Bloom opened her eyes, raising her head and looking round the room. For a moment she didn't realise where she was, then she remembered the events of the previous day, and the fact that she was at home, in her own clothes, in her own bed. Sky had long since left, his side of the bed was so cold. The sun shone through the chinks in the closed blinds, casting striped shadows across the crinkled sheets Bloom was wrapped in. Rubbing her eyes, she propped herself up on her elbows and yawned. Lazily, she looked at the clock. Nearly 11:00. Sighing, she settled back into the pillows, eyes drifting shut again. Then they snapped open. Nearly 11:00? A new lease of life sprang into action and Bloom leapt out of her bed, dressing herself and throwing her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head. She should have been up and out about 2 hours ago. She should already be at the hospital, by Joel's side. But instead she spent most of the morning sleeping? No, she didn't think so.
"C'mon Sky, let's go!" She clapped her hands, bursting into the living room.
"Hey now, whoa...take it easy." Sky said, holding his hands in the air. "What's the rush?"
"The rush is that I slept in-"
"Which you clearly needed to do. Those extra hours will do you the world a good. It's okay to sleep you know."
"I have no time for jokes, Sky. We should have been in the hospital 2 hours ago, with our son. Why didn't you wake me?"
"Because like I say, you needed that sleep. And Joel is surrounded by doctors and nurses, people who will take good care of him." He pointed out. "You have the rest of the day to be right there, by his side. Alright?"
"Alright." Bloom gave in. "Alright. But no more time wasting."
She grabbed a slice of bread from the cupboard and buttered it quickly, making her way to the door and opening it.
"Well come on! What are you waiting for?"
Sky rolled his eyes and got to his feet, folding up the paper he was reading and following her to the door. She ran down the corridor and Sky closed and locked the door behind him, slowly walking after her.
"Come on!" She called over her shoulder, calling the lift and manically pushing the button whilst she waited, like that would make it arrive any faster.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." Sky excused himself, joining Bloom in front of the lift.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
After checking in at the front desk, Sky and Bloom were met by a smiling doctor, who led them back to the NICU. He left them at the door and then the pair entered the room. This time there was no hesitation. Bloom knew exactly who her son was, and he knew them too, for as they approached, the boy's eyes lit up at the sight of his parents. His mouth smiled, a perfect reflection of Bloom's smile. Sky too grinned. It was still painful, not being able to hold him, seeing him so vulnerable in that plastic incubator. But if it was only plastic that stood between them, then there wasn't much to be worried about, of that he was sure. It was as though Bloom had known him all her life. She pulled up a chair, and sat beside the baby. His eyes followed her every move, watching her closely. She smiled at him.
"You doing okay?" She asked. "Yeah, you are, aren't you."
Joel looked at her blankly.
"Well don't you worry, you'll be home and in my arms before you know it, I promise."
Gently, she poked her hand through one of the holes and stroked his cheek with the backs of her fingers.
"You never know. You could come home today. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
Joel giggled, and so did Bloom.
"Thought you might." She said.
Sky stood behind her, hands on her shoulder. He still couldn't believe that he was looking at his son. This was his child, and he wouldn't trade anything for him. Bloom sighed contentedly and leant her head back against Sky's body. He stroked her head, thinking about all the times he and Joel would share. All the times all three of them would share, as a family. All the things he would do as a father, teach his son to walk, to talk. To be a good person. To grow up into a strong young adult, and start a family of his own. Sky's life was finally coming together, the past now officially in the past, and nothing else to do but look forward, into the long future they all had to share with one another.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
"Your Majesty!"
Queen Marion of Domino raised her head, rising from her chair in the drawing room at the sight of one of her maids rushing through the grand, ceiling high oak doors.
"Cora?" She asked. "Is everything alright?"
Cora stopped in front of her, bowing her head hastily. "Better. News reached the palace today. News from your daughter." A huge grin broke across her face.
Marion's face reflected that joy. "Well child? Don't hold back any longer!"
"Here." Cora held out an envelope to the queen. "This arrived. It's from Magix, involving the hospital. You read it."
"Thank you, dear." Marion smiled, taking the paper. "You have served me well."
The girl nodded, bowing again before leaving the room and the queen to see the contents of the envelope. Ripping the paper, Marion pulled out a document. She unfolded it and her eyes moved from side to side as she read through the letter. Her smile grew wider and wider. Joel. Her grandson. Her newborn grandson. She was so happy, so excited. Reading on, her excitement faltered. He was a month too early. In the NICU. But that didn't mean he wouldn't recover. According to the papers she held in her hand, Joel would be ready to go home with his parents in no time. Breathing a sigh of relief, Marion left the drawing room and made her way through the main hallway, off into one of thousands of smaller passages than ran throughout the castle.
"Your Majesty." A servant nodded, stepping aside to let the queen hurry on her way.
