"Let me see him."

"Please, your Grace, you should rest. I'll take him to-"

"Let me see him."

The midwife shrank in fear, the bundle squirming in her arms. She tried not to look at it again. The sight was too horrible. But at the Queen's insistence, she moved closer and held the baby out to her.

At first, she didn't say anything. She merely stared at the child she had brought into the world. A scuffle at the door to her bed chambers ended with the sudden appearance of Albert, who looked rather incensed at being banned from the room.

"What's going on," he demanded. "Where is my son?" His eyes fell upon the wrapped child in the midwife's arms and he started to smile. When he spied the look on Victoria's face though, his cheer vanished.

"What is it? What's wrong? Is he... Didn't he make it?"

The baby squealed in response, which only served to confuse Albert further. Victoria sat back against her pillows and turned her gaze away. She looked completely disgusted. Albert rushed forward to look at his son. The second his eyes fell upon the sight, he stumbled backwards and drew a hand over his mouth.

"What is that?"

The midwife pulled the baby back against her. Despite her abhorrence, she couldn't shove him away like a piece if trash; he was ultimately still a child.

"It's your son, my Lord. Perfectly healthy."

Victoria shot her an angry look. "'Perfectly healthy?!'"

The girl stepped back with a gasp. With a deep breath she slowly found her voice.

"Yes your Grace. He's strong. A good heart in this one." She started to smile, her fingertips tracing the left side of his face. The baby squirmed again and turned his head. The more she looked at his right cheek, the less it bothered her.

"Get it out of my sight."

"But your Grace, he's your-"

"That thing is no son of mine! My child was stillborn!" Victoria glared at first the midwife and then at Albert. "Get rid of it. Now. I never want to see that demon again."

The midwife felt her eyes filling with tears. She looked at Albert with desperation. He only shook his head.

"Do as she says."

The midwife nodded and hurried from the room. Albert sighed and sat next to his wife. Taking her by the hands, he pulled her into his arms. Victoria barely responded, her face set in stone.

"My lady..."

"Don't. Do not argue with me, Albert. I cannot have such a child at court. The whole realm will see me as a damned woman cursed by God." She stared across the room, her eyes blank. "I can't look at such a face. Did you see? It was hideous! Such things have no place bearing royal titles or names."

Albert didn't respond to that, instead asking, "What do we do with him? We can't kill him! God will certainly punish us then."

"Hasn't he already? By giving us that? No, you're right. We can't kill it, even if it is a monster."

"What should we do then?"

Victoria pulled away from him and rose off the bed. A servant materialized from the shadows and wrapped a robe around her shoulders.

"I don't care what you do. Take it to a monastery. Sell it to the gypsies for their freak show. Just take it as far from this court a possible. I never want to see it again."

"Very well. I'll see to it in the morning."

The midwife still stood in the hallway, all the time eavesdropping on their conversation. At the words freak show, her heart skipped a beat. She glanced down at the baby in her arms and cried for his future.

"Never," she whispered to him. "I don't care what happened to your face, little angel. You don't deserve such a fate."

The baby started to coo, his arms flailing. He looked up at her, his bright blue eyes dancing around.

"Shh, be still now. I'll take care of you. I will be your mama, and you shall be my little boy." She kissed his cheeks, her fears diminishing as her lips touched the twisted skin. "My little Erik."