RP:A Leg To Stand On
Summary: Alvina arrives to give Pilar her new leg! After some trepidation on Pilar's part, they get down to business. And then Alvina goes into labor. Joy!
West Hall, Frostmaw Fort
The morning after Hudson and Alvina arrived back at the Fort in Frostmaw, it's the light tap of her pale knuckles that heralds her arrival to Pilar's chambers. Hudson is with her, standing beside her in case she should prematurely go into any fits of labor. He looks genuinely nervous about all this moving around she insisted on doing and is wearing this tense expression before Alvina even knocked. “Are you sure you should be doing this right now? Babe?” He's staring at her, expecting an answer. “I already told you! I have to do this before the twins are born, or who knows when I'll be able to take care of it!” Their simple bickering is kept at a low tone. It's not even really a fight but a concern, on Hudson's part. He grumbles and leans against the wall, waiting for Pilar to either not be home or to let them in.
Pilar had been sitting at her table, enjoying tea and a book when the knock came. Her dog looked up at the door and growled. "It's okay, Medli," Pilar said. The harrier had been very protective since Pilar's injury. She was a good girl. Pilar grabbed her crutches, got to her foot, and hobbled to the door. Her enchanted ice leg was still by her bed, unused. She hadn't seen the point in using it if she was just hanging around her room. She hoped Cassy was back with her badger Darmani, but when she unlocked and opened the door to see Alvina and Hudson, she was hardly disappointed. "Miss Alvina! And Mister... Hudson, right? It's nice to see you two." She had met Hudson only twice, not counting the funeral. Both in Cenril; once at the bank, where she'd saved his spot in line when he went to take a leak, and once when they came across a hefty amount of Firefly Steve in the hands of a couple orphans. Not that Pilar knew Hudson's involvement with the drug, beyond flushing it down the toilet that one time. Pilar opened the door wider and backed up, giving the couple room to enter. Medli's tail wagged as she came up to sniff the couple. Well, it wagged when she sniffed Alvina. Hudson got a still tail and a snort.
"Hey... Pilar," Hudson returns the greeting, with a lazy smile. He did his best not to conjure images of poor kids strung out on Firefly Steve. To be honest, it's more or less part of the job he doesn't think about. He goes, makes money, comes home to his very pregnant girlfriend and thinks about being a good father. Or, trying his damnedest. “Good morning!” Alvina calls, wobbling through the door frame to pat Pilar's pup squarely on the head. “Such a good boy,” she echoes Pilar's previous sentiment while Hudson shots the dog dirty looks behind Alvina's back. He's use to that kind of treatment from anything with a keen nose. “I thought I'd stop by to see if we could come by sometime this afternoon, to make the final measurements and get your leg on.” The bard is beaming but Hudson rolls his eyes. “We hauled half her work stuff up here...” He complains, lovingly.
Pilar smiled. It would probably be the first time Alvina had seen her smile. She still looked tired, and haunted, but the smile brightened her face considerably. "Oh... Of course! That would be wonderful. I'm so grateful to you, Miss Alvina." Medli went to her bed and lied back down as Pilar jerked her head towards her table. "Would you like some tea? I have some extra cups." If they accepted, Pilar, ever the gracious hostess, would hobble towards the cabinet. If they refused, Pilar would stay put. Either way, she continued, "Your salve worked well, Miss Alvina. I won't lie and say it cured me, but it did help me get some sleep. Thankfully, I won't need more. My friend was able to get rid of the visions."
While Alvina was noting how much healthier Pilar looked, Hudson went to fuss with the tea stuff. Tea wasn't his strong suit. He would have been happier drinking a beer, even this early. "I'll get them, you girls talk. She's been driving me crazy, all the way here. Just tell me where the stuff is." He'll stand, idling next to her, waiting for direction until she provides it. Alvina, for her part, will reflect Pilar's smile back at her. "I'm so glad it helped, it really depends on the person using it. You must have had faith in me." Hudson narrows his eyes at Alvina, what is this crap she's talking about? He runs a hand against his bristly chin. What? He'll shave it once the girls are born. "You are so lucky to have so many good friends." Alvina chirps, over Hudson's critical glance. "If you are free now, we can go ahead and bring everything down? It might take a while to...get it hooked up correctly though, so feel free to say no if you have plans today." Which would basically mean HUDSON ERRAND BOY EXTRODINARE would utilize his werewolf advantage and 'fetch' all the appropriate contraptions from their room. He's full on staring at her now. Oh -we- will, will we? His facial expression read loud and clear but Alvina is too busy ignoring him to notice. They have a very odd but hilariously loving dynamic.
