Rido Kuran was an adult when young Juuri was brought into his life.
He stood outside his parents' bedroom as his mother screamed while the sound of glass shattering and the steady rumble of the ground around him would alert anyone within a certain radius to the pureblood woman's birth. But no one dares interfere with the process, as there were nobles posted everywhere to keep guard.
His younger brother, Haruka, was a teenager at this point and he too stood out in the hallway with him, his hands in his pockets as he looked up at the shaking ceiling. His face was twisted as if he too was feeling what their mother was going through.
"Mother must be in a lot of pain…" Haruka mumbled, trying to strike up a conversation with Rido as it was clear he didn't want to focus on the sounds in the other room. Rido rolled his eyes; he didn't understand why Haruka felt the need to converse with him even though he knew the reason underlying reason why. Sometimes it was nice to just enjoy the silence between them.
The scene wasn't all that alarming as he remembered when Haruka was born. Their mother never was one to deal with pain. He always found that amusing considering she was a pureblood and pain and illness should be out of the question. He often wondered what it was his mother was feeling. He knew how the birthing process worked, but what could that pain possibly be like?
He lifted his hand propping his head up with his thumb as he ran a finger over his lips. He wondered what kind of sibling he would get this time? Would he get another brother like Haruka? Or maybe one more like him? Or would he finally get a sister? He was hoping for a sister since he wanted to settle down with a mate and start his own family. Kurans were known to marry within their own, that's why they were the strongest family line. Or so he was told. He hadn't lived long enough to see the full ability of the Kurans. He often wondered if he ever would. He was quite bored with how his life had currently turned out. He was only a few hundred years old, much younger than most purebloods, yet there was very little to keep him around.
He heard his mother shriek louder than normal and then the sound of a small gasp. "The child is born." He said rather bluntly. Breaking the awkward silence between the brothers since he hadn't replied to Haruka previously. He was glad it had happened the baby was born rather quickly, that way he didn't have to small talk with his brother. He didn't mind Haruka but the young teenager certainly was nothing like him. It was hard to converse or spend time with someone who was so…friendly. How could he be so nice when everyone wanted to kill them? To be a pureblood was to conceal their thoughts and feelings from everyone and yet Haruka always managed to maintain a rather upbeat mood. It almost baffled him.
Before a huge smile took over his younger brother's face he could feel the huge wave of relief, as his brother too was happy the awkwardness was broken. When he looked over at Haruka he could see the huge smile that accompanied his brother's mood. "Our family just got a little bigger!" Haruka scratched the back of his head sheepishly, he must have realized as Rido stared at him that he wouldn't get a reply. Again.
He was excited as well, but why entertain his brother.
They waited for a few minutes outside, listening to the happy mumblings of their parents in the other room and the small sounds of an infant before their father opened the door. He leaned gently against the frame and smiled at his sons, "Come meet her." That was everything Rido had wanted to hear. He began moving before he had realized it, making his way past his father and to his mother and the baby. His mother smiled at him, her brow covered in sweat and her chest rising and falling deeply as she tried to recuperate from the events before. Her dark hair was stringy and mostly splayed all over her small frame.
"Meet your little sister! Juuri!" He heard his mother say in gasps of breath before everything became fuzzy. He leaned in as the baby looked up at him in wonder, reaching out to pat him. Her fists were so small, her eyes so wide. She was absolutely beautiful, more than he thought possible.
She started to whimper to which he put a long slender finger on her tiny lips. He could vaguely hear the commotion near him, his parents were nervous he figured. He mentally rolled his eyes and then was taken aback when the tiny babe took his finger into her mouth and sucked on it gently as if it was the perfect pacifier.
His heart melted at that moment. He would never love anything as much as he loved this small bundle of warmth.
He felt some pressure on his shoulder, a firm grasp. That's right… He did have a sibling who had yet to introduce himself to Juuri. He stepped back, pulling his finger from her mouth, a small trail of saliva lingered. Without thinking much of it he gently wiped it up against his dress shirt. He didn't want to leave her, but he could accept doing it this once.
"Now Rido," came his father's deep voice, "we have decided that young Juuri is to wed you when she comes of age. Please protect her at that point."
The delight he felt hearing those words was unlike anything he'd ever encountered before. It started with a warm feeling in his abdomen that spread to his face, resulting in a huge genuine smile. "I'll do my best!" He responded eagerly. The time had finally come where he would be able to become a father of his own and carry on the Kuran line.
He wondered what little Juuri would like one day. Would she resemble their mother with dark chocolate colored waves? Or would she resemble their father with gentle curls (much like himself) but take on her father's ruby fusion hair color?
He was sure she would look absolutely stunning, as even as a child she had managed to take his breath away. He couldn't wait to live out the rest of his long life with Juuri.
