PAE prologue scene 2 My Mother's Death

← *A Brief History of Pangaia* — *Pangaia Airdtriath Èirich* Prologue — *Papa Abandons My Family* part 1 →

**Summary:** Athelbert has a dream of his mother's death relying on stories told by his sisters. Find out how their mother died at his birth. By the way, for your information, their mother was very fertile, approximately one-year separated each of the sisters birth, and three before the twins'.
**Time:** Night, 17 years ago. (protagonists' birth)
**Cast:** Ebbe Caerster (maternal grandmother), Wulfsige Athelradson (father), Godgifu Gelaeton (mother), Elfgifu Athelradson (eldest sister, 8-year-old), Leoflaed Athelradson (2nd eldest sister, 7-year-old), Mildred Athelradson (3rd eldest sister, 6-year-old), Sunngifu Athelradson (4th eldest sister, 5-year-old), Waedsige Athelradson (5th eldest sister, 4-year-old) Ethelgifu Athelradson (6th eldest sister, 3-year-old), Mildthínen Tyre (midwife), unknown midwife, Athelbert Athelradson and Myrddin Emrys-pen y Ddraig
**Location:** Inside Rithertun home.

[fade from black]
You look about, recognizing your surroundings, you're at home, Rithertun. You are confused what happened. You do not remember waking up, or what happened yesterday night. The more thought you give it, the more you try, the more you cannot remember. You also feel queasy. Not to your stomach or the like, more your whole body.

Looking for you recognize your oldest sister Elfgifu, though she is younger than you can remember, maybe eight-years-old?

A pregnant woman walks in. Looking at your sister and the pregnant woman, you piece together that this must be your mother, Godgifu, as the rest of the family gather at the table in the main room of your home.

【Athelbert】 「Mama!」 For the first time you see your mama's face but, of course, there is no response, you understand she cannot hear you. No one does.

【Athelbert】 Crestfallen you watch the play proceed thinking, (This feels remarkably real for a dream.t.)

【Godgifu】 Looking at all her children running about, she turns her attention briefly to her husband, 「Did you see any sign of the midwife, Wulfe?」

【Wulfsige】 「No. She was to be here before sunrest, right?」 A bit perturbed being one who was always on time, pushing it to the side though, he got ready for the evening meal.

【Wulfsige】 He waits until his daughters have seated themselves about the table, 「Your mother is close to the birthing of your twin siblings, I've told you what is required, but it's worth going over once more.」

【Elfgifu】 Wulfsige, regarding his eight-year-old and eldest child, begins to continue but she interrupts her father, 「I know. I know,」 sighing, eyes rolling, she continues, 「Me and Leof're to get the stuff prepared for the midwife and wait if she needs help or stuff.」

【Mildred】 Trying to hide his smile, he turns to the third sibling, Mildred, and again gets interrupted, 「I's know already papa, get da my sisters away from mommy and go upstairs to sleepin' room··· Geez!」 She rolls her eyes in frustration trying to mimic Ælf.

【Wulfsige】 Now he can no longer hide his smile from his daughters as he gives a hardy laugh. 「Well, it seems I have been put in my place, eh Godgifu?」 she answers with a giggle.

Your mother suddenly doubles in pain not seen to this degree, even during her previous six childbearing, as she falls from her chair. Wulfsige calls for Mildred to get her younger sisters out of the room, racing to Godgifu to gather her up.

【Athelbert】 「Mama···!」 knowing that what's happening through Ælf and Leof's stories you cannot ignore the fear racing through you.

【Athelbert】 (She's going to die! I know it and there is nothing I can do···) A small tear runs down your cheek.

【Elfgifu】 Leoflaed grasps Ælf's arm whose lost in terror, looking to her sister Leof snaps out of it immediately. 「Leof! Come on. We have the stuff to get.」 Looking over her shoulder, 「Where's midwife, papa!」

Carrying Godgifu to their bed, he doesn't know. Your father lays your mother down on the bed with great care. Teary-eyed, you sit down next to your mother wishing you could comfort her.

