A/N: Well, I've had this particular little fic sitting in my documents for a while, but never posted it. I've been really inspired lately, so I've got two more little fics for this series written already. Basically, this will be a series of little stories that are in a chronological order, but can be read as standalone stories. They're connected, but don't follow a plotline. :P

Any suggestions would be very welcome. :)

Disclaimer: The series didn't contain pointless fluff, like my stories tend to...

Motherly Love

The secret queen of Deltora sat in the living room of the forge, carefully mending her son's ripped clothing. Sharn and her husband, Endon, had taken the house and names of Anna and Jarred for protection against the Shadow Lord, but Sharn still felt like a queen. She sighed sadly as she thought of the fact that her son would be in danger for the rest of his life if he was discovered, and she could not bear the thought of him getting hurt. Lief was only seven, but he seemed to attract danger wherever he went.

Sharn yelped as she accidentally pricked herself with the needle she had been using, bringing her back to reality. She glanced at the sore finger and was glad to see that it was not bleeding. She sighed and went back to her mending, wishing that Lief would be more careful.

The boy had arrived home far earlier than usual, though he normally played with his friends. His face was drawn, as though he was about to cry, and his hands were dirty.

"Lief, are you alright?" Sharn had asked, instantly worried. Lief's large eyes had suddenly welled with tears and he began to cry, flinging his arms around his mother's waist.

"Darling! Whatever is the matter?" Sharn exclaimed, leaning down and picking the small, sobbing little boy up and carrying him to the lounge room. Setting him down on the couch after his tears had subsided, Sharn noticed a rip in her son's pants.

"What did you do to your pants?" Sharn asked, a little more harshly than she had intended.

"I fell over," Lief mumbled, looking a little fearful.

"Are you hurt?" Sharn asked, far more gently.

"I got a cut on my knee," Lief sniffed, looking on the verge of tears again.

Sharn carefully rolled up his pants and, sure enough, there was a graze on his knee. She went into the kitchen and wet a cloth, also fetching a little bandage. She went back to her small son and treated his wound, cheering Lief up greatly.

When Endon had gotten home, Lief had been more than happy to tell his father what had happened, earning him a big hug and loving words. After dinner of pasta and pasta sauce, which he had kindly spread all over the table and floor, Lief had been put to bed, leaving the house quiet.

Sharn finally finished mending the pants, remembering what life in the palace had been like. She would not have had to fix them; she could have bought him a whole new pair, they were old pants anyway. She felt her throat beginning to tighten at the memory of her old life. She had been known by her real name, she had had everything she wanted, and most importantly, she had been safe. Now nobody was safe, the Shadow Lord was in control. Sharn's vision began to blur and she rapidly blinked her eyes, trying to clear them. She would give anything for Lief to be safe.

"Mama?" a little voice said from behind her. Sharn whirled around to see Lief standing in the doorway, holding his stuffed toy Kin, Monty. She had made that toy years ago, and he had treasured it and kept it with him as much as possible.

"Yes, darling?" Sharn asked, putting down his repaired pants and her needle.

"I cannot sleep. Can me and Monty stay with you?" Lief asked, his messy black hair falling in front of his eyes.

"Of course," Sharn murmured. Lief walked over to her, Monty clutched tightly to his chest, and sat in her lap, snuggling into her embrace. Lief had always been small for his age, and was still easy to hold.

"Monty loves you, Mama," Lief mumbled.

Sharn chuckled slightly and replied, "And what about you, Lief? Do you love me?"

"Of course, Mama! I thought that you knew," Lief said sleepily.

"I love you too, Lief," Sharn smiled. She gently began to rock her son back and forth in her arms, and soon he was fast asleep, still holding Monty. Smiling, Sharn picked him up and carried him to his bedroom, laying him down and tucking him in. Lief pulled the covers tightly up to his chin. As Sharn was leaving the room, she shook her head slightly, wondering what the future would bring to her son.