Fear pounded in his veins and in his heart, and threatened to overwhelm Antonin while he waited with baited breath for the cry that almost didn't come. But at long last the mouse like noise escaped the tiny baby and Antonin laughed a sound of utter relief and moved to take his wife in his arms and hold her close for a long moment, kissing her brow and her lips and offering quiet words of comfort. She was not doing well still, despite the relief of the child coming into the world, Antonin knew.
He refused to allow her to succumb to illness, to die here in his arms but encouraged her to rest no less, she needed her energy and all strength she had left to her. Minutes passed, the placenta came eventually and Antonin watched it closely while his hands rose to Delia's belly and the spot just over her uterus to massage it, rubbing gently but firmly to encourage the uterus to contract and stop bleeding. When the pulsing of the cord finally stopped, Antonin moved closer to Evan, looking down at the baby in his arms and pulled open the cloak to cut the cord and tying it off with a thin, clean strip of cloth he'd prepared before the child's arrival.
"Come, give her to her mother.. the stimulation from feeding will encourage the bleeding to stop below.." he said, looking at Evan with a pride in his eyes and utter love.