The Queen

The black eyed queen sat in silence for bit as she observed Helena who had yet to rise from her bow.

The duke was a quiet as a rock and still as a mountain, he had never had to deal with children so such a situation had stumped as not even 30 minutes ago he tried to take the child's life.

However, the queen after a minute of observation finally spoke up, "You may rise young one." A silvery smooth voice flowed out of the queens mouth. Helena had to admit that the queen had quite a pleasant voice that could charm any man.

The queen gazed upon Helena's well endowed motherly body from toes to feet. Helena had straight black hair that went down to her mid back, and green eyes that shone with determination even in such a situation. She had rather large breasts and a very rounded bottom that could be considered charming but her charm was that as a mother. Her oval face and round green eyes oozed a motherly aura.

"What is your name?" The queen looked back at her face with slightly narrow eyes that were sharper than a sword.

"This lowly servant is named Helena, your majesty" Helena took a slight bow before standing back up straight while slightly looking below the face of the queen. Looking straight into the queen's eyes would have entailed equality which was not the case in this scenario.

"Hmmm, and you have been taking care of the baby I see." The queen stood up and walked over to Helena and the baby. Whether it was high heels or the queen was naturally tall, the queens eyes were a few inches higher than Helena's.

"Yes, your majesty." Helena was slightly trembling at this point. To be able to talk to a queen in such a position such as a midwife was definitely not normal. Someone of her stature would never even be in the presence of the queen, however, such a circumstance was unusual as it should have been Myria with the baby talking to the queen.

The queen who noticed the lack of response from the duke didn't say anything but she was intelligent and quickly grasped the situation. With Myria deceased and the duke not bringing up the baby in their long conversation before Helena arrived, along with the lackluster response of the duke towards the child she deduced that the duke was rather unhappy with such a predicament.

The duke, who was one of the strongest fighters in the kingdom, knew the king and queen quite well. It was obvious to say that since the queen was at the duke's castle that they were somewhat close enough the even she showed up to see the new born child.

However, with the death of Myria things seemed to hit rock bottom. The queen didn't want to point this out but since she came here she wanted to inquire about the child.

"Does she have a name Duke Silverhorn?" The queen glanced at the duke for a second before returning her gaze to the baby. Her eyes slightly softened as she looked at the beautiful child that was sleeping after such a hectic day of crying.

The duke sat in silence as such a question was rather awkward for him. He had yet to see the child, so naming it completely slipped his mind! The only thoughts he harbored was how to dispose of such a spawn that killed his wife! He remained in silence while silently searching for a name, yet Helena spoke first.

"If I may your majesty, her name is Selene." Helena knew that she was stepping out of line, but she named the child and was proud of such so she spoke before the duke could spout something nonsensical.

The duke's eyes furrowed at such insubordination. The midwife had no reason to name the child as he was still intent on disposing of it. His rage boiled before suppressing it so as not to be detected by the queen.

Unfortunately for him, that sliver of killing intent was clearly felt by the queen even if just for a second. Her eyebrows scrunched and eyes narrowed as if it were piercing someone's soul as she shot a glance towards the duke. Yet, she regained her composure as she looked back at Helena.

"I see...what a beautiful name, the name of Myria's mother used to resound throughout the kingdom for both her beauty and grace in and out of combat. I am eager to see her shine the same way." While speaking her last line she looked squarely at the duke as if to warn him. Knowing that he harbored ill will towards the child she felt it was her responsibility as a close friend of the couple, even with Myria's death, to bless the child and wish her well.

"May I hold her?" The queen politely asked, she could feel Helena slightly trembling and the queen was no arrogant young mistress to not be considerate of the midwife in such a tough situation. The queen could infer from the clues that things have not been going so well here in the castle for the midwife.

"Yes, your majesty." Handing over the baby into the arms of the queen Helena felt her heart tighten. It's not that the queen has shown ill will but Helena's motherly instincts activated on their own when the child left her nest. However, she bowed and backed off knowing it was not her place to speak any further.

The queen gracefully held the baby while she moved back to the couch. Her sharp gaze that was usually as piercing as sword softened up such that you could compare it to a wooden dull training sword. The queen naturally had her own children, the princes and princesses, so she couldn't help but feel a tender spot in her heart that was usually as ruthless as a ruler should be.

While still looking at the baby the queen implored the dukes plan for the child, "Now that you have a child, I assume you will take good care of it...right Duke Silverhorn? I am excited to see what she will achieve."

The duke could only grit his teeth in seething hatred at such a scene, "O-of course, your majesty, I'm sure she will live up to her name." The duke had many thoughts running through his mind at this point and none of them were helping the girl achieve any kind of heights. His only thoughts were how to ruin this midwifes life in the future for him losing such face in front of the queen.

It was not him who called Helena to the greeting room, but the queen herself as she was curious to see the baby. The duke, who has years of politics under his belt understood what the queen was saying. 'I will be watching so don't fuck this up' is essentially what she was implying. Now his option to kill the child was no longer plausible but that wasn't the only way to make her life miserable for killing his wife.

The queen sat in silence after the duke spoke, his thoughts obvious and written on his face. The queen simply stared at the baby thinking about her own children when they were just like Selene. Small, weak, defenseless, and ignorant of the world. Such pureness would only last awhile as this world was the strong eat the weak.

The baby, as if sensing she had been in someone else's arms to long woke from her slumber. Selene's eyes, which were as red as blood and shiny as rubies, gazed into the abyssal eyes of the queen.

In response the queen gave a beautiful yet simple smile to convey her heartfelt feelings yet it seemed that Selene did not like being in her arms as she began to cry, scared of those razor sharp midnight black eyes.

The queen merely chuckled before calling Helena back, "Helena, I will give Selene back to you."

"Yes, your majesty." Helena felt the world getting lighter as she took Selene back from the chuckling queen. When Selene was in her arms again Helena let out a deep sigh in her heart so as to not disturb the queen.

Yet, the queen seemed to notice the midwifes reaction and chuckled a little more.

"Duke Silverhorn, I will be retiring for the night." The duke stood up and gave a slight bow as the queen left the room with a few maids and guards in tow.

The duke stared at Helena for a minute with deep hatred in his eyes.

"Hmph." He merely snorted and walked out leaving Helena and the baby in the greeting hall.

'Sigh~ I think I just lost a few years off of my life...' Helena left the castle to head back to her quarters where Bella and Aurora will be waiting. From here on out, at least Selene was protected but Helena herself was not so sure of what the future held for her. Nevertheless she would face it head on for both her sake and Selene's as a proud mother should.