Okay, for any reader of my 'Gift of a Diamond' story, you know that the reason why I haven't been writing lately is because I've been traveling a lot with my family over the past month to see my long lost Sister, and yeah, it was probably one of the greatest moments of my life, seeing her, her husband, and her son, so yeah, lots of family fluff in my life lately.
So in light of that, I decided to write this short chapter before getting back to Gift of a Diamond. This is not the Lobster Claws episode like I said it would be, which I'll save for next chapter. Enjoy.
The reaction the little Mewman Princess had to the royal family's recent addition was anticipated, thought that didn't make the adjust to the Princesses never ending eagerness all the more overwhelming. Day after day, she would be seen carrying the little baby around as if she owned him. There was almost never a moment where she let him go. Even when they set him to bed in the finest baby crib they could find, the young Star Butterfly would often sneak into his room at night and carry little baby Quartz back to her bed to sleep with. It was cute, a bit alarming and creepy, but cute nonetheless.
In fact, as of this moment, the Queen of Mewni and her husband were in the middle of wrestling over the baby as their 6 year old daughter refused to hand him over like he was the latest toy that only she could touch. "He's my magic baby, I found him!"
"Star, what did we talk about when we adopted him?" Moon said in the most stern and motherly voice she could speak. By all means, seeing her daughter this happy all them time brightened her day, but she was really pushing it as far as child rebellion goes.
"He's apart of our family, so nobody 'owns' him unless we specifically specify so in the future." Star repeated the detailed lined back to her mother as she finally stopped raising the baby above her head. "But how can you expect me to ever put this guy down?! I can finally have smart conversations with someone who never argues back at me with their own opinions." The baby blew a bubble of spit, completely oblivious to the current argument that centered around him. "Besides, I think he loves me the most, and since I love him the most, that means we always have to be together."
"You've held on to him for nearly two days without a break, I think he needs a moment to breathe." Moon responded with a slight mutter. Star, with clear distain with what she had to do, handed little baby Quartz in her mother's arms.
Moon, if you had asked her before, wouldn't know whether or not she wanted another child. Star on her own took nearly an entire entourage of knights and guards to handle, and River, more often than not, blurred the line between royalty and barbarian. In that kind of state, another child in the castle was kind of out of the question.
But Quartz wasn't just another child in her eyes. He held a lot on his shoulders concerning his unique, heritage, which she felt personally responsible for in a weird, but natural way. And so far, he had brought nothing but joy and smiles to the rest of the family, Star had something to keep her distracted, and River finally had another male in the castle he can indulge his masculinity and warrior instincts in. In fact, Quartz has spent so much time with his sister, that she hardly had the time to look over the little tyke herself. This was long overdue in hindsight.
"Fine, you can him for now." Star almost growled as she gave the baby up. "But when he starts saying my name again, we'll see who he really wants to be with."
"Star, he barely started to mutter syllables, I don't think he's saying what you think he's saying." Moon almost rolled her eyes as she finally held little Quartz in her arms. Familiar maternal feeling returned to her as she did her best to keep the baby as comfortable as possible. He smiled back to her, reaching out for the marks on her face. "I'm so glad you're here know, little one, more than you'll ever know."
"Sta, staaaa.." The baby cheerfully yelped, turning his head towards Star once more, reaching out for her. "Staaaaa, Staaa.."
"I told you! I told you, he's saying my name, he's calling out for me!" Star gloated, feeling very vindicated. "He loves me the most!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Star, we can't know for sure." River chimed him, taking the child out of his wife's hands, not noticing Moon's resistance. "That's the one thing he's been able to say ever since you've found him." The short statured king then began to toss the baby in the air, erupting in small laughs and giggles from the adopted prince. "Your going to be a brave little one aren't you, fearless and bold, like your dad, aren't you?"
"Da, da, da..." The baby murmured, making all three of the royals dead silent. "Daaa, Daaaa.."
"Wait, is he really saying what I think he's..." Moon tried to inquire, though she was immediately cut off by the sobs rom her husband.
"He, He called me dad, he call me..." River got to he knees, handing the young one back to Star as he let the water works fall from his face. "I'm a father, I'm a father, this, no moment has ever made me so happy!" He cried once more, stopping once he realized that Star was still right in front of him. "Ehhhmm, except, what I meant to say.."
"Nah, it's okay. I know he that lovable." Star reassured her father as she squeezed little Quartz as much as she could, making the baby say her name over and over again.
"Well, I'm sure he wants to be with me now, so I'll just.." Moon, feeling a bit bitter at what she just saw, takes Quartz out of Star's arms once again. "I'm your mother, little Quartz. Can you say that? Can you say who your mom is?"
"Staa." He responded almost immediately, making Star's eyes light up in happiness.
"No, not your sister, I said mom." Moon repeated again, trying her hardest not to get frustrated. This was a baby, the son of someone that was very close to her, she literally had no reason to get mad at him. "Say Mom."
