Story inspired by Heaven is For Real (book) and Little Lioness by Bright Eyes
"Come on, honey," Peter murmured, stroking his wife's hand tenderly. "You can do it. Almost there."
Maria groaned in pain, her nails digging into Peter's flesh. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she was sweating like crazy.
Just push, she told herself. Just push.
With one last push, the child came out, and Maria drew in a deep breath.
The newborn gasped as her lungs accepted the air outside of the womb for the first time. Lucy was grinning ear to ear, Susan looked as if she were about to cry.
Peter knelt there as Edmund cut the cord, trembling in awe of the moment. The child was ushered up to her mother, who cuddled the baby to her chest.
The babe started wailing, and Maria bounced her super gently to stop the cries while quietly shushing the child.
She looked lovingly down at the child, still catching her breath. Peter's eyes were wide, as if he didn't know what to think.
"We did it, Peter," Maria murmured, the tears still falling.
"I-I-I'm a father," Peter whispered, as if he could not believe it had finally happened.
"You okay, Peter?" Lucy asked, kneeling down beside the new father.
"I-I-I-I'm a father," he repeated, barely audible.
Lucy's smile turned to worry as she slid her hand into her eldest brother's hand. "Why, Peter! You're shaking!"
Edmund chuckled and Lucy looked up. "Shaking in awe of the whole moment, eh?" Ed let out a laugh.
"What?"
"I was the same when Beth gave birth to Eleanor," he confessed.
As if on cue, his now three-year-old daughter tottered into the room.
"Daddy!" she shrieked, running clumsily up to him. Ed smiled.
"Shh, El. Not so loud. You'll scare your new cousin," he scolded gently as he picked Eleanor up.
Eleanor craned her tiny head to see and her eyes grew wide at the sight of the newborn child. Her daddy walked her over so that she could see her cousin more closely.
El reached out her chubby hand and cautiously touched her cousin's toes. "She's so small!"
"Yes, she is!" Ed agreed, pulling his daughter back.
"What's her name?" Eleanor asked.
"Leona," Maria answered quickly.
"Leena?" El asked.
Maria chuckled softly. "No, El. Not 'Leena', 'Leona'. Lee-o-na."
"Leona," Eleanor said slowly, trying the name out on her tongue. "Leona."
Maria smiled and nodded, sniffling as she rocked Leona back and forth gently.
"Leona," Peter breathed, finally recovered from the shock. "Leona."
Maria smiled up at her husband. "Here, Pete. It's your turn to hold our daughter."
Peter swallowed and tenderly took Leona from his wife's arms, cradling him in his big arms. She let out a small noise, somewhere between a roar and a gurgle.
Peter nearly cried out of joy. "Leona," he whispered. "My little lioness."
He looked across the room and saw the picture of Aslan hanging on the wall. He couldn't do it anymore. He broke down into tears of joy.
"Thank you, Aslan!" he cried softly. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, child," a voice came from behind him. Peter was so startled that he stopped crying and whirled around.
There, he saw Maria stroking Aslan and resting her head in his mane. Aslan's beautiful green eyes were filled with pride, and a hint of laughter.
"Aslan!" Peter exclaimed, almost forgetting about his daughter. "Please don't scare me like that!"
Aslan let out a low growl which Peter knew to be his chuckle. Lucy took Leona from Peter before he accidentally dropped her.
"Aslan wants to give his personal blessing over Leona," Maria explained to Peter as the child was returned to her.
Peter just nodded, another wave of emotion coming over him. He knelt down beside his wife as Maria brought Leona up close to Aslan.
Aslan said his blessing over Leona, but Peter didn't really hear it – he was too busy crying out of pure joy; he was absolutely overwhelmed.
Once that was done, Aslan let out a small roar, as not to deafen Leona. Leona tried to copy his roar and all the adults chuckled.
"She is so cute!" Lucy exclaimed, watching Aslan nuzzle Leona.
Aslan chuckled. "Yes, indeed she is."
Maria looked up at him again, and saw a flash of sadness cross through his eyes and then disappear.
"Aslan? Whatever is the matter?" Maria asked quietly.
"Oh, nothing you need to worry about, child," Aslan assured her, kissing her forehead.
He bid farewell to the group and padded out. Everyone now crowded around the new princess, cooing over her.
Even Orieus was under her spell of cuteness.
"Aww….look at you Orieus," Lucy teased. "Even the mighty centaur is no match for the new princess' cuteness!"
Orieus blushed and looked down, swallowing. "Please, Queen Lucy," he begged. "Don't tell anyone. I could never live it down."
"I promise. Only Peter, Susan, Edmund, Maria, Bethany, Leona and Eleanor will ever know about this," Lucy promised, her eyes sparkling.
Orieus' eyes grew wide. "Oh, no, Queen Lucy. Not Princess Eleanor! Please no!" he begged.
It was well known that Princess Eleanor could not keep a secret. Ever.
"It's okay," Lucy laughed. "I'll make sure she doesn't tell anyone."
Orieus nodded, but still felt a bit uneasy about it. But he put that aside and let himself be swept up in the spell of being adorable.