A Crown for a Tail

Epilogue 2

Bai Qian was in labour, and having been ordered out of the chamber by the Medicine King and her Mother, Ye Hua paced up and down the forecourt of his Palace while the screams coming from his chamber almost tore his heart out.

With him was Lian Song and Mo Yuan who quietly stood to the side with his head bowed as if in prayer.  "She will be fine Ye Hua, women have been birthing since the dawn of time, she can too." his uncle said trying to ease the boys nerves which were beyond raw.

"And you know that how uncle?" he snapped at him, as another scream broke through the closed doors.  "You've never gone through this." he almost cried as the screams grew closer together.

Rushing at the door, he was quickly dragged back by Mo Yuan, and though presenting a calm and peaceful disposition, internally he too was unsettled by the screams having never attended a birth before and seeing Ye Hua in tears with his fists tightly clenched was not making it any easier.

"Da Ge do something." he cried as a blood curdling scream erupted followed by the sounds of a baby crying.  Then as he was about to turn back towards the door, another scream erupted followed by another cry.  

And then there was silence.  A silence so loud it was just as deafening as the screaming, and as he rushed towards the door with Mo Yuan hot on his tail, the sounds of light thumping was heard as the maids inside dropped to their knees.

"Congratulations on the arrival of your son and daughter Crown Princess Bai Qian." they all chorused and as their words drifted out towards him, Mo Yuan could no longer hold him back, throwing the doors wide, Ye Hua stormed into the chamber, just as the Medicine King was covering her exposed body.

"Qian Qian.... Qian Qian." he whispered as the Empress moved to make way for him with a wide smile.

"Ye Hua!  It's over." she whispered exhausted.  The labor had dragged on for almost 20 hours and the dark circles around her eyes was more than telling as he took her limp hand into his own.

Sitting down beside her, he stroked her cheek lightly.  "It's over Qian Qian, they're here." he said as the tears flowed down both of their cheeks.

Barely able to keep her eyes open, she waited as the maids swaddled the babies before bringing them to Ye Hua who with the Empresses help was shown how to hold them.  "A boy and a girl." he whispered reverently down at them as the maids then moved to help Bai Qian sit up.

Allowing her to take one of the babies, they both sat in awe as they took in the beautiful fresh new life.  "They are almost identical." she whispered down at them with tears in her eyes.

It was enough.  Exhausted she allowed the maids to take the child and return her to Ye Hua, who quickly rose with them in his arms.  "Mo Yuan is waiting outside to bless them, go to sleep Qian Qian, I'll take over from here." he said softly as he watched her eyes close without argument and within seconds she was asleep.

Erecting a privacy screen around her so she would not be disturbed, Mo Yuan and Lian Song entered the chamber as the babies were laid down on the observation table that had been erected for them, then un-swaddling them, Mo Yuan gave the children a thorough examination before declaring them both healthy and very beautiful.  Blessing them then and there, he deftly re-swaddled the girl while Ye Hua had to have a maid show him how to swaddle his son.  Then picking her up, Mo Yuan took turns at holding each child who were both sleeping peacefully.

It was a beautiful moment and one more that Ye Hua would always remember.  "Come and see me when you have both decided on their names." Mo Yuan said as he looked down at the little girl in his arms.  And as the eyes flickered open at the deep sound of his voice, he smiled.  She had her mothers large doe shaped eyes and the tight grip she had on his finger was surely a sign that she would also have her strong personality.