All of Olympus shook with the force of Emily's screams as Hermes rushed to bring her to Hecate. Shortly after midnight, Emily awoke from a dead sleep with the Braxton-Hicks contractions that plagued her for two weeks intensified into the real deal. Taking deep breaths, she struggled into the bathroom, meaning to draw herself a warm bath. She knew enough to know that with her first baby it could take up to an entire day to birth her child...ordinarily. Considering she was giving birth to a demi-God, she also knew that she could not count on anything being as it should be. As she breathed her way through another terribly intense contraction, warm water came from her nether-regions, almost as if she peed herself but without the feeling of actually releasing her bladder. The warm water pooled around her feet, coming in a steady way, as if it would never stop. Even as she sat down in the hot water of her bath, still it came. And so did the pain. Hermes was sleeping in her bed and she wanted very much to wake him up. Feeling such agony alone in the middle of the night was nearly panic inducing. But she did not want to need him in that way. So she did not scream when the pains came, closer and closer together, but she could not stop her mind from yelling out to the God who fathered the babe in her womb. And apparently these silent screams awoke Hermes, who knew at once what he would find in the bathroom.
"Emily...Emily...open your eyes! You are bleeding. You should not be bleeding. Come now, we must get you out and dress you so I can take you to Hecate. We have no time to waste."
Emily heard his voice as if in a dream and she was limp in his arms as he pulled her from the bathtub. She was losing blood quickly and the situation was fast becoming dire but because of the blood loss, she felt no fear. She felt nothing but the pain through the incredible fog in her mind. She paid little attention as Hermes put a gown on her and a robe, which she was rather grateful for as she felt chills coming on. She tried so hard to hold on to her mind, to see through the fog, but in the end it was all she could do to remember why the pain was wracking her body.
By the time they made it to Olympus, Emily was completely incoherent. Hermes was terrified, thinking only of how fragile humans were. As he carried Emily's limp body, cringing at her heartbreaking screams that seemed absolutely primal in their intensity, he knew beyond a doubt that he loved her. The blood was flowing far too quickly and as soon as he saw Hecate, he all but shoved Emily's body at her. "She's dying, Aunt. She is dying."
Hecate saw what her nephew was talking about at once and she also heard the fear caused by his love for the girl in his words. She always had a soft spot for him, partially because he had a heart of gold and he never gave a damn what anyone said about it. She loved Emily as well, the little girl with the cruel mother who cried out for Hecate's love long before her conscious mind knew who Hecate was. And Hecate knew what the child Emily carried in her womb was meant to be in the human world, the importance of that little girl struggling to come into the world. So it was with conviction that she declared, "She will not die if I have anything to say on it. I need you to fetch me Freya and Oshun and Brigit. I will call for Eileithyia myself. Tell them of the situation. And remind them of the child's importance. It is urgent that you be quick. We haven't much time."
That was all the instruction he needed. Hecate blinked and Hermes was gone. She was glad of that. Calling for her niece, daughter of Hera and Zeus, the Goddess of childbirth whom she taught herself when the girl was just a child, she took Emily to a room set up with clean linens, herbs, and every instrument one could find in a modern hospital, she lay her on the bed and immediately went to work with magick and herbs to stop the bleeding, finding the source was ruptured placenta. With the aid of her niece, she was able to stop the bleeding, dull the pain, and bring Emily around in a matter of moments, though it felt like an eternity to her. In her most soothing voice, she gave instructions to Emily. She told her when to breathe, when to rest, and when the time came, she would instruct her on how to push. Hermes was back before it came to that, something Hecate was grateful for. He also had with him his child by Aphrodite who was apparently quite excited about the prospect of a new baby sister, even if she was half mortal.
