Father's Shadow

Father's Shadow: Birth

Planet Torah shook violently one night as a woman screamed in pain. She had been in labor for five hours now. The sweat on her forehead caused her hair to stick. Their planet was in danger and she was in labor. Debris fell from the ceiling covering the woman and the midwives. Breathing heavily, the woman pushed harder.

The main midwife paused before glancing at the other. "Something is wrong." She voiced.

The woman looked down at the maid. Out of breath, she said. "What?"

"The baby... Something is wrong with the baby."

"What do you mean?" She asked. The castle was falling apart loudly and quickly.

"It is dying." The midwife informed her. "We have to get the baby out now or it will not survive." She looked up at the woman. "You have to push, Your Highness."

Under command, the queen continued to push as hard as she could while letting out long screams. Her labor screams were heard all over The National while half the people tried to hold onto whatever was closest to them and the other half loading onto the available shuttles to leave their failing planet.

The queen cried out in pain. "I cannot do it!" She let out a silent cry. She had been told many times of the child labor pains but never had she expected it to be like this. "Where is my husband? Where is he?"

"He is on his way, Your Highness. But you need to push." The midwife demanded. "The baby is almost here."

The queen held onto the bed's handles---on the side of the bed---and pushed down on the large bundle that rested in the pit of her stomach. She pushed down with all of her might. "She is crowning." The midwife announced causing everyone in the room to become frantic, trying to grab everything needed during this time.

The queen gave another hard push as she could feel the midwife reach inside of her to grab the baby out of her. When she felt that pressure released from her body, she dropped down on the pillows, trying to catch the last little breath that she had. The midwife cleared the residue from the baby's nostrils, mouth and ears.

The baby's eyes remained close as the building continued to rumble. The bedroom door burst opened, revealing their leader, their king, Zaren Qurant. He was dark, tall and handsome. His bright, red eyes contrasted his dark brown skin with long locks that stopped around his waist. His cheekbones covered in birth jewels, along with his forehead. His body covered in leather armor; although he was all about peace. His combat boots pounded the fragile floor as he walked quickly over to his defeated wife.

He lowered himself down in front of her, trying his best to ignoring the falling pieces of the ceiling. Whenever he was with his wife, he tend to forget where he was at. She was his soulmate. The beautiful, brown skin woman laid exhausted on the bed. Sweat coated to her skin as she smiled at him. Her vibrant blue eyes seemed to glow whenever he was near her. He gently caressed her damped, soft skin and leaning in to kiss her on the lips. He smiled down at her before chuckling softly. "You did it, Xena."

"Your Highness?" The midwife's concerned tone broke their concentration.

They both turned their heads towards the midwife. "Yes, Miriam?"

The grim look on her face made him stand to his feet. "The baby." Was all she had to say before he started making his way over to his newborn baby.

Looking down at the small bundle, he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. The falling planet didn't mean anything at that point. The moment he laid eyes on his baby was the moment he fell in love again. He admired the birth stones that rested softly across her tiny face in different places, just like his. But, his affection ran short when he realised the baby's eyes weren't open and hadn't started crying yet. "What is wrong with the baby?"

"I'm not sure, sir. I've never witnessed this before."

"Let me hold---is it a boy or girl?"

Miriam smiled sadly. "A girl."

His arms slowly raised from his sides and reached out for the small child. When his hands were inches from the baby, a bright light began to glow strongly from the body of the baby. As Zaren's hands got closer, he could feel the power emanating from the child. They all started to squint their eyes from the blinding light. Slowly and gently, he pulled the girl from the arms of Miriam and onto his arms. The light got brighter once she was in his arms.

Then, the baby started to stir around in his arms causing him to let out a sob. "She is moving." He sobbed. "She is alive."

The blinding glow started to rise up the little baby's body. It stopped by her neck as the light started to dim slowly. While the light dim down, so did the rumbling. When the light went completely out, the failing planet ceased and a talisman appeared around the girl's neck.

"What is this?" He mumbled. The midwives surrounded him while staring down at the miracle child. His hand gripped the talisman then tried to remove it from the girl's neck and before he knew it, the planet began to shake more aggressively, causing him to lean against the railing---on the side of the bed--- for balance. "Whoa!" He let his hand go from the necklace and the destruction stopped immediately.

They all gazed down at the baby, the savior of their failing planet. The girl who had put an end to the ending planet. "....Zamora." Xena said out of the blue, lowly.

Zaren looked over to his wife with clenched eyebrows. "What?"

"She looks like a Zamora."

He looked down at the small, baby girl in his arms before smiling. "Zamora. Zamora Qurant, the savior of Taroh."
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Cover by: CannibalisticNecro