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In the clear dusk, it has been just under an hour since the princess’s water broke. The castle was in a state of panic yet excitement for the soon arrival of the first child of Prince Zen and Princess Shirayuki.
Two guards Shiira Eigan and Kai Ulkir rush to the closest hallway that they were allowed. Many other servants and pages were already there to at least eventually listen in to the cries of the newborn.
“Urgh! We are so far away, senpai! I don’t know if we can hear anything that’s going on…!” whined Kai, his posture slightly slouched from exhaustion.
He glares at his underclassman. “Shh! We mustn’t cause too much of a ruckus! The princess is going through a very important time right now. We must be patient.” said Shiira.
Down the hallway adjacent to the door where Shirayuki and Zen with Garak, Yatsufusa, and other maidservants are inside, Mitsuhide, Kiki, and Obi wait for their master’s next orders.
“‘Wait out here. I will call for you.’” Kiki says, imitating Zen’s anxious and rushed voice with her usual straight face. Mitsuhide chuckles.
Obi stretches his arms, “Poor Master. I kinda have a feeling that this will be one of the longest nights of his life.”
“By the way, the baby will be a girl,” Kiki said, abruptly. Her eyes still at the door.
“Eh?” Mitsuhide and Obi look at her then each other.
“What do you think, Mitsuhide-san?” Obi asks.
“Ahh. I guess,…” he looks up. Although, because he never gave it much thought, he knew that regardless of what the child may be, the child would be a living symbol of their bond. That was something he has always wanted to see ever since those many years ago when Shirayuki took Zen’s hand.
“It doesn’t matter to me.” Mitsuhide smiles warmly with softened eyes.
“Huh?” said Obi and Kiki in unison and disappointment, glaring at their fellow knight.
“It’s definitely a boy,” Obi says proudly.
“It’s definitely a girl,” Kiki snaps back.
“You wanna bet on it?”
“No, thank you.”
“Ehh…? Then where’s the fun in that?”
“I know that I’m right. I don’t need to entertain anything else.”
Obi sucks his teeth “You’re so stingy…” he said under his breath.
Kiki puts up her unsheathed sword with just one movement to Obi’s neck, “what was that again?”
“Nothing! Sorry, Kiki-jou! Forgive me.” Obi laughs sheepishly.
Kiki smirks, “I’ll leave at that,” and puts her sword down, letting Obi breathe a deep sigh of relief.
Mitsuhide sighs, “I guess we’re all gonna have a long night together.”
At the end of the hall, Ryuu wraps his arms around his knees, staring worryingly at the door. He silently prays to himself with a gentle smile, wishing for Shirayuki and the baby to be safe.
What kind of pharmacist is scared of blood..? Ryuu stubbornly grunts to himself.
Shirayuki is in the early stages of labor and has yet to be ready for pushing. Garak is checking her pulse and blood pressure every 30 minutes to be sure there are no drastic changes. When not doing that, she is writing down the doses of medicine that she has taken in the past hour and trying to predict when the baby is ready for pushing.
Zen, holding Shirayuki’s hand with one hand and petting her forehead with the other, “How are you doing so far?”
Slightly covered in sweat, but comfortably leaned back against the many pillows provided for her aching back, “I’m doing okay. It’s the pushing I’m a little worried about.”
Zen smiles. He takes a moment to look at his strong, beautiful woman that he can call his wife and soon-to-be mother to his children. The feeling is so dreamlike. He has thought about maybe once or twice to pinch himself to make sure that he can tell the difference between fantasy and reality.
“I know you. You’ll do just fine. You know, too,” Zen whispers, gently touching his forehead to hers.
Shirayuki knows. Everyone knows. It’s just this possibility of what if. She doesn’t know much about childbirth but does know what could happen. Regardless, she wanted to stay strong for Zen and the baby’s sake. She never gave up back then and she wouldn’t give up now.
Shirayuki squeezes Zen’s hand a little harder as she felt another contraction coming.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,... 61 seconds.
