They reached her due date, Lucretia guaranteed that the babies would be here within a couple of days. Deathbelle was terrified. The day of reckoning was upon her, and she felt ill prepared for what she was about to go through. Her milk came in a few days ago, so included in the misery that was her hugely swollen self she had to deal with her teats swaying beneath her. She certainly didn’t appreciate feeling like a bovine. No matter how afraid she was of the moment, Belle was also very much ready to not be pregnant anymore. To help things along Luce diagnosed a few activities for her, and though the most appealing wasn’t a light walk that’s what she opted for. She still found her emotions about his relationship with Zee painful, but they had worked everything out and Belle was not one to go back on her word. Besides, she had much more important things to think about than her broken dreams. She was bringing new life into the world, and they very much deserved every ounce of her attention. With Seer at her side to act as protector as usual, Belle waddled along the border. Her attempt to look regal was commendable but difficult to pull off in her current state. Thank goodness it as the middle of the night and hard to see most details. She huffed as her paws continued to carry her, and she was having recurring cramps. She was forced to slow down or stop every quarter mile or so. The Empress was thankful for Seer’s patience as they slowly patrolled Ashen’s borders. The bongo hide was draped over her back to keep her warm, she’d been cold since waking up but Autumn was quickly segwaying to Winter. They’d been walking only a short distance since the last stop when Belle was forced to stop again. This time her whole body seemed to tense up with the muscles in her abdomen. Deathbelle cried out, not expecting the physical pain to be so intense. She gasped for breath through tightly closed eyes as she worked through the first real contraction. "Speech"

The moved in silence, and Seer easily kept himself to a slow, stately pace beside the Empress. Her pregnant body wasn’t one she could throw about quickly any longer, and he struggled every now and then not to smile as her belly swayed back and forth beneath her. He knew Deathbelle would swat him for any such expression. He didn’t question Deathbelle at the times she stopped, he could hear her pained breathing, and wanted to protest her leaving the den of all. He did not, of course. His relationship with the Empress was strained enough as it was, and he would not risk her ire now. Instead, he stayed close by her, and kept a close eye on her and their surroundings, doing his best to keep her safe. Deathbelle stopped again, and Seer let his steps fall silent, turning to look at her, patiently waiting, until she cried out in pain. His fur stood on end, and his eyes went a little wild as he realised she was experiencing a contraction. “Death?” he growled going towards her and nosing her belly. “Are they coming? What do I do?” he should have paid more attention in that cursed pregnancy lesson luce gave them. what do I do?? he thought frantically as his mental capacity turned to mush. "Belle""Seer"

Deathbelle kept breathing, that was one of the first things Luce told her, one of the most important steps. In, out. In, out. She did it, but her breaths were labored. The Empress didn’t get through it without a couple soft whines as Seer was suddenly very close. She hadn’t allowed his touch since the talk between the three of them. She would welcome the comfort now though. There were a few wolves she wanted beside her, but Seer was her rock. Even after everything he was the one she leaned on most heavily. She could hear the uncertainty in his voice, and could tell he was frustrated at how helpless he was to soothe her. She tried to give him an encouraging smile, but all she managed was a grimace as the contractions finally ended and she could breathe again. Belle tried to take control of the situation and to b the calm one, it was hard realizing she was going into labor. Her fears were closing in. "I need to be in my den." She started, her gaze shifting to the ravine. Why had she decided to walk so far? ”Luce needs to know." She added as she started towards the palance, unsure if she could even howl for her sister. They had a limited amount of time before the next contraction, and she felt more than ready to lay down. "Speech"

He hovered above her as she went through the contractions, and he struggled to make a decision on what to do. Her smile was more of a grimace and worried him further. His thoughts flashed to what Luce had said, how all the mothers had lost their children, how mothers had died, in the fleeing of the broken Empire. He looked to Deathbelle, and fear flashed in his eyes. He had not considered the possibility of losing her in childbirth before, and wished he wasn’t experiencing it now. She told him she needed to be in her den, and Luce needed to know. He forced himself to take a soft breath and concentrate on the task at hand. He could do this. He had carried wounded wolves off the battlefield before. He could carry one pregnant mother back to her den. “I’ll clean it until it shines” he promised her as he gently removed the bongo hide and placed it on the ground beside her, indicating for her to hop on. If she did so, he could carefully carry her back to her den. As he did so, he let loose a howl calling Luce and telling her what was happening and where to meet them. "Belle""Seer"

