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ivpapaemeritusiv · 4 months ago

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Chapter 28: Meliora

Summary: In this chapter, Addeline gives birth to her fifth child, but it doesn't go as smoothly as she had planned!

Word Count: 2,500 Words

In this chapter, we see Addy and Swiss welcome their child into the world. We have no reason to believe that the delivery won't be a smooth one except for the fact that this is Addy and of course something is going to happen.

The 2027 North American tour began without a hitch. Being pregnant, Addy had to watch most of it from the sidelines, but she enjoyed the show, nonetheless. During their show in Tampa, she even got a chance to catch up with Ellie, who was taken aback by Kaisarion's growth and even more astonished to discover her friend expecting her fifth child.

Their destination in Europe proved much more eventful. Finding themselves in France, Addeline was lending a hand to the crew, helping them unload their instruments for a show that night. Despite all the warnings about lifting heavy equipment at nine months pregnant, Addy’s stubbornness could not be swayed. She was three days away from her due date, an accomplishment that filled her heart with immeasurable pride.

She was helping Mountain lift his drum set into the bus when she felt a gush of water drench her feet. Mountain felt the splash of water and quickly jumped back, “Gross, Addy! You got your baby juice on me.”

“Shit!” the woman said. She was nervous but this nervousness was not like before. This time, her nerves were different. She wasn’t afraid for her baby’s life but rather fortunate and thrilled about the upcoming birth.

Having experienced a natural birth and two preterm births before, she was now grateful for the opportunity to have a normal, full-term pregnancy in the hospital with pain management tailored to her preferences.

“Mountain,” she regretfully informed him, “I’m sorry but I gotta go.”

“Yeah!” he shouted with a know-it-all tone, “Don’t worry about it! Go find your baby daddy!” He yelled good luck as the woman vanished from sight.

In the intensity of the moment, she completely forgot about the need to search for Papa Emeritus. Instead, she began feverishly searching for Swiss, asking everyone she encountered on her way back into the venue if they had seen the ghoul. With the help of a few kind souls, she was pointed onto the right path, and she hurriedly followed their directions, determined to find him back on stage. As she ran towards him, he extended his arms, bracing himself for the impact of her full-force sprint. He eagerly wanted to catch her when she reached him.

Just as she found her way into his arms, she couldn’t contain the news any longer and blurted out that her water had broken. Suddenly, Papa emerged from behind the curtain. Swiss placed his hands on Addy’s stomach as Papa rushed to his wife, unable to contain his excitement. He didn’t even mention the mix-up with Swiss because he was so overjoyed.

Addy was aware of Swiss’s strong desire to be present for the birth of their son. She pondered on a way to subtly prompt Papa to extend an invitation to him to the hospital. Unlike with the twins, where it happened organically, she wanted to avoid any suspicion of a secret relationship.

Fortunately, they wouldn’t need to plot. Addy felt an intense pressure building inside her, reminiscent of the moment when a baby begins to crown. It’s impossible, she thought, realizing she hadn’t felt any contractions yet. Her water had just broken, so how could she bypass the typical stages of labor? Reflecting on the past two days, she pondered if the mild cramping she had felt could have been contractions.

Swiss quickly understood Addy’s distress and exchanged a knowing glance with her. “GO GET THE PARAMEDICS OVER HERE,” he shouted to a random passerby. Then, he turned to Addeline and Papa and began to give them directions, “Okay, Addy, you need to lay down and spread your legs. Cardinal, you need to check to see if the baby is crowning.” The urgency in his voice was evident as they all sprang into action.

Papa swiftly obeyed the man’s instructions, lifting up Addy’s dress and confirming what she had felt, “I see the head,” he revealed, his nervousness evident, “What do we do?” he asked anxiously.

“We wait for the medics to get here,” Swiss reassured him.

Addy’s discomfort intensified as the labor pains finally found her, and still, no one had come to help.

“Shit!” Swiss exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice.

A crowd had gathered around the young woman by this time. The passerby returned with news that the medics were unavailable.

“Shit, shit!” Swiss repeated, feeling the weight of the situation, “Does anyone here know how to deliver a baby?” He was hopeful that at least one person in the crowd had experience.

When no one volunteered, Swiss turned to Papa. “Cardinal, I’m going to need you to trust me,” he said urgently.

Papa, already on the verge of a breakdown, asked, “What do you mean, trust you?”

Both Papa and Addy were overwhelmed, tears streaming down the young woman’s face as she realized that this birth was not going as planned either.

Swiss, being observant and resourceful recalled every detail of the twins’ birth. He quickly recognized Aether in the crowd and asked his fellow ghoul to call an ambulance immediately. He knelt between Addy’s legs and reassured her, “Okay, Adds, listen to me. You know what to do, okay? When you feel a contraction, you push, and I’ll count to three. Got it?”

