1 1 _ The Beginning.

Painful groans were heard throughout the entire castle. The servants hustled around to attend to her needs. The entire Castle had made preparations for this day. The Queen was in labor and what was even worse was...

As young as she was ...

It was her first birth.

"Water! Fetch me more water and bring more towels and blankets!" The Royal midwife ordered a servant girl who stood beside her. The girl scurried off in order to meet the demands given.

The queen was breathing heavily as she sat on the bed .Her beautifully braided hair was now loose and tangled from all the thrashing around due to the anguish. This was the most intense pain she had ever experienced in her life. This was the suffering she had to endure to bring a new life into that world. She beckoned to her midwife who left her assistant in charge and came forward to meet her.

The Queen's body was already slick with sweat as more beads of perspiration gathered on her forehead. The midwife mopped away moisture to her face contorted in pain.

She held the midwife's hand and pulled her closer to herself. "Help me, Please!!!!" She muttered weakly.

"I am helping you , Your majesty." The midwife replied.

"No. Help me... kill it." She muttered again.

The midwife gasped in horror that attracted the looks of the other servants . She stared hard at them and forced them to look away .

"I can't kill your child, My Queen! If my master, The Emperor hears of this..."

"I do not want this! Put some dark roots from the forbidden Forest in the water. It will be a simple abortion. But no matter what you cannot allow this...thing to come into this world!" She whispered.

The scared Midwife and friend nodded." Aurora , You can't do this ! How will you live with yourself?"

Aurora was about to answer when a guard came into the Birthing Room. "Midwife , the Emperor wants to see you."

The queen shot her a pleading look not to say anything about their discussion to the king and she nodded.

Li Huang was pacing about anxiously in his room when the midwife came in.

"How is she?" He questioned."She's doing well, My Lord. The Child is on its way and will soon be delivered ." The midwife answered.

He walked up to her menacingly.

"All I have to tell you , Margolis is that if any harm is done to my child; that is if he doesn't come out alive and healthy , I will not hesitate to send you back to that wretched pig sty you call a village and let them finish their work of burning you at the stake...."

He forcefully held her chin bringing her face close to his. "Or better yet, I may just grant you the mercy of killing you myself."

Margolis curtsied and left his presence. She ran back to attend to the queen who her attendant informed was getting worse.

The Queen gasped for breath. "Margolis , something's wrong with the child . I can feel it."

The Midwife looked at her reassuringly. She and the queen had become good friends since the day that she had entered the Castle. She was so much different from her husband who controlled everyone and everything around him; Whereas she had kindness , humility, love in her heart and many other good qualities that radiated and left a beautiful mark on anyone she associated with.

Margolis held her hand tight. "Don't worry Aurora.All is well. Just do what I tell you and keep on pushing." The Queen nodded and gave a long hard push, screaming madly as she did so.

The maid returned with the bowl of water and Margolis set to work.

The truth was that she was afraid too , but she couldn't voice out her panic to her already discouraged queen. The birthing was taking too long. It had already been ten hours and there was no sign of the baby. Blood stained the once white sheets

as the servant girl looked at Margolis in fear. She had already changed the sheets thrice.They all knew what Li Huang would do to them if they didn't deliver his son. Aurora groaned in pain again, holding her distended belly gasping for breath. She couldn't take the immense pressure anymore. Beside her on a table , she spotted a large pair of scissors and quickly seized it.

Getting up with force, She moved backwards and raised the sharp instrument to upwards ready to end it all.

To the horror of her maids, Aurora was about to stab her abdomen when she felt a stabbing pain in her stomach and the scissors fell to the ground as she held her abdomen , screaming. Margolis ran to her. "Get a basin. She going to birth standing!".

The ripping pains grew worse . A basin was soon provided and Margolis ordered her to push. The Queen gripped the handle of the bed And gave a loud shout as her womanly opening split asunder.

&*^$%^&&$^&^%

Some minutes later , the cry of a baby was heard.It was time for great celebration.

"Bring my child to me!" Aurora commanded in a still voice.

Margolis heartbeat quickened. "Your child is resting , Your Highness."

Aurora rested her back on the soft pillows and spoke coldly. "Is it a boy?"

Margolis hesitated before replying. "No , my Queen." Aurora was in a state that one could not say the wrong thing that might cause her to take any ...

Drastic actions.

"Thank goodness!" Aurora suddenly brightened . "Bring my daughter. Let me hold her." Margolis wrapped the Child in a blanket and handed the baby over to the queen.

The baby's eyes were tightly shut as tufts of smooth dark hair were scattered over the child's head. Margolis sang softly to the child and she turned to Her Highness and dropped the child in her arms.

Aurora glanced at the child who she once hated but against her wishes , her heart began to soften . Her motherly instinct took over and Aurora didn't know when she took the child and rocked her child in her arms.

The Queen looked down again to her fair haired child. She was so soft and little that she secretly feared that she might hurt her by holding her wrongly. After cushioning her daughter in her arms, All the resentment and hate that Aurora felt before began to slowly diminish . "She is beautiful." Aurora muttered and sang a soft lulluby to the child. At least with this her fears was allayed. She was going to be well brought up, Aurora told herself. She would teach her daughter to be good, kind , loving and put others before herself.

Margolis smiled .

Li Huang barged in the room and the air became tensed between the two women . Surprisingly he didn't go to his wife who had just labored in pain to bear his child but went towards the Midwife. "My Son?"

Margolis breathed heavily and nodded sheepishly and Aurora face winced and turned away with disappointment, pain and despair coursing through her. Li Huang scooped up his child. He smiled heartily and announced in a joyous tone full of happiness.

"My Son! The future Heir to the throne of The Kanerria Dynasty " .The Queen's face suddenly paled as she fiercely glared at her husband .

Li Huang gave his Wife peck on her pale cheek. "Do not worry, My dear Aurora, Our Son will become a great ruler that will rule his people with an iron fist . His name is Lu Cyran Huang , First Prince of the Kanerria Dynasty. He will rule as his forefathers did , And I will stand by his side all the way." The King set his son in his crib lovingly and left.

Aurora savagely held Margolis arm."You said it was a girl?"She whispered angrily

why would you lie to your queen and your friend?

"I couldn't let you harm your son. He is just a child." Margolis muttered.

"He's not mine. Its Li Huang son. A monster!" She shouted.

"You should give him a chance.Everyone can change. The future Isnt set in stone..."

"But the past is!" Aurora cut in.

Margolis continued speaking but , Aurora wasn't listening. She was staring up at the clouds which were now brewing up for a heavy Storm.

In her deepest heart of hearts , she prayed ...

That her Son would be nothing like Li Huang . Because if he did become like his Father ...

That damned Curse!