Slumber, My Darling

The usually loud and joyful Air Temple Island was somber and quite, save for a single voice,

"Slumber, my darling, thy mother is near,
Guarding thy dreams from all terror and fear,
Sunlight has pass'd and the twilight has gone,
Slumber, my darling, the night's coming on.
Sweet visions attend thy sleep,
Fondest, dearest to me,
While others their revels keep,
I will watch over thee."

The voice came from a chocolate skinned woman, in her arms was a swaddled baby, the clothes a pale red and blue. The child had just drifted of to sleep, but the woman still held her newborn. In the soft, pale light of the moon, the woman looked like a Goddess, the light came in from the open window bathing the woman with the child in her arms with a milky light It created a halo around her. The woman looked down at her child lovely. It's lashes were closed, she could picture the big gold eyes hidden now by lovely long lashes. The child had pale alabaster skin –the color was from her Father- it contrasted with the mother's dark skin. A tuft of dark black-brown hair peeked under the blanket. The woman continued to sing.

"Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm."

The war against Amon was over, and Republic City was safe. The Avatar had done her job. Then why was she still there? It was because of her child, the little one in her arms. After Amon's defeat, the Avatar Team when to celebrate their victory, after many drinks of Cactus Juice, they were heavily intoxicated. They all returned to Air Temple Island, the Earthbenber and the Non-bender woman passed out right as they entered in. The male Firebender and the Avatar, somehow still standing, slept together, too drunk to even know what they were doing and who they could ,and now where, hurting. Weeks later, the Avatar found she was with a child, she found a house for the bending brothers and the non-bender woman and made them live there. She had to raise the child on her own. She sang on, her beautiful voice filling the silent night.

"Slumber, my darling, till morn's blushing ray
Brings to the world the glad tidings of day;
Fill the dark void with thy dreamy delight-
Slumber, thy mother will guard thee tonight,
Thy pillow shall sacred be
From all outward alarms;
Thou, thou are the world to me
In thine innocent charms."

She stopped her contact with her friends, for the father of the child was one of them and every time she saw them, immense sorrow and guilt filled her. Slowly smiling, she finished the song and began to lay the sleeping child down.

"Slumber, my darling, the birds are at rest,
The wandering dews by the flow'rs are caressed,
Slumber, my darling, I'll wrap thee up warm,
And pray that the angels will shield thee from harm"

She whispered to the babe,

"Sleep, my child, my beautiful little Anica. Your mother is here." She puased, and then said softly, "I'm so sorry you will never see your father, he... would think of it as a mistake, he..." her voice broke and a warm, wet tear made a path down her face. "But I don't. I love you Anica, and not once do I regret that night. Because," she cried a bit, "I love you and you are the best thing that has happened to me." The Avatar stroked her child's face, "We're going to go back to my home in a week, and you'll see my parents. I don't know if we'll be back here again. But I know that I will be with you as long as benders can bend."

The woman put a kiss on her daughter's forehead and climbed in her bed, asleep. But just before she fell asleep, she murmured "Slumber, My Darling, I pray that the spirits will shield thee from harm.

Little did she know, the father of the child was there, perched outside the window, a lone tear made its way down his pale face, from his gold eye. Into the night he whispered,

"Slumber, My Darling, I ..." He puased, unable to speak, tears now flowing free, "I love you, even though you may not love me back."

THE END

My first story, I hope that you like it! Here is a link to the song : youtube watch ?v= E-iMFtU1TrE Just remove the spaces.

Please review. Thank you for reading! :)