The Lost Princess

Episode 1: Her Last Gift

      The night had been long, and the sky seemed to churn with anger as she lay there breathing heavily. Holding her belly, she moaned and shifted from side to side trying to get comfortable. Sweat dripping off her chin she inhaled deeply and together with the crash of thunder let out a barbaric scream. Her hair stuck to her face she cried begging for some relief. Feeling the coolness of wet clothes on her forehead she looked over to see a young nurse smile at her and whisper,

"It is alright, Your Grace, it shall be over soon. You are doing great."

She felt heaviness in her lower abdomen and began to push at the cue of the nurse. For five long hours, this went on, and then with her last bit of strength, she let out a tremendous howl, and the pain was gone. The tightness faded and the room was filled with the cries of a new heir for her beloved husband, the king. Smiling, she looked at the nurse that held her child. The young nurse leaned forward and showed the crying babe to its mother.

"You've given the kingdom its first princess, Your Grace."

With a smile, she lifted her hand as much as she could. Trying to touch the baby's fingers she gazed at her daughter. She studied the small infant through half-opened eyes and tears began to cloud her vision. Her mouth opened and uttered one word,

"Loraz...."

Her hand then fell to the bed, and she lost all sight of her daughter. The last thing she heard was the frantic yells of the nurses in the room and then everything went quiet.

"Call the king inside immediately. Notify him of the queen's status"

"Yes, right away."

"You, quickly try to resuscitate the queen, we must not give up hope. We can pull her out of this."

A nurse quickly undid the queen's shirt and began to do chest compression.

"You keep the baby warm and nurse it, she should be hungry soon."

"Yes, right away."

"Alright, we have a long night ahead of us so let's stay calm and focused."

The room was in a mix of controlled turmoil as the nurses tended to the princess and tried to revive her mother. Four hours later the head nurse declared the queen dead and all who stood in the room wept. The king busted into the room like a clap of thunder rushing to the bedside of his beloved queen. Grabbing hold of a lifeless hand he felt the coldness that came off it. He pressed her hand to his lips, his hands trembling, and his eyes became watery.

"Dear Ancestors of heaven's domain, why do you punish me so!" His voice was low then gradually increased, "Why take her? Why such a young and fair beauty as she...take me instead, I beg of you. Take me instead."

His head hung as he tried to muffle his sobs and hide his face. The winds outside blew heavier, and rains fell hard against the window. The head nurse took the princess who slept peacefully wrapped in a blanket and stepped towards the king.

"You're Majesty; before she passed, she spoke, but one word while gazing at your child."

The king looked up at the nurse and saw the tiny hand sticking out of the blanket.

"What were her last words?"

"Loraz, Your Majesty. I believe the queen named the child before she left us."

"Loraz..." The King replied.

He stood up straight and motioned for the nurse to bring the child closer. Pulling back the blanket to look at the face of his daughter he smiled.

"My little Loraz..." he muttered.

The princess opened her eyes, and the king once again became teary.