Marion climbed a stone spiral staircase at the end of the passage and came out into a long, grand corridor at the top. A red carpet lined the floor all the way along and huge oil paintings were hung from the walls. Paintings of her family throughout the years, of her kingdom, of magic. The second last door along the wall was bigger than the others. From behind the frosted glass that was set into the oak of the top half of the door, Marion could hear her husband's voice, raised in panic. She paused for a moment before knocking.
"-What do you mean?" Oritel demanded.
There was a long pause.
"That's impossible. No, she was just an old woman, messing with your head. These things are never real!"
Marion longed to know who was at the end of the line, and what had happened to make her husband lose it so bad.
"I refuse to believe it!" Oritel exclaimed. "It won't happen. There's...yes, I know what she said, I know who she was. But you are the King. Surely you should recognise such stupidity? There's no way that this is going to happen, I am sure of it."
Oritel was silent. He listened intently to the person he was speaking to.
"Well...I suppose...yes. Just to be sure. We'll keep a close eye on them. All of them. No harm will come of them, we'll be sure of that. I will guard them with my life, if that is what it comes to, and I know you will too. Alright then. Listen out for any news. Yes. Yes. Okay. Right then, I'll speak to you soon. I-I'm sure it's going to be fine. Okay then. Bye." Oritel ended the call.
Shaking her nerves, Marion rapped on the door. It took a long time for it to be opened.
"Yes?" Oritel asked irritably from the inside.
Marion pulled the handle and let herself in.
"Did I say you could- oh. It's you. Is everything alright?" His mood changed when he saw his wife standing in front of the door, which she had closed behind her.
Oritel hastily returned the phone to its holder on the glass coffee table that sat beside the two chairs to the left side of his office. His desk was on the other side, littered with papers, pens and a few dirty mugs. He was, for once, wearing simple clothing, his armour hung up in the corner and his regular cloak of ermine fur draped on the back of one of the chairs. His simplistic crown, however, was still on his head. Marion couldn't help but notice that he looked...older. More tired and worn out than usual.
"I wanted to ask you the same question." She said curtly.
Oritel looked confused. "What do you mean? Everything's fine, dear."
He walked over to her and held her shoulders, looking closely at her.
"Don't lie to me, Oritel, please." Marion urged.
He pulled her into a tight embrace. "Trust me. There's nothing for you to worry about."
Marion pulled away, and frowned at him. "But...there's something for you to worry about?"
"It's fine. Now, what was it you wanted me for?" He hastily changed the subject.
Arguing with him was pointless. Marion had to trust that she'd find out sooner or later what was going on, and that, for now anyway, Oritel had it all under control. She handed him the envelope.
"This arrived today." She beamed. "It's from Magix. From Bloom."
Oritel's face fell as he gingerly took the paper. "Bloom? And...and the baby?"
She nodded. "It's good news though. Don't look so worried!"
Oritel read the document, his face getting paler and paler.
Marion frowned, concerned. "Oritel? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Her husband didn't respond. His hands trembled and he looked terrible.
When he finally spoke his voice was hoarse. "They've had the baby?"
"Y-yes...why do you look so scared? He's fine. Our grandson is fine."
Oritel shook his head. "He's a month early...he's already in danger...more is to follow!" He spoke in a voice that sounded far from his own. "It's like she said...it really is happening! My God..."
Marion was terrified. What was going on? Who was he on about? What was coming? What danger?
"Oritel...please!" Marion whined. "You're scaring me. What's happened? Who said? Here...sit down. Calm down. Talk to me, Oritel!"
But the king was too far gone. He was shaking madly. He crumpled up the paper and tossed it into the flames of the open fire by his chair. He swayed on his feet, leaning heavily on the mahogany desk against the wall, sending paper and pens flying everywhere. He was breathless and sweat poured from his forehead.
"I didn't believe." He gasped. "I wasn't ready. But now it's happening and I'm late. Everyone's late...because of me! It's my fault...I- I..."
He suddenly collapsed onto the floor, his crown falling from his head and rolling along the floor before clattering to a stop a few feet away. Marion rushed to his side.
"Oritel!" She screamed. "Oritel, wake up! What's happening?"
She rolled him onto his back, holding him in her arms. His body was limp, his arm hanging down lifelessly as Marion knelt beside him, holding his upper body close to her, held up by her arm which was wrapped around his back. Using her free hand, she combed his brown hair from his face, stroking his cheek. He didn't move. He was still breathing, but he wasn't responding to her cries.
"Help!" She yelled. "Someone help me!"
She was crying now, still screaming out for help. Oritel's words frightened her, for they made her fear for Joel and Bloom's lives. Oritel's actions frightened her, for they made her fear for his life. She stayed with him, until two servants burst into the room. Seeing the scene that lay before them, one turned and ran to get a doctor, whilst the other sat and consoled the queen. The doctor showed up and Oritel was taken away to his bedroom chambers, Marion not far behind him. What did he mean when he said more danger was to come? There was one thing for certain. She wasn't having trouble believing that...
