Tablet of Destinies by Traci Harding

emanating from his wife, she wasn’t too joyful at present. ‘How are you doing, sweet thing?’ he called out to Tory as he stuck his hands into the recess in the wall, where they were pelted with water and scrubbed clean, then gently dried by warm scented air.
    â€˜Don’t sweet thing me, lover boy,’ she strained, as her contractions hadn’t eased for more than a few minutes since they’d started. ‘The next time you want a baby … try a test tube.’ She managed to squeeze out the punchline ahead of a great wail.
    Maelgwn smiled, as his wife had yet to lose her sense of humour. ‘Where’s the fun in that, my love?’ he posed, but was spared an abusive response as Candace and Sybil arrived.
    â€˜Goodness!’ Sybil exclaimed, as she witnessed the scene unfolding in the chamber.
    â€˜It looks like action stations,’ Candace commented aside to Sybil, as they both made haste to Tory’s side. On the quiet, Candace was worried that the premature birth of her sister-in-law’s babies might be linked to Tory’s ordeal earlier in the day. ‘What brought this on?’ She looked to Cadfan, who knew what had taken place at Devaglen.
    To Candace’s great relief, the healer smiled broadly. ‘I suspect destiny had something to do with it.’
    â€˜It doesn’t matter why it’s happening now,’ Tory stressed. ‘What matters is that it is happening, so let’s just deal with it, can we? Ahhh!’ Her concentration was drawn to the task at hand, as Sybil and Candace got behind her to help support Tory’s body in a position that would aid the delivery.
    â€˜We’re ready anytime you are.’ Maelgwn gripped Tory’s hand briefly in encouragement, before assuming his place between Cadfan and Hatty. ‘Oh Goddess,’ he exclaimed upon sighting the crown of his baby’s head forging its way forth into the world. ‘You’re doing great,’ he uttered, overwhelmed with admiration for his wife’s powers of endurance.
    Circumstances beyond his control had prevented Maelgwn from being present at the births of his first two children. Now, finally, he was to witness the event and the expectation was more intense than the prelude to a battle, a war, or even death! Even with the scope of his adventures throughout the galaxy and history, the miracle of birth was proving to be the most extreme experience of all those life had to offer. Even the awe-inspiring conception paled by comparison, for Maelgwn felt more love for his wife at this moment than ever their physical union had inspired.
    With the next contraction the tiny head was completely exposed, and as Maelgwn knelt down to ease his child’s passage into the world, he felt truly humbled by the power and wonder of creation. Following Cadfan’s careful guidance to the letter, the blood-splatteredbabe soon slid safely into its father’s waiting arms and Maelgwn cut the umbilical cord.
    â€˜It’s a boy!’ Tears spurted from the proud father’s eyes as he announced the birth of his second son. Marduk has returned , he thought, as he gazed down at the newborn, its face being wiped clean by Hatty with a warm, damp cloth. ‘Welcome to the human race.’ He gently kissed his son’s tiny wrinkled brow, whereby the babe’s eyelids parted to reveal eyes of deep violet. ‘He has your eyes,’ Maelgwn was delighted to inform Tory, but she had other things on her mind at present.
    â€˜You’d better pass the little fellow on.’ Cadfan waved Maelgwn back to his station. ‘Number two is coming through,’ the healer chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the proceedings.
    Hatty took the firstborn from Maelgwn to tend to his post-birth checkup and, feeling like an old hand at midwifery now, Maelgwn knelt down to take possession of the second twin. He looked to his wife who was puffing and straining from her efforts.