Too late

“Your Majesty, we regret to inform you that Queen Dalia’s condition has grown extremely critical. The medicines no longer have any effect on her. She may not survive childbirth.” One of the ladies-in-waiting of the Kingdom of Elarion delivered the report in a quiet voice. “There are only a few more days to wait before we can finally lay our eyes upon our little angel, the new hope of this kingdom,” Lady Mern added. Mern was the Queen’s closest and most trusted servant. Her voice brimmed with joy, yet the sadness on her face was impossible to conceal as she thought of her beloved Queen’s worsening condition. “Mern! I leave the Queen in your care. Nelha, tell Abas to prepare. We shall depart for the Kingdom of Valtheris. And Mern, summon Sayla, our secretary, and have her arrange all the documents I will need for my journey to Valtheris.” The King issued his orders without a trace of concern for his Queen, who stood on the brink of death. “Forgive my insolence, Your Majesty, but might I ask you to postpone your affairs concerning the Kingdom of Valtheris? The Queen is about to give birth to your child, and she needs you by her side now more than ever, especially given the severity of her condition.” Lady Mern pleaded sincerely and courageously. Her worry and confusion were plain to see. Why did the King seem to place greater importance on other matters than on his own wife and unborn child? “Hmm…” Instead of answering, the King merely drew a deep breath before turning and leaving. --- FIVE DAYS LATER “Please stay strong, Your Majesty. For the sake of your child.” Mern whispered through her tears. She held the Queen’s hand tightly as Queen Dalia struggled to deliver the baby growing within her, even though her body had almost no strength left. After hours of excruciating pain, the little princess was finally born. At that very moment, thunder roared and rain poured from the heavens, as though the storm itself had come to herald the arrival of the newborn child. “Your Majesty… it’s a girl. A beautiful blessing from above.” Mern’s voice trembled as she spoke. She could hardly contain her joy at the sight of the little princess born to her beloved Queen. Mern was one of the ladies-in-waiting closest to Queen Dalia. To the Queen, however, she was far more than a servant. She was like a true mother. “Se… Seidon?” Those were the only words the Queen managed to utter through her tears as she gazed at her child. She could not even hold her newborn daughter, for the strength was slowly draining from her entire body. “Your Majesty, the King left for the Kingdom of Valtheris a few days ago. He has yet to return.” Another lady-in-waiting answered her. Mern remained silent. She knew the King had been wrong to leave while his Queen was fighting for her life. “Who gave you permission to speak?!” Mern suddenly snapped at the other lady, her voice filled with fury. “Poor Her Majesty…” “Why did His Majesty leave her behind…?” “The little princess is so beautiful. There’s no one like her. Look at her chest…” “What are you all doing? Enough! Your duties here are finished. Leave at once. I will take care of Her Majesty and the princess myself.” Mern’s stern command silenced the women. She then carefully wrapped the newborn princess in a blanket. “Your Majesty, please don’t worry. I’m here with you.” She gently wiped the sweat from the Queen’s forehead as she spoke. Mern was the highest-ranking lady-in-waiting in the palace and the only person Queen Dalia truly trusted. She had cared for the Queen as though Dalia were her own daughter. --- QUEEN DALIA’S POV I could feel that my time was running out. I no longer had the desire to take my medicine. Instead of easing my suffering, it seemed only to weaken me further, drawing me closer to the edge of death. I wanted so desperately to fight for my child, but my body could no longer endure it. I had struggled with this illness for almost two years. My child, please forgive me. I can no longer stay by your side in this life or fulfill my duty as your mother. May you always be guided and protected from evil. As Mern busied herself with tidying the room, my tears continued to fall. I thought about how kind she had been to me. From the very beginning of my pregnancy until this very moment, as I lay here after giving birth, Seidon had never once been by my side to accompany me or offer me comfort. But ever since Mern came into my life, I had never felt alone again. She had given me the comfort of having a mother—someone who would always be there beside me. At least I could leave this world with a little peace in my heart, knowing that she would care for my child. After a while, I gathered what little strength I had left and tried to get a better look at my daughter. I gazed at her for a long time, unwilling to look away. This was my last chance to see my little princess, and I wanted to remember every detail of her face. I had already chosen a name for her. A few moments later, another wave of pain coursed through my body. Then I remembered the letters I had written. Back when I still had the strength, I had made sure to write letters for my daughter and for Mern. “Mern!” I called out to my trusted servant with what little strength remained in me. She hurried to my side, weeping and trembling. The sorrow on her face was unmistakable. She said nothing, but her tears continued to stream down her cheeks. There was nothing more I could do. If I were ever granted a second life, I would choose her to be my mother. “Mern… get the box… the letter for you. Give the other one to my daughter…” My words came out in broken whispers. She immediately fetched the box and brought it before me. “Thank you…” I whispered the words to her before bravely turning my gaze toward my daughter once more. A moment later, Mern gently lifted my baby and placed her upon my chest. She knelt before me, crying as she did so. I wanted to embrace her, to hold her close, but all I had the strength to do was rest my hand upon my daughter. My eyes overflowed with tears, yet I forced myself to keep looking at her, committing every precious detail of her face to memory. It hurts to be abandoned by the person you love. But it hurts even more to say goodbye to your child when she is still too young to understand what goodbye means. My little princess was so beautiful, her face so gentle and peaceful. As I gazed at her, she suddenly stirred and struggled to open her beautiful eyes. She looked at me as though she, too, had a message she wanted to convey to her mother. That sight made me cry even harder. I could hardly bear the thought that I would never witness her growing up. But my body had already begun to signal that my time had come. Even breathing had become a struggle. With every last ounce of strength I possessed, and with my final heartbeat drawing near, I took a deep breath and bravely spoke my last words to my daughter. “My child… I love you… Princess Kate.”