Chapter 14 - The Royal Birth
Three months later.
The royal palace was bathed in the warm, peaceful light of a early summer morning. But inside the Queen's chambers, the atmosphere was chaotic and tense.
"Push, My Queen! Just a little more!" the royal midwife urged.
I squeezed Walter's hand so hard the heavy gold ring on his finger bent. The mighty King of the realm, who had faced armies of ten thousand without flinching, was sweating, pale, and looking thoroughly terrified.
"You're doing incredible, little one," Walter stammered, using a damp cloth to gently wipe the sweat from my forehead. "Just breathe... please, just breathe."
"If you tell me to breathe one more time, Walter," I gasped through another powerful contraction, "I will use my magic to blast you out that window!"
The handmaidens gasped, but Walter actually let out a nervous laugh, pressing his lips against my temple. "Anything you want, my Queen. Anything."
A sudden wave of golden light erupted from my chest, filling the entire birth chamber with a sweet scent of pine and wild lilies. A soft, powerful hum echoed through the walls of the castle.
And then—a sharp, clear cry pierced the morning air.
"It's a prince!" the midwife declared joyfully, wrapping the newborn in soft white silk. "A healthy, strong prince!"
The midwife placed the baby into my tired arms. He had a tuft of thick, dark hair like his father, but when he opened his tiny eyes, they burned with a brilliant, glowing golden color—the undeniable mark of the Sun-Moon Eclipse.
Walter dropped to his knees beside the bed, his broad shoulders trembling as he looked at our son. For the second time since I had met him, tears fell freely down the battle-scarred cheeks of the King.
"He is perfect," Walter whispered, cautiously extending one giant finger. The baby immediately reached out and wrapped his tiny hand around Walter's finger with surprising strength.
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"What shall we name him?" I asked softly, resting my head against Walter's chest.
Walter looked at me, his eyes overflowing with endless love and devotion. "Lucien. It means 'Light'. Because he was born from the light that saved my life."
