Yeza

"[Come on, Lii]," Zalpa said in a loud but uncharacteristically gentle voice. "[You are almost there. Breathe and push]."

Liiza cried loudly, her teeth sealed shut, half-suppressing her voice. Her furrowed brows and closed eyes conveyed her pain and effort, but the struggle was for naught.

A groan escaped Liiza's mouth as she threw her head back on the pillows supporting her. She breathed deeply, doing her best to relax, endure the pain, and prepare for the subsequent, imminent struggle.

"[Hey, look at me]," Khan called, placing a hand on Liiza's sweaty hair. "[You are doing perfectly. It's just a little longer]."

Khan obviously couldn't know that, but Zalpa's glares from the other side of the bed were enough to tell him he had to be encouraging in that situation.

The labor had entered its second stage for two hours already. Zalpa was at the bed's bottom, standing before Liiza's open legs while dealing with whatever unfolded between them.