A whole minute and 1 second. It felt like she was holding her breath for ages. She finally breathes in through the nose and out the mouth, just like Garak told her.
Zen already knew how strong women can be. His mother, the most respected queen in all the lands. His sister, a responsible and intelligent soon-to-be mother that is also admirably handling her pregnancy. Other noblewomen, who help him with connecting with other lords in the lands of Clarines. Zen takes Shirayuki’s hand to his head and silently prays for the safety of his beloved wife and child.
Dusk goes into midnight then to dawn. 13 whole hours.
Shirayuki tries not to but her screams can be heard from the closest hallways. Neither Kiki, Obi, Mitsuhide, Ryuu, Garak, Yatsufusa, or Zen have been able to sleep. Shirayuki was in and out of consciousness a couple of hours ago when she was finally able to push. However, she couldn’t stay asleep for long because of the pain.
“Come on, Shirayuki! Just a few more pushes!” Garak encouraged her.
Zen still refuses to let go of Shirayuki’s hand despite how red and bruised it has become.
“We are almost there, Shirayuki. We finally get to meet our child.” Zen gently whispered, trying to hide the fatigue from his voice. He was practically on the verge of tears. He couldn’t wait for Shirayuki to finally feel no more pain. To hold their child. The first-ever living symbol of their love.
“That’s it! The child’s head is coming!” Garak says. Her voice with much relief that the child is not breached and happiness that it’s finally about to be over.
“Ahhhh!!!” Shirayuki screams while she pushes one final time. The castle then suddenly becomes so quiet.
Then, a break in the silence, a baby cries loudly.
As the dawn finally breaks, Zen looks up and widens his eyes in complete awe. His child is here. He looks at the baby wrapped in a blanket given from one of the pages. Garak holds the baby gently in her arms to wrap the blanket around properly.
“It’s a girl, Your Highness. Congratulations, you two,” she said with tears in her eyes.
Zen’s heart skipped a beat then started beating faster than ever before. It was light yet heavy. It was slow yet rhythmic.
“Shirayuki…!” Zen was able to say.
Shirayuki holds her daughter for the first time. She, too, was overwhelmed with emotion. Her eyes averted to Zen with tears falling down uncontrollably.
“Zen…! She’s so… beautiful!” she cries out. Even though she has only been about to see her for a few seconds in the brightness of the dawn breaking through the big stained-glass windows. Her eyes still clouded from the sweat and her tears aren’t helping either.
Zen gently embraces her, “I knew you would do well…” He kisses her forehead, giving her a bit more strength.
“Here you go.” Shirayuki leans their daughter towards him.
“EH? Don’t you want to hold her longer?” Zen anxiously says. He would be delighted to hold her, but he felt that Shirayuki should deserve a little bit more time to hold her. Also, he is extremely nervous he might drop her.
Shirayuki chuckles, “Don’t worry. I know you. You’ll do just fine. You know, too” echoing Zen’s words many hours ago.
After a few moments of looking at his beautiful daughter, Zen slowly reaches for her. Garak gives him a little help and guides him.
Finally, after a few awkward moments and fiddling to get to the right position, Zen is finally holding her. His little girl. Tears gather in his eyes again as he gets a better look at her.
She has so much hair on her small, gentle head. Her strawberry blonde hair and rosy cheeks. As if on cue, she slowly opens her eyes, revealing a color so beautiful no jewel could ever compare. A beautiful mixture of Zen's blue and Shirayuki's green. A deep calming color that can represent both the vast ocean and tranquil forest at the same time. No walnut stone, no turquoise jewel could ever dare to try and best this color.
Zen tearfully smiles at the drowsy babe, “Good morning, my little girl.”
Then, the moment he completely falls for his daughter. The baby coos at her father trying to imitate his smile.
Zen is shocked at how she can become even more beautiful than before. His heart was completely full. Nothing else could take away from this moment. It was forever in his mind. Holding her close, foreheads touch. A new beginning to the Prince and Princess, a beloved story is about to unfold.