【Wulfsige】 Knowing a small bit of midwifery, stumbling about, he examines the base of her distended abdomen. Whispering to Godgifu, 「I think there is something wrong.」

【Wulfsige】 Looking to the front door from their bedchamber, he thinks, (Where is that damned midwife!)

【Godgifu】 Gritting her teeth, you see a small rivulet of blood flow from Godgifu's mouth, evidently her lip she was biting upon. Pain wrote on her face, whispering fighting the urge to yell, 「I never felt this pain···」

【Godgifu】 Godgifu again doubles up in agony screaming. 「Please! Stop it···!!」 screaming once more, a flood of tears racing through her tightly screwed eyes.

【Elfgifu】 The girls returned carrying everything that the midwife had requested earlier. 「Papa, I have the···」 Her father waved the girls off, wanting them to go upstairs with the rest of their sisters.

【Elfgifu】(Papa. Make mommy good again,) she thought taking Leof by the hand pulling her out of the morbid fascination watching her mother writhe in pain, Ælf turned for upstairs.

Watching his two older sisters walk up the stairs your tears begin to flood down your face.

Knowing there is nothing he can do now Wulfe lays down next to his wife, wiping the blood off of her chin, then holding her as tight as he dared, tears streaming down his face as he watched the door with pleading eyes.

Godgifu, holding tightly to her husband and tighter on the screams that want to well up from her core, she tries to chase away the dark thoughts that must be racing through Wulfe's mind with as brave a face she could muster.
Running his hands through Godgifu's sweat-drenched hair, he hopes his answering smile does not look forced. His hands continuously brush through her hair as he watches the door which stays vexingly closed.

Godgifu twinges immediately draw his attention, but Wulfsige sees she is trying to relax as much as able.

【Athelbert】 「It will be rough Papa but you must persevere, please. You have eight children to take care of. *Please!*」 You know that he does not hear you nor will he respond as the tears racing down your papa's face match yours.

【Wulfsige】 (Where is she? It is too close to the birthing for that damn midwife to be late!)

【Wulfsige】 「Elfgifu! Come and take care of your mama, I'll find where that useless midwife's at,」 as he grabs his jacket, he gives a reassuring look at Godgifu, giving a comforting stroke down the side of her cheek, then turns to Elfgifu, putting a firm hand on her shoulder, nodding confidently. Wulfe heads out into the night wondering where the midwife could be.

【Elfgifu】 Taking the same place that her father was in, she snuggled up to her mother wiping the tears from Godgifu's face. Her mother gives a comforting smile before a twinge of pain shot through her again. 「It's alright mama. Papa will find her. She will make you all better.」 Her mother gives a weak hug.

【Elfgifu】 Now, she watches the front door, the confident façade she was trying to hold for her mother's sake crumbled showing fear drawn on her face. (Hurry papa. Mama needs you.)

Looking to her mother, she tries once again to build the façade with a gentle, comforting smile, though with the tears running down her cheeks, Elfgifu knew she had failed.

【Godgifu】 「Papa will return soon with the midwife. Mildthínen will make everything all better, two new siblings to watch over, I'll ready my breasts for their feeding. Soon this pain will be but a dim memory.」 She smiles as a jolt of pain tears throughout her body. Godgifu gives a feeble smile, closes her eyes with her pain visible.

【Elfgifu】 Ælf, gently stroking her mother's belly, lays down beside her. 「I know. I will take care of the babies just like you will···」 Lifting her head, her cheeks red, 「well, my boobies can't make milk yet, but I'll try.」

【Godgifu】 Godgifu laughs as if the pain was hardly present. She strokes Ælf's cheek softly, 「I know you will. I know you'll help papa too.」

【Godgifu】 Giving her mother a curious look, about to ask what she meant, Godgifu goes into labor. 「IT'S TIME···!」

Steeling yourself, you know Mama is to die.

Getting off the bed as carefully as she could knowing that she and all of her sisters would not be able to carry her mama to the table, she crosses gathering the supplies bringing them to the bed.

【Elfgifu】 *「It's time!」* As she looks to the stairs to see all of her sisters, side by side, watching, knowing that mama's yell brought them all down, still, mildly irritated, she hands out orders, 「Leof! Get down here, now!」 as she successfully portrays an air of authority.