Lucretia was sleeping fitfully in Deathbelle's den when she heard the call. She had been staying awake at all hours to monitor the Empress while she slept, and it was wearing on her. Ashen's shamyn had been sleeping in twenty minute snatches where and when she could. It was a good thing that the den was well stocked; truly, she was ready to tend to the labor in a moment's notice. By the time they made their way to the den, they would find Lucretia tending to a pile of ratty furs and moss. She was fluffing it and making it as attractive as possible, since it would all be discarded once the puppies were delivered and cleaned. Stores of agrimony were well stocked and from somewhere deeper in the den, she had stoked a small, contained fire of lavender and chamomile. Calming scents infused the air within the Empress' palace. Everything was in its place, all that was missing was Deathbelle herself.

Sirius was not content with how she was trying to waddle back to the den on her own, he stood in her way and slipped her favorite cape from her shoulders to create a makeshift litter. This was not going to be comfortable. She didn’t like it, and she didn’t like the thought of losing her cloak. However, Sirius could move her faster than she could walk so reluctantly Belle curled up on the pelt. "You better, and maybe get me another one." She told him as the made their way to the den. Seer was fast, to her misfortune, and she felt pretty uncomfortable by the time the reached the ledge. "You won’t drag me down." She told him as he paused at the lip and she stood up. She looked down at the pelt, and though Seer would clean it she couldn’t imagine it would be the same. Another contraction took her before she started down the gulley’s trail. She leaned into Sirius for the comfort and support. "I need Archon here." She gasped through the pain, would Sirius call for him? She didn’t have time to think about it, as her body relaxed the she wolf made her way slowly down the trail, finally finding her way back to the palace. They set everything up in the main room, her new little ones would be moved to her more private den after the whole affair. "Luce," she whined again as she was distracted by the clenching of her muscles. They were getting closer. "Speech"

“I promise” he said quietly before concentrating on pilling the very pregnant wolf back to the cave as quickly and gently as he was able. He was surprised and pleased she had agreed so readily to hope onto the cloak, and was willing to promise much to ensure she stayed there, and he could deliver her to someone who knew what they were doing as quickly as possible. He reached the lip, and was about to bullheadedly strive on, but Belle spoke out, and got up from the cloak before he was able to. He rolled up the cloak and tucked it to the side to retrieve and clean later. She asked for Archon, and he paused. He had never actually met the man, and honestly he wasn’t sure he wanted to. This man who had stolen Deathbelles heart. But.. in the end, as they had agreed, her heart was not his. With Deathbelle leaning against him they made there down to the den, and Seer sighed. “I’ll ensure he comes” he promised. Then they where before Luce, and Seer was gratefully handing off the Empress to the healer. He raised his head and called for Archon, before hovering awkwardly to the side, uncertain where he was needed. "Belle""Seer"

"Alright, Belle, focus on me," Lucretia murmured, licking her sister's forehead tenderly. What an intimate experience they were about to share. She had spent so long waiting for this moment, and now it had arrived! "First I have prepared a motherwort tisane. Drink as much as you can - when the contractions come too close together to sip, I can soak some moss and you can bite down on it." Lucretia nudged a gourd full of tepid, vaguely green liquid. A few loose petals of the flower floated on top. "Sirius, please fetch some moss. It's deeper in the den, stored in a nook on your right," Lucretia paced around Deathbelle, then encouraged her to lie fully down on her side. "Relax and focus on your breathing. Once you have begun to secrete a clear fluid, the first puppy should follow within twenty minute's time," she said, smiling encouragingly. "Your husband-to-be will arrive any moment to bear witness to this historic moment."

