I just want to say a HUGEEEE thank-you to everyone who has left a review and to all of you who have read this far. It means such a big deal to me and I really hope you like this next chapter...

Chapter 7

The first light of morning started to filter through the silk curtains of the royal chambers. There was a cool breeze in the air; making the curtains billow slightly, like the sails on a ship.

A lone figure was stood at the window.

His shoulders were hunched over, his body swaying gently with the wind as he rocked a small bundle in his arms.

The bundle of cloth let out a small gurgle and the figure allowed himself a small smile.

"Owwww, my neck." Came a low, mumbled voice from behind.

Jason turned around to see Pythagoras slowly waking up, rubbing his neck with a grimace. He was sat at the large, wooden table where he had spent the remainder of the night- wanting to be close by should he be needed.

He stood stiffly, his whole body aching from sleeping in such an unusual position. He hobbled over to Jason at the window.

"She's been very quiet. I rather like her already!" Pythagoras said with a smile.

He leaned forwards to get a better look at the baby nestled in Jason's arms.

A little girl. A beautiful little girl.

She had a sprinkling of dark curls on her head and big brown eyes surrounded by long, dark lashes.

She was tiny, smaller than most babies- almost doll like. Jason couldn't stop himself from staring at her little button nose and pink ears, she just looked so fragile in his arms.

"Mmmm." Jason agreed. "I remember Analise wailing for hours... should she be this quiet?"

"I do not think anything is wrong if that is what you are asking. She is very small- even for a new born- but that was to be expected with the complicated pregnancy and the small amount which Ariadne ate."

Jason's eyes immediately clouded over and Pythagoras realised his mistake.

Both heads turned in unison to the empty bed.

The sheets had been stripped from the bed, leaving nothing but the mattress.

It was as if the events of that night had never happened.

Pythagoras noticed tears starting to form in his friends eyes.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" He asked quickly, hoping to distract him.

Jason's head snapped back to face Pythagoras. "What?" He asked as if in a daze, it was obvious his mind was on other things.

"The birth of the Princess is to be announced at this morning. It is custom in royal families to officially announce the child's name the morning they are born- you remember me telling you that don't you?"

"Of course." Jason replied absentmindedly. He looked down at his newborn daughter and kept his gaze locked on her as he spoke. "But I don't know. Me and Ariadne... we never... we never talked about girls names. The Oracle had told me the child would be a boy and I had no reason to doubt her. And even then, I didn't want to talk about the baby much, I was... I was an idiot."

Pythagoras said nothing. Everyone had their inner demons (he knew that better than anyone) and it was not his place to judge his friend. For a long time Jason had been in a dark place and his thoughts had not been his own: distorted by fear and grief.

"Sara."

The sound came so suddenly, as if appearing from thin air.

Pythagoras looked at his friend for a long moment. "Sara," he repeated slowly, as if testing the name. "Greek for princess."

"Yes." Jason said quietly. "Do you think Ariadne will like it."

"She will love it. It is a beautiful name for a beautiful little princess."

Jason smiled and used his index finger to lightly tickle under his daughter's neck.

The child let out a small gurgling noise and grasped Jason's finger in her chubby hand. Jason couldn't help but marvel at the tiny little fingers, so soft and perfectly formed.

"I can't believe that during the pregnancy I actually thought that I wouldn't be able to love her: convinced myself that I didn't want her. I hated her for making Ariadne sick. Resented her. But look at her... she's so perfect... I don't know how I could have... how I could ever let myself think..."

"It is best not to let your thoughts linger on such things. You were scared and angry and you had your reasons, but it is in the past now, you must put it behind you." Pythagoras said, placing a hand on Jason's shoulder.

A light knock sounded through the room. "We have finished Jason." Medusa's voice called from behind the bath chamber door.

Jason turned to Pythagoras. "Are you okay to hold her a minute?"

Pythagoras looked back at him uneasily but said nothing as Jason carefully passed him the tiny bundle, moving Pythagoras' arms slightly to make sure he was supporting the child's head properly. "If she starts to cry just rock her a little bit."

Pythagoras gave him a look as if to say that he wasn't sure it was such a good idea.

"You'll be fine." Jason assured. "You've done it before with Analise."

