The pain was so intense, a slow fear bubbled up inside of her. What if she was dying? She knew she would not make it back to the keep or to the neighboring village. The tears flowed with the next wave of pain. She was so alone. She looked up at the white puffy clouds in the sky and her mother’s voice whispered to her mind. She sang the song aloud, her mother’s voice echoing with hers.
Upon the darkest night of summer,
Ah am sleeping under a starless night.
Wild one called up of cloudless thunder,
Ferry me safely to the joy of the light.
She sang the verse over and over. It was a chant that got her through each new wave of pain. After what felt like hours, although the sun moved little, she heard something on the road. It was the clip clop of horses' hooves and voices. She scooted behind the tree. She knew that voice. “Baile!” She yelled as loudly as she could. They passed her, their horses in a brisk trot. She hoped they would hear her.
All four men turned their horses around. Baile jumped down and ran over to the tree where Mazey sat. She looked up at the other men. Gohrich, another guard and Cohlm. The pain intensified in Mazey’s back and wrapped around her belly. She groaned and leaned forward, unable to stop her body from responding to the wracking pain.
“Mazey!” Baile cried. He eyes were wild and his brow covered in sweat. His normally tidy, silvering hair stuck up at odd angles. “What were ye thinking, lass?” he hollered.
She cringed at the raised voice and put her arm around her to shield herself, but before she completed the motion, caught herself. She was safe. Baile loved her. He wouldn’t hurt her. She put her arm back down and tried to prop herself up into a more appealing position, but the pain kept her hunched over.
Once the pain passed, she tried to stand. Cohlm came over, his medical bag in hand.
“Ah’m okay, ah promise. Ah just need some water and my back hurts.”
The pain hit again. Barely a minute in between the last one. Cohlm was by her side and feeling her belly. He pressed gently. The pain was coming in waves from her stomach. “She’s about to have the bairn.”
The other men stayed on the road, and when they heard him say that, nervously turned their backs to her and stared out in the distance.
Baile took her hand and pulled her into his arms. She rested her body against him and leaned her head on his chest. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him until she felt him there with his arms around her. She was safe.
“Why did ye leave, Mazey? Weren’t ye happy?” Baile whispered in her ear.
“Aye, ah just didn’t want ye to be unhappy. Ah didn’t want ye stuck with me and not have a chance with anyone else.” Tears ran down her face.
The pain hit again, and she cried out. She needed to move. She crawled down onto the ground and propped herself up on her elbows.
Baile put his hand gently on her shoulder, careful not to bump her or her back.
“She’s very close now. There’s no way to get her back in time. She must have the bairn here.” Cohlm spoke calmly, but it didn’t help Mazey one bit.
“Ah can’t have the bairn here. Ah can’t. Ah can’t do this.”
Baile made hushing sounds. “Ye can do this. Ah’m here with ye and ah’ll not leave ye. Ye can do this. Ye’re strong, lass. Ye’ll do just fine.”
Mazey set her jaw and moved again. The pain switched to her stomach. It was more intense than anything she felt before. She thought about seeing her bairn and holding her in her arms. She would be beautiful.
Cohlm felt her belly again in between the pains. “The bairn is facing down now. Should be easier to bear the pain.”
Baile put his arms around her. She leaned back into him, drawing comfort from his presence. Sweat dripped down her eyes from the pain and she gritted her teeth. He kissed her cheek and moved her hair out of her face. “Ye can do this, Mazey,” he whispered gently in her ear.
Her body did something. She felt the urge to bear down, and she knew it was time. Baile held her hand the entire time and Mazey had an out-of-body experience. The pain and pressure were happening as she watched her body from afar. Cohlm guided the baby out, while Baile spoke to her soothingly. On the last push, the baby was born and she let out a sigh of relief.
“It’s a boy,” Cohlm called out to her.
Mazey laughed and cried at the same time before Cohlm wrapped him in fabric and handed the baby to her. Baile ran over to his horse. He brought back his tartan and laid it across Mazey and the child.
“Let me care for ye both,” Baile told her sweetly in her ear.
She couldn’t see through the tears. “Aye, ah would like that, if ye’ll have me.”
He twirled something in his fingers and handed it to her. She stared at it without comprehension until she realized what it was. A tiny pink pearl sat in the middle of her palm. That must have been what he found in the “pretty shell” on the beach. “Marry me, Mazey?” His blue eyes were heavy with sincerity and looked at her with hope.
