Ya Ama was running back and forth to bring fresh water over to the labor room. The taste of blood welling up in his mouth and his body drenched in sweat and water had made his appearance look rather haggard but no matter what, he couldn't stop running to deliver the water.
While he was running he could see the other villagers running towards the labor room as well. "Are they alright?!" Ya said while passing by one of the nervous midwives. He was running too fast to notice what she said but he had stopped worrying about it once he finally returned to his wife. "Batata!!" Once he saw her cradling a tiny baby, he finally relaxed and left all his worries alone.
He silently walked over to her making sure to not wake the newborn and placed the water jug down and placed a delicate kiss on her sweaty head. "I am glad you're both alright…let me pour you a drink." One of the midwives was still cleaning Batata's bloody thighs and was instructing one of the younger girls on what to do next.
Another midwife had poured water into a bowl for Ya and he hand-fed Batata the drink.
The scene was warming to the heart and all seemed fine until Batata spits out the water and began screaming.
"What's wrong!? What's happening?!" Ya instantly stood up and looked towards the midwife who was just as bewildered as he was. The other midwives began bringing more cloth over and some came over to soothe Batata and the now-wailing baby.
"Caique, she is having another one.." said the midwife cleaning Batata's legs. Ya froze and his face gradually became pale. Another? Have I truly been blessed with two?!
"Ya….." Batata said in a raspy voice, "Ya…it hurts.."
Forcing himself out of his thoughts, Ya bent down to Batata's level again. He wiped her tears and gave her a soft smile, "You're alright. Ya is here." Such words of comfort were truly the only thing he could do in this situation and as she screamed and wailed he continued to reassure her that she'll be alright.
"Caique!!!!" Once the midwife yelled, a baby's cry was suddenly heard. Ya got up and his eyes lit up, "Is it a boy? Or a girl? Tell us!" But once he finished saying this, he noticed the sudden gloom growing in the room. It wasn't the second child that was crying, but the first one. He slowly looked back at Batata and realized that she had stopped screaming.
"…Batata?" Despite the room being filled with the first child's crying, Ya couldn't help but think that everything was far too silent. Not only did Batata fail to respond to him, but the midwives were also oddly silent. He couldn't even hear the sound of water being poured in the background.
"Batata!" Ya bent down and grabbed her hand. "Batata are you alright? Does it hurt…Batata..please respond.." Tears slowly began to form in Ya's eyes.
Batata raised her hand and cupped Ya's face, "..Ya? What will you name her? Will you make her chief? How will she be raised?" Hearing his wife's weak voice made the tears finally fall but he couldn't help but laugh and her sudden questions.
"Her name? Bata don't worry about any of this. Just rest for us." He attempted to put her to sleep but Batata seemed to have a sudden burst of energy. "No! Caique tell me!! What will you name her?!" Ya was startled by the change in Batata's usual soft-spoken demeanor and had spoken without thinking, "Y-Yari!! She'll be named Yari!!"
This seemed to calm Batata and she let out a small laugh, "Haha..Alright..Yari it is.." once she finished the sentence, she seemed to finally want to 'sleep'.
It seems that I truly wasn't blessed. Ya didn't care about the midwives seeing him cry and had just let his emotions flood out. If he had known that Batata wouldn't be able to handle the labor, then he would've never laid with her in the first place. Ah…it's all my fault. I'm sorry Bata...
A midwife that was holding Yari had handed her over to Ya
"Caique…your child is..a..son.." It's obvious that no one else wanted to mention this but she couldn't help but find it odd that Batata had thought this child was a girl. The name Ya chose was still fitting but she didn't want him to mistake this child as a woman.
"A son?" Ya instantly undid the bundle of the baby and had seen that it really was a son!! Had Batata not known? Impossible..the shamans had said that we'll be given a daughter.. unless... Ya had gotten up and carried Yari over to the late twin. Once he sees the lower part of the child he realizes that she was a girl!
The shaman never said we'll have twins..but we were blessed with a daughter. Why had she..? Ya's confusion had distracted him from his sorrow.
"You. Are you a woman?" He said this to the baby looking for some kind of response but of course, the child had only stared at him.
"..Ah..we're in a troubling spot aren't we?" Ya poked the baby's cheek and smiled, "I don't mind as long as it's you.." Yari smiled at this and let out a big giggle.
Ya gave a toothy grin from hearing this and announced, "Yari Ama shall be raised as a woman no matter what. You all will educate her on cycles and birth. Marriage will be a concern once she is of age."
The midwives had no reason to object to this and so this became the start of Yari's prestigious life.