Pilar pointed toward the cabinet as best she could. "They're in there." Pilar looked back at Alvina. "I'm free today, yes. But is it a lot of stuff? I could always go with you... I'd just need to leave a note so Cassy doesn't worry."
"No no, I got it," Hudson is quick to shut down the idea of Pilar schlepping back to his and Alvina's room. In large part because it looks like their suitcases vomited their contents in there. And Hudson isn't sure just what exactly he left on the bed before they left but he suspects high likelihood that it's a bad scene and not appropriate for non-parties to their relationship to witness. There's a reason Alvina volunteered him to go, anyway, it's also more polite. He lets himself out and jogs down the hall to their temporary quarters. OK, actually, nothing ridiculous or incriminating is on the bed. He had been fairly certain he saw Alvina dump a bunch of stuff there but he's wrong, fine. After cuddling the cat, who looked like she needed it, urgently - when did he become the guy who likes his girlfriend's cat - he picks up the oversized duffels with her materials and locks up before heading back to Pilar's. He deposits one after another on a clean space and goes about unzipping them, lifting out their contents for the women. There's one of his socks crammed in one of them, and after mumbling something about wondering where that went, he zips one bag up in the other and sits down with his tea and the sports magazine he'd brought to this event.
Alvina is promising Pilar it won't take too long, but she'll be careful and have to make sure she does everything just right. It's a delicate and a bit extensive. "Cerinii taught me to do it right, the first time. I wouldn't want to let her down by rushing. I hope that's okay with you." Hudson's journey doesn't take too long, he emerges with various bags, loaded down with odds and ends. The most important, Pilar's replacement leg, is in a tall suitcase. For now, Alvina leaves it shut and puts it to the side. "Is Cassy going to be coming by a bit later?" She asks. "Don't worry, everything will be okay." The bard can only imagine how intimidating it is to see all this equipment loaded into the room. It takes a lot of anatomic knowledge, as well and machinery experience, to operate in this setting. One particular instrument is a little greasy; she rubs it against her dress, feeling self conscious. This is only the second time she's done something like this...but it's nerve wracking. This is someone's happiness at stake. Maybe their whole livelihood. "Would you be okay to lie down?" This is all a little abrupt. "Forgive the rush but I know you've been waiting patiently and I want to make sure it's all good and proper before the girls decide to make their grand entrance. If this feels too rushed, we can wait." She's reassuring Pilar, unable to read her expression. Is she afraid? Does she trust Alvina this far? They'd only just met!
Pilar became more and more nervous as it began to sink in. This was really happening. She looked to the door. "Yes, she'll be here soon, she just took Darmani out." Chocolate eyes went to Alvina's belly. "Maybe... Maybe waiting is a good idea. Your daughter come first." Which was only a part of the reason she wanted to put it off. She was scared. Part of her still wondered if Desparrow was playing a cruel game with her. At that moment, Cassy returned. Tall, green skin, massive wings. She had a badger on a leash, or at least, it used to be. Now it had inky black eyes and spikes running down its back. Cassy blinked. "Um..." She looked around, eyes finally settling on Hudson. "Who are you?" "He's with Alvina, he's fine... I think." "You think?" "Well... he does smell of lycan..." Pilar murmured. Cassy dropped the leash and went to Pilar's side, holding her in her arms. "That doesn't mean he's HIM." "I... I know..." Pilar said.
