Birth

Warmth surrounded him, cradling his fragile form. His senses, long dulled by oblivion, were overwhelmed. Muffled voices murmured around him, their words unintelligible yet strangely familiar. The soft rustling of fabric and the faint clatter of objects echoed in his ears, each sound amplified as if his hearing had sharpened.

A gentle hand supported his back, and the soothing scent of milk and lavender filled his nostrils—a comforting aroma that stirred something deep within him.

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

A blinding brightness forced him to squint, reducing the world to blurred silhouettes. As his vision adjusted, he discerned a young girl dressed in a maid's uniform tenderly holding him. Her brown hair, streaked with grey and white, framed her soft features.

Beyond her, the surroundings took shape—a modest wooden house with brown walls, small windows, and a simple bed pushed against the wall. A small table stood nearby, its surface cluttered with various items.

On the bed lay a beautiful young woman, barely in her twenties. Her face was pale and exhausted, her breaths shallow and ragged. Her deep brown eyes, filled with warmth and love, gazed at him.

Strands of golden, wavy hair clung to her face, damp with sweat. Her slightly pointed ears twitched faintly as she struggled to move beneath the thin blanket draped over her lower half.

His mind swirled with confusion. The brightness, the sounds, the strange familiarity—where was he?

Before he could process it all, a sharp, searing pain shot through his lower back. A piercing sensation, as if something vital had been torn away from him. A sharp snap, like the breaking of a bone.

A wail tore from his throat.

The hand supporting him trembled at his cry, then gently lifted him closer. A soft voice filled the air, singing a lullaby—a melody that, though unfamiliar, carried a soothing warmth.

At first, he resisted. The humiliation of crying in such a helpless form weighed on him. But soon, the soft embrace and rhythmic melody lulled him into a peaceful calm. The pain faded, his tears slowed, and a deep drowsiness took hold.

He drifted into sleep.