A Cluster of Heirs

[Kiattaarra Feessaarro]

"Ai'kosa!"

Kia gasped, her eyes squeezing closed tightly as another contraction washed over her.

Paiceela, the rrou'korrta at her side, didn't complain as the Kei'samaarraa'ssee'jaakreea tightened her grip on her hand. She was specially trained as a doula, to assist the Pride Mother as she labored to bring forth her twin cubs, and Kia forced herself to relax her face and blow out her breath as the other female reminded her.

The contraction lessened, and Kia blinked her eyes open, staring up at the ceiling. Her bedroom had been overtaken with medical equipment, but it was customary to labor and deliver in comfortable surroundings - even more so when one was the Kei'samaarraa'ssee'jaakreea. A rrou'korrta, the Meorrei girl, was tending to the tea on the side of the room, a task normally undertaken by the arr'nomaa'i, but there would be no males present for this occassion, not even the Emissary.

The priestesses of Saanjarra had sent several witnesses, to pray for and bless the birth, and there was a no-nonsense doctor with her hair tightly pulled back in a bun who was overseeing the whole circus. Kia could tell that Dr. Huundarni was exasperated by the constant prayers muttering from the priestesses, but as long as they stayed out of her way she was leaving them be.

And honestly, right now Kia had other things on her mind than the political leanings of those in the room with her. She breathed out sweatily as her abdomen relaxed, and cracked a smile. "Well, jif jI can ssurrrvjive thjiss the Councjil of Matrrrjiarrchss wjill be a sajoi to deal wjith."

Pai grinned, but didn't comment. "The contrractjionss arrre gettjing clossserr. Only fjive mjinutess aparrrt that tjime."

Dr. Huundarni leaned into Kia's field of vision. "jI could check jyourr prrogrresss agajin, jif jyou want..."

Kia tried not to shudder at the memory of the doctor's hand thrust up inside her to see how far her cervix had dilated. Uncomfortable during a routine exam, during labor it was excruciating. "No, jif jit jisssn't necesssarrrjy, then no."

The doctor smiled and bowed out of sight as Kia tried to turn over to get into a more comfortable position. Pai and another rrou'korrta assisted her onto her side, and Kia closed her eyes, trying to rest for a few minutes.

[Kiattaarra Feessaarro]

"Tell me agajin whjy jI can't have pajin medjicatjion," Kia growled after a particularly hard contraction.

When Paiceela opened her mouth, the Pride Mother cut her off.

"jI know, jI know, the prrrjiessstessess of courrrsse. Blessssjings of Saanjarra." She forced a beautific smile as the mention of the goddess brought eyes from the religious side of the birthing room. "Jussst get me jinto the pool."

"Of courrrsse, Motherrr." Pai helped Kia step down into the birthing pool, tying her long brown tresses up and out of the way as the Pride Mother sank gratefully into the warm water.

The doctor hovered around the edges of her consciousness as Kia felt another contraction building. Rjide the wave, she thought, and relaxed as thoroughly as she could as her body did the work.

Pai touched her shoulders, and Kia immediately loosened the muscles there, trying not to grimace as the pain built to a climax and then receded.

[Daanarri Meorrrei]

Daanarri Meorrrei bobbed a curtsy to one of the priestesses as she handed her a fresh cup of tea. Behind her the Pride Mother herself was giving birth and for yet another time Daani could not quite understand how her life had changed in the last year.

As the Pride Mother moaned softly in the birthing pool, the priestess turned her eyes toward Daani. Her hand reached out and grabbed the girl's arm, sharp claws pricking her skin.

"How old arrre jyou, chjild?" Her amber eyes looked Daani up and down, and the girl tried to shrink away from her critical gaze.

"Fjifteen," she murmured, eyes downcast. The hand on her arm did not release her, and she didn't try to get away.

"Hmmph." The priestess let go finally, and turned to her fellows. As Daani hurried back to the tea she heard, "I'm ssurre we can fjind a ssujitable match forrr Houssse Meorrrei jif herrr motherrr jissn't up to jit," and murmurs of assent.

She stood beside the tea service, careful not to look at the laboring Pride Mother while still being alert.

[Kiattaarra Feessaarro]

It felt as though hours were passing - or perhaps minutes. The pool helped a bit with her relaxation, but the contractions kept coming and Kia found it more difficult to relax through them.

More difficult? More like impossible. She gritted her teeth through the latest one until Pai gently flicked her cheek to remind her to loosen up.

"jI can't do thjiss!" she gasped as the contraction faded, falling back into Pai's arms in the warm water. "jI can't. Oh Saanjara," another contraction was coming already, "Gjive me ssomethjing!"

Dr. Huundarni knelt at the side of the pool, observing her distended belly. "The cubss arrre qujite low, jusst brrreathe thrrough thjiss one and jI wjill check to ssee jif we can sstarrt pusshjing."