As soon as Archon heard the howl, he and Obi sprang into action. Obi grabbed the small vial of sweet smelling oils he planned to use to anoint the mother to be and the pups as soon as they received their names. Archon wasn't totally sure what to do. he knew some healing, but he knew Belle had her own crew to keep her company. As soon as Obi was ready, Archon practically dragged the primate to the scene.

When Archon arrived, he wasn't out of breath, but he was breathless. He kept himself stoic and calm in front of the others, thanking God that it wasn't just him and Belle where all of his true emotions and worries would be able to surface. Archon made his way towards the group and spoke in hushed tones. "Belle, how are you handling?" he asked half to Deathbelle and half to her attendants. "Obi brought the anointing oils, whenever you feel ready for that."

Oh, how Archon wished he could curl up to the woman who had captured his heart. To tell her she was strong and to comfort her through her pain. He yearned to take away the unpleasantness from her and to deliver it onto mortals beyond her care. But, still, he stood, quietly. A professional force in front of those Belle held dear.

Belle would have preferred to focus on Seer, he had promised that the pup’s father would be here. She trusted him and had to put him from her mind as Luce commanded her attention. Her heart beat rapidly as she struggled with her nerves. This was it, this was happening. The Empress was about to give birth. She tried to focus on her sister as she groomed her affectionately, and talked soft and smooth as she got started working. Belle tried to breathe and tried to remain calm. Being a tense nervous wreck would not help her unborn any at all. She did as she was bid to, and cautiously sipped from the gourd that was offered to her before another contraction hit her. As she suffered through the pain Luce was quick to give Seer his duties, though she was too distracted to think it, him having something other than her distress to focus on would be good. Luce’s attention was quickly returned to her patient though, as Belle was encouraged to lay down and make herself as comfortable as possible. Had she not been so distracted by the pain she might have blancheed at Luce’s words about secreting fluid, but a lot worse was about to happen. She tried to steady her breathing as the contraction faded, though her breaths were quick they were also even. Then Archon appeared. He entered easily into the den with Obi, his words calm and soft as he looked her over and offered his quiet support. "Archon," Belle gasped in surprise at the relief she felt at his presence. She managed a smile as he took her focus from the pain. "Lay with me?" She asked shyly as she looked up towards his giant form. "I wish to share your strength." She wanted him close, to be able to lean on him when the birth got rough. She wanted to experience this together. "Whenever you’re ready, Obi. Just be mindful of Lady Lucretia’s work." Her last words were muffled as she tensed through another contraction. Were they supposed to get more painful like this? The time in between was shortening, and the real work would begin soon. "Speech"

Archon showed up, making good time. He had been laying so low for the past few months that Lucretia had almost forgotten he'd joined their ranks. This put him in her good graces. The less of a presence he had, for the time being, the better - at least as far as she was concerned. They could tackle the issue of his religion after the puppies were born. In a passing thought, Luce wondered if Belle would take her up on the idea of having Archon perform a sermon for the pack in honor of their litter's birth. Let the majority decide how to feel about his proselytizing. Focusing back on the immediate task at hand, Lucretia gave Archon a brusque nod. "I'm pleased to see you have answered your call. You are permitted to lie by her spine as close as you desire without infringing on her movement. It's important for her to feel relaxed - panting and shivering are all very normal, so don't worry a bit about that," she reassured. Males tended to be more nervous than any attending female - it might as well have been witchcraft, as far as they seemed to be concerned. "But please keep the... oils to yourself, until after the puppies have been fully cleaned off and are nursing peacefully," Luce warned, eyeing Obi warily. Now was not the time to be introducing foreign substances into what she had so carefully tried to make a closed, clean environment.

