Eggs - Dragons Unite

When Ddraig had first realised that she was pregnant once again, she had been overjoyed, and her happiness had only increased from there when her doctors had advised her that she would be giving birth to twins. Now, however, she was beginning to have second thoughts about the whole thing, as she waited in the wards of House Lucien Memorial Hospital, surrounded by doctors who were all set to help her lay her unusually sized egg. 
Fortunately, the doctors had advised her that the egg wasn't big enough to meant she was going to need a C-Section, it just meant that it was going to be painful coming out. And they were right, Ddraig thought to herself. She couldn't think of a time when she'd ever been in this much pain before. Elwynn's egg had been nothing compared to this; it had been uncomfortable, but not as bad as it was now.
She groaned, and shifted her legs again. For the umpteenth time, Ddraig thanked the ancestors that she'd been born a dragon than a human. She'd seen videos of human women giving birth, and had barely coped! At least she didn't have to lie on her back with her feet in the air, instead, she was presently resting on a special draconic "birthing stool"; a wedge-shaped support designed to allow her to sit somewhat comfortably while she attempted to lay the egg. In theory, at least; Ddraig privately thought she'd be more comfortable sitting on spikes, but she wasn't going to complain about that now when there were plenty of other things she could choose!
There was one good thing about everything, though. This time, Alexander was present, and Ddraig had made sure that nothing would be able to tear her mate away from her in the final hours, as it had last time. Of course, she knew that he wouldn't want to be anywhere other than by her side when she gave birth to their hatchlings, but it hadn't stopped her from threatening at one point to have him handcuffed to her just in case.
"Are you doing all right, Ddraig?" Alexander said, squeezing her foreclaw.
Ddraig clenched her teeth. "No!" she moaned.
"Hold tight, my love." Alexander said, nuzzling her side again. "It'll all be over soon."
"Do they need to be here?" Ddraig said, pointing towards the doctors who were assembled by her tail. "Can't I lay it on my own? I just feel all-aaargh!" Ddraig cried out, hunching over.
"The egg's coming, now." the lead doctor said, moving over to her side. "I need you to sit up straight again, Ma'am; can you do that for me?"
Whimpering, Ddraig nodded, and shakily tried to reposition herself. As she did, Alexander moved himself in front of her, so that she could use him for support.
"Alex?" Ddraig said, clutching at her mate's side. 
"I'm here, my love." he said, moving to entwine his neck with hers.
"It hurts, it-" another cry of pain cut her words off, and she hunched forwards again; feeling the egg moving within her. How on earth could anybody be expected to lay something like this? 
"Come now, Miss, we're almost there now." the doctor called, after what felt like an eternity. "One more push!"
With a final strain and a gasp, Ddraig felt the egg leave her body, and she slumped forwards; Alexander catching her before she could fall.
"There, look." he said, stroking her back with one claw and pointing with the other. "You did it, my love."
Panting, Ddraig turned to see the doctors carefully cleaning the delicate egg and wrapping it in warm fabric. Despite her exhaustion, Ddraig smiled. 
"Let's not do this again." she slurred, before losing consciousness and collapsing against Alexander.

***

When Ddraig woke, she found Alexander lying beside her on the nest, their egg wrapped in a blanket between his foreclaws. He saw her move, and turned to nuzzle her. 
"A twin egg." Alexander was saying, moving the egg closer so that she could see. "They're not all that common. You should be proud of yourself, my love."
"I can't take all the credit." Ddraig said, blushing. "You helped me make it, after all."
"I suppose I did." Alexander said, nuzzling her nose. "But you did all the hard work."
"Mmm." Ddraig added, enjoying his affection. She moved her foreclaw down to rub her now-flat chest. She remembered this being one of the best things from the end of her pregnancy with Elwynn; after so many months of being heavy and uncomfortable, at last she could lie flat on her chest
once more!
"Eve was here while you were sleeping." Alexander noted. "Cynder too. They just went out to get something to eat."
"What about Elwynn?" Ddraig said, looking around the room for her son.
"He's waiting outside with Natalie." he said, cocking his head towards the door. As he spoke, Elwynn's head appeared from around the edge of the door.
"Mummy?" he called, timidly. 
"It's okay, Elwynn." Ddraig said, holding a foreleg out in invitation. "Come and sit with me, my little one."
Slowly, the young dragon walked into the room. "You...you were hurting." he said, as he moved closer.
"Mummy had this big egg in her belly, remember?" Alexander said, gently. "It just hurt when she had to lay it."
Elwynn gulped, evidently picturing this in his head.
"Don't worry, Elwynn; boy dragons don't lay eggs." Alexander added, and Ddraig saw Elwynn breathe a sigh of relief.
"Well, not without some magic." she chuckled to herself, as Elwynn moved onto the nest. He quickly ran over to her and curled up in front of her chest, and Ddraig curled one foreclaw around him, smiling.
"Look, Elwynn," she said, as Alexander moved the egg closer. "You've got two little brothers or sisters inside there."
Elwynn began sniffing curiously at the egg. "When will it hatch?" he said, curiously. "What will their names be?"
Ddraig smiled. "We're not too sure just yet." she said, nuzzling him. "We'll just have to wait and see." 
She and Alexander did have a few ideas for names, however. Alexander had long expressed his desire to name one of their children after himself, and Ddraig was perfectly happy to oblige him on this, while at the same time, Ddraig wanted to name one hatchling after her own mother, if she had a girl. The image of her mother's smiling face flew into her mind, and Ddraig sighed with delight, knowing without a doubt that her mother's spirit would be watching her right now. 
"Mother, you're awake!" a voice called, and Ddraig looked up to see Eve and Olivia standing in the doorway, both smiling with delight. Eve moved over as quickly as she could; taking careful steps so as not to upset the egg that rested in her own belly, and Ddraig saw Natalie waiting outside with Spyro and Cynder, and Captain Emlyn beside them. Overjoyed, Ddraig watched as the ward was slowly filled with those she cared about most, and basked in the warmth of their love.