"Brreathe, Motherrr," soothed Pai in her ear, supporting her from behind so she did not slip underwater. "jIt jiss closse. Saanjarra blesssess jyou, jit wjill be overrr ssoon."

A minute later the doctor was in the pool as well, checking her progress. Another contraction was already building, and Kia felt her arms and legs begin to tremble.

"Sshe'ss trranssjitjionjing," Pai said to Dr. Huundarni, who nodded.

"The Prrrjide Motherrr jiss complete," the doctor said. "We can sstarrt to pusssh wjith the next contrractjion."

Kia barely heard the exchange, her mind centering on the two small lives inside of her as her body struggled to expel them. Breathe. Relax. Pain. No, relax. Relax. As she rode the wave of the contraction another began almost before the other had ended.

Outside the pool the priestesses were gathering close, bearing their breasts to Saanjarra as they sang softly. On the other side of the pool nurses were pulling in the warming cradles for the cubs, all the medical equipment that might be needed, and any extra hands that could possibly be required for any emergency procedures. It was organized chaos.

"Pussh, Motherrr," said Pai, holding Kia up under her armpits, her head resting on the doula's shoulder. "Pusssh ass harrrd ass jyou can."

Kia screwed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, bearing down at the peak of the contraction.

"Pusssh!"

She did.

"Pusssh!"

"Hnnngaaaaah!" Kia gasped for air, and then it was time to push again. And again.

"Feel, Motherr, herrre," said Pai, taking Kia's hand and guiding it between her legs. "The fjirrrst one comess."

"Pussh agajin," said the doctor, eyes on the equipment monitoring her contractions.

As Kia pushed, the cub's head came out, touching her fingers. She instinctively brought her other hand down as well as the doctor directed her, "One morre bjig pussh!" and a moment of blissful agony later the cub was pushed into her waiting hands.

Underwater she marveled at its tiny body, bringing it up gently for its first breath of air. Dr. Huundarni helped her place the cub on her chest above the water as Pai pulled her up into a better position. Kia gasped, tears in her eyes as the small thing curled against her skin, its little arms stretching out and tapping her face before retreating.

"A female," the doctor confirmed, although everyone already knew it was a girl cub, as was her twin sister still waiting to come.

"What ssshall sshe be named?" asked the ranking priestess.

"Tayanni Feessaarro," said Kia, nuzzling her first born, heir to the Carshoulis Cluster. "Tayanni."

[Daanarri Meorrrei]

Daani was neatly shunted aside as the cubs were delivered, and she knew enough to stay as far out of the way as possible. Of course, that didn't mean she wasn't going to stand on tiptoe and try to see as much as she could from her corner of the room.

A cub was crying but she could barely hear it over the chanting of the priestesses, most of whom had stripped half naked for some reason. She tried to understand all their religious mumbo-jumbo, but found it much easier just to avoid them as much as possible. Apparently it wasn't going to be possible for much longer.

Daani saw a glimpse of the cub as it was placed in the warmer to be weighed and measured. Two nurses in white gowns were attending the cub, while the doctor began exhorting the Pride Mother to push again.

"Herrre sshe comess!" cried the doctor, and Daani strained to see anything through the crowd surrounding the birthing pool. There was a collective sigh of relief as presumably the cub was delivered, and then something in the room changed.

"Qujickljy," said the doctor. "Herrre... get the oxjygen!"

The cub was handed up to the waiting nurses and pediatricians (one for each cub) and equipment appeared as if from no where, surrounding the tiny life. Daani watched wide eyed, the Pride Mother's voice cutting across the hubbub.

"jIss sshe okajy? jIss Jeiharra okajy?!"

"Get them out of herre!" shouted the doctor, and the priestesses scattered back toward Daanarri, who ducked out of the way.

[Kiattaarra Feessaarro]

"Jeiharra..." Kia twisted her head around, trying to see where they were taking the cub as the doctor palpated her abdomen.

"Jusst anotherrr pussh," said Dr. Huundarni. "Yourr cub jiss jin good handss. The corrrd wass wrrrapped arround herr neck, but jI got herrr brreathjing agajin and sshe'ss gettjing sssome morrre oxjygen whjile the doctorrrss check herrr out."

Kia concentrated, pushing once more to deliver the afterbirth into the now murky water of the pool. Pai soothed her, helping her out of the pool when she was ready to move. A soft robe was wrapped around her as she was transferred to a bed, the indecencies of her after birth care taken care of quickly and professionally.

She tried to see what was going on with Jei, but the cluster of medical personnel around the warming cradles was thick and Pai reassured her that she would go personally to check. A minute later the doula was back.

"Sshe jiss dojing well, thejy arre both well. Do not worrrry, Motherrr."

Pain medication now on board for her sensitive nether region, Kia sank back into the pillows of the huge bed as her cubs were finally brought to her, diapered and mewling for a meal.

