-- The Phoenix He Helped Create --
- Chapter 11: A Smile Breaks Forth -
A similar transformation had taken place in the Dark Lord's daughter. Somehow he managed not to drop her despite the sudden change in weight as she suddenly transformed from a three-month-old baby into the form of a three-year-old child.
Unlike Ladon, who had smiled happily at his transformation, the Dark Princess began to cry.
Yes, Bellatrix was scared.
Yes, Bellatrix was confused.
But her child was reaching for her.
Voldemort could see the storm of emotions in Bella's eyes. Somehow he was not surprised that her love for their child won out over all of her fears and uncertainties.
Bella lifted the little girl from the dark Lord's arms into her own. She cuddled her daughter close as the little girl wailed and clung to her.
"Shh, Alcyone. Hush. It's alright."
Even as she was trying to reassure her child, her own worries showed clearly in her expression.
She'd had a choice, a chance to take this power - this destiny - away from Alcyone. To take it onto herself. And yet she'd been too slow in making the decision...
"Bella."
She looked up at the sound of his voice. He slid his arms around her, hugging both her and their daughter close to him.
"There is no reason that you can't still protect her now."
He felt her relax against him, the tension draining from her body. She looked up at him and smiled.
With that single sentence and the simple act of holding her in his arms, he'd laid all her fears to rest. Yes, more and more he was coming to believe that love had incredible powers, indeed.
Rodolphus had not slept through all of this, of course. But he would pretend that he had.
A/N: so now you know the daughter's name. Don't even SAY "Rayearth". Alcyone is a name that came from Greek mythology, before CLAMP ever existed! I almost named the daughter Medusa... but thought that might be taking Voldy's love of snakes a little TOO far.