"Sta.."
"Mom."
"Sta.."
"MOM."
"STAAAA.." The baby continued to call out for the princess, who was more than eager to take the baby out of her mother's arms.
"Okay, now that we've established who he loves the most, I think I'll take things from here.." Star reached out for Quartz, only for her mother to walk off with the baby. "Hey! Magic baby said it himself, he thinks I'm his mother, so I believe that gives me the right to.."
"You're still his sister, not his mother." Moon immediately corrected as she exited the room. "And I'm still as much as his mother as I am yours, and as your mother, I'm ordering you to stay here while I go handle something with your brother." The little girl's pout was enough of an answer for the Queen as she let the room.
'What am I doing wrong here?' Moon complained internally as she continued to stare at the family's recent addition, who only looked back at the purple diamonds that where on her face. 'Star wasn't this age not too long ago, and she had no problem recognizing who I was.' She pondered, thinking back to her elder child again. 'Then again, she said dad way before she came around to saying mom.'
Maybe she was thinking about this too hard. She couldn't compare little Quartz to her daughter, not when both still had a lot of growing to do. Quartz was still a baby with a lot of potential.
Thinking about that made her think about her old friend. Lifting up the bottom of the baby's clothes just a little, she caught a glimpse of the baby's precious stone, and could only sigh in response. "Do you know about her? Did you ever have a chance to see your mother?" Moon asked the baby as if he could give her an answer. "In her final moments of life, did she have the chance to hold you as I am now?" She held the child closer, holding him in more of a hugging position. "Did you have the chance to love her as I wish for you to love me?"
Gurgles and burps where her only answer, bringing only a sadden chuckle. Maybe this was too much to ask of the baby. Quartz already had a mother, and he would never be able to meet her. That was very disheartening for her to take in. When Moon needed to step up, the Rose Guard was there, as she had been for her mother, and all the other queens before her. Even with her disappearance some years ago, it was hard to imagine a time where she wouldn't be there.
'Is it selfish of me to do ask this of you?' She thought somberly as she felt the baby's heart beat sync up with her own. 'Am I so selfish ask of you to call me mother, when you belong to someone more deserving?' She felt like this uncertainly would overwhelm her if she didn't get an answer soon. "I know you can't understand me yet, and maybe, maybe it'll never be easy for me to tell you this." The baby just looked up to her with a blank expression. "I, maybe it'll be easier for me to show you first."
It wasn't much of a walk before she walked to where she wanted to. The castle had many decorations that could be a wonder to look at. Hours could be spent detailing the long and boring history and meaning of each, but if you asked in Moon's personal opinion, there was really only two specific things in the castle worth looking at.
The first was the 'grandma' room, where painting told the stories of all of Mewni's past queens, telling about them and whatever great thing that they did. The second was another painting, this one being a painting of one particular pink figure. The person in the figure stood with a calm and loving smile as what looks like a gentle breeze passes by. Quartz upon looking at the portrait became memorized by it, really concentrating on it as he continued to gaze.
"This, this is the Rose Guard, young Quartz." Moon spoke as she gazed at the painting too. "The bravest and most passionate warrior that Mewni ever had." She took the time to sit down on the ground, bringing the baby closer to her. "The greatest friend any princess and Queen could ever have." A single tear fell down her face upon remembering. "She's your mother. Your real mom." Her voice became sadder and sadder.
"It's been so long since I've had to think about it. Her leaving, her presence, gone, it's was like loosing.." She couldn't finish her sentence as she saw the baby's face began to sadden as well. "And now your here, just like me, without her, being here, without her to help or guide, or, or.." She clears her throat again.
"I just can't help but think this is a sign of some sort. That maybe, maybe this is her way of being here now." A small smile begins to rise again on her face as the small baby reaches for her face, actually managing to wipe away one of her falling tears. "Your here with me. You're lost, and alone, and you need someone to be here to guide you, as she did." Moon takes off one of her long blue gloves and uses her bare hand to pet the soft smooth skin of his cheek. His cheeks still seemed to glow around where the star's formed. Those alone were a sign if she ever saw one.
"I won't let you down, old friend, I promise you." She stood up straight, feeling more confident than she had been. "And that promise goes to you too, my little gem." She gives the boy one last pet on the head. "You don't have to ever call me mother, but that's what I'm going to be to you, until the day I can't be that to you anymore." A cute yawn was emitted from the baby, signaling Moon to take him to bed.
"I'm always going to be here for you when I need to." She expressed as she entered the large bedroom with a crib in the middle. She knew that within the hour, Star would sneak in here and watch him sleep until she fell asleep herself, but for now, she could enjoy this little sight for herself. "I will be your mother, and this will always be your family." Tucking in as he begun to close his eyes, she began to turn her back. "I love you Quartz."
"Muma." A quiet mumble was heard as the baby's breathing got heavy.
For the rest of the day, the smile on her face refused to leave.