"I see it," he said, terrified yet excited. "The baby's coming out!"
That was good. It encouraged me to keep pushing. I laid my head back against the ground and put all my strength into it, timing it with the contractions. Sweat soaked through my hair now and it clung to my forehead. My fingers dug into the earth. The sound of the water was louder than usual. Everything felt like it was happening too much.
My next round of breathing was interrupted by a sharp cry as pain seared through me. My muscles constricted and I pushed hard.
"You're okay, Castor," River called. "You're doing great."
I gasped for air. I wanted to ask him if he saw any more of the baby, but I couldn't talk. It took all my effort just to keep breathing normally and to push.
An eternity went by before I heard River’s excited cry. "Castor, you're almost there!"
I felt like I'd been straining forever, and knowing I wasn't finished yet was difficult, but I believed my mate when he said we were close. Maybe with one last push…
I put everything I had into it. I screamed, my throat raw and hoarse, as pain surged through my body. In the back of my mind, I wondered if this would've been easier if I was younger.
But then I thought about my baby, the one I was seconds away from meeting, and it gave me the willpower to finish what I started. This was what I was meant to do.
The pain suddenly gave way to relief. It was like I was on fire and someone had dumped cold water on my head.
I blinked and opened my eyes, still gasping for air, but now I felt like I could speak.
"What happened?" I asked.
When River didn't answer me, I grew worried—but a moment later he appeared by my side with our baby in his arms.
My world changed forever.
For a few long moments, I forgot to breathe. Joy leaked out of me in soft laughter. There she was, our daughter, brand-new and perfect.
She was in human form when River handed her to me. Not a beaver, not a mer, nothing in between. For now, only a beautiful baby girl. I had no doubt that would change later, but for now I was only happy to see her healthy and well.
"Oh, River, isn't she—"
She began to wail.
River winced then laughed. "Sorry. That's probably my fault. Good to know she's whiny like her dad."
I smiled and held our baby to my chest, rocking her gently to soothe her. "She was just born. She has a free pass to be as whiny as she wants." I lowered my face closer to hers. "Isn't that right, Annabelle?"
It was the name River and I had both chosen for our baby long before she was born. Once we suggested it, our decision was unanimous.
Annabelle's crying simmered down into grumpy sniffles. I didn't mind the noise. Knowing she had a proper set of lungs on her made me happy.
River smiled at me and kissed me on the cheek. "I'll go get her cleaned up, then you should rest. You need your beauty sleep."
Annabelle grunted as River picked her up, but she didn't fuss. The two of them looked so beautiful together that it filled my eyes with tears of joy. Her skin tone was darker than mine, and lighter than River’s. Her hair was a shade darker than River’s brilliant crimson red, a striking shade of auburn. Even now I knew she would only grow more beautiful as she grew up, but there was something special about a newborn baby. My heart swelled and I felt the tears flowing from my eyes. I smiled as I wiped them away.
The birth had exhausted me. I sighed in contentedness as the post-birth emotion swept over me. I glanced over to River in the water where he was gently washing Annabelle. If only he could see how natural he looked. River was meant to be a father. I couldn't stop myself from smiling widely as I watched them.
When he returned, there seemed to be depth in River’s expression that wasn't there before. It was nurturing and tender, and protective and fierce. I knew without him speaking a single word that he would do anything for this baby. It made me love him even more.
"Here we go," River murmured as he sat next to me, gently returning Annabelle to my arms. Her face looked happier than it had been before. I wondered if even now at this young age she was a fan of the water like we were. It wouldn't surprise me.
Annabelle mumbled against my chest. She looked as ready to take a nap as I felt.
"You're amazing, Castor," River said, looking into my eyes.
"Where did that come from all of a sudden?" I asked with a chuckle.