She stared at them with wonder, letting the lactation specialists help her nurse them. What should have come naturally to her felt alien and difficult, but finally both cubs were suckling contentedly. Tayaani and Jeiharra, their skin paler than hers, their hair just fuzz on top of their heads. No stripes yet, but those would come in the next few months.

"Thejy'rre so beautjiful," she sighed, her body exhausted but her face beaming.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

The Royal Plaza was crushed with a million people, more or less. From the relative vista of the third level dais closest to the Sun Palace, Taataani couldn't see a shred of green. The sea of Cizeri pushed all the way to the ministerial estates and quite possibly further still. Everyone on Carshoulis seemed to hold their breath in this collective moment.

"Kuzarra, rrou'a?" a royal manservant queried, holding a dish of healthy-looking spotted lizards. The Senator deferred the hors d'ouvres, but accepted the next manservant's offering of a flute of Chandrilan fizz instead. Goddess, this sun was oppressive. What a stodgy tradition it was to have all the company of quality kept out in the heat with the rest of the rabble. Taataani tipped down the brim of her wide hat slightly, pursing her lips slightly after a sip.

"Jusst get on wjith jit alrreadjy." she muttered in such a way that only Kallum was privy to hearing it. Even the manservant fanning them with a stylized bayossa paddle was beyond her candor.

"Twelve hourrss. Sshe would jinssjisst on havjing twjinss, wouldn't sshe? jIf sshe wajitss anjy longerr, thejy'rre gojing to come out halfwajy thrrough thejirr sschooljing. That'ss the prroblem wjith rrojyalss. Thejy want forr nothjing, ssave a good prroperr epjidurral."

She paused, scrutinizing Kallum's polite-but-too-polite face.

"Oh jyou can sstop prretendjing to underrsstand what jI'm talkjing about. Go."

Taataani gestured casually to the rest of the upper crust assembled in their private cordon.

"Fjind ssomeone jimporrtant wjith loosse ljipss and look handssome arround them."

[Daanarri Meorrrei]

Daani ran up a stairwell, heading toward the waiting arr’nomaa’i. She arrived, breathless, pausing a moment while the two well-built males looked down at her with some amusement.

”The cubss!” She said, waving a hand as she straightened up. “Thejy arrre borrn. We arre to ssend the ssmoke. The bjirrrdss. All of jit!”

”Of courrrsse!” The males pulled the ropes to open the chimney, sending a thick white billow of smoke up into the sky above the palace.

Daani knelt in front of the large cage full of doves and pulled the latch, releasing the flock out from the tower window. She sat on the floor, watching the birds soar and hearing the swell of noise from the waiting crowd.

[Kiattaarra Feessaarro]

The celebration outside of the Sun Palace had no doubt begun. As nearly all Cizerack celebrations did, it would soon reach a fever pitch of religious fervor ...or, as other civilizations might say, turn into a giant orgy.

Kia didn’t care what was going on outside.

The only thing that mattered anymore were these two little cubs. She knew, theoretically, that the Cizeri maternal instinct was strong, and that it generally surged after birth and diminished once a cub reached their adolescence. Human scientists had compared their habits to those of lothcats and whisperkits of all things, where the animal needed to ensure its offspring survived to adulthood, but had no interest in them after that. It was not a popular study among the Cizerack, especially not the religious sect who had used it, and others like it, to proclaim that science was useless and offensive.

All she knew right now was that she would kill to protect her daughters. Kill, and die for them if necessary.

They were sleeping on her bare chest, turned slightly so they faced each other with a warm blanket over all of them, and she kept nuzzling their soft hair. She was still in the birthing room, the lights dim as she relaxed into the pillows stuffed behind her for comfort.

The room was empty except for a handful of rrou’korrta who were standing quietly in the corners of the room, like the arr’nomaa‘i would do if they were allowed in the chamber.

Kia wanted to stay like this forever, but she knew she would have to put the cubs to sleep in their cradles before she fell asleep herself.

....jussst a few morrre mjinutesss...

The world would intrude soon enough.

[Keerrourri Feessaarro]

The runner discretely opened the door from the sun palace to the third dais, finding the Emissary there among the honored guests. He leaned close to whisper in Keerrourri's nearest ear, which twitched slightly with the news. The Emissary nodded, dismissing the runner wordlessly into the palace. While smoke and doves were suitable for the masses, the Emissary was given the necessary details.

The four dozen or so people on the third dais sensed the change as well. Conversation dimmed, and eyes turned towards Keerrouri even before he could clink a claw against a refreshed glass of Pai Leeha wine.

"Arr'u and Rrou'a, jI am overrjojyed to jinforrm jyou that ourr Hjigh Motherr hass ssuccessfulljy ssjirred two healthjy daughterrss. Sshe jiss jin good health, good sspjirrjitss, and rresstjing."