12 Years After The Rein Of The One began....

The dragon circled the skies of the Valorian capital. Everyone was going on with their business as usual; the lively streets with children playing and unfazed yellow cloaks on the wall. With a few flaps of its wings, the young dragon landed softly on the palace gardens. Two of the servants dashed to meet the rider and bowed deeply.

He jumped off the beast and tapped it lightly. A boy of thirteen by estimation. His long hair rested on his shoulders, his blue eyes settling on the servants. The dragon took off to the sky. He walked past the servants and handed his gloves to a knight.

"I hope your ride was enjoyable, Your Grace." Lord Richard walked from the opposite side, his hair now a grey blanket on his head.

"It sure was," the young prince said.

"Your mother is in need of you. She has delivered a girl." The prince grinned like a fool and rushed through the hallways.

"Take care Your Grace..." Richard’s voice trailed behind. He ran, descended the stairs and nearly knocked off a maid. He apologized quickly and finally entered the empress chambers.

She was surrounded by women dressed in white, her face sweaty but a subtle hint of a smile on his mother’s face. She noticed him standing by the door.

"Come and see your sister Raphael." He walked closer and the women bowed but he didn’t notice it. His eyes were fixated on the bundle in his mother’s hands. Their eyes met, and they were blue as his.

"You can take her," Isadora said.

"I won’t hurt her?" He asked, afraid he’d squeeze the life out of the little girl.

"You won’t hurt your sister, will you?" He shook his head thoroughly. Isadora placed the baby in his arms and she could feel his heart race. He studied her up close, smiled at her and touched her nose.

"She looks like you," he commented, smiling sheepishly. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"She’s more of her father," Isadora pointed. "Please help me sit up." One of the maids came to her aid.

Isadora messed up Raphael’s hair and kissed him. These two were now her bundles of joy. She wondered how Alexander would react if he found out it was a girl. He had always wanted a girl for his firstborn.

She still remembered that day vividly. He had wedded her by the shores of the Valorian lake, a wedding like nothing the realm had ever seen before. Still, the memory was edged fresh in her mind like yesterday.

"We’ll need to wash you My Lady, and the baby too," the head maid said. Isadora nodded softly and took the baby from Raphael. She was so calm, with her blue eyes half closed. It surprised her all her children were having blue eyes.

"Have you given her a name yet?" Little Raph asked. He seemed more fascinated by his sister than her own mother.

"Yes. Your father wanted to name our first baby girl after my mother. I’ll name her Elizabeth."

The maids took the child away and a knight led the prince out. "Will my sister have a dragon as well?" He asked the tall guy.

"Yes," he answered. "You better be in the study before your father comes. He won’t be happy to know you wasted the whole morning riding a dragon." The young prince nodded and looked back at his mother one last time.

She had slipped into a lighter garment when her husband walked in. He looked tired from his journey but happy at the same time. Word had already reached him she had conceived.

"You’ve arrived sooner than I had expected," she said, seated at the edge of the bed. Little Elizabeth was suckling from one of her breasts.

"I travelled on dragon back. The meeting can wait." With two quick strides, he was towering over them.

"May I?" He asked. Isadora gently lifted the babe and placed it on his hands.

He smiled, the brightest smile she had ever seen. The last time he’d smiled heartily was when he held Raph in his hands, and now it was his daughter. How years flew!

And in the evening, with the setting sun, he shed tears of joy. Isadora stood and hugged him.

"I told you you’d be a good father," she whispered and kissed his tears away. And later when they lay, he spent the entire night staring at his daughter’s beautiful face.

"She’ll make men marvel at her beauty," he had said. And it was true. Griffin would have said she was the very image of Isadora’s mother but he was dead!

"For the love I bear for my newborn daughter, I’ll call for a feast. All Lords of the realm will attend, from Arcadia, Crescia and Valoria. Let them witness that my reign is far from ending." That was emperor Alexander speaking. She had kissed him passionately before succumbing to sleep.

And when she woke up, he was carrying the little bundle in hands. She had never seen him so obsessed by a child like Beth. He had shortened her name after she’d told him she’d named her after her mother.

"Let me feed Beth my love," she complained. He was reluctant to let go of her. He placed the babe in her arms and watched Isadora feed her. A tear rolled down his face as he stared at her, and the babe; his family.

"Thank you Isa," his voice came out, hoarse and emotionally packed.

She lifted her eyes to look at him. "For what?"

"For existing," he said, doing little to hide his tears. "For being the mother to my children. For being my sole reason for existence!"

Isadora couldn’t find the right words to reply to that. Instead, she said, "I love you Alex."

He cried more. "I love you Isa, with all my life!"

Isadora saw Raph running towards her room. "You better wipe your tears away before Raph finds the emperor crying." He laughed lightly but didn’t wipe them away.

Raph ran towards him and Alex lifted him as if weightless. "You’re crying, father?" The boy pointed, now suspended in the air.

"Yes," Alexander said.

"Why? Did anyone hurt you?" Enquired Raph, his face hardening.

"No! It’s because I love you, and your sister, and your mother." Raph said nothing, and Alexander hugged him tightly in his embrace. Isadora smiled at him, tears also forming on her eyes.