[for Robb] the newest Stark
Perhaps in hindsight, Jeyne should have recognised the signs of early labour for what they were, but she had been so tired ever since Christmas that she thought it was more of the same. She had considered going to the New Year celebration at the compound for just a little while, but all during the day she had a backache that, while not quite enough to worry Robb with, was enough to deter her from a trip across the island in the snow.
It began to snow in the night, and when they woke the next morning (rather early, in Jeyne's case) it was coming quite heavy. Robb was concerned that the IPD might be needed to help people find better shelter or clear paths, but he also did not want to leave Jeyne alone. She assured him she would be fine and that he should go and tend to his duties. Her date was at least a fortnight away, and she did not think there was any danger of the babe coming while he was away.
The coming hours were to show how little she knew.
When Robb and Grey Wind left for his IPD duties, Jeyne went back to sleep, stealing Robb's pillows to make herself more comfortable. Her backache had grown more painful, but not enough that she could not drift back into a light sleep until midmorning. It was not the howling of the wind and snow that woke her, but a sharp pain that took her breath away and brought her fully awake. This did not scare her, though, as she knew Sansa had felt such pains in the weeks before Eddara's birth. She got up and added more wood to the fire on the hearth, prepared herself a cup of tea, and took it back to bed with her to get some more rest, thinking that would ease the pains.
It did not ease them, however, and by noon Jeyne began to wonder if in fact the baby was coming. The storm had grown so fierce by this time that it was nearly as dark as early evening in the house, and Jeyne knew she could not risk even walking the short distance to Susan or Sansa's. Her hope of Robb's return grew slimmer and slimmer as the storm worsened; it was so bad, in fact, that she hoped he had sought shelter instead of fighting his way back through it, despite how badly she wanted him here with her. What if something went wrong? It was two weeks before her time; this could not be good. All the horror stories she had ever heard about labouring women came up from her mind to haunt her, and she could not shake them.
By midafternoon, she knew it was not a false alarm, that the babe was truly on his way; her waters had broken, confirming her growing fear. Jeyne had managed to put old towels and blankets on the bed and enough wood on the fire to make the whole house toasty warm, but did not get further than that before the pains were too much to let her keep her feet any longer. She had been frightened, but now there was no room for fear; only instinct, as she sought to find a comfortable position in which to give birth. There was no conscious thought about what she was about to do, for all thoughts had been buried under a surge of physical exertion that she had not thought herself capable of. It seemed like both hours and no time at all before she reached down to find that the babe was crowning, and just when she thought she could bear the pain no longer, he was born--a son, Jeyne saw with a rush of happiness as she gathered him into her arms and held him close to her. She and Robb finally had a child, a son, and she was so filled with happiness that she could hardly breathe.
She was also so tired she could hardly move, so she only did the bare minimum to clean up herself and her child before wrapping them both in heavy blankets to keep warm as the storm raged even more fiercely outside. Little Reynald was pink and bright-eyed, but did not seem inclined to cry. It worried Jeyne that he was not healthy, but when she put him to the breast he seemed eager enough. "Your lord father will be so surprised," Jeyne said to her son, laughing, and kissing the top of his head.
[ooc: Just Robb for the moment, because of the snowstorm, but will have another post up for family asap <3]
It began to snow in the night, and when they woke the next morning (rather early, in Jeyne's case) it was coming quite heavy. Robb was concerned that the IPD might be needed to help people find better shelter or clear paths, but he also did not want to leave Jeyne alone. She assured him she would be fine and that he should go and tend to his duties. Her date was at least a fortnight away, and she did not think there was any danger of the babe coming while he was away.
The coming hours were to show how little she knew.
When Robb and Grey Wind left for his IPD duties, Jeyne went back to sleep, stealing Robb's pillows to make herself more comfortable. Her backache had grown more painful, but not enough that she could not drift back into a light sleep until midmorning. It was not the howling of the wind and snow that woke her, but a sharp pain that took her breath away and brought her fully awake. This did not scare her, though, as she knew Sansa had felt such pains in the weeks before Eddara's birth. She got up and added more wood to the fire on the hearth, prepared herself a cup of tea, and took it back to bed with her to get some more rest, thinking that would ease the pains.
It did not ease them, however, and by noon Jeyne began to wonder if in fact the baby was coming. The storm had grown so fierce by this time that it was nearly as dark as early evening in the house, and Jeyne knew she could not risk even walking the short distance to Susan or Sansa's. Her hope of Robb's return grew slimmer and slimmer as the storm worsened; it was so bad, in fact, that she hoped he had sought shelter instead of fighting his way back through it, despite how badly she wanted him here with her. What if something went wrong? It was two weeks before her time; this could not be good. All the horror stories she had ever heard about labouring women came up from her mind to haunt her, and she could not shake them.
By midafternoon, she knew it was not a false alarm, that the babe was truly on his way; her waters had broken, confirming her growing fear. Jeyne had managed to put old towels and blankets on the bed and enough wood on the fire to make the whole house toasty warm, but did not get further than that before the pains were too much to let her keep her feet any longer. She had been frightened, but now there was no room for fear; only instinct, as she sought to find a comfortable position in which to give birth. There was no conscious thought about what she was about to do, for all thoughts had been buried under a surge of physical exertion that she had not thought herself capable of. It seemed like both hours and no time at all before she reached down to find that the babe was crowning, and just when she thought she could bear the pain no longer, he was born--a son, Jeyne saw with a rush of happiness as she gathered him into her arms and held him close to her. She and Robb finally had a child, a son, and she was so filled with happiness that she could hardly breathe.
She was also so tired she could hardly move, so she only did the bare minimum to clean up herself and her child before wrapping them both in heavy blankets to keep warm as the storm raged even more fiercely outside. Little Reynald was pink and bright-eyed, but did not seem inclined to cry. It worried Jeyne that he was not healthy, but when she put him to the breast he seemed eager enough. "Your lord father will be so surprised," Jeyne said to her son, laughing, and kissing the top of his head.
[ooc: Just Robb for the moment, because of the snowstorm, but will have another post up for family asap <3]