At some point, while the Goddesses took turns giving Emily water and crackers to keep her strength up and herbs when it was needed, they got into a discussion about Freya's Hall, the place where the spirits of women who die in childbirth went in the Nordic beliefs. Emily, who was getting stronger every moment, commented on how Freya's Hall was judged compared with Odin's leading Freya to set straight the way of things. "The people who called on us thousands of years ago saw our Halls as the same. They knew warriors were important. Of course they were. Long before the people humans now call Vikings went out raiding, war was used to protect the villages, death that was essential to life. Women were always free to pursue the path of the warrior if they were so called. However, my people were not stupid. They knew that without birth, which sometimes included the sacrifice of the mother's life, there was no life. Women could find themselves in Odin's Hall but no man would ever come into mine and mine was considered the Hall of the bravest women. The Halls were equal in importance until much later when so much of our stories were twisted. But we, the Gods, did not forget just because our people did. My Hall is still revered. Not that you need worry about that. You will not be joining the souls of those lost to childbirth because you are not dying today. Hecate, I believe it is time for her to push."
And it was. Hermes did as his aunt instructed, getting behind Emily to support her body with his own while holding her legs with all of his strength. He whispered words of encouragement and tenderness but it was not until she was giving all she had to that last push that he finally kissed her cheek and whispered, "I love you, Em. I love you so much. And I love this child. The two of you brightened up everything for me and I'm so happy we're here. Just a little more. Just a little more and she'll be here. You are doing beautiful, incredible girl. Just a little more..."
Cheers erupted throughout the room when the baby was out. Hecate cleaned her off with towels and wrapped her in a soft blanket to put her on Emily's chest. Hermes held them both, even as Emily pushed out the afterbirth that recently held the child in her womb, so proud to have this new little family even if he wasn't sure how their lives together would turn out. He did not belong in Emily's world and she did not belong in his. Yet they belonged to each other, he knew that, and now they built a bridge with this beautiful little demi-Goddess who was already latched onto her mother's breast. "Alina. I believe that is what we should call her. It means 'light'. She was born on your Winter Solstice just as the Sun would be rising in your world. It is perfect."
Emily looked up at him and smiled. She looked gorgeous in her exhausted state and he wanted to kiss her all over. "That is a beautiful name." Looking down at their daughter, she said softly, "You told me you love me. I love you too. I did not mean for this to happen. I didn't expect it. I was just trying to help the Gods pull themselves together for whatever it is that's coming. I was not looking for love or a family. In fact, I never intended to have children. Coming from what I came from, I thought it best to let that gene pool die with me. But I have felt like all of this was meant to be since the first time I met you. You were not like the others. It was..."
"Like your soul knew me?" Hermes questioned.
"Yeah." She replied suspiciously.
He was grateful that she was too drained to question him as he was not yet ready to tell her the entire truth on why her soul knew him. Instead she laid back against him with Alina still at her breast and she went into a deep sleep. He watched them for the longest time, stroking Emily's wet hair away from her face and running his finger along the soft skin of his daughter's cheek. When the baby was done eating, he got out of the bed softly, laying Emily against the many pillows his aunt put on the bed, and he took his daughter in his arms for the first time. Just like the love he felt for his beloved Hermaphroditus, he felt an instant wave of love and affection like no other. And he let that love wash over him as he sang to his daughter an old song in Greek that Hecate used to sing to him when he was quite small.
Emily awoke once to see Hermes with the baby, singing a beautiful song to her. Sure that the child was safe, she rolled over, ignoring the pain in her body, and she went back to sleep. An hour later she woke to find the baby in Hecate's arms as Hecate told the newborn a story about a dragon and a faery and the gifts they give baby girls upon their births. Satisfied once more that all was well, she let sleep take her again. Then came the terrified shouts of Gods throughout Olympus declaring Hecate and Emily's newborn daughter gone...
"What is it? What's happened?" Emily demanded. All of the Gods were gathered in the large Hall they met in to discuss serious matters and a few of them, Hermes included, moved at once to help her to a seat. "I don't want to sit down. I want to know where the hell my baby is!" Emily declared even as she let them help her into the seat offered to her.
The conversation, so animated when she came in, stopped at once. Everyone looked at Hermes, silently declaring it his place to tell her. Taking both of her hands in his own, he stooped down to his knees and told her all they knew. "Hecate had Alina in the room with you. The Goddesses that assisted in the birth needed to return home so I took them. When I returned no one could find Hecate or Alina."
