The elderly midwife looked at Murtagh grimly as they stood in the private sitting room that lead to the bedchamber. "You have a daughter, my lord." She informed him, the look in her eyes telling him that she expected him to be disappointed in the news. She could not have been ever the more wrong.
A wide grin captured his mouth, glee filled his eyes, and pride swelled in his heart as Thorn rumbled happily from the large balcony outside. "Is she healthy?" He asked, much to the midwife's surprise. She confirmed the girl was healthy and quickly left, more than likely to tell all the courtiers of his reaction to the news. When the child had first been placed in his arms by Nasuada, he could not have any more happier to have such a beautiful child, with mocha skin and dark wisps of hair on her head. Her eyes were closed, and she was asleep.
"What shall we name her?" Is what Nasuada had asked tiredly, sweat beads were still rolling down her face. He wiped them away, before answering: "Cerridwen."
Nasuada was asleep when Murtagh took Cerridwen out, bundled in several soft and warm blankets, to met Thorn. She was wide awake then, and stared at the red dragon with curious eyes. Murtagh wondered how she saw Thorn. Was the dragon a large, bulking red mass in her eyes? Or could she see him clearly?
'Welcome to the world, little hatchling,' Thorn rumbled. It sounded like he was purring. The dragon bent his neck down to brush the tip of his snout against Cerridwen's forehead and blew out warm air on her, 'May the stars watch over you, little one. For I shall be doing just the same.'
While Cerridwen, the child of a Queen and of a Dragon Rider, may learn how to sing like a song-bird, dance like a nymph, and play various music instruments with angelic grace; Murtagh will make sure that she knows how to use a sword, and knows how to shoot an arrow from a bow, for when he and Thorn are not there to protect her.
She'd learn the cruel world of politics, and hear the harsh whispers of others as she grew, yes. But he'd always be there for her. Just like he is there for her mother.