Rivka leaned heavily against the wall of the tunnel. Ellis wished he had a chair or a stool for her to rest on, but they would deal with what they had, or in this case, what they didn’t have. Pulling out what was left of their rations, he reached to hand Rivka a piece of bread. She waved his hand away, too focused on calming her breathing. Ellis’ brow furrowed in concern.
“You need to eat something.”
She just shook her head. “Just pass me the canteen, please.”
He reluctantly put the bread back in the pack. There wasn’t much left, and she would need her strength.
“Eat, Ellis,” she breathed, sounding frustrated with him.
Ellis just ignored her, repacking the bag and moving to her side. “What is it?”
“I don’t know exactly. I’m just tired and can’t seem to catch my breath.”
“It shouldn’t be much further-” Ellis began.
“Just STOP.” Rivka’s voice rang out, echoing around them. Ellis whirled towards her, shocked that she had yelled. “You’ve been saying that for hours. Just stop. Please. Admit that we are lost.” She sucked in a deep breath; her energy spent on stringing so many words together at one time.
Ellis threw his arms around her, taking her weight onto him, his wrist scraping the rough stone behind her. He would do anything for this woman, for her and her child. He could bitch about it in his head; she didn’t need to deal with him too.He knew how tired she was, and he refused to add to her burden and guilt.
He would’ve much rather been back in the tiny cabin they used as a safe house than underground like a mole. He longed to feel the warmth of the sun on his skin. They had been at the safe house in the deep countryside of Varon for several months. Their days had been simple, tending to the small garden and taking care of the chickens on the property. Twice a month, a box of provisions would be waiting for them when they woke. They never saw who was responsible for the deliveries, but were grateful all the same.
There’d been a glow about her then. She had been healthy, almost happy even, with him. He could easily picture them living out their days there, raising this babe together. A family. Even though they were married out of convenience, she was his best friend, and he had never loved her more than watching her grow into motherhood. He especially loved when she sang to her belly, or when she lay in bed telling animated stories, as if the babe understood.
Rivka’s grunt of pain broke through his reverie. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was pale, tiny beads of sweat forming on her upper lip from her effort to keep moving. They needed to find a place for her to rest. Pulling the map from his pocket, he tried to determine exactly where they were, as they continued their painstakingly slow pace.
“Look,” he gestured just ahead to where the tunnel widened slightly into an opening. “There should be another chamber through there, and hopefully it will have some chairs.”
She didn’t offer him a response; her concentration focused on moving ahead one step at a time. Ellis winced at the amount of assistance she needed to simply shuffle forward. Something was wrong. She didn’t want to eat. She was lashing out at him. If he could just offer her a place to rest, maybeshe could recover enough to make it. They couldn’t afford to lose hope now.
He had been right about the chamber, and thank Fari, it was furnished with more than a simple chair. A long wooden table sat near the center of the space, with boxes of supplies lining one wall. Where all of this came from, Ellis didn’t have a clue, but it was likely the same people who provided their needs at the safe house. Ellis helped Rivka to one of the chairs, where she lowered herself, pain shrouding her eyes.
“What do you need, my love?” he asked, his eyes tracking from her head to her swollen feet.
“I would really like to sleep, if I am being honest.”
Walking over to the boxes, Ellis blew off the layer of dust from a lid, trying to discern what was in each one. There were no labels or signs that offered what they held. He began prying open the lids, one at a time, looking for anything that could be of use. There were a few cases of spirits, some lamps and oil, a few wicks, and some drop clothes. Grabbing a couple of the drop clothes, he hurried over to the table, climbing on top to ensure that it could hold weight.
“My love, why don’t you come lie here?” He started back towards her, tugging her to her feet. “I know that it isn't our bed back home, but at least you will be able to take the pressure off of your body for a bit.”
Rivka eyed the table, but her exhaustion won out. She let him pull her along, her steps faltering. When they were at the table edge, he bent and slipped his arms beneath her knees, lifting her with ease. Her warm breath of relief cascaded across his chest. Settling her on the table, he draped the makeshift sheet over her body, pulling it up to her chin.
“Rest for a bit, my Queen. I will keep watch.”
Rivka didn’t respond as sleep had already fallen over her, her breath coming in short pants.
Sliding one of the chairs up to the side of the table, Ellis watched as Rivka struggled, even in sleep. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. If he hadn't misread the map and gotten them turned around, they would have already been within the safety of the Morrows.
When they had first left Varon, Evanar had assured them of the plan, that it was the best way to deliver the babe safely. They just needed to get to Althea. As Rivka’s aunt, she would do whatever it took to keep her safe. He pulled the little slip of parchment out of his pocket, taking note of the three archways leading from this room. The one behind him, where they had entered, and two more across the way. The lines of the map showed the large chamber, and if his calculations were correct, and damn him if they weren’t, they would make it in just a few more hours. They needed to get to The Lavender Rose, which would mean safety and help.
Ellis grimaced, looking over at Rivka. With the pace she had been keeping, it would take them more than just a few hours. If she even made it at all. He knew nothing about pregnancy or birth or babies, but he knew pain and Rivka. She was hiding how much pain she was in, but he wasn’t sure why or what he could do to help.
She’d spent the first few months of her pregnancy crying, before she had gradually returned to a semblance of the normal, cheerful Rivka he was accustomed to. Now, she was a ghost of herself. Fading away a little more each day. He would give her an hour to rest, but then they needed to move.
Shifting his gaze back towards the boxes along the wall, he shrugged. He could use a drink or two, and it was just there for the taking. Not to mention that would mean more water for Rivka. Rifling through the crate, he pulled out a bottle of dark liquid,his lips tipping up into a small smile. At least these damn tunnels were good for something.
Rivka gripped her stomach beneath the sheet, her face filled with agony, as she forced herself upright. Ellis moved quickly to her side. She had only been sleeping a short while. Rivka bit down on her lip, trying to keep from crying out. He rubbed his hand up and down her back, trying to soothe her, waiting patiently for her to speak. Panic bubbled in his chest.
Rivka fell back against the table, as the pain ebbed, panting as she fought to catch her breath. Her hair hung limply down her back, damp with sweat.