He was more then happy to let Luce take control, shooting her a significant look as he did so, remembering her took on how the mothers had lost their children in the fall of the empire. He was remembering, and he was counting on her. The look to her was one between two wolves who loved their empress and needed her to be okay. He was glad to have something to do, and moved to fetch the moss as indicated, he had just grabbed it off the shelf and turned around when Archon appeared. So this was the man Deathbelle had replaced him with when she thought he had died. He had the height of a firewolf, but Seer wasn’t impressed. The man looked lost, and his attention turned immediately to Death, ignoring all else around him. Seer was just fine with that. Ignoring the man, and turning his head so no one would see the subtly bared teeth as Deathbelle invited him to lie beside her. The titan regained control of himself, his expression impassive as he passed the moss to Luce and took a step back, awaiting further instructions. "Belle""Seer"

Archon let Belle's followers take the lead. He knew she was like a God to them and with good reason. He wasn't going to get in the middle of what she had built up for herself. If this had been the end of their contract, Archon would have sat idly by as she gave birth to the children, but since things had gotten... complicated,  he was more than willing to oblige.

Obi wasn't thrilled about this wolf dismissing him as if he was an unclean creatures posting a threat to the pups. Generations of his tribe had used these oils in birthing before. He guessed mortals could not see past the physical attributes of whatever their eyes fell on. For that reason, he dismissed her misgivings and with a sign of his hand as if to acknowledge her, he sat and began to pray.

Archon followed the woman's words. Once he came to Belle's back, he whispered to her, "You ask for my strength and yet, lying here, all I feel is yours." He gave her head a soft kiss. "You will prevail splendidly and I pray the pups carry some of your strength."

Lucretia was quick with her instructions, and told him her protocols as Belle struggled through another contracted. She furrowed her brows and grit her teeth, unable to hold in the pained moan that slipped from her dark lips. She was much too busy to notice Sirius’s reaction to the father of her children. She endured through the pain, and Archon was suddenly beside her. She whined softly, leaning into his massive frame as he spoke encouraging words and offered a sweet kiss as he told her his hopes. She knew her children would be much stronger than she was. Deathbelle couldn’t answer the wolf who held her now as she panted for breath. It had been a long and painful contraction. Relieved it was over she leaned back against Archons neck and nuzzled into the fur as she willed herself to be as strong as he believed her to be. Much quicker than she expected though her body contracted again. Her pained whine shifted swiftly into an agonizing cry. "Luce," she cried, sure something was wrong as she looked up at the calm demeanor of her sister. Her rear legs were suddenly wet, and the moment of truth was finally upon them. Instinct finally kicked in and as Belle leaned back against Archon’s strong frame the she wolf pushed for the first time as her body contracted once more. There was much more resistance than she expected but Bell pushed hard, and with much effort the first two pups were born near simultaneously. Two girls both of dark coats with white markings, very much like their mother. Belle cried out in pain and joy as they fled her body and she was able to relax for a moment more before the next were born. She knew she was far from finished yet. "Speech"

Lucretia eyeballed Obi but appreciated that he didn't argue. While the oils may have been harmless, she didn't want to risk introducing any contaminates just yet and she appreciated his discretion. She didn't find Sirius' attitude help in the birthing chambers, but didn't feel it was within her rights to dismiss him. Luce didn't want to risk upsetting Deathbelle during her labor. Luckily, the Empress was tending to her own duties in bringing forth her children. Sirius' attitude went unnoticed. Lucretia took the opportunity to shoot him a weighty stare, lifting just a corner of her lip as a warning. He had better check himself. This space had no use for petty jealousies and the strange, emotionally charged state of their current relationship. Deathbelle had children to think about, and Sirius had his... wife? Or whatever. Luce tenderly licked at Belle's brow again as she called for her. "Yes! Excellent, keep going," she encouraged softly. As the two puppies were brought forth, Lucretia tended to them quickly. Aiden's warning at the festival of distressed mother's biting too close to their puppies and savaging them. In no time at all, Luce had their cords severed and the puppies cleaned. She nosed them towards Belle's stomach - nature would take its course and guide them to nurse soon enough. "They're stunning, just like you," she whispered. Archon's encouraging words were a blessing in the negative void that Sirius had created. Luce found herself swayed in the priest's favor; his strong presence was certainly helping Deathbelle. Lucretia bowed her head to him politely as he spoke, agreeing with his words without speaking.

