shadowsong26 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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rainbowfic2012-04-08 12:29 am
shadowsong26) wrote in rainbowfic2012-04-08 12:29 am
Scarlet #7, Daffodil #6
Story: Precious
'Verse: Feredar
Colors: Scarlet #7. Death, taxes and childbirth! There's never any convenient time for any of them., Daffodil #6. new growth
Supplies and Materials: seed beads, canvas (963 FY), glitter (Warm), acrylic
Word Count: 400
Rating: PG
Characters: Prince Odaki
Warnings: Mention of death by childbirth
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always.
Odaki stared down at the sleeping infant, not quite sure what to do with her. Nerasshi's sister had been very abrupt, stayed all of five minutes. He knew why--even if Nerasshi had survived the delivery, and even if Odaki had married her (which of course he would have, he'd been intending to ask her for weeks before she'd suddenly started refusing to see him, had just never found the right moment), there would always be whispers. That she and Odaki hadn't had the necessary self-discipline to prevent this child from arriving before such an arrival was appropriate. Despite his being the second child of the King, next in line for the throne after his elder sister, their status would drop considerably. Not anything any family wanted to deal with.
As for the child...
Odaki watched her sleep, chewing his lower lip. If he married, she would always be second to her half-siblings. Even if she outclassed them in every other conceivable way.
"She didn't tell me your name," he whispered. "Do you even have one?"
She didn't answer.
"I won't abandon you. Ever. No matter how hard it gets, for you or for me. And I won't marry, either." He hadn't ever really wanted to marry anyone except Nerasshi, anyway. And it wasn't likely there would be a need for it, anyway. Even if Minalu and Ulore never married (Lidare had joined a celibate order), Kesshare had, as of a few weeks ago. The royal line might have to move sideways, but it would continue without his producing a legitimate child. Which he wouldn't--couldn't--do to her.
He'd been irresponsible about everything until now. But this child--his child--deserved more from him.
"I think I'll call you Riluke," he finally said. "It means 'beautiful'. And it was your mother's grandmother's name, she told me once. Do you like that?" He paused. "I should take you to meet my father now, I suppose. I'm sure he'll love you." Because despite everything else, Riluke was his first grandchild. And Odaki knew his father loved small children, even those that had absolutely no connection to him.
Odaki awkwardly picked her up--supporting her head, the way he'd heard somewhere you were supposed to do with small infants. He couldn't even remember where he'd heard it. "All right, then." He smiled down at his precious baby girl. "Let's go meet Grandfather."
'Verse: Feredar
Colors: Scarlet #7. Death, taxes and childbirth! There's never any convenient time for any of them., Daffodil #6. new growth
Supplies and Materials: seed beads, canvas (963 FY), glitter (Warm), acrylic
Word Count: 400
Rating: PG
Characters: Prince Odaki
Warnings: Mention of death by childbirth
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always.
Odaki stared down at the sleeping infant, not quite sure what to do with her. Nerasshi's sister had been very abrupt, stayed all of five minutes. He knew why--even if Nerasshi had survived the delivery, and even if Odaki had married her (which of course he would have, he'd been intending to ask her for weeks before she'd suddenly started refusing to see him, had just never found the right moment), there would always be whispers. That she and Odaki hadn't had the necessary self-discipline to prevent this child from arriving before such an arrival was appropriate. Despite his being the second child of the King, next in line for the throne after his elder sister, their status would drop considerably. Not anything any family wanted to deal with.
As for the child...
Odaki watched her sleep, chewing his lower lip. If he married, she would always be second to her half-siblings. Even if she outclassed them in every other conceivable way.
"She didn't tell me your name," he whispered. "Do you even have one?"
She didn't answer.
"I won't abandon you. Ever. No matter how hard it gets, for you or for me. And I won't marry, either." He hadn't ever really wanted to marry anyone except Nerasshi, anyway. And it wasn't likely there would be a need for it, anyway. Even if Minalu and Ulore never married (Lidare had joined a celibate order), Kesshare had, as of a few weeks ago. The royal line might have to move sideways, but it would continue without his producing a legitimate child. Which he wouldn't--couldn't--do to her.
He'd been irresponsible about everything until now. But this child--his child--deserved more from him.
"I think I'll call you Riluke," he finally said. "It means 'beautiful'. And it was your mother's grandmother's name, she told me once. Do you like that?" He paused. "I should take you to meet my father now, I suppose. I'm sure he'll love you." Because despite everything else, Riluke was his first grandchild. And Odaki knew his father loved small children, even those that had absolutely no connection to him.
Odaki awkwardly picked her up--supporting her head, the way he'd heard somewhere you were supposed to do with small infants. He couldn't even remember where he'd heard it. "All right, then." He smiled down at his precious baby girl. "Let's go meet Grandfather."