"But that makes no sense. Who the hell could be powerful enough to snatch Hecate. Is it that Atlantian vampire? You all said she is one of the only beings more powerful that Hecate."
"No, it wasn't her. She is actually leading the search for Hecate right now, terrified for her friend and for you. She knows what it is to have your newborn child taken from you and she is determined to find them."
"Then who? Who could possibly manage this?" Emily demanded. She never felt a cold panic like the chill sitting in her chest as she demanded answers.
"Alina is special, as you know, because she is a tipping point in favor of the Gods and humanity. The fight that is to come will be against Gods much older than any of us. Your earth has had so many cycles of life that humans have yet to rediscover and each cycle had its own Gods. These Gods were sleeping, if you will. But we believe the birth of Alina has woken one of them. A god that old, that primal, could kidnap Hecate. But all is not lost. We've sent word to each pantheon and we are forming search parties. We will find them. I promise you that. We will find them." Athena declared. Everything about her looked wild as if she were itching for the fight to come. Hecate was one of the most important people in her life and she would die to bring her home safe, Emily knew that. But Emily felt absolutely defeated. She felt as if she had true bliss for a sweet moment and already it was gone. And she could not deal with its absence after feeling its sweet embrace.
"I want to go home." She declared in a monotone voice to Hermes.
"But don't you want to stay here and rest...and be here for any updates?" He questioned. "You had a rough birth. I must go look for Hecate and our baby. You should not be alone."
"I'll be fine. The only update I am interested in is you finding my baby. If you ever see her again, bring her to me. In the meantime, I want to go home."
Hermes couldn't keep her there against her will. But he did get Hermaphroditus to stay with her while the other Gods searched. As he carried the woman he loved back to her home, he saw the tears she shed and he felt the incredible ache in her heart. It was as if her entire body throbbed with it. But she said nothing to him. He knew all about her past although he was certain she did not know he did. He knew of the hurt and pain that was thrown at her since the day she was born. He knew that she did not know how to lean on someone else when horrible things happened because she did not have anyone to lean on before. He wanted nothing more than to stay with her and show her that he could be relied upon to be there for her but he had to find Alina if he wanted to put an end to the pain in her heart. So he fixed the bed to make it as comfortable as he could for her, he found her a clean pair of PJ's, drew her a bath and helped her clean up, and he helped her dress and get into bed. Again and again he told her how much he loved her, how sorry he was that he didn't protect their child, and he promised to find them both and bring them home to her. But she said nothing. It was like someone switched off a light inside of her.
It wasn't until he was preparing to go, leaving a steaming cup of coffee on her bedside stand, that she snapped out of it long enough to grab his hand. Pressing it to her lips, she told him she loved him, that she didn't blame him at all, and she just wanted her baby back. Kissing her all over her face, he promised he would give her that no matter what it took. And what would it take? No one was sure. None of them had ever faced an old God and no one knew how many woke with the birth of the demi-Goddess. But if it took every pantheon to accomplish it, even if it was the end of Hermes, he would keep that promise to the woman he loved. Because he didn't want to worry her anymore, he said nothing like that. But he knew it was possible.
For days on end everyone searched and when he could, he came to check on Emily, sometimes laying in bed just so he could hold her. His oldest child told him each time that Emily would not get out of bed. She wouldn't eat. She wouldn't bathe or change her clothes. She did nothing but sleep. It was as if she were resolved not to wake until her child was brought back to her. So when Hermes was there he tried to get her up. But it was no use. The more they looked for Hecate and Alina, the more universes and realms they crossed off the list, the more terrified he became. The fact was, there were infinite places that they might have been taken and no one knew what the effects of the place could have on them. He could find a daughter fully grown in a month's time depending on where she was. And he never forgot that. But when he held Emily and he felt the utter defeat coming from her, he knew he had to keep trying until he succeeded. Humans were fragile but their minds were strong and if she willed herself to give up...a chill went down his spine at the thought. He had to fix what happened for everyone's sake. He had to bring the child of light back to her mother...back to the earth. And he had to see to it that Hecate was brought back as well because what was their Pantheon without her?
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