Hudson smells mostly like the Hollow equivalent of AXE, actually, but maybe also, to a highly trained nose, of lycan. It had been a bit of a bumpy ride when he'd first been turned wolf, but now he's got a handle on it and is mostly himself. Which is to say there's nothing of Desparrow or otherwise menacing about his demeanor, he's the kind of guy who sits behind you in geometry class and skips every Wednesday and asks to copy your homework once in awhile and you let him because he's polite and self-deprecating about it. He opens his mouth to introduce himself to Cassy, but then watches with puzzlement as the interaction evolves slightly off the normal course, and Pilar, whom he's met before, starts wilting in his presence. It's so offputting that he can't even be all, woah lesbians! in his mind about it. Evidently something's happened to her that had nothing to do with him but clearly involved another wolf. He sits on the nearest surface, insert good dog joke here, etc. He lifts his eyebrows and looks at Alvina, to avoid infringing on the intimacy of this consolation happening between the two women, and also to silently convey the following: ????????? "Sorry," he exhales, convincingly, though privately he is thinking he actually has nothing to apologize for here, and also #NOTALLWEREWOLVES. He drinks his tea in a show of how domesticated he in particular is. Just a dude over here who also is a lycan. He wishes it were a beer, though. "If the wolf thing is bringing up bad memories I can leave," he offers, patiently, already thinking ahead to the now relatively likely argument he's going to have with Alvina about this: Did you know she would react that way, that was so uncomfortable, it makes me feel so bad about myself, that I have to sit there and act like it is reasonable for racist-- yes racist, and so on and so forth. He spares a look at Alvina, how she reacts will either put out or feed the fire for later.
Alvina doesn't move to step between them. If anything, she wants to reassure Pilar that Hudson is as much a victim of Desparrow's thoughtless psychotic behavior as she is. Wasn't he just another innocent bystander that got pulled into that dudes mad power ploy? "He's more than fine. He's a normal person, lycan or not." This is the first time anyone's hesistated around Hudson. Everyone else, just kind of accepted he was a dude that smelled like wet dog sometimes. It's cool, everyone does? But Alvina knows Pilar has been through a bad experience involving werewolves and might be tempted to group them all together. "Just like there are bad people, there are bad werewolves and good." She's thinking now about her own pre-disposition to distrust witches but she doesn't say anything, just puts a hand on Hudson's shoulder to silently remind him that she's with him and everything is okay. To just give everything a minute more. "He's my fiance." She says, though it's not exactly true. "And the father of these little pups here." A bad joke but half breed lycans too. "Don't let one idiot ruin it, please." She's saying this to Pilar, basically vouching for all intents and purposes that Hudson is good and normal. She's actually impressed he apologized. She's never seen him back down from anything...but the recent werewolf / witch propaganda was getting to him.
"No, no, don't apologize, I... I should be sorry," Pilar said. "It wasn't that you're a lycan that bothered me, it's... I thought... I thought you might be... Desparrow in dsiguise..." Pilar said. "I'm... I'm sorry." Pilar sniffed and tears came to her eyes, and Cassy squeezed her, kissing her head. "I'm sorry..." Pilar, a victim of racism herself, was beyond upset that her words had been taken that way. Cassy wiped her cheeks. "You don't have to be--" "Yes I do, what I said was stupid," Pilar replied. "I'm stupid, it's all my fault, all of it, Harold and Mikau and... and..." Cassy hugged her tighter as she started to cry in earnest. Pilar, it seemed, hadn't healed as much as they'd thought. She just kept whispering "I'm sorry" over and over.
Just as quickly as he'd become secretly annoyed with Alvina for subjecting him to this uncomfortable moment, Hudson becomes un-annoyed with her: that thing when you're a couple and your significant other does something and you ASSUME IMMEDIATELY that they did it on purpose and are therefore so annoying and then you find out they did not in fact do it on purpose and are just as dismayed as you are. And then you feel chastened for jumping to conclusions, and glad you said nothing, and then also grateful for how gracious the other party is sometimes. Still, it's a little awkward watching Pilar sob and go to pieces because he might have been Desparrow in disguise. Especially with Alvina, also former kidnapping victim of Desparrow, right there and declaring herself his fiance. Err... crap. She must be a little embarrassed about the fact that they're not married but having kids, because the technical term for what he is happens to be "partner" or "boyfriend". This'll be a Conversation capital C later, after they're done discussing, this time on the same team, how patient he was with this werewolf-related panic attack. Yes, so patient. He touches Alvina's back absently, as if in solidarity, but really it's just his way of conveying SO PATIENT I AM SO PATIENT SOOOO PATIENT can this plz stop do you have woman skills to make it stop. It's getting awkward, maybe he should say something. "I haven't felt Desparrow in a little while, like just... nothing," he offers, clearing his throat. "Uh, wolf radar of sorts. I hope he's dead. So we can all move on with our lives..."
