There must have been over a million people there, standing on the sidewalks, behind the gates, and in the streets. There were even those who, being unable to find a place to stand, chose to watch from the windows. Almost everyone was holding a lit candle and all were wearing black.
The snow had ceased to fall hours before, leaving behind a fresh white blanket on the Moon Palace, its lawns, and just about every house and shop in the village. The trees looked like crystals with the coats of ice on them. By now, the clouds had cleared and the sun had set, bringing forth room for the stars and the brightness of Earth. All the Kings and Queens of all the planets in the Solar System had come to pay their homage to King Julius.
A quartet of white stallions pulled the cherry wood coffin in which he lay from the palace to the burial ground. The interior of the coffin was red velvet, red having been his favorite color. White lilies were neatly placed around him, lacing the coffin to perfection, and making him look as though he lay asleep in a field of them.
His body had been bathed in the finest perfumes and spices that the Galaxy had to offer. His lovely blond hair was combed, and the jeweled crown in which he had been coroneted adorned his beautiful head. Foundation powder had been delicately applied to his face and neck to bring back the tint of his naturally beige skin, instead of the sickly white that the disease had forced his skin to become. His cheekbones had been covered in a light blush to restore the radiance that they had once held. There was even gloss on his lips to conceal their pallor and rawness. His hands were folded across his lower abdomen, his nails buffed and shiny. He was clad in a cape and his blue General uniform, complete with all his medals and golden epaulets on his shoulders and black boots on his feet. However, his handcrafted sword was not present with him in the coffin, as he had specifically stated in his will that Serenity keep it.
Serenity herself walked directly behind the coffin, her head low. She wore a long black gown ornate with black pearls. Her hair was tied in her signature two ponytails with buns atop her head. A long black veil covered her face, hiding her tears from the onlookers.
Placing her gloved hand on her stomach, she thought of the child growing within her. How could she possibly raise it without the help of its father? The very thought was preposterous! People like her simply did not ask questions like this. This was a question for a beggar, a gypsy, a woman with no morals, stature, or values, she who wandered the streets aimlessly, who put herself into trouble deliberately and who would be expected to have no father for her child. This did not happen to a respected Queen with a loving, prosperous husband.
She thought of all the other mothers and expectant mothers that she knew. All of them had husbands to aid them, while she had none. She was the only Queen in the Galaxy with no husband and it would remain that way for quite some time.
Finally, the carriage reached the royal burial ground. More tears welled up inside Serenity's eyes as she noticed the fresh grave that had been dug. He was really leaving her. It wasn't a dream….
She glanced back behind her, where the royals of each planet followed. Marianna was directly behind her, arm-in-arm with Joshua, tears flowing from her eyes and down onto her dress. The King and Queen of Mercury were behind them, followed by those of Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto respectfully.
The priest, a tall man with brown hair and beard, led the mourners in prayer, asking God to deliver Julius safely into Heaven, to rest his soul.
Finally, everyone was allowed to step forward to see the King personally, for the last time.
Serenity was the first. She came forward slowly, trying to be as careful as possible, for the ground was slick from ice, and as she was with child, the only one she would ever bare, she could not risk any injury.
Approaching the coffin, she bent forward carefully to kiss her husband's forehead. While it had been blistering hot with fever only days before, now it was as cold as the snow on the ground.
"I love you so much, Julius." She stared down at the handsome face she knew so well. "I-I shall never love again…I promise; and…I'll raise our child to be the best ruler the Moon Kingdom has ever known…I'll teach it to do wonderful things, just like you wanted. I'll be sure that it carries on your legacy, my love… I promise."
+*+*+
Five long, lonely months passed. Serenity watched as the seasons changed and life in the Solar System slowly returned to normal. All the while her belly continued to grow.
The pond and fountains at the front of the palace were running with crystal clear water, which birds from all over came to drink. The flower garden was in full bloom, and Serenity had managed to squeeze in some time despite her busy schedule to pick flowers for Julius' grave.
