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[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan is cradling a sleeping Ubbe in his lap and watching Ragnar pace.

"Sit down", he says gently. "Come and sit with me. There was no reason to think anything will go wrong, was there?"

Comments

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Something can always go wrong when a child is born," Ragnar says.

He looks down at Athelstan and the sleeping little boy -- hardly more than a baby himself.

"I so very much want that child."

[athelstanthescribe]

"It can", Athelstan agrees. "But as often as not, it doesn't, and none of the maids have seemed alarmed. Come and sit down."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar sits, and puts his arms around them both.

"They're in the hands of the gods, and I should be calm," he says. "But I'm not."

He nuzzles the soft, still-fluffy hair on Ubbe's head, and then kisses Athelstan's cheek.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan leans into his arms.

"Few prospective fathers are, if they care at all for the safety of their wife and child."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I am!" Ragnar says. "At least Lagertha let me stay, when Björn and Gyda were born; we had a woman helping, of course, but I got to welcome my children into the world as they slid from the womb, red and greasy and squalling. They opened their eyes on my face, and hers."

He leans his cheek against Athelstan's hair, taking comfort from the contact.

[athelstanthescribe]

"You'll see this son soon after he opens his eyes", Athelstan tries to assure him. "If not as soon as Lagertha allowed."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Or daughter, you know," Ragnar says. "I wouldn't mind another daughter. She'd be just as welcome."

[athelstanthescribe]

"It could be another daughter", he agrees. "And it's good for boys to have at least one sister. But that's out of anyone's hands."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"No, it's in the hands of the gods," Ragnar says.

[athelstanthescribe]

"As so much is." He pets Ubbe's hair. "A strong boy like this one, or a little girl, the child will be loved just the same."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"It will be," Ragnar says.

From the direction of the earl's bed, there is a long, tormented scream.

Ragnar winces.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan reaches for his hand.

"It's all right. Remember, it was just like this with Ubbe."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar grips his hand and squeezes, almost painfully.

"I know," he says, in a rather small voice. "Lagertha screamed less and cursed more."

[athelstanthescribe]

"All women differ in the ways they vent the pain", Athelstan assumes. "I doubt Princess Aslaug even knows some of the curse words Lagertha could come up with."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"She wouldn't even recognise them, spoken out loud," Ragnar says. "If Lagertha had meant her curses, my equipment would have turned blue and rotted off."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Then it's a good thing she didn't!" he says with a grin.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yes, I quite enjoy it, too!" Ragnar grins, briefly winking at Athelstan.

[athelstanthescribe]

"And she'd have been sorry for it later, too." He's about to say something else, but Ubbe stirs in his lap and instead, he focuses on soothing him back to sleep.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Aslaug picks that moment to scream again.

Ragnar winces, and Ubbe opens his eyes fully.

"Mama?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Mama's going to be fine, Ubbe", Athelstan tells him calmly, rocking him. "Just fine, and then you'll have a new little brother or sister."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Mama!" Ubbe demands, squirming a little; but he does snuggle against Athelstan, familiar and comforted.

[athelstanthescribe]

"Hush now." He holds the boy firmly against the squirming. "You can't go to Mama for a little while, but as soon as the ladies say so, we'll take you in to her."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Mama ouch," Ubbe says, a little sob in his voice.

Ragnar reaches around Athelstan to stroke Ubbe's cheek.

[athelstanthescribe]

"I know, Ubbe." Athelstan leans back to let Ragnar touch Ubbe more easily. "But Mama's ouch will end, and then she'll be very happy."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Happy why?" Ubbe asks.

Aslaug screams again.

"Because you'll have a little brother or sister," Ragnar explains.

His arm tightens around Athelstan.