Alvina admittedly jumps a bit when Hudson touches her on the back. It had been unexpected. "Oh, Hudson." She gives him a careful smile, tiptoeing to kiss his cheek briefly. "Pilar, Cassy..." Like a very odd mother duckling, Alvina steps over to wrap both the women in her wide wing span. Good thing it's a high hug, her stomach would never make it. "It's okay..." She says, holding them both close. What was she even doing. Pilar had Cassy to comfort her! Why did she feel the need to step in and try too? "It's not your fault. It's Desparrows. Gods willing, he is dead and gone, forever. He's done nothing but destroy all the people in this room..." It was true. Kidnapping Alvina, turning Hudson, Kidnapping Pilar, which hurt Cassy. "You are safe, with us. More than anyone else in this world."
Pilar sniffed and let one arm curl around Alvina. She took deep breaths, trying to calm down. "I... Is he really... gone?" she asked, turning hopeful eyes to Hudson. Then she looked to Alvina. "He's... hurt you, too? I'm... I'm so sorry, I... I shouldn't have brought it up... I'm sorry..." Cassy kissed her temple, then smiled at Alvina. "Thank you for understanding." Pilar sniffed and wiped her eyes. "If... if you'd rather... go rest... that's fine... the leg can wait..."
Hudson is somewhat fantasizing about redoing the day, except this time he stays in their room and reads a sports magazine rather than awkwardly talk about Desparrow. Alvina could have told him this might come up. Ah well, she's still really impressive, though, he wouldn't have thought to pile on like that. "I dunno, I hope so," he says to Pilar, shrugging as there's nothing left to add. He almost wonders if they should go, perhaps she's suggesting it because she'd like to be alone with Cassy. Now everyone feels weird. That happens, sometimes.
Alvina looks at Pilar and gives her another swift hug. "There's no way I'm going anywhere. Crying is fine, but I'm putting this leg on you one way or another." Too soon for a joke like that? Ah well, she tries. "Cassy, will you help Pilar onto the bed? I can't leave until we see this thing through. No giving up on my watch!" It's meant to be inspiring, look at this heavy bard wobble around lifting heavier things! So inspire! Much amazement! "Hudson," She walks over beside him and kisses his forehead, somewhere under his messy hair. "Hand me...the leg." She gives him a wide -eyed dramatic look but she's smiling. She hopes he'll smile awkwardly back. It's the best thing she can hope for now.
Pilar managed a small smile for Alvina, and got into the bed with Cassy's help. Cassy sat by her side and held her hand. Pilar watched Alvina prepare nervously. "Is... is it going to hurt a lot?"
Hudson emits a grunt for being smooched at such a time but secretly feels it. He makes himself useful after that. He slides down from where he's sitting and picks up the leg Alvina has crafted, bringing it to where she is hovering over Pilar, who has Assumed The Position. He shakes his head in response to Pilar's question, even though he has no idea what the answer actually is. Best to provide a positive outlook on such things. "Here you go," he says, handing the metal limb over.
Alvina takes the case Hudson offers and hides it at the edge of the bed. She doesn't want Pilar to see the leg until after it's attached. It's a bit like... surgery secret santa. If that is a thing. Which, apparently it is now? Who knows. "Nope! Not a bit. You'll be... asleep." She hands a jar similiar to the one she gave Pilar on her last trip, only this time the liquid is purple. "Cassy, I know you just kind of randomly walked into this but I need you to rub this on Pilar's forehead when she gives you the signal that it's okay to do so. Pilar, you won't feel a thing but when you wake up, it's going to sting a bit because I'll have to attach it." Layman's terms...it would be like a skin graft only...with metal so a bit of pain there. "And it will take a bit of therapy to regain full mobility outside of walking but I know you'll do just fine. I promise. I have done this before." Only once, no point mentioning that. Hudson was pulling out other equipment but keeping it hidden. "Okay, is everyone ready?"
Pilar swallowed. "O... okay..." She rested her head against the pillow and nodded to Cassy. Cassy nodded back and dipped her fingers in the salve. She leaned down and gave her love a tender kiss before rubbing the liquid on the vampire's forehead. Pilar smiled softly as her eyes slid closed. Cassy put the salve aside and gripped Pilar's hand.
Hudson, apart from handling heavy equipment, makes himself useful by fetching two of Pilar's chairs and bringing them. One for Alvina, to sit while she works in attaching the limb, and one for Cassy, which he gestures she's welcome to, if she wants it. He's happy to stand, or kneel, when Alvina gets to working. He also puts himself in charge of the sterilizing reagent, which happens to be alcohol. (He regrets tasting it, however, and makes a face.)