Addy, her face a mess of emotions, looked down at him and nodded, indicating that she understood. The Cardinal stepped aside, putting all his trust in the multi-ghoul.

Swiss heard Addy’s moans and asked, “Is that a contraction?” She nodded in confirmation. “Then push, now!” he urged. Addy pushed with determination as the crowd gathered around. Cirrus had arrived at the scene and knelt beside Swiss to offer support. She was amazed by his bravery and ability to take charge in an emergency. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of delight seeing him deliver his own child.

This pattern continued for what felt like an eternity, with Addeline pushing longer than ever before. Tensions ran high as Papa, who had been quietly supporting his wife, finally broke the silence, asking, “Is everything okay? Why is it taking so long?”

In the midst of the anxiety, Swiss remained calm and confidently announced, “I got it! The shoulders are out!”

Suddenly, the tense atmosphere transformed into a defining moment for the crowd, who had become fully invested in the well-being of the mother and baby.

“Addy, one more push!” Swiss encouraged. With one final, determined push, Swiss skillfully delivered a baby boy, and the joy in his eyes was undeniable. Cirrus let out a sigh of relief and rushed to check on Addy, while Papa hurried to Swiss to ensure the newborn was okay. Swiss couldn’t help but admire the child’s precious facial features.

In that moment, the question that had been on everyone’s mind was finally answered. This baby, with his mixed features including his skin color, was undoubtedly Swiss’s child. The resemblance was clear to everyone except Papa.

Swiss and Cirrus exchanged glances, their unspoken understanding spoke volumes. They shared a look filled with both worry and hope, silently communicating their uncertainty about whether Papa would notice the resemblance.

Papa, unaware of the cryptic conversation, took the baby from Swiss and knelt beside Addy, asking, “My darling, what’s his name?”

Addy, noticing the surprised look on Swiss’s face, mirrored his expression as she laid eyes upon her son. Swiftly wiping away her own look of dread, she confidently answered, “His name is Meliora.”

As the ambulance arrived to take Addy and the baby to the hospital, Addy silently bid farewell to Swiss. They gently placed her and the baby on a stretcher for transport, with only Papa allowed to accompany them. Cirrus, sensing Swiss’s sadness, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and offered words of encouragement, saying, “You did amazing, Dad.” Swiss looked into Cirrus’s eyes and planted a friendly kiss on top of her head. The two embraced tightly, displaying a strong bond of friendship.

Swiss and Cirrus arrived at the hospital shortly after the ambulance whisked Addeline away. Cirrus remained calm while the frantic man rushed up to the lobby desk demanding to know where the maternity ward was, "I'm looking for an Addeline Copia," he shouted.

The unphased receptionist pointed the two in the right direction.

As Swiss's nerves got the better of him, Cirrus begged him to calm down, "Get it together, dude. She's in a room. She's not going anywhere."

"I know, I know," he boasted, "I'm just excited to see my son."

Cirrus whipped her head around, "He’s not your son, here, Swiss. He’s Copia’s. Don’t let your emotions give yourself away.”

Swiss having to maintain the pretense that the child belonged to another man definitely cast a shadow over his mood, “I guess we can just call you little sunshine,” he snapped back.

Addeline was sitting on the bed with Meliora when the ghoul and ghoulette walked in. a wide smile lighting up her face upon seeing Swiss. The scene was heartwarming as Swiss extended his arms to welcome the new bundle of joy. With a natural ease, he took the child from Addy, cradling the infant gently as if it were second nature to him. "Hey little man," he whispered, tenderly playing with the baby's tiny fingers.

Wanting to remind Swiss of what they discussed, Cirrus asked, "Where is Papa Emeritus?"

"He stepped out to call Sister Imperator," Addeline said.

Swiss remained unphased by her words. He had seen Addy give birth before, he witnessed the growth of all her children, always there for the highs and lows, but the moment he gazed down at his own flesh and blood, the magic he felt was unparalleled. The realization that he had created this life filled him with a profound sense of wonder. Even Cirrus couldn’t help but smile.

The ghoulette turned to look at Addy, who was admiring her secret lover gazing down upon their son, “How do you feel?”

“I don't know," the mother replied, "I actually feel kind of dizzy.”

Horror overtook Cirrus as she noticed the alarming amount of blood around Addy, "Unholy Satan, Addy you're bleeding!”

Addy's heart rate began to increase, causing one of the monitors to beep relentlessly as she slipped out of consciousness.

"Swiss!" Cirrus urgently called out for help, her voice filled with desperation. The man was already outside the door, shouting for assistance.

Papa Emeritus, upon seeing the medical staff rush to his wife's room, ended the call with Sister Imperator and hurried back to the woman’s side.