【Godgifu】 「IT'S TIME···!」 Godgifu screams.

【Elfgifu】 「Mildred, get your sisters upstairs and I do not want to see one of you. *Understand me?*」 A frown aimed at her thus handing over the charge of the younger girls to Mildred, Elfgifu turns her attention back to her mother.

【Mildred】 「Ya'am,」 more to herself, disheartened, she turns to her younger siblings, trying, but failing, to take on the authority her older sister had displayed, she ultimately had to chase them up the stairs.

Looking at her mama, Elfgifu sees her staring at the ceiling, teeth grit, panting as if a dog. She acknowledges Leoflaed's arrival with a brief nod.

【Godgifu】 「It's time···!」 Godgifu losing strength she commences panting gritting her teeth, weakly crying. Pushing when her body says to push the baby is seen as it crowns.

【Elfgifu】 「Baby's is coming out Mama!」 Trying to pull on all the knowledge she had learned last two times witnessing this.

【Elfgifu】 「Push Mama. Push...! When you feel like your body wants to push. Um? If it doesn't don't do it, 'kay?」

【Elfgifu】 (Mama shouldn't be givin' birth this fast. Doesn't happen before. Mama didn't go through pains that fast either.)

【Elfgifu】 Looking over her shoulder making sure baby did not come out with her hand feeling the top of baby's head she looked for the door, (Papa! Where are you? Midwife is needed now!)

Feeling the head push against her hand Ælf's attention snapped back to her mama riveted upon the baby.

【Elfgifu】 Giving the briefest glance, she saw Leof watching the baby proceed out,「Leof! Go see Mama! Go makes sure she alright. Make sure she feels good,」remembering what her papa did in the past. She saw the baby's head halfway out of her mother's vagina.

【Elfgifu】 (Going way too fast. Papa! Get midwife heeere···! I don't know what to do!)

She heard Mama scream at the top of her lungs she tried her best to push but was failing to the pain that ripped through her entire body.

The shoulders appeared almost immediately, Ælf held the baby's head gently watching the shoulders pass through the vaginal opening placing one of her hands ready to catch their body.

Her mama's face then to Leof Ælf looked fleetingly, seeing her mama's handheld by Leof as her mother screamed in gut-wrenching pain, Leof getting her's crushed by Mama's grip as she tried to comfort Mama as best Leof could.

Ælf felt fear well up.

【Elfgifu】 As the baby's body exited Godgifu a darker red, a more blood-like fluid began to crawl out under the child she now held in her hands, seeing the source, Ælf cried out, 「Mildred···! Get down here! Bring more towels! ***NOW!***」

Seconds later, Mildred raced down the steps carrying a couple towels and what looked like all of the sheets from the beds upstairs. For the light frame for Mildred's six-year-old body, it seemed impossible her face covered by the sheets, she made it down the stairs and to Ælf's side.

【Elfgifu】 Softly Ælf called to Leof, 「Take baby. Give it to Mama. It's a girl.」

Her attention immediately shifts back to her work seeing that Mildred had seen and was attending to the source of the blood, a small rip in their mother's perineum already covered by the head of the baby girl's twin, it poked out about a fourth way... No a third... No, the head was halfway through her mama's vagina.

【Mildred】 「Ælf, tear's gettin' bigger! It's almost to butthole.」Fear welled up in her sister as it did in Ælf.

All the towels used most bright red with blood, one hand cradling the head of her sibling as it quickly exited her mother, grabbing a sheet Ælf handed it to Mil.

【Elfgifu】 Ælf refocused her attention to the baby, shoulders almost through, tears racing down her face, she cried out knowing her father could not hear, 「Papa···! Help me. Please!? I don't know what to do···」

Then the baby was fully in her hands she passes on the child to Mil telling her to give you to Mama. Not hearing Mil's response Ælf concentrated upon the tear, now torn from her mother's vaginal opening to her anus, blood flowing out.