Alvina couldn't talk, or didn't, while various sounds fill the room around them. Sparks glint of metal that's heated, melted, attached. A few chemical smells will reach their nostrils (Cassy or Hudson may know them, or may not depending) and the occasional hammering does take place. Then, a sharp pain will introduce itself without more than a casual warning from her, to Cassy. “She might move around, that's normal. Don't be afraid.” Because Pilar had agreed to sedation, she might just wiggle the slightest bit when the pain comes. She certainly can't feel it. Alvina doesn't know exactly how much it will hurt because she'd been asleep at this juncture. The feelings would be akin to someone pouring hot lava into someone's veins. The skin that had scarred and healed to become the attachment portion for Emilia's ice replacement will be removed (per her technique's requirements) and replaced with the metal limb itself. As she worked, she stripped off her cloak and revealed her own metal arm, using it as flawlessly as a completely functioning replacement for the previously lost limb. The metal mixes with flesh around where her shoulder blade should have been, and is completely visible to Cassy as she continues. Hudson can see it, of course, but he's seen it a thousand times before The pain begins to dull after a time, a warmth spreading through the newly attached limb as if it is alive; flesh, bone, and blood. Beads of sweat line her forehead and she pauses to give them a smile. It's been two hours time since she began. "It's finished, but do not let her move just yet. She'll be asleep a little while but when she wakes tell her to stay as still as possible just a little while longer.” These instructions are directed at Cassy. The bard is out of breath, and might not have been able to finish if not for the various times she called on Hudson for help with this or that. Putting the metal leg in place, handing her tools. She gives him a casual smile, dripping with relief and subtle anxiety. Would it work? Would Pilar be okay? “We will be in the fort for a few more days, just to make sure everything is working all right. After that, we are due at the clinic, for these kiddos.” Her arms are tired...too tired to even lay on her stomach. “I'm going to step in the hall for a moment, catch my breath, will you pack a few of these things away.” Her attention is fully on Hudson, and she does look exhausted, even in her limp smile. “I love you...” She whispers to him, taking his hand and kissing the back in her sweet fashion.The same way she'd first kissed him, in these same hallways, almost two years ago. “I'll be right back. Just need a second to get my head together after all that.” The door opens, letting in a fresh gust of cool wind from somewhere out in the world, and shuts behind her. The bard takes a breath, then another, leaning against the cool stones in the hallway. Her body felt like it was on fire. She didn't want to tell Hudson she was a little dizzy. He was already worried as it is. Her hair is tied in a messy bun, strings of crimson clinging to the back of her neck and throat as she closes her eyes to concentrate on the sound of her heartbeat.
Lionel adjusts the collar of his silken black shirt. He’s cast its fringes upward sharply on both sides -- just like always. Looking into the mirror, he’ll blink and then blink again. The third time he closes his eyes, he keeps them that way. Lionel is not keen to see his own reflection today; not after last night’s racing heart. All around him, zero stacks of papers. He’s gotten an early start, two hours before dawn, speeding through them like he’s never sped before. In fact, this might be the first time Lionel O’Connor has ever seen the cherrywood surface of his desk since taking office as Knight-Commander. There are no further meetings for five further hours, nor is Rorin having any great difficulty keeping the recruits in line out in the training yard. All forward scout regiments have reported; truly, Lionel is free for a stroll. He opens his eyes and peers into the mirror again, brow furrowing and lips tightening into a grimace. Tilting the dragon’s brooch which signifies his position, the man finds it will not stay where needs it. Actually, it’s fine, but he’s too on-edge to realize. With a sigh, he steps wayward of that damned mirror and sips what’s left of his wine goblet. Then he glares at the door like it’s scheming against him. Pulling it open, he exits out into a hall full of soldiers strategizing and gossiping. Every one of them bows as he passes, yet more than a few whisper thoughts as soon as they believe he’s out of hearing range. They’re mistaken, but Lionel’s accustomed to this charade. Idle chitchat helps pass the day for many of the men and women under his command. There’s something off about Lionel’s pace today. He’s walking slowly. Always in a hurry, this one, but today he finds he’s been weighted-down by by feelings he is not supposed to have, feelings he hasn’t had for a decade. So consumed is he, that he barely recognizes he’s led himself unwittingly to the corridor just outside the place he’d agreed to meet her. Quite suddenly, he’s there, and she’s there, and she sees her struggling. “Alvina,” he calls, swift step returning as he comes up beside her with a worried frown. “You look positively exhausted. Take a seat,” he tries to lure her over toward a nearby bench for breath-catching, hand out insistently. Leaning isn’t what she needs -- it’s -sitting.- “Please.”
