" Return to me, soon. May the Light always find you.."
A flash of light. The sound of chimes filling the air. Then, she was alone.
The True Moon hung full and large in night sky, bathing all things in its silvery glow. Darkness had fallen unseasonably early tonight. Or, at least Rosa thought so. It was oddly fitting. Even the moonlight seemed sickly and wan to her, as though it too mourned the departure of Baron's king. Rosa stood in silence, her gaze fixed on the place where Cecil had once been. Gone again, only to return when the cycle of 'Dissidia' had completed its course.
This had happened once before. Her beloved was summoned to a great battlefield of unending conflict. But this time was different from the last. The first time he was called, a calming presence surrounded her, a light voice reassuring her of his safety. But now, there was so such aura. Rosa was left with fearful whispers that were just barely audible. It spoke of a 'great darkness soon to fall.'. Would her husband be lost forever to her? Would he fall with nobody at his side? Rosa could only pray that her fears would never be realized.
The shuffling of fabric behind her roused the queen from her thoughts. She turned, perhaps to eagerly. Some part of her still believed her beloved was still with her, and that his second summoning was a mere nightmare. Instead, her lady-in-waiting stood at the landing of her staircase, a look of relief on her face. "Ah! My Queen! Has the his highness made all the preparations for his departure?" the woman asked in a stately tone. Rosa nodded wordlessly, plastering a weak smile on her face. Her lady-in-waiting was, however, able to see straight through her façade. "My lady…?" she began.
"If it's not too much trouble, could you please bring me my little Ceodore?" Rosa asked sedately, breaking eye contact with her lady-in-waiting. With a deep nod, the woman turned back towards the stairwell, hurrying up the steps to the castle.
Rosa turned her attention to the moon above. She had always admired that pale disc, with its ability to shine in the blackest of nights. Her heart twisted within her, reminded even more of her Lunarian husband, away at war.
Moments later, her lady-in-waiting tapped her on the shoulder, the crown prince swaddled at her breast. Rosa thanked her attendant, and bade her to bed as she took her tiny son into her arms. As her maid left, Rosa sat upon the wide railing of the ramparts overlooking Baron. The city was sleeping as soundly as the baby was. Rosa looked into the small face of her son, who slumbered so peacefully. Yes, he looked so much like his father, even as an infant. She smiled weakly. "You too shall be a great man like your father…"
With that, Rosa held the babe closer, and wept bitterly.