Chapter 1: The
Sacrifice
"Breath,
honey," Alexander strained his voice, grasping his wife's hand.
"I am!"
Tari gasped, clenching her teeth in pain.
Nurses were
rushing to and fro, bringing warm towels and trying to comfort the laboring
woman.
"Relax," commanded Impa soothingly,
smiling at the woman she had known all her
life, "Just in...and out...good."
Tari felt the
pain lessening and breathed deeply.
"Are you
okay?" asked Alexander, worried but happy.
"What do you
think, Alec?!" she snapped, "That this sweat is coming 'cause I'm so
relaxed?!"
Impa took the
soon-to-be father aside. "Labor is
never easy, Your Majesty," she
said, "She'll be a little edgy, but don't take it
personally."
"Okay,"
said the youthful king, wiping his brow.
He walked around,
leaving his wife to enjoy her short break between contractions.
Impa comforted Tari, whose patience was never worn by Impa's
presence.
"You're
doing fine," said Impa, "especially for your first child."
"Thank you,"
Tari smiled weakly. Then she clenched
her fists and let out a yell of
pain. The
contractions had started again and the room became busy once more.
"Okay, Tari,
push now!" cried Impa.
Tari strained,
clenching Alec's hand tightly. He tried
to calm her, though it was nearly
impossible to do so.
He felt as tense as she.
"The baby's
coming!" called Impa with a smile on her face, "Push, Tari!"
Alec felt a
thrill run through his spine. He would
soon be a father. Tari let out a yell
as she pushed with all her might. Relief spread through her body as a baby's cry rang
through the room.
"Congratulations, Your Majesties," smiled Impa, holding up a
wrapped bundle, "you
have a daughter."
Alec held his
small daughter, marveling at the miracle that had brought her to him. He
had to leave his wife's side so that she might rest, but was
allowed to hold his child as
much as he liked. He
had never seen anything so beautiful in his whole life. Impa came
in slowly. He turned
smiling at her, but she did not return the greeting. A new worry
filled him.
"What is it,
Impa?" he asked.
"Here,"
she said gravely, taking the girl and placing her in her carriage.
Impa avoided his
imploring eyes. He could stand it no
longer.
"Tell
me," he said, trying to keep his voice strong.
"It's
Tari," she answered, her voice quavering for the first time since Alec had
known
her, "The birth...it wasn't good on her. The nurses...they-they think she might
not... make it."
Alec
blanched. He held himself up by sure
will power, his legs feeling weak.
"I-I'm
sorry," said Impa, holding back tears.
Alec finally got
his wits back and rushed into is wife's room.
She was lying there,
weaker than when he had left her. She tried to sit up and smile when he came in, but
winced with the effort.
"Don't," he whispered, gently pushing her back down,
"Rest."
"Alec,"
she murmured, tears welling in her eyes, "I'm so sorry."
"Sorry?" he smiled gently, "Why should you be sorry?"
"I'm leaving
you," she whispered, "just when you need me the most. I can't give you
all that I wanted to."
"Tari,"
he hushed, embracing her, "You've given me so much; your love, your hand
in
marriage, your trust."
"A
daughter," she smiled.
"A
daughter," he smiled back.
They sat silent
in each other's arms for a moment, tears coming despite their happy
memories.
"Promise me
something, Alec," Tari murmured.
"Anything," he whispered through a flood of tears.
"Name her Zelda,"
she smiled, "Name our daughter Zelda."
"I
will," he promised, not asking why.
A few minutes
later he walked out, staring into space.
Impa turned away, looking out
the window. She
wiped her eyes, sobbing silently. Alec
slowly made his way toward
his daughter's carriage.
He looked at the sleeping child, so beautiful, so perfect.
"My
Zelda," he whispered, stroking her forehead, "Our Zelda..."
Tears streamed
down his face dropping gently onto the sleeping child's blanket. He
collapsed, one hand still on the carriage, and began to
weep.
~*~*~
A/N: Oh, poor Alec…
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