Chapter Text
It was nearing mid-December.
There was a bad blizzard near the end of November, and the snow still lingered, piled high.
Silva had, with the help of her loving husband, who insisted on doing almost everything for her as she was heavily pregnant, decorated the house for Yule.
She may be the only one in the Dragon village who really celebrated it, but that was fine. Volga somewhat celebrated it, and the others were warming up to the idea.
Being a celebration of nature and its changes seemed to appeal to them. Most of the tribe weren’t very religious, but many followed Din and would thank her for what they had, as Silva would thank all three of the Golden Goddesses.
As such a few of the other homes had a small amount of decorations, something that made Silva happy. She would never force them to, but it made her feel good that they were.
That she wasn’t alone, in a way.
---
“Darling, please, I can get a glass of water myself.” Silva laughed softly as her husband gently pushed her back onto the couch.
“You’re supposed to be on bed rest, you know.” He lightly chided as he went to the kitchen.
“I’d lose my mind and you know it!” She called after him.
Volga returned shortly after, handing her a glass of water and setting the pitcher on the low table in front of the couch.
“Thank you.” Silva sipped it slowly, watching her mate lean back against the couch. “You look tired, love.”
“I am. I hate the cold. Even in the caves, it made me want to curl and sleep until spring.” He sighed, laying his head against the back of the couch.
“I wasn’t aware dragons hibernate.”
“We don’t. I would just love to.”
Silva laughed softly and placed her water on the side table.
“Oof…” She rubbed her heavy belly, the baby moving a little.
The first time they kicked, it had nearly sent Silva off her feet. There was no doubt that they had their father's strength.
Even simple movement was enough to take Silva’s breath away, though considering the size of her belly, she assumed that was only natural.
Volga’s hand joined hers on her belly, gently caressing.
“Not much longer now.” His voice was soft, happiness clear.
Silva smiled and leaned against him. “No, not much longer now. The doctor said it should be around the end of January. Myra is convinced it will be a girl.”
“Oh?” Volga put his hand over Silva’s.
“Mmm. Says she can just feel it.”
“Doesn’t matter. We’ll love them no matter what.” He kissed her head.
Silva closed her eyes, drifting off.
---
The days were slow and lazy. Not much could be done with the snow so high.
Being so heavy meant Silva was very limited in what and how much she could do, not counting how Volga insisted on doing as much as he could for her.
“First-time father,” Myra explained with a laugh. “And with how protective he is? Oh yeah, he’s going to go nuts.”
She was spoiled, she’d admit that.
He waited on her hand and foot, even at the beginning. But at least in the beginning, she was allowed to do things for herself.
Now she could barely stand up without him being beside her in an instant.
Though she would never say no to the foot massages.
Part of her wondered if it was partly due to the lack of things to do because of the piled-up snow, but she knew that was silly.
Even if it was summer he’d be her guard dragon at all times.
Surrounded by protective dragons, Silva was truly the safest woman in all of Hyrule.
---
On the twelfth, during a raging blizzard, Silva felt… strange.
This couldn’t be right.
The baby was due in late January.
Surely she couldn’t be having contractions yet.
Silva tried to ignore it. She’d heard stories of false contractions in the third trimester. Surely that was what was happening.
Certain she was right, Silva continued the small amount of walking around she was capable of without using the stairs. She knew it was fine, but she’d prefer to not use them unless necessary.
As the pains continued she tried to distract herself by playing with the ornaments on the tree, or watching the snow while wrapped in her favorite blanket.
Then, as she headed to the kitchen for a snack, she felt it.
“Darling! Darling!” Silva called for her mate, panicked.
She heard running from upstairs as she leaned against the doorframe.
“Silva! What is it? What do you need?” He hurried over to her, carefully taking hold of her upper arms.
“It’s time.” She grunted as pain shot through her.
There was no mistaking it; her water had broken.
She was in labor.
And there was no way they would be able to get the doctor.
With nothing they could do, Volga took her upstairs to their room, setting her on the edge of the bed.
He helped her undress and lay on the bed, near the edge.
Volga ran to the door, he could at least get one of their healers.
Except the door wouldn’t budge.
The snow was piled too high, keeping it shut.
“Damn it!”
There was no way to get out, and the piles were only getting higher.
Volga wracked his brain, trying to recall anything the doctor had said about the birth.
“Hot water, towels…”
“Just in case.” The doctor reassured him. “As a winter baby, we can never be sure of the snow level.”
He set the water to boil and gathered as many soft, clean towels as he could carry, taking them to their room.
“I-I thought-?” Silva groaned in pain, breathing heavily.
