“How long?” I asked. It had to be hours, by the look of things.
All heads turned as I spoke, and Amyu pushed in from behind me.
“Why have you brought her here?” A woman who looked as old as Keekai stood before me, as if to bar my way. She was naked from the waist up, and sweating as well.
“She is a healer.” Amyu stood her ground, even as her voice trembled. “If there is any chance to save Eace—”
“That is not your place, child,” the woman snapped. For a moment I thought I’d be thrown out of the tent, but her features softened. “What is done is done.” She turned away, then, towards the woman on the pallet. I followed, to look between the woman’s legs. She was open, and I could see a tiny foot, trying to emerge.
“I am Reness, Eldest Thea.” The one who’d barred my path was speaking. “This is Eace’s first. I’ve tried to turn the babe, but it will not shift.” She reached out, and a man handed her a knife, its blade bright in the light. The flames from the braziers flickered on its surface, and in her eyes as she looked at me. “I have heard of your skills, you who would be a warprize.”
She held up the knife, and looked at me, her face a mask of pain. “I’ve cut babes out before, but the woman always dies.” She took a deep breath. “I would ask that you use your skills to bring her back from the dead, once the baby is born.” She turned away, and brought the knife to bear on the woman’s stomach.
Chapter 12
One quick step, and I had my hand on the clenched fist that held the dagger, preventing it from touching the skin. I looked at Reness’s stark face, and gave her a serious grave look, even as my heart sang with happiness. “I’ve cut out babes before, and the women have lived.”
Hope flared in eyes where there’d been none. Some of the faces about us mirror’d hers. Reness stilled her hand. “You have?”
“I have.” I looked around at hopeful faces, including Amyu’s. “It is difficult and dangerous. But let me try.”
There was silence for a moment, as the theas around us considered each other.
“She is not of the Plains.” One spoke softly.
“Do not trust in this woman, Eldest Thea,” another urged. “The winds may rise up in anger.”
The woman moaned and writhed in pain. I didn’t look away from Reness, who stared at me.
Then Reness nodded her head and sheathed her dagger. “Do it.”
“Get a table in here, and get her on it,” I ordered. “I need water, cloths for the blood, and the sharpest, smallest blade you can find me. Quickly. This has gone on long enough.”
There was a flurry about us as they acted as quickly as I could ask. I concentrated on digging out one of my precious needles from my satchel, and some of the dried gut that I always kept there, trying to keep my joy off my face. My heart swelled, filled with a sense of comfort, of pure satisfaction and delight. Here was a task I could do, and do well, in a situation I’d been in many times before. A wonderful sense of being needed filled me, a sense of being wanted.
Of being home.
I schooled my face, and braided my hair up to get it out of the way as I watched the preparations.
Amyu was kneeling by my patient’s head, smoothing back her damp hair, and murmuring something in her ear. She stayed with her even as they lifted Eace onto the table. I caught the words ‘warprize’ and ‘help’. Eace’s eyes seemed more rational now, her head straining up so that she could see me over her belly.
A small knife, probably a skinning blade, was pressed into my hand. I recognized the black flint that was used in the tips of their throwing lances. Ironic that such an instrument of death could be used to save a life. Everyone else was stripping off their tunics, men and women, due to the heat. One of the men offered me a bowl and a pitcher of water, and I held out my hands for the ritual blessing, praying as the water poured over my hands and the knife. Goddess, please guide my hands.
I took my place, and watched as another contraction wracked through my patient. “Scream, Eace,” I of fered. “It will help with the pain.”
“I will not,” Eace panted, laying flat, her face white as snow, sweat pouring off her. “I am a warrior of the Plains. I will not move, I will not flinch. I will chant battle cries.”
I exchanged glances with some of the older women in the room, about to roll my eyes at that comment. But their faces were grim, and I realized that they expected the pain. They thought that was normal. I sighed, and shook my head. “I will not take a chance. Hold her down.”
Many hands reached, and Eace started to chant. “Birth of air, death of—”
Warrior that she was, the poor thing didn’t scream. She jerked under their hands at the touch of my blade, and then conveniently fainted away. I worked swiftly to take advantage of that, making my first cut carefully. Two men stood off to the side, and used cloths to keep the site as clean as possible.
Eln had developed a new technique with these births, pushing the muscles aside instead of slicing them, cutting only where absolutely necessary. I strained, working my hands in, trying to keep my cuts as small as possible.
Once through the womb, I handed the knife out, and reached in to sort out the babe, feeling for the cord, to make sure it wasn’t wrapped around—
I laughed right out loud as my fingers told me what I needed to know.
The theas looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. I just shook my head, and eased forth the babe, who popped out screaming. One of the men stood close, with a clean cloth held open for the child. I placed the crying boy in the blanket, the cord still attached.
“Heyla!” The man laughed and grinned at me. “Hear a warrior’s cries!”
The others broke out into smiles, but I just plunged my hands back inside. “Then here’s double the joy!”
I carefully pulled forth another baby, a girl, red-faced and furious, screaming at this new world. She was even louder than her brother, and she had every right to be, since it was her foot that had blocked the canal.
“Twins!” The theas around us crowed in joy, crooning to the babes.
Reness moved closer, and I looked to her. “Can you tie off the cords, Reness? I must finish here.”
Reness drew her dagger again, her face as bright as the blade. “I am honored, Warprize.”
I turned my attention to Eace, and worked to make sure that I cleaned her out well, before I started to stitch her closed. I tried to be careful, with small stitches, but I was fighting time and her bleeding. Amyu remained by Eace’s head, stroking her forehead, and stared at me with wide eyes.
The babes were off behind me, being cleaned and checked over. But theas remained with me, helping to keep the site clear of blood, dealing with the mess. No wonder she had such a problem, the babes were so large, and Eace a small thing. I concentrated on my work, mindful that my patient was a warrior, and would want to leap to her feet at the first moment of awareness.
Which gave me an idea. Once I had the birthsack closed off, I gestured to my satchel. “I’ve bloodmoss in there, wrapped in blue cloth. Could someone—”
“I know it.” One of the theas reached within, and held it out for me. I gave him a surprised look. He shrugged. “I was given some by one of Keir’s warriors.”
I checked first, to see that the birthsack was properly positioned, that the muscles had eased back into position. Then I pulled the skin together and applied the bloodmoss.
Sure enough, it started to seal the cut, leaving an angry red line in its place. I had to be careful, I didn’t want the herb to seal the layers together. But the bloodmoss did its work, turned color and then pulled clean away from the wound. I took a step back, and drew in a deep breath of relief. Eace was still unconscious, but her breathing had eased. I placed my hand on her chest to find her heart beating steadily.