Leof saw immediately that her older sister was frozen in fear, having Mil take care of both baby siblings, to make sure that Mama held them securely, she shot to Ælf's side.

【Leoflaed】 Calmingly, soothingly, 「It is alright, sister. Take care of Mama and the twins. I'll take over here.」

Looking confused, Ælf's tear-stained face, a puffy red about her eyes, her mouth moving like she was trying to say something, Leof, a firm but comforting show on her face, gently patted Ælf's head.

【Leoflaed】 「Go help Mama. I know. Mil told me.」 Nodding Ælf got up going to her mama.

【Leoflaed】 「Sunn! Get me sewing box.」 Knowing full well all the younger girls were on the stairway watching the three eldest sisters hard at work, hearing hurried feet race up the then down the stairs, Leof accepted the retrieved the box of needles and thread from Sunngifu.

【Leoflaed】 「To the stairs.」 Hearing an urgent, and muffled, conversation erupt from the stairs when Sunn retreated there, knowing it to be Mama and quantity of blood all over the bed, sheets, and towels, Leof ignored it.

Being a tomboy at heart, she still learned a bit about sewing from her mother. Leof threaded a needle with the strongest thread she could find.

Glancing up to Mama and the two sisters, taking care of her and the twins, trying to focus as much attention to her two new children she still cried out in pain.

The two girls, bouncing ministration from one to the other, taking care of Mama then looking to the twins making sure they were fine.

Leof noticed the cords had been successfully cut by Ælf no doubt.

Beginning the sewing, Leof also had tears stained face and puffy eyes doubtlessly. Never seen flesh being the subject, only cloth, she tried her best.

An unknown woman with a gray robe she walked in and headed to Leof. The amount of blood-stained cloth about and Leof's attempts at sewing the wound she saw, she headed for the twins in Godgifu's arms.

Lifting one then the other she inspected each, with a satisfying grunt she returned them to Godgifu's embrace. This woman then looked Godgifu in the eyes after studying her pale visage leaned close whispered something to her, not even Ælf nor Mil could hear.

Embracing her babies the tighter Godgifu's pain nearly forgotten tears still flowed down her face, though to Leof they no longer seemed inspired by pain but something else she could not determine.

Coming back to Leof she put a hand on her shoulder, upon looking up Leaf saw the woman with a caring look as she shook her head.

【unknown midwife】 Looking to the girls attending their mother she pointed to the twins saying in a comforting voice, 「It is time. Pay attention to the two.」

It was then the door burst open as Wulfsige, Mildthínen the midwife and Ebbe Gelæton your Gran'mama entered. Racing to the bed, Wulfe gazed through tear-filled eyes, giving a weak smile, he began attending his wife and their newly born twins.

The midwife seeing the amount of blood stained on the sheets and towels and flowing free, knowing immediately Godgifu was near death, nothing could be done.

She approached Leof's side who had remained knowing that her Papa and Gran'mama were to take care of them, Mildthínen knelt down looking at the sewing the girl had done patting on Leof's shoulder comfortingly, confident she had done all she could.

Ebbe went to the other side of the bed, smiling weakly to the two sisters, they knew they should leave their Papa and Gran'mama with Godgifu. Ebbe look at the blood everywhere then to Mildthínen seeing her shake her head with tear-stained face.

Leof trying to do everything she could do to save Mama.

Ebbe holding her daughter's hand firmly.

It was then Godgifu relaxed her grip on the twins when death claimed her.

【Wulfsige】 Screaming out at the world seeing his wife die, 「NOOO······!!」

Ebbe laid down next her daughter's body weeping with heartfelt grief not caring who was there.

Everything turned to black save Myrddin and you.

【Athelbert】 Turning about with fire in your eyes you yelled, *「What are you doing···!?」*

【Myrddin】 Her face filled with sorrow, Myrddin approached you her arms held out, 「There is nothing you can do not see but the pain and anguish of your family, something you need not witness.」

Embracing Myrddin your eyes flooded once more. 「Mama? Mama···!」

[fade to black]

← *A Brief History of Pangaia* — *Pangaia Airdtriath Èirich* Prologue — *Papa Abandons My Family* part 1 →