Inside the birth room, the first thing that happened after the third baby cried was silence.
It was strange because the room was not truly silent. The babies were crying. Isabella was breathing hard. The fire was still burning low near the stone wall. The two experienced women were moving quickly as they cleaned what needed to be cleaned and checked Isabella's body to make sure she was no longer in danger.
But inside Isabella's head, everything became quiet for a few breaths.
She had given birth.
Three babies.
Two boys and one girl.
All three were alive.
She was alive too.
The thought came slowly because her body was too tired to understand joy properly at first. She felt emptied out and heavy at the same time. Her legs trembled. Her throat hurt. Her whole body felt sore and open and weak in a way she had never felt before. Even breathing felt like work.
But she was alive.
Her babies were alive.