Cassy took the chair with a nod to Hudson, then turned her eyes to Pilar. Her brows were furrowed in her sleep. She was dreaming of her capture. There was Desparrow, standing menacingly above her. And then, the pain. Her leg burned as it was eaten away, and she screamed. In the waking world, she merely whimpered. Cassy squeezed het hand. "Pilar..." Soon, the pain faded, and the cave as well. Now she was in a meadow, and Cassy was there. The dragon held out her hand, and Pilar was soon on her feet, dancing, dancing, dancing...
Hudson doubles back to the dining table to collect his Sports Magazine and then settles in for the project as official keeper of the sterilizing agent but otherwise does little else, because this is Alvina's gig. He displays a passive curiosity for what she's doing; sometimes he looks, but he gets the impression that it throws off her focus a bit if she's got an audience, so mostly, he reads about expected hot stove season trades, what teams are in search of a power hitter, who's on the market, what sort of rookie talent is coming up, and so on. As Alvina handles foul smelling chemicals, he tries not to make the I Think This Was A Poor Idea face. He runs out of reading material fairly quickly, these things are mostly full of advertisements, so then he begins pacing around Pilar's room. Until Alvina tells him to stop, because it's distracting. Fine. He excuses himself to go to their room, pulls some magazines out of Alvina's luggage - she'd packed his, right? - and returns to Pilar's only to discover that Alvina only packed her "women's" magazines. ...And so he has no choice but to become engrossed in the Hollow equivalent of PEOPLE, which incidentally has an article about notable personages who resemble their pets and features... JOSLEEN AND GIGI. Upon discovering this, he snort laughs in his throat and is forced to shutter his glee when Alvina glances his way. He finds this garbage publication perversely addictive and reads it for the remainder of the time Alvina is operating. ...And then she's done, looking a bit more worn out than she'd bargained for, he reckons. He gestures that she should sit, but she's excusing herself to go outside, seemingly to cool off a bit. It's always sweet but a little awkward when your girl tells you she loves you in front of some strangers (no offense Pilar and Cassy). He gives her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "You too, babe, go get some air, I got this stuff." He waves off any offer of assistance from Cassy, tells her that he's got it, she should just relax and stay with Pilar. Walls are effective. And so, he's oblivious to whatever discussion occurs outside of Pilar's place. The sound doesn't travel. In any event he's focused on the task at hand and also thinking about dinner. He kind of wants cashew chicken or orange beef, he will suggest to Alvina, he's 90% certain that this proposal will meet with her approval.
Alvina is panting, thinking about the grafting on the skin. It looks all right but was it really? Would it heal properly? It occurred, this conflict of doubt, on almost all projects. Would it work? Would it be functional? Was it how she wanted it to be? Would Cerinii approve? She thinks about her avain teacher as Lionel appears. He's saying something to her, it's a little muted. Was he whispering? Was it because of the other night, and because he knew Hudson was here? “You came out of no where,” she told him, looking a bit dazed and very uncomfortable. “I'm just – ugh...” Her palms brace her torso for suppose against her knees. A grimace, and her breath stalled in her lungs. The crown of her head is visible to Lionel, instead of her twisting expression. Her breath bursting back out a few seconds later in full force. “I have to walk...” She whispered, head canting back upright before beginning a patterned breathing cycle. Her mouth formed in an uncomfortable and perfect 'O' shape. Inhale slowly through the nose...and exhale through the mouth. She's canting it, internally while Lionel looks at her, perhaps bewildered that she lacks urgency. If he continues to object, Alvina will wave him off, “This is what Emili-” A clang. The sound of something falling or being dropped in Pilar's room? Alvina turns her head to look at the door but it's still closed. Surely, nothing serious. It's followed by a distinct 'pop' sound, which causes Alvina to look at Lionel. Did he hear it too? The thought didn't have time to process. Water, warm and viscous, snaked down her legs and into her boots. Not a common occurrence but she'd heard about pregnant women sometimes...you know, peeing themselves in front of strangers. Her cheeks flush a quick crimson and she's stuttering some kind of excuse to get Lionel into Pilar's room. “You really should go check on her, she's asleep but -”. Please do not notice I've just peed on myself. PLEASE. Thank the gods for long dresses. Maybe Lionel is turning towards the room, hoping to get Alvina to come with him to sit down like he asked. She's forcing an awkward smile, chants some mantra secretly about not being found out, waving him off and steadying her breathing so he won't worry. It's just the procedure, it's stressful, she's fine...when a burst of water cascades down both her legs and collides with the heavy stone floors with an audible splash. It's too obvious to notice, she's now standing in a very distinct puddle, laced with traces of blood. She closes her eyes and wants to vanish. How is this happening? There's absolutely no way to process that her water just broke...in front of Lionel, of all the people in this gods forsaken realm. Her mouth is open to say something, but no sound comes out. She should be shouting for Hudson but the surreal realization that you've effectively dumped pounds of water into the floor in front of someone who is not your boyfriend from between your thighs is...nothing short of horrendous.
