Crowns and Cradles

After Announcement Stress

Sundrop looked down at the courtyard that was fenced off by a large stately fence, guards paced the length of it and tourists and citizens took photos and tried to catch a glimpse inside the castle. Her eyes danced across the crowd, looking at all the different groups. Young children, a small huddle of teens, an elderly dragon wrapped in a blanket being spoken to by a caretaker. A smile slowly crept over Sundrop as she saw two footmen walking out near the gate, wearing their best suits. The crowd carefully observed the two footmen as they methodically set up a golden easel.

A guard chatted with one of them as the other placed a frame on the easel, brushed off the glass with a small rag and gestured to leave. Cameras steadily flashed as people tried to get in a good look at the frame, Sundrop looked down to the floor as she quietly accepted that she really was going to have a baby. It had been years since she was last pregnant, far before the cellphone. She turned back to her chair and quietly settled herself in it.

Glancing up at the photo frame sitting on her desk, her grinning sons in bright armor. They were so proud to wield swords, Sundrop took a sharp breath and grabbed for something to distract herself. "Um Comet." She broke the silence, and from the chair sitting across from her desk Comet snapped up. "What is planned for the rest of the day?" Sundrop muttered as she flipped through her desk top calendar, seeing hundreds of scribbles for plans.

"Today? Uh," Comet stood up and slid a yellow folder closer to him, "It looks like you have an outing at around 3." He clicked his tongue as he shuffled through notes and peeled stickies of packets of papers barely being held by their staples. "An outing? When was I told about this?" Sundrop felt her wings slowly fluff out as her stress steadily climbed, Comet nodded his head. "It's a yearly event, At the children's hospital?" Comet looked up at her with pursed lips, Sundrop's eyes went wide. "But that's normally on the 5th, today is the first." She cocked her head out towards the window, the gates were teeming with chaos. "They just opened a new NICU, and they wanted it earlier to show it off." His voice trailed off as Sundrop sat with a straight face.

Her jaw clenched, and she leaned back in her chair and let out a long strained breath. "Is this about the baby?" Comet carefully put in, Sundrop jerked at even hearing the mention of the new life she had floating around. "I would have waited till January if I had known!" She picked up a pen and scratched at her tight bun as her head began to throb, Comet stood there in silence as she took a moment to just sit, "Ok, what time is it now?" Sundrop looked at him, "...2:28." He muttered.

"OH MY GOD." Sundrop howled, jumping out of her seat. "COMET." She barked, He rushed around for his papers, "I Thought you needed a little quiet time!" He grinned at her with arched eyebrows, she looked down at him as she held the door open and they both rushed out into the hall, spooking the two guards sitting outside her office. "Comet, I've needed quiet time for 45 years! I'll get it when i'm dead." She looked at him with intense eyes as she quickly rushed down the stairs.

Sundrop was going so fast she barely had time to acknowledge the bows from her staff, she just gave a rapid nod as she rushed down to the waiting garage. "Aren't you worried all this stress isn't good for the baby?" Comet was working his best to keep up with her, She snorted. "They'll get used to it." She slowed down, her heart beating wildly in her chest. Head spinning, she caught sight of Rose, her right hand maid. She was standing beside Lavender, muttering things. "I need water." Sundrop grunted as she caught her breath.

Lavender's eyes went wide as Rose gestured for her to go, and she turned and sprinted off. "Sundrop you don't look too good." Rose whispered, Sundrop smiled back to her. "Just a bit winded." She reassured her, Sundrop noticed a few wisps of grey hair running through Rose's dark red hair, and Sundrop felt a stone sink from her heart. She hated to see people age when she herself stood in one spot, gaining the years at a much slower rate.

But the thought was quickly interrupted by Lavender running back over with a water bottle, Sundrop smiled and took it gently. "Don't push yourself so hard Lavender, I can wait." She smiled and nodded her head at her, Lavender huffed and smiled over to her mother Rose. "It's 2:35," Comet interrupted, Sundrop's eyes went wide as she gathered a coat that was handed to her and quickly entered the garage. She greeted the driver and climbed into the back seat.

Sundrop set the coat down and got settled, she tucked her wings back and leaned into the leather. A small fold formed just above her new weight, she jumped up a little and it dissipated. A small sigh rolled out of her throat as the car started to pull out into the overcast December afternoon, a lingering sense of emotions stayed with her. Perched on her shoulder, it was a quiet emotion, but one complex enough she dared not look it in the eyes. She settled on watching out the window.

The sound of the gravel against the tires wasn't enough to drown out the sound of the crowd, flashes of camera flashes dancing across the wave. The cries and call of her name, and the pure excitement, Sundrop just smiled and waved. The guards worked fast to clear a path for the car to go through, as they stalled Sundrop took time to meet eyes with the people and give a thought to what they were thinking.

Laughing from the front of the car made Sundrop's head turn, Comet and the driver were laughing about something. Everything was blowing past her, her mind in a fog, she sat back and closed her eyes trying to get everything together. Her nose brings in the smell of the clean leather in the car, and the hint of her husband from the coat sitting beside her. She set it on her lap, and let the soft fur tickle her arms, and she feels her senses start to lull off into sleep.