"Yes but that was five years ago. And I do not think I was awfully good at it then either." he scrunched up his face in concentration as the baby started to squirm.

"I trust you." Jason patted his friend on the shoulder before heading towards the adjoining wash chamber.

Pythagoras' forehead furrowed in unease as he stood holding the princess of Atlantis in his arms, so small he feared she would slip through his fingers.

Jason emerged from the bath chamber a few moments later, cradling Ariadne who lay limp in his arms.

He moved towards the bed with small, careful steps determined not to jostle her in the slightest.

Gently he laid her down on the mattress, smoothing out her clean night dress and lightly brushing the hair away from her face.

"I should fetch some clean bed covers." Melina said quietly from behind them.

Jason said nothing, simply staring at his wife.

He didn't take his eyes off her still form for one moment. Not when he heard the receding footsteps of Melina or the sound of Pythagoras shuffling from one foot to the other- Jason could tell he was building up the courage to speak and trying to find the right moment to do so.

The king of Atlantis took his wife's hand in his palm and lifted it to his lips in a small, tender kiss.

Her face was pale but at least now it was clean and devoid of the sweat and grime from hours of labour.

Medusa and Melina had taken it upon themselves to give her a wash and dress her into a clean nightgown. They had forbidden any other maids or servants from entering the room unless specifically asked to do so, assuring everyone that they were perfectly capable of dealing with everything that the king may require. Jason was grateful that he would not have to deal with other people interfering and getting in the way; and they told him that it was the least they could do.

They were not doing it out of duty to their king and queen: they were doing it out of love for their dear friends.

Pythagoras gave a cough from behind. Jason was so lost in his thoughts he had forgotten he was there.

"Things will get better Jason."

Jason didn't turn to face Pythagoras. His eyes were glued to Ariadne, his beautiful wife.

His gaze stayed fixed on her, not straying for a second.

His eyes were fixed on her pink lips, slightly parted as if waiting for his embrace. He sighed, thinking of all the times he had kissed those soft, rosy lips and how the ground would quake and his world spin each time.

His eyes fixed on her dark curls, remembering how he would often wake up in the morning with her hair covering his face, tickling his cheeks and catching in his eyes. It was the little things. Like how she would then sweep it over her shoulder and kneel over him, staring down at him with big, bright eyes before leaning down and capturing his lips with her own in a feather-light caress.

A tear slipped down his cheek.

Then his eye line moved... his gaze now fixed on the slight rise and fall of her chest.

s§s§s§s§s§s§s§s§s§s§s§s§s§s§s

2 days later...

"She is definitely past the worst: of that I have no doubt. She simply needs time to recover, which will be easier now that her body is no longer having to sustain the baby as well."

"I cannot... I just can't believe..."

"Jason, Ariadne's body has suffered considerable trauma. Her recovery is likely to be slow and—"

Jason interrupted Pythagoras, his eyes bright and his smile wide: as if nothing could touch him. No amount of bad news could dampen his happiness. "But she will recover. And that is beyond belief. I could not ask for more."

Jason looked over at his wife- propped upright in bed and cradling her newborn baby in her arms- and moved across the room to sit next to her.

She was staring down intently at the gurgling child, tears glistening in her eyes and a soft smile on her lips.

"She is perfect Jason. Just perfect."

Her breath caught in her throat as the little girl kicked out her arms and grasped one of Ariadne's fingers in her tiny fist. Ariadne blinked and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"And to think... I might never have seen her... Never have held her..."

"Shushhhhh," Jason soothed, sitting himself fully on the bed beside her and wrapping his arm around her.

She let out a shaky breath and laid her head on Jason's shoulder.

"I'll be in my study if you need anything." Pythagoras called from across the room.

Jason nodded his thanks and the blonde mathematician left the room.

"She's so small. Look at her tiny fingernails Jason, and her cute little nose."

"She has your eyes." Jason said, pressing a kiss to Ariadne's forehead which was tucked into his neck.

"And your quirky little smile." Ariadne said, her finger lightly tracing the baby's lips, opened in a lopsided little grin. "Did you give her a name?"

"Yes." Jason replied almost guiltily. He knew it was customary to name a child (especially those in royal households) as soon as they were born, but he still felt guilty that he hadn't discussed it with Ariadne. She didn't seem to mind- having grown up with these customs and being far more used to them than he- but he still felt guilty nonetheless. "Sara."