Lionel is fine. This is fine, Alvina’s fine, and Lionel is fine. There is a nagging feeling like the entire planet has been turned upside-down or gravity has approximated the effects therein but not to worry because Lionel is fine. His feet are wet and his mind trails to a tsunami overtaking Frostmaw -- could that happen? If everything is ice and snow, well, surely ice and snow must melt, and when that happens, what is left but water? Perhaps Alvina is only the beginning. Perhaps the water will shortly break everywhere the eye can see and every single resident of this great kingdom will turn to aqua. What if that happened? Hellfire would be needed, right? Lionel would be needed. A song of ice and fire. That’s how this would work, right? Lionel would need to pacify the tidal wave in some absurd potentially obnoxious heroic fashion. All this thought rips through him in an instant but Alvina Liadon is still standing there mouth agape in quiet shock. Ouch. Shock. Electricity does not mesh well with water. Practical thoughts, Catalian. Practical thoughts. Lionel breathes. It’s an odd thing to note save for times when breathing has not yet transpired. Snapping up in haste he puts his hands up in some kind of frenzied peace offering. Who is he offering peace? Surely not himself -- this has been addressed -- Lionel is fine. No matter. He is a man of action and there are definitely things he should be doing. “It’s going to be fine,” Lionel tells Alvina, as if he could possibly believe it. “F, f,” is he going to say something crude? “Follow my lead,” he recovers, “trust me on this, I am an expert,” and he snaps his fingers and suddenly realizes he does not know the father’s name even slightly. Well then. Whoever the lucky lad, he will be happy to know his twins are on the way. Beyond doubt, he and others must be made aware. It cannot be overemphasized that the contents of this entire paragraph of text are occurring inside the span of a few manic seconds. Lionel is physically capable, hardened with war’s rigors, so he manages to slide across the pool of broken water with deftness and even style. In sliding, he places a hand to her shoulder reassuringly and swings open the door to a sleeping woman with a fresh new leg and her multiple personality girlfriend and a guy with a magazine. “Alvina is having the baby!” There you go, Lionel. We’re all so proud of you for bursting out five mandatory words in a direct and appropriate fashion. Then he twirls, still across that puddle, takes a deep breath, cants his head to the side, and waves at Pilar and her darling and whoever that other dude was. “Follow my lead, trust me on this, I am an expert,” he repeats, and then he cups his hand and cries out down the desolate hall, “enemy attack! Literally right here! Help!” And sure enough, a wayward guard turns a corner with a panic and a spear held high for striking, but Lionel waves him off posthaste, and surely the guard sees the woman with her puddle, and Lionel is now holding her supportively and he continues his plan. “You! There is no enemy! ‘Twas but farce -- go -- fetch Emilia from her chambers!” The guard blinks but Lionel’s face is determination personified. And let me tell you, the guard does not want to disobey. So he’s off to find Emilia and everything is fine. Alvina is fine. The babies will be fine. Lionel is fin… ding out in rapid realization that the fellow in Pilar’s room is the father, and his heart goes up and down and zigzags, but now is not the time. Now is the time for men of action. And it cannot be said that Lionel, with his ankles drenched and Alvina leaning against him, is not a man of action.
It's a good thing Pilar is unconscious, or she would probably be... Actually, fine. She's delivered babies before. Mostly cats and dogs, but she did help her sister give birth. But it is Cassy who reacts, panic flying across her face. She stood up, as if to help, then remembered Pilar would need SOMEONE there when she woke up. So she turned to Hudson and said, probably unnecessarily, "Go! I'll clean up. Go!"