Melt The ICE

The pain came and went. Gentle pushes like waves against a sandy beach. At first it was manageable. Mild. Calm. Almost serene. Just the occasional sharp, tight squeezing cramp to remind her of what was coming. Lest she ever forget. Then it would ease and she’d gasp in momentary relief, head falling back against the pillows. Body slouching and muscles uncoiling. The anxiety easing. Her breathing evening out.

Was this as bad as it got? The lack of intense pain put her on edge, waiting for it to get worse.

Then it hit her.

Katara cried out as the next, rhythmic wave of pain bore down on her. Push and pull. Cramp. She buckled under the pressure. Her insides twisted and spasmed. She’d once used her bending on her sweat, trapped in a dry prison cell. Right now, she could use her perspiration to escape the hospital.

She gasped and cried. How was she already this exhausted?

“This is just a moment in time,” the soft voice of her midwife was authoritative but calming.

Katara nodded, unable to speak and trying to relax. It felt impossible. Her daughter was pressing down on her cervix and by Tui and La she was going to kill Zuko for this!

Her husband had been pacing by the door, fearful of her earlier threats to his manhood — she’d been in labour for over a day, the discomfort and mild pain being the main sources of her worry for most of it. Right now, he was sitting beside her, watching everything with those big, concerned eyes she loved so much.

But not right now. No, right now she wanted to strangle him. But unfortunately, every time he tried to hold her hand, her clammy skin caused his hand to slip out of hers. It must be something to do with her being a waterbender — the fire nation midwives were surprised.

“Zuko,” she snarled, when he closed his fist over her wrist instead.

“It will be over before you know it,” he said, but was he trying to calm her or himself?

She understood this was just one time. She had the rest of her life in front of her, not having to deal with this agony ever again if she chose not to. But nothing anyone had ever told her quite prepared her for the pain and pressure of pushing a three kilogram mass of flesh out of her body; red, wrinkled, and bruised and covered in veiny skin. Her mother said her baby would be translucent. Her gran-gran said she would come out ugly.

Katara let out a string of curses, throwing her arm to the side even as Zuko maintained his hold on it. He let out an “oof” as she hit his stomach but didn’t complain. She wanted to scream and cry, her body wracked with pain.

“Breathe,” the midwife said. Her name was Aiki and Katara both loved and hated her ability to remain calm and excited at the same time.

“In,” the woman repeated and the Fire Lady sobbed as she complied.

Zuko pressed a lingering kiss to her temple, murmuring how much he loved her.

“Out.” Aiki was getting a pay rise after this.

Katara found her inner calm. The pain did not ease but she could work with it.

“Now push.”

Katara followed her instructions, crying through most of it. She gave up trying to look brave and powerful. There was no hiding the pain. In a way, she was just letting herself be, for a moment. To step to the side and just let it happen, no matter how much it felt like she was being torn asunder.

Her body gave one final tug; the pressure expelling from her. Relief. She must have passed out. The next thing Katara knew, her ears were filled with the ringing sound of her daughter’s cries. She gasped, turning her head to the side, too tired to sit up and address Zuko.

“How long?” She murmured.

How much time had passed? Was it as quick as it suddenly felt? Had she lost track of the passage of time? Was she dreaming? She must have passed out — he’d grabbed her hand now, strong and unable to let go.

“Ten minutes,” Zuko whispered, as Aiki carried their daughter to another midwife. 

Katara squeezed his hand, watching the midwives and delivery nurses crowd her daughter, wiping at her skin to clear away blood and fluids. She’d helped with deliveries back in the southern water tribe but it was such a surreal experience being on this side of the blood, tears, and involuntary bowel movements. Not at all anything she’d felt prepared for, no matter how disgusting her gran-gran was when explaining it all.

Katara weakly held out her arms as Aiki carried her baby back to her. “Here.”

“She’s beautiful,” Zuko remarked. “Like her mother.”

Katara shook her head. She was too exhausted to playfully smack him. “You’ve already seduced me, no need to keep that up.”

He chuckled, shifting to sit on the hospital bed with her as much as he could. He wiped at her hair; she must look a fright with everything matted against her skin. Sweat and tears. She was covered in it.

He didn’t seem to care as they both stared down at the new fire nation princess. Her eyes were wide and curious even as she yawned at them.

Katara poked at her gently. “Hello there, Yusinna. Pleased to meet you. I’m your mummy.”