Her vision was restored thanks to some handy cybernetics, she had married Jess and became a Jedi knight, and to cap it all off she now had a beautiful baby girl.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Now that your decision is made with regards to breastfeeding, perhaps a breast pump would make your life easier at night"

Now [member="Summer Sovereign"] couldn't tell exactly which between Jessica and Ziana was the best thing to happen to her anymore, but pre-partum it was obvious that it was Jessica proper. She wanted the baby, and she seemed ready to have the early-childhood servants on standby while in the palace with the baby. And three different early-childhood servants. Jessica knew, however, that she would need either her own bedroom to be soundproofed or the baby room; Summer would probably be awakened by Ziana multiple times a night so that Ziana could be breastfed. Unless, perhaps, there was a way around? Some device that would be a good device that could help out the early-childhood servants would be a breast pump. So she turns to the receptionist of the obstetrics ward and asks for a rental breast pump, knowing that few would want to buy one these days, given the low fertility rates.

"Speaking of breast pumps, does anyone know where to rent one?"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

One of the receptionists would bring one out and tell Jess because of their royal status that it would be free of charge. Another nurse would then come in and ask Summer to remove her shirt. They would show Summer how it worked, it was a very weird feeling that Summer would have to get used to the feeling. She would then put her shirt on. She would then feed Ziana, the docs would tell her she was good to go

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]