It was time. Hannibal heard the call when he was visiting his daughter Banshee. The girl was concerned with a strange pain in her upper jaws and he was going to go retrieve Luce but it seems she was much busier then he had suspected. The urgency and tone of the summons meant Belle was likely giving birth or about to. After a few more consoling words with his daughter the male slithered towards the palace. As he arrived the sounds of labor and rushed speech filled his ears. Hannibal had been in a similiar situation before when Leera was giving birth to Tyranis' pups. The albino was the Hand and secondary Alpha of the pack so it was only polite for him to show face. But, it would be incredibly ill mannered to get too close. This was Belle and Archon's moment and in no way did Hannibal wish to take any of the spotlight away. Thus, he moved to seat himself to where Belle could see him but a good few tail lengths away. His hauntingly pale gaze poured into his sisters own but he remained silent. His appearance was the support he gave for she had enough words. ""

There were many faces and many scents mixing in the den, but Archon's sole focus was on Belle and the pups. He wasn't sure what to make of another wolf being the one to sever the chords and to clean them off, but personal feelings aside, it was good that Belle didn't have to do it. The woman said they were stunning, just like their mother and Archon nodded towards her before offering Belle another light kiss. "She's right," he said. "Just like their mother."

He turned his attention to Luce again, "Do you know if they are girls or boys?" The first one would be a strong leader, an heir, and the second, a pivotal leader in the ways of God. He couldn't wait to see what other pups God had in store for them.

The den was growing more crowded by the second. Deathbelle had so many male orbiters, Lucretia wasn't quite sure what to do with them. Did they not know their place? The whelping of a litter was a private thing, meant to be shared by with a midwife and perhaps a mate. She supposed, though, that every male currently present might as well have been a surrogate mate. I must make do. Trying to remain as flexible as she could for Belle's sake, Lucretia staked out a perimeter by pacing a circle around Archon and Belle. She offered the soaked moss that Sirius had collected to Belle. "Here, bite down on this." Deeper in the cavern laid some gingseng and ginger infused water for after the delivery, along with other energy restoratives. They had to focus on the gauntlet of delivering Belle's massive litter for now. She had a feeling that it was a large one, and her instincts were proving to be correct. "Two strong, breathtaking females - just like their mother," she murmured in response to Archon's question. Luce wondered if his religion prized males over females, as some did. She certainly hoped not. Deathbelle wouldn't stand for unequal treatment among her children, of that she was sure.

Birth wasn’t what she expected, but as her lilac gaze fell on her two tiny daughters the whole world stopped. Belle almost growled and took over from Luce as she hurried to tend to the babies, but they were suddenly at her belly and more perfect than she imagined. She only had eyes for her daughters, but Hannibal made his presence known as well. She smiled up at his before leaning over to kiss her two newborns. Luce and Archon offered their praise as the latter gave an accompanying kiss. She breathed softly as Luce offered her a bit of wet moss. Deathbelle performed as she was bid as the next pup began his arrival.

Belle’s body contorted in pain as she bit down hard on the moss and leaned heavily against Archon’s huge frame. She almost missed that the first two were girls. The thought carried her through the most painful contraction thus far and with extra effort Deathbelle brought forth her son. She took in her breath in ragged gasps, her body tired from the effort. She let her head lay against Archon’s shoulder as she sipped his quiet strength. Belle allowed Luce to do what she needed without action this time. She didn’t have the energy to fight her, and she knew she wasn’t finished yet either.

After the mostly white pup two more girls followed, both dark pelted and white marked like their sisters before them. After much effort and even more exhaustion Belle knew that her litter was complete. Five beautiful, perfect babies. ”Archon, just look at them.” She said adoringly as she gazed down at their tiny forms. ”Luce, what do you think?” Were they as perfect as they looked?

Archon worked so hard to contain his excitement. No telling what Luce might do if he got ahead of himself. He watched eagerly as each pup was born and offered support and comfort when needed. It seemed like the birthing went on forever and at the same time it seemed to be over within a matter of seconds. Finally, Belle leaned back and asked him to adore them, which he did without hesitation. He sniffed each one gently then turned back to give Belle an almost pup-like grin. He nuzzled her cheek warmly and offered her several small licks ad if to wash away her exhaustion. "They are absolutely perfect, born from perfection herself, how else could they have been?"