"It's almost time, Julius." She sat down beside the marble headstone, holding both hands over her stomach. She had taken a habit to talking to her husband's grave because it made her feel more comfortable, even though she knew he was gone. She was now in her ninth month and all the servants had been bustling about, preparing for the birth to occur any day. "Our baby's almost here."
Serenity let the sun warm her as she stared at the Earth in delight. It was almost time for her to be a mother. But, sadness still lingered. She was about to be a mother with no one to share a child with.
Later that day was when the pains started. She called several servants to come to her room and help her deliver the baby. The midwife came soon after to watch over her and permitted the servants to leave.
Thirty minutes after the pain had started, Marianna and the Queen of Earth, Bianca, who had given birth to two sons of her own, came in to help Serenity. She lay in the same bed in which her husband had died months before. The pain lasted four hours, and with each and every contraction, she thought the baby would come, but her predictions were never correct.
"It's painful," Bianca commented, holding onto Serenity's hand. It was amazing that Bianca could do so without a single complaint that Serenity was squeezing too hard. "But the outcome is wonderful. Trust me. It's worth it."
"I believe you." The Moon Queen managed to respond with a small chuckle, but the pain was still coursing through her. She would have had much more courage if Julius had been the one holding her hand.
"I can see the head, Your Majesty" the midwife, a large short woman with short red hair, said with glee. "Keep the pushes coming, Madam. You're doing wonderful."
Those were hard words for Serenity to follow. Every time she thought she was pushing harder, she ended up doing nothing at all. Finally, the pain was so unbearable that she closed her eyes tightly shut and screamed with all her might.
But her scream wasn't the only one she heard. Opening her eyes, Serenity saw the midwife lifting up something small and delicate.
"You have a princess, Your Majesty."
Serenity let out a deep breath and let her head fall backward onto the pillow. She had done it. She had survived labor. She had given birth. She had become a mother.
"You did it, Serenity!" Marianna, sitting on the bed to her right, crying, bent down and hugged her sister-in-law tightly.
"I knew you could!" Bianca shouted, giving Serenity a hug herself.
The midwife washed the baby clean and wrapped her in a soft purple blanket; and as she placed the child in Serenity's arms, the Queen could see that the little princess had her father's blond hair and blue eyes. The tears were unstoppable.
"She's beautiful, Serenity," Bianca said, giving her another one-armed hug.
"Yes, she is." Marianna smiled in agreement, still with tears in her eyes. "Mina's going to love her. She's been asking about the baby for months. Now, she finally has her to play with."
The two other Queens sat with Serenity a few minutes longer, cooing to the baby and telling her mother how lovely she was. After a while, Serenity began to feel tired and yawned. The midwife obviously took that as a subtle, polite way to ask everyone to leave because she asked,
"Would you appreciate it if we left you alone, Madam?"
"Yes, please." Serenity chuckled, but now without the pain. She was feeling very sleepy and worn by now, but she wanted to have more time with her child. "And thank you for your help."
"You're welcome, Serenity," Marianna replied, smiling.
"We'd be glad to leave you alone," said Bianca. "You and your baby need some privacy."
Once they had all left, Serenity stared back down at her tiny sleeping daughter. The child's small hand was now curled around her mother's right index finger. Serenity bent over and kissed it lightly.
"You look just like your father," Serenity said as she stroked the baby's hair and tiny nose.
The child even had a gold crescent moon birthmark in the middle of her forehead, the same one that her mother had received after her marriage, and the same that her father had been born with on his own head. Marianna's mark had disappeared after her marriage to Joshua and was replaced by the symbol of Venus.
"I'll be the best mother in the world, my darling little princess."
In the days following the princess' birth, she was christened and given the official of Serenity Julia Margaret Anna, after her mother, father, and two grandmothers; but, her mother and everyone else in the Moon Kingdom took to calling her by the name of Princess Serena.
End Note: Hi everybody! How was this chapter? Please tell me how you liked it.
À Bientôt,
Amélie