The Greatest Gift

by

IrishCreme

    Eithne clenched her teeth, her eyes slivers of aqua blue. "I told you
to fetch him now, Fionna! I care not where he is. This is more
important than anything he could possibly be doing. GO NOW AND FIND
HIM!"

The young girl fluttered off quickly, quite shaken by Eithne’s words.
"Don’t be so hard on her, child," Mab said quietly, stroking Eithne’s
slender, pale hand. "She’s never been at a birthing before."

"Is that to be my problem also?" Eithne returned irritably. "Not only
must I give birth to what must be a watermelon, but I have to coach a
plebeian on how to conduct childbirth matters?" Her long, wavy auburn
hair was drenched in perspiration. She did not intend to be so spiteful
to anyone, least of all Fionna. The dear child had been her constant
companion this last trimester of her pregnancy. But this pain was
excruciating. "Mab, how much longer?"

"I can’t say, Eithne. This is your first and those things are
uncertain." Mab stroked the young woman’s head, pulling loose strands
of her flaming red hair out of her face. "It will be all over before
you know it, though. Don’t fret."

Another contraction rippled through Eithne’s small, lithe body. She
squeezed Mab’s hand, hoping she could transfer the pain, but it didn’t
work…again (although Mab’s hand was feeling quite a bit of pain
nonetheless). "WHERE IS LIAM?" she shrieked, her voice reverberating
through the entire fort.

"I am here, dearest. I am coming," a voice floated in from outside the
cottage. Fionna flew in, followed immediately by her husband, Liam, and
an old woman wearing a blind-fold. "Rules, Nano," he said
apologetically, removing the black strip of heavy cloth. "You’re quite
aware of them."

"No time to chat, Liam," Nano stated abruptly. "You’re wife is
practically birthing this child herself. Why did you wait so long?"
The old woman spurted some instructions to Fionna, who left in a hurry
to comply, then approached Eithne, whose eyes were filled with fear and
confusion. "No need to worry, Eithne. I’ve done this many times before
with many other first-time mothers. You are in good hands."

"Who are you? You’re not one of us." Eithne’s apprehension was slowly
subsiding because this woman’s manner calmed her. She seemed so
capable, and Liam knew her. He wouldn’t bring just anyone to birth his
first child.

"My name is Nano Hayes, and I have been midwife to many a faerie in my
time. I birthed you and Liam, you know. Of course, you don’t
remember." Nano made preparations with the supplies Fionna had brought
her, thanking the young faerie kindly. "At any rate, I’m a favorite of
the na huaisle. I follow their rules and keep my mouth shut…just the
way they like it." She smiled broadly at Eithne, taking years off her
withered face. "It’s almost time, Eithne. Are you ready?"

Eithne nodded hesitantly. She looked to Liam, who was at her side
instantly. He whispered words of love and pride in her ear, making her
smile and relax.

"That’s good, Liam. How about you take your wife’s hand and relieve Mab
so she can repair any damage Eithne has done so far." Nano grinned
playfully at Mab, then at the expecting couple. "Fionna, close the door
and keep watch outside. I’ll yell if we need anything." Fionna obeyed
wordlessly.

Hours drug by. Eithne’s labor screams could be heard outside the faerie
fort, and passersby mistook those outcries for the wailing of the
banshee. Finally, a girl was born, extremely healthy and with a good
set of lungs. Eithne was exhausted and could barely hold her daughter,
but Liam took over and cradled the beautiful infant so his wife could
sleep.

"Thank you so very much, Nano," Eithne said tiredly. "I could not have
made it through this without you. I don’t know how to thank you."

"No need, child," Nano returned. "You’re healthy babe is my thanks."

"Liam." Eithne turned to her handsome husband, his long brown hair
pulled back into a leather clasp and forest-green eyes admiring his
first child. At her voice, Liam’s gaze switched from his daughter to
his wife. Her crystal aqua eyes reflected her fatigue, but still
retained that gem-like quality that he loved so much. "I have a name
for our daughter."

"Anything you pick will be wonderful," Liam answered. "What have you
chosen."

"I want to call her Nanya, after Nano."

Liam smiled. "That’s beautiful and very appropriate, Eithne. What do
you think, Nano?"

Both Eithne and Liam turned to Nano. Her eyes were misty with tears.
"That is the best gift that anyone could give me. Thank you." She
wiped her eyes and gathered her belongings. "I guess it’s time for me
to go. I wish you both many blessings with your new child. Fionna can
take me back." Nano blindfolded herself, and Fionna led the mortal
woman out of the faerie fort.

Upon returning to her cottage in the village, Nano found, in addition to
her normal payment of gold coins, a porcelain figurine of a small faerie
child with flowing red hair and haunting green eyes. Nanya, she
recognized and Nano smiled. She caressed the statue affectionately. No
amount of gold coins could ever match the true gift she had received of
this faerie child bearing her namesake. Her Nanya.

*Please Email any publication or copying requests and comments to IrishCreme tatertot@neosoft.com . This is completely her work- so please be courteous. Thank You!