Early in the morning of October 10th, a young husband and wife welcome into the world their first-born child. The new father's head hangs heavy on his chest as the mid wife declares their daughter healthy. His prayers were not answered, and his greatest fears have come to life. He can't look his wife in the eye as he reaches for the babe already rapped in a pink blanket crying for her first meal.
"No, it can't be." The wife cries. "We will hide her. I have known others who have done it."
Her begging goes on deaf ears, as he drudges his way toward the door. His wife begins to struggle to rise out of bed to reach for him. "No, please. There has to be a better way, don't let them have our baby."
As he shuts the door on her cries, he hears the mid wife trying to calm her down. "It's for the best, miss. She will be better off. Don't you worry none."
Tears fall from his eyes as he carries the wailing babe through forest. His mind is racing through every scenario. He could kill her quickly and report that the child died at birth. He could leave her in the woods for the animals and report that the child was stolen from him.
With each step his thought betrayed him, and his arms grew heavier and heavier. The weight of his actions forcing him to shake with fear and desperation.
In the end, he did exactly what he had been taught to do. He brought the baby girl to the one place in the kingdom that baby girls belonged. He could not bring himself to knock on the down of the towering castle. His arms refusing to relinquish their prize.
"This is where you belong my little one." He whispers to the now sleeping girl. He is not sure when she fell asleep, but he is grateful that he is grated this small favor. "We will think of you everyday, and I will do my best to watch you grow from afar. Do what they ask and be a good girl." His voice quivered at the last of his words. He knew they would probably be the last he ever spoke directly to her.
Steeling his resolve, he reaches up and knocks on the door. Before his world is forever changed, he bends forward again, and kisses his little girl's head sadly understanding that he is grated something his wife would never get to do.
The heavy wooden door slowly opens, and before him stands one of the masked trainers he had heard stories of all his life. He is almost overwhelmed with fear as he struggles to find his words.
"My wife gave birth to a healthy baby girl tonight, and as the Lord has requested I bring her to your door to serve her King." The man speaks not a word, but carefully reaches for the sleeping babe nestled in her father's warm arms.
He falters on slightly, as the weight is lifted from him, but his arms refuse to fall. The trainer ignores the frozen man and turns to leave with his first born.
"Please be good to her. We love her so," the father whispers.
The trainer pauses only briefly not even turning to acknowledge his words, but the father sees the fierce man quickly nod his head in affirmation of the request.
With the lock of the latch, she is gone. He is a father no longer.