"Sara." Ariadne repeated slowly, just as Pythagoras had done. "It's beautiful, I love it."

Jason smiled, relieved.

"My little Sara. I really thought... you know..." Ariadne stopped as if unsure what to say. "That I was going to... in those hours before she was born I sincerely believed that I would never set eyes on her. I cannot tell you how scared I was."

Jason's heart wept for hers. He doubted he could ever imagine how she must have felt. Knowing that your life was draining away and that you would never see those you cared about ever again. Knowing there was so little time left but so much more to say; so much left undone.

Jason squeezed her body tighter to his.

"It changes things. Feeling death so close, it gives you more of a perspective." She began again.

Jason said nothing. After all what was there to say?

There was a comfortable silence for a while, where all that could be heard was the twittering of birds in the treetops outside, the rustle of the wind and the rhythmic sound of their breathing.

"I think Pasiphae should meet the children—"

"What!" Jason blanched. It was so sudden a proposal, it felt like he had just been delivered a swift blow to his stomach.

He was winded, the breath knocked out of his body.

"Jason just hear me out." Ariadne tried to explain. "I understand now how she must feel, knowing that she has two grandchildren but having never seen them... or held them... or spoken to them. Never. That was almost me Jason; and it was so unbelievably painful knowing that I would never even glimpse my child, whom I was sacrificing so much for."

"It's not the same thing."

"No it isn't. But it is similar. All mothers feel a bond between their children- no matter who they may be."

"But everything you said before: about all the evil things she's done."

Ariadne snuggled closer to him, holding Sara close to her chest. "All of that still stands. I hate her for what she has done and I cannot forgive her for any it. My father was the one to banish her and by our laws he is the only one who can repeal that sentence. As it is... she will stay banished." Jason tried to interject but Ariadne held up her hand to silence him. "No matter what she has done I am determined not to sink to her level; and I will not punish her for her crimes by hiding her grandchildren from her. But of course I am not so naive to think that we can all live together happily- she is far too dangerous to ever be a real part of their lives. But I will not object to a few meetings, as long as her identity is not revealed to the children. Not until they are old enough to understand."

Jason was speechless. He stared at her with wide eyes and Ariadne could see the conflicting emotions in them. As he opened his mouth to speak she interrupted him.

"No, do not say anything yet. I have said all I feel I have to say on the matter, now all I ask is that you think about it and take time to come to a decision. Know that it is your choice and I will stand by you whatever you may decide."

Jason stared at her for a while longer before tenderly cupping her cheek in his palm, "I love you- you know that don't you?"

Ariadne tilted her head to kiss his palm. "Of course I do. And I love you too, so very much."

At that point the baby princess started to squirm, kicking out her short, chubby legs.

Jason gave out a small laugh, "And we love you too, our beautiful little girl." He bent forwards and placed a sprinkle of feather-light kisses over her head, to which she started to giggle in a spluttering fashion.

"Do you want me to hold her for a bit so you can get some sleep?" Jason asked.

"No, I don't want to sleep just yet. I feel I could stay like this forever. You must be tired though, perhaps you should get some rest yourself."

"I think I might actually."

In truth he was absolutely exhausted. He hadn't sleep at all the night that Ariadne was in labour and had barely closed his eyes all day; being too sick with worry to sleep added with caring for a new born baby by himself.

Perhaps a little rest would be a good idea. Only a short while and then he could carry on looking after her and the baby.

He lay down on top of the covers- still fully clothed- and his head slumped wearily onto the pillow, like a puppets strings being cut.

Ariadne's arm reached out and tangled in his hair, gently stroking his head with her soft fingertips. "Sweet dreams my love." She whispered.

He was reluctant to close his eyes, not wanting her to disappear from his vision. When he could see her he could know for definite that she was alive and safe. That she was still with him in this world.

He didn't want to close his eyes and be alone in the darkness.

He didn't want...

But exhaustion was pulling him deeper into a sleepy haze and his eyes finally drifted shut to his wife's scent on the pillow and the feel of her fingers in his hair.

Hope you like it, not sure when the next chapter will be uploaded (because I haven't written it yet) but should be within the week *fingers crossed* :)

If you've got a moment please leave a review and let me know what you think x