Goodbye (7)
Their plans did not go as they wanted. For three days and three nights the seven of them traveled constantly further and further away from the city. Until they reached the foothills of the Second Mountain of the Seven Peak Mountain. Traveling for three days and nights, Hongmo had not given Vixen the baby inducing medicine yet. Their goal at the moment was to travel as far away from the capital city as possible.
Vixen's face was flushed red, but her skin was pale white. Her forehead, perspired with sweat as BP pulled her down from their horse. The constant traveling and stress her body had to go through affected her child that she carried within her.
"It's time!" Vixen shouted. "The baby's coming!"
Hongmo quickly ran to Vixen's side to help support her as they all went to take cover by the trees. There was no one in sight. Where they decided to stop was an isolated place by the Second Mountain where there was a running stream near by. Doc and Nightmare went to get wood for a fire and water so they could have clean water to wash the blood away.
BP laid Vixen down slowly, then slid in behind her and held her top half from behind.
"Hongmo, you have to help me. Please, help me deliver my child safely." Vixen begged.
"I'm a poison expert, not a doctor. I've only seen women giving birth. I've never helped anyone give birth before." Hongmo told them.
"Please tell me you have something for the pain!" BP pleaded.
Hongmo quickly pulled the small stash of medicine she kept on her body and pulled out a pink powder.
"For the pain. It won't hurt your baby." Hongmo told Vixen as she dipped her finger into the powder and placed the powder under Vixen's nose. "Quickly breath in the powder into your body."
Vixen did what she was told and her body immediately relaxed.
"Fong, go to the nearest village, try to find a doctor." General Lei ordered.
Fong hesitated for a second before jumping on his horse to ride off to the nearest village. He didn't want to leave his little sister behind. His sister that he hardly knew, but have only heard about the great things she's done. Even though he wasn't close to her, she was still his sister. The same blood ran through her as it ran through him. How could he just stand by and let her suffer?
"Breathe." Hongmo told Vixen. "I'm going to have a look okay?"
Vixen breathed through her mouth as she held on to BP's hands. Every time a contraction came, she would scream and squeeze his hand. BP's worried heart wouldn't let him scream along with her, he had to stay calm so she would be calm. He had to have courage, so she would have courage.
"Your baby will be coming soon." Hongmo said as she looked between Vixen's opened legs. "I can see your baby's head! Your baby has black hair, just like BP! You're doing a good job!"
Tears falls down Vixen's face as Doc and Nightmare came back to build a fire. In Doc's hand was a pot of water that was immediately placed on top of the fire they quickly built.
"Doc." Hongmo quickly said. "Please tell me you're name Doc because you're a doctor."
Doc shook his head no. "Doc is short for Docaru."
Hongmo's heart dropped at Doc's confession. The birthing of Vixen and BP's baby was on her shoulders. The tiny life of their child was in her hands and she could feel the weight of the responsibility close in on her.
"You can do it!" Vixen encouraged Hongmo. "I believe in you!"
With no way out, Hongmo nodded at Vixen in agreement. She was the only one who could help her friend at the moment.
Hongmo stood up and went to the stream to wash her hand.
"You're shirt." Hongmo said to the three men who stood behind her as they watch her wash her hands. "I need your shirts to clean the baby with and keep the baby warm."
All three men quickly took off their shirts and followed Hongmo's orders.
"I've never done this before. Let us pray the delivery of this child is smooth and both the lives of the baby and mother are safe and sound." Hongmo said as she came back to Vixen and BP.
Hongmo lifted up Vixen's dress again and could see that the baby's head was slowly coming out.
"Let us pray this is a quick delivery." Hongmo said to everyone, but mostly to herself.
Vixen's cries could be heard every time a contraction came. Every time it came, Hongmo would tell her to push. One hour quickly became two.
"Tired." Vixen said as her pale face became even more pale.
"Then rest." Hongmo told her. "Rest for five minutes, then we have to go at it again."
Hongmo didn't know what she was doing. It was the blind leading the blind and Hongmo was the leader. In her heart, she wished Fong would be back already with a Doctor so he or she would take over, but two hours in already with no sign of Fong means that he had to travel further to look for a Doctor.
"Okay, we have to try again." Homong told Vixen. "I know you're tired, but I also know your baby is ready to meet you and BP. So push so we can all meet your baby, okay?"
Vixen nodded and when the next contraction hit her, she pushed with the rest of her strength, praying that the baby would come out.
A strong wail could be heard in the quietness of the night. A wail of a baby that breathed in it's first breath of air.
"A girl!" Hongmo said as she wiped off all the goo and blood off of the baby. "A beautiful baby girl!"
Hongmo cut the umbilical cord with her dagger and wrapped up the baby to give to Vixen. Vixen reached out to hold on to the baby as tears run down her face. Vixen looked upon her beautiful baby with unconditional love as BP kissed Vixen and told her she did a good job.
And as quickly as the beautiful scene came, it disappeared. The Goyro's warning came too late as three darts came shooting out from the darkness. One dart hit the baby. One dart hit Vixen. While the last dart hit BP.
From the shadows 100 torches slowly lit one by one. And standing in front was King Asano himself.
"Hongmo." Vixen said as she whispered so softly only the Goryo could hear. "Lihua. Her name is Lihua."
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This chapter is dedicated to @Frz3498 and @tarawata. Thanks for all the love and support. Thanks to their discussions, I have decided to make time today in my busy schedule to write again. Cheers!
And to everyone else who is reading this, thank you as well!
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