The tension in the hospital room escalated as Addeline began to hemorrhage. Panic and urgency filled the air as medical staff rushed to stabilize her condition. Swiss and Cirrus stood by, their faces etched with worry and fear as they witnessed the sudden turn of events.

Papa Emeritus began yelling over the commotion, “What in the hell is happening?”

The staff swiftly started to wheel Addy out as a doctor urgently stated to Copia, "Your wife is hemorrhaging. We need to rush her into surgery to save her life. Can she receive blood?"

“Yes, yes,” she can receive blood,” he responded frantically.

The doctor didn't pause as she continued, "We may need to perform a hysterectomy on your wife..."

Copia instinctively interjected, "Don't you dare take out her womb!"

Swiss, initially upset about Addy's condition, now directed his frustration at Copia, "She could lose her life, and you're concerned about her giving you more kids?"

Papa, coming to his senses, regained his composure and allowed logic to prevail, "No, of course, just… save her! She has five little ones."

The doctor acknowledged his comment and left the room, with the trio of musicians following closely behind.

Fear gripped the hallway as Swiss, Papa, and Cirrus anxiously paced outside the surgical room. A tense silence filled the air during the seemingly endless moments. Finally, after an hour, the doctor emerged, removing her scrub cap and wiping her brow. Papa rushed to her, with Swiss and Cirrus following closely, "Is she alright?" his voice filled with desperation.

"She did fantastic!" the woman revealed, "The bleeding was minimal, and we were able to fix her right up! She can stay here overnight with the baby and go home in the morning."

The one question still lingered in everyone's thoughts, "What about her womb?" Papa asked.

The doctor placed an ungloved hand on his shoulder and smiled, "She can still have babies, Mr. Copia."

A look of relief overtook the man's face.

After the news of Addy's recovery sank in, Cirrus reluctantly reminded everybody, "Um… Papa Emeritus… what about the show?"

He touched his forehead, regretfully informing his ghoulette, “The show must go on I’m afraid."

"Shouldn’t someone stay here and wait for Addy to wake up?"

Papa shook his head, "You both return to the venue and let the others know to continue with the soundcheck. I'll stay here." Swiss felt disheartened to be asked to leave. He longed to be by Addeline's side when she regained consciousness, but he understood he couldn't insist. The ghoul passed Meliora to Papa and he and Cirrus took their leave.

Addy opened her eyes, dazed and confused about what had transpired. A fragment of her day had disappeared, and it startled her upon awakening from her slumber.

Directly in front of her, Papa sat in a chair slumped over, taking a nap in his hands. He’d been patiently waiting for her to regain consciousness for nearly an hour.

Addeline jumped up, gasping as she pulled out the nasal cannula from her nose. This stirred Papa awake. Rising from his chair, he gently took her by the arms to calm her, "Amore... Amore..."

She began to relax, looking around, recalling that she had just given birth. She frantically placed her hands on Copia’s cheeks, sandwiching them between her hands, “Meliora?”

“My dear, he’s fine. They’ve taken him to the nursery.”

“What happened?” she asked, confused.

“Well, you lost a lot of blood, so you passed out. They had to do surgery on you.”

“Surgery?”

“Don’t fret, Tesoro,” the man could see she was frightened, “It wasn’t invasive at all. The doctor was able to fix you up without cutting you open or taking away your womb.”

“My God!” Addeline was shocked to discover everything that had happened to her, “Am… am I okay?”

Copia laughed and pulled the woman’s head down to his lips. He kissed the top of her head as he assured her, “You are perfectly well, darling.”

“Swiss? Cirrus? They were here, weren’t they?”

“They were,” he told her, “But I sent them back to the venue so that—”

“The show! Papa your show!”

“You are a nervous Nellie, my pet. I will make the show. That is not for you to worry about.”

Maintaining eye contact with Copia, she nodded and let her head fall back onto the pillow. A subtle smile graced her lips as he reciprocated the gesture. He held her hand tightly, determined to stay with her until he would reluctantly have to depart.

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black-metal-bard · 2 years ago

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Kind of want to draw some hypothetical children for Meliora and Evyrn(not that I ever actually want them to EXIST in game), but in universe have it be something STRAHD commissioned.

I can post freely here because none of my group are on Tumblr, but in the part of the campaign I’m DMing, one of Meliora’s lovers/friends is the Son of Strahd(explored further in my books, where Strahd’s name/parts of his origin have been changed to avoid Copyright infringement). Now, this places Strahd and Barovia as allies to the party at the start of things. If I feel like things are too chummy and we need to throw a wrench in the plot, I have plans for Evyrn to ask for Meliora’s hand(for political purposes), and be VERY offended when she declines.

Okay this is getting REALLY long and I’m just sort of Rambling about my campaign at this point, so it’s going under a cut. Keep in mind it takes place around 1000 years POST CoS events.

