"Your Majesty!" a servant called from the ajar door of the King's
chamber.
The man who turned in response to his call looked at the servant with concern. Wrinkles aged his handsome features long beyond his years. His clean-cut brown hair and gentle brown eyes were hardly visible behind the rugged sleeplessness and worn expression. Within a few large strides, the king was in front of the servant; hands cupped together, brows furrowed in worry.
"Please, tell me, is she alright?" he asked.
The servant looked up into the eyes of his master and smiled, his leather-tanned skin stretched taught over his lean face.
"Yes, your Highness. They are both alive and well."
Upon hearing the words, the king all but collapsed in relief. He placed a large hand against the doorframe for support, realizing that up until now, he had been holding his breath. He looked up at the surprised servant, the question in his mind not needed to be spoken.
The servant nodded. "Yes sir. The doctor says you may go see them when you please."
Smiling gratefully, the king walked quickly past him, striding across the corridor to the large oak doors, lined with gold. Cautious, he pushed it open, slowly, so as not to wake any sleeping new comers that might be inside. Slipping inside, he closed the door behind him and turned to face the large, luxurious bed.
There, a woman lay, half-asleep. Long, dark hair lay richly around her. In her arms, small movement indicated life within the blanket folds. Her bright violet eyes danced momentarily at the sight of him.
"Come in, Aiden. She won't bite," she said, her delightfully sweet voice soft with exhaustion.
Smiling sheepishly, the king tiptoed across the room to the velvet cushioned chair beside the bed. Leaning forward, his eyes devoured the small treasure in her arms.
As if in response to her father's loving gaze, the infant yawned, slowly opening her eyes to reveal, to his delight, two small emerald green eyes identical to that of her grandmother's. Wisps of copper brown hair covered her delicate head like velvet. The more he saw of her, the more he marveled at this wonderful gift. His brief glance caught the gaze of his wife.
"So it is a girl?"
She nodded, looking down at the baby. "Yes. A beautiful baby girl."
Chuckling lightly, the king extended his hand, caressing the baby's cheek with his finger. Catching her attention, the finger was soon within the tiny hands of the infant, exploring the strange item in her grasp.
"I think she likes you," the mother said teasingly.
Glancing slyly at her, the king regrettably plucked the child's finger from his on, standing up.
"I must go tell the others."
Nodding, the mother used her own finger to replace the one taken away while the king moved across the room to the doors. Looking back briefly at the new mother and daughter, the king smiled and swept out of the room.
Closing the door behind him, he nearly ran into a small, dark haired boy. The boy looked up at him with concern, a look similar to the one he himself displayed what seemed like ages ago. The king kneeled, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder reassuringly.
"They're both fine."
"Then why is it so quiet?"
"She's just tired, that's all. It took a lot of her strength to bring us your baby sister."
The boy brightened with interest. "So it's a girl?"
Straightening, the king shook his head, slowly approaching the window looking out into the garden.
"Not just a girl, my son. A princess."
Following his father, the boy looked out as well.
"What will she be called?"
The king was startled. What will he name her? He was so busy thinking about celebrations and ceremonies and the well being of the child and mother, he had completely forgotten about naming the child.
Outside, the wind breezed by. Below him, his wife's cherry blossom tree bloomed beautifully, exposing the world its lovely pink blossoms. On a sudden gust of wind, a single flower broke off the branch, appearing to dance with the wind. Watching, the kind saw the blossom float towards the window, landing softly on the sill.
The king, looking tenderly at the blossom, smiled. Leaning forward, he pushed the window open, taking the fragile flower in his hand. Turning, he showed his find to his son, smiling.
"Sakura. She will be called Sakura."
The man who turned in response to his call looked at the servant with concern. Wrinkles aged his handsome features long beyond his years. His clean-cut brown hair and gentle brown eyes were hardly visible behind the rugged sleeplessness and worn expression. Within a few large strides, the king was in front of the servant; hands cupped together, brows furrowed in worry.
"Please, tell me, is she alright?" he asked.
The servant looked up into the eyes of his master and smiled, his leather-tanned skin stretched taught over his lean face.
"Yes, your Highness. They are both alive and well."
Upon hearing the words, the king all but collapsed in relief. He placed a large hand against the doorframe for support, realizing that up until now, he had been holding his breath. He looked up at the surprised servant, the question in his mind not needed to be spoken.
The servant nodded. "Yes sir. The doctor says you may go see them when you please."
Smiling gratefully, the king walked quickly past him, striding across the corridor to the large oak doors, lined with gold. Cautious, he pushed it open, slowly, so as not to wake any sleeping new comers that might be inside. Slipping inside, he closed the door behind him and turned to face the large, luxurious bed.
There, a woman lay, half-asleep. Long, dark hair lay richly around her. In her arms, small movement indicated life within the blanket folds. Her bright violet eyes danced momentarily at the sight of him.
"Come in, Aiden. She won't bite," she said, her delightfully sweet voice soft with exhaustion.
Smiling sheepishly, the king tiptoed across the room to the velvet cushioned chair beside the bed. Leaning forward, his eyes devoured the small treasure in her arms.
As if in response to her father's loving gaze, the infant yawned, slowly opening her eyes to reveal, to his delight, two small emerald green eyes identical to that of her grandmother's. Wisps of copper brown hair covered her delicate head like velvet. The more he saw of her, the more he marveled at this wonderful gift. His brief glance caught the gaze of his wife.
"So it is a girl?"
She nodded, looking down at the baby. "Yes. A beautiful baby girl."
Chuckling lightly, the king extended his hand, caressing the baby's cheek with his finger. Catching her attention, the finger was soon within the tiny hands of the infant, exploring the strange item in her grasp.
"I think she likes you," the mother said teasingly.
Glancing slyly at her, the king regrettably plucked the child's finger from his on, standing up.
"I must go tell the others."
Nodding, the mother used her own finger to replace the one taken away while the king moved across the room to the doors. Looking back briefly at the new mother and daughter, the king smiled and swept out of the room.
Closing the door behind him, he nearly ran into a small, dark haired boy. The boy looked up at him with concern, a look similar to the one he himself displayed what seemed like ages ago. The king kneeled, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder reassuringly.
"They're both fine."
"Then why is it so quiet?"
"She's just tired, that's all. It took a lot of her strength to bring us your baby sister."
The boy brightened with interest. "So it's a girl?"
Straightening, the king shook his head, slowly approaching the window looking out into the garden.
"Not just a girl, my son. A princess."
Following his father, the boy looked out as well.
"What will she be called?"
The king was startled. What will he name her? He was so busy thinking about celebrations and ceremonies and the well being of the child and mother, he had completely forgotten about naming the child.
Outside, the wind breezed by. Below him, his wife's cherry blossom tree bloomed beautifully, exposing the world its lovely pink blossoms. On a sudden gust of wind, a single flower broke off the branch, appearing to dance with the wind. Watching, the kind saw the blossom float towards the window, landing softly on the sill.
The king, looking tenderly at the blossom, smiled. Leaning forward, he pushed the window open, taking the fragile flower in his hand. Turning, he showed his find to his son, smiling.
"Sakura. She will be called Sakura."