“The door is blocked by snow. We have to do this ourselves.”
Silva sobbed softly.
She was terrified.
Volga piled the towels on the chair and left to get the water. If it wasn’t hot yet he’d do it himself.
He ended up bringing the pot with him and carefully putting it in the fireplace to boil, setting the towels near the fire to warm them.
All they could do now was push.
Volga helped Silva into a kneeling position, as the doctor had suggested, and acted as her support.
She held him tightly, arms around his shoulders, hiding her face in his shoulder.
He did his best to encourage and comfort her as she pushed; rubbing her lower back with warm hands, rumbling, whispering encouragements and praises.
Neither is sure how long the labor lasts.
Is it hours? Minutes?
They can’t be sure.
Suddenly Silva cries out, more like another sob, and slumps against her husband.
Carefully, quickly, Volga maneuvers her, cautious of the mess and umbilical cord, and lays her on the opposite side of the bed.
He snatches up a few warm towels and the pot and returns to the bed.
He sets the pot on a few of the towels before wetting another towel.
Gently he picks up their newborn, rubbing their skin clean rapidly.
As he does so, the baby wails loudly.
Silva, who has been quiet until now, sobs in relief.
“There now, little one. There we are.” Volga coos softly as he grabs a new towel.
Carefully he holds the baby up, looking them over.
“It’s a girl.”
The little girl's skin is rubbed pink, her tiny face scrunched up as she cries, with a full head of dark brown hair.
Volga cries as he wraps her in a warm, clean towel.
It takes a moment for him to calm down.
She’s here, safe and appearing healthy.
Their daughter. Their little girl.
He brings her to Silva as they wait for her to deliver the placenta.
As the baby calmed down, comforted by the scent of her mother and father and their warmth, Silva gently stroked her head.
“We never even settled on a name.” She whispered.
Neither she nor her husband could look away from their baby.
“We’ll think of one.” Volga kept his voice just as soft.
He reached up, placing his hand over Silva’s.
Finally, the placenta was passed, and they cleaned up as best as they could.
They didn’t dare to risk cutting the cord themselves, but the doctor had told them it would fall off naturally after a few days.
They just had to be a bit more careful until it did.
They sat together, content to simply look at their daughter, heads resting together.
After a little while the baby finally opened her eyes, Silva cooing quietly in delight.
“She has your eyes.” Silva laughed softly.
Volga cried again.
“Oh, darling, what is it?” Silva kissed his cheek gently.
“My eyes… my fathers eyes…” He nuzzled his mate's hair.
“Oh, darling…” She kissed him softly.
---
As they waited for the blizzard to end, and for the snow to melt enough to open the door, they settled on a name.
Rila.
Silva couldn’t remember where she’d heard it, but she loved the name.
Volga agreed.
---
Rila took to nursing like a professional, needing little help or encouragement to latch.
It was about a day later when the cord detached, carefully wrapped up to be disposed of later. The snow stopped the same day.
Thankfully the snow finally melted enough that Volga was able to get the door open a little to melt the snow and get free.
He cleared as much snow as he could, helping his kin get free, and they joined him in making the village walkable again.
Astarot was sent to Silva and Rila, to check them over until Volga could get the doctor from the human village.
The man was in a panic when Volga informed him that Silva had given birth early, and they rushed to check on her and the baby.
By some stroke of luck or miracle Rila and her mother are both healthy. Despite being born early, Rila is fully formed.
All ten fingers and toes, clear, strong lungs(as her parents would attest to), a strong heart.
There were no signs that Rila was anything other than perfectly healthy.
---
On a somewhat warmer day, with Silva and Rila bundled up as much as possible, the residents of the dragon village returned to the caves, joining up with the tribe that had chosen to remain there.
In the warmth of the caves, they held a great feast, honoring and welcoming their Masters firstborn.
The dragonfolk circled the family, eager to meet the newest member of the tribe.
Rila showed no fear around them, cooing and, to her mother's surprise, chirping in response to their voices.
“She’s chirping,” Silva whispered, stunned.
“I’ve heard hybrid children are capable of it. It’s normal.” Volga smiled at his daughter, amused by how fascinated she was with her new surroundings.
“Can you… understand her?”
“It’s not words yet, not really. The chirps have meanings, but she isn’t at words yet.” Volga kissed her hair. “Don’t worry. You haven’t missed her first word.”
Silva sighed in relief.
“It’s silly, I know-”
“No, it isn’t. Of course, you’d want to understand her first word.”
Silva leaned against her mate with a smile, Rila cooing and chirping away.
Surrounded by family, their new daughter in their arms.
What a wonderful Yule this was.