II: Unprofessional

[Word Count: 600]

"Can I see my sibling?"

The relief seeing her unexpected visitor alive and safe vanished with those words.

"Daphne…I…" Marion rubbed her eyes with nervous fingers as reports on Domino's war-strained economy fluttered away. "The Ancestral Witches' forces attacked the Roccalucce temple! I thought–"

"My sibling," The princess repeated. "Can I see her?"

"But when did you arrive back on Domino?! I was so–"

"The Roccalucce temple was attacked but I was travelling to one of the minor temples on Andros when it happened. The King is talking about it with the elder nymphs right now. And his majesty told me I could see my new sibling in the nursery in the interim." Daphne retorted impatiently. "So can I see her?"

Marion couldn't overcome the childishness of the request. Daphne was a princess of Domino and princesses weren't expected to show visible interest in things that excited commoners. It was almost as if she was excited her mother had given birth.

Why wouldn't she be? She is a child.

"Is there something...wrong?"

Daphne almost looked upset at mother's lack of an answer. That was also new.

"No…it's fine Daphne. We can visit your little sister if you like."

She couldn't believe the campy words she was uttering to stop Daphne looking so visibly distressed.

"Really?! I mean…"

The Queen took Daphne's hand before anything else could be said and led her daughter into the nursery's innermost chamber.

Normally there would be maids tending to the newborn princess at any given time. But Marion had dismissed them for the day only retaining the guards outside. She cited it due to a shortage of resources but truthfully it was only to make a lonesome space for herself.

She had been thinking of recalling one of the maids to mind the infant, realising she had no idea how to handle children. Queens had more important things to do than be actual mothers. And royals had better and more important things to say than simple words of reassurance to each other.

…Didn't they?

"I…um…my apologies, your majesty." Daphne began slowly. "I realise that I may have been…too forward in requesting to see my newborn sibling and–"

"Daphne. It's fine. And don't feel constantly obligated to address me by honorifics when we're together." The tone of the Queen's last words were unintentionally irritable. Seeing Daphne's confusion Marion hastily added "Really it's fine."

The princess wisely decided not to press further. Marion could feel her daughter's hand squirming with foreign excitement as they neared the crib.

When was the last time I held my daughter's hand like that? No. When have I ever held her hand like this?

"So when are we going to have her naming ceremony?" Concern for expected behaviour left Daphne's mind again as she playfully fingered the infant's hair. "Don't worry little sister. I'm sure our parents will think of a great name for you!"

If things were normal perhaps this scene wouldn't have bothered Marion as much.

But normality wasn't this intimate scene unfolding before her. For a Royal Family to be an actual family was more than unprofessional. It was dangerous. Could Marion really want a more meaningful relationship with her children with that ever present risk?

But didn't people fight to protect the things they love? And don't those things…those people you love…give one's life meaning?

Suddenly her pale faced husband plodded into the nursery. Whether his arrival strengthened or lessened her resolve to see her children live in a world beyond the war consuming Domino…in the heat of that moment Queen Marion could not tell.

Author Notes: You know working on this particular drabble made me feel bad I killed Bloom in Death Came for the Princess. What? That's not a spoiler it's in the summary! This little scene is based on something is originally mentioned in Chapter 10 of DCftP. The current Chapter 10 (as of publishing this drabble) is going to be filed as a beta chapter and will probably be moved to extras when DCftP is finished. Or maybe I'll find some way to re-express that information in some way in the rewrite…some details for that scene are being changed up a bit as well…so…

Anyway, updates on the main story this drabble fic is related to. Rewriting DCftP is plodding along since the last drabble I posted ages ago. I'm aiming to have DCftP finished this year. I know that's a bit ambitious given my tendencies. But I started DCftP in December 2013 and the drafts have been collecting dust for far too long. Not sure what that means for the release date for the next drabble in this fic but we'll see…