Evyrn’s intentions are “Marry me so I am officially an Oarthean Noble to get around some bullshit red tape to progress the invasion”, but Meliora isn’t 100% happy to BE a noblewoman in the first place(her Estranged Father abdicated his position to her), and she CERTAINLY doesn’t want to be Princess of the Barovian Empire. Being Strahd’s Son, Evyrn doesn’t take that well(because how could one of his best friends and frequent bed-partner NOT be Down to Marry him???), and he’s GOING to be insufferable about it—partly because he’s a strategist at heart and it WOULD make a lot of things easier, but also because his pride and his feelings are hurt, so he VERY MUCH wants to get her to agree.

I’m HOPING my players will be divided on whether they support Mel or Evyrn in that regard, Pragmatism VS Respecting Meliora—because making an enemy of EITHER of them would be FASCINATING. EVERYONE in my group has been deeply desiring a Meliora Villain Arc for a long time now, so with her as the new party’s mentor figure, having them insult her enough for her to cut ties with them would be a delicious way to start Mel’s Villain arc—especially since Mordakhesh is still bound to her via blood pact AND he feels loyal to her because he genuinely trusts her(Khesh also ACTIVELY distrusts Evyrn from the beginning, because his Epitaph is “The Dragon of Barovia”, and their attitudes about Meliora clash despite them having similar codes of Honor otherwise). It would also be fascinating to have the party sided with the Von Zarovich family and Barovia WITHOUT Meliora’s protection, because Strahd and Evyrn only care about ONE of the PCs for that campaign(one of them is the son of a “Rival” Darklord who Strahd “Adopted” after he tried to assassinate Strahd on behalf of his father—the PC’s greatest wish is to be a True Von Zarovich). But all the other PCs? If they slip up, Strahd IS still Strahd, despite him softening a bit in Fatherhood. Evyrn, unbeknownst to ANYONE save for perhaps Baba Lysaga, inherited his father’s SOUL when he was born, so he is not much better than his father—just with SIGNIFICANTLY less Trauma.

As far as Strahd feels in terms of Meliora—he very MUCH would like his son to marry her. Meliora’s estranged Father was the Head of the last living branch of Dilisnya’s before he abdicated to Mel—making Strahd feel like she is MORE than an appropriate match for his son—especially since she is an accomplished mage/Wizard in her own right, having developed her own class of Spirit Magic on Earth. He’s not put off by her being a Tiefling/Demi-Demon, since his own bloodline is already “Tainted” with Vampirism. In his eyes, Strahd believes that adding Meliora’s demonic bloodline to his would only strengthen it, and thus he has been envisioning Tiefling Grandchildren since Evyrn first brought Meliora to Castle Ravenloft(before the events of the original campaign).

Obviously, this puts Meliora in quite a dangerous position, as well as any PCs who choose to side with HER(as Evyrn will have ZERO qualms about hurting them—short of caring about Meliora’s opinion of him). Depending on where we are in the Barovian Invasion Plotline, siding with Mel can and WILL make Strahd and Evyrn NASTY BBEGs to be reckoned with.

Siding with Evyrn if this is after the two-hundred year time jump will make Meliora and Mordakhesh utterly terrifying—given her continuation of her Grandfather’s demonic research granting her a power boost and potentially unlocking held-back power from Khesh.

Should the party find some way to reconcile Meliora and Evyrn, I’m going to bring in Rak Tulkhesh(Mordakhesh’s former master) in as a BBEG. His goal will be to claim Mordakhesh, who no longer wishes to return to his service after finding genuine purpose and friendship with Meliora.

It’s worth noting that Meliora’s ultimate goal is to prevent World-Ender deities from being able to destroy Oarth the way Earth was destroyed—as she feels guilty for not returning to Earth, thinking she may have been able to help, or at least die with her friends. This is why she initially SUPPORTS the Barovian Invasion, because Strahd has reached Near-Godlike status at this point, and she feels the Barovian Imperial Army would be a good God-Buster should an outside force(such as Rak Tulkhesh) seek to harm Oarth.

I could even throw Rak Tulkhesh into the mix as an urgent “We need to team up again” if the party is SPLIT in their decision of who to support(as the PC who fancies himself a Von Zarovich is not likely to break away from Strahd and Evyrn).

I’m just VERY excited but all the potential plot threads and what my friends might end up doing—how they may end up surprising me. (I mean SHIT, I threw off our other DM when Mel ended up genuinely BEFRIENDING Mordakhesh in the first place—he was intended to be a BBEG in the original campaign. So I’m VERY excited for the curveballs they’re going to throw me if we actually get the chance to play again.)

#dnd #campaign rant #mypost #dungeons and dragons #Strahd but 1000 years later and a dad #Meliora #Meliora OC

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