The Elven Forest had never been so quiet. At the heart of the ancient woodland stood the World Tree, where silver leaves covered the sky and pale flowers bloomed even beneath the moonlight. The roots of Yggdrasil stretched across the earth like the giant veins of a sleeping god, its enormous trunk rising beyond the clouds while its branches spread across the heavens. Soft green and silver light flowed through its bark like warm blood.
Deep inside the hollow heart of the tree, a private chamber had been prepared.
Sora lay upon a bed made from woven leaves and soft white moss. His shiny raven hair was damp against his pale forehead, and his slender fingers were tightly gripping the sheets beneath him.
Just then another sharp wave of pain rushed through his lower body, making him arch his back.
"Ah!"
The healers immediately moved closer to the bed.
"Easy, Saint Sora," the lead healer said, holding his shoulder.
"Don't tell me to be easy!" Sora gasped, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. "I can't—"
He squeezed his eyes shut, his knuckles turning white as he pulled on the fabric.
"It hurts so much!"
The elven healer beside him gently placed both hands over his swollen stomach.
"Your child is finally coming, Saint Sora."
Sora's breathing became uneven. He grit his teeth, enduring the heavy pressure in his core.
"I know," he choked out, swallowing hard.
Just then, another contraction hit him like a heavy blow. Sora cried out, reaching blindly until his hand grabbed the healer's wrist.
"Where the hell is High Priestess Dasery?"
"She is outside the chamber."
"Call her!"
"She is already on her way in."
Sora nodded weakly, his hand slipping from the healer's arm. His eyes drifted toward the glowing branches curving above him like a wooden roof.
For a moment, he simply stared at the light.
"Cassian..."
The name escaped his lips like a desperate prayer. His bottom lip trembled, and he bit down on it hard to stop himself from sobbing.
"He should be here right now,"
Sora whispered to the empty air.
But no one answered him.
They all knew. Every single person in the room knew.
The Crown Prince of Edrath was gone on a dangerous mission. No one in the kingdom knew where he had been sent. Only the Emperor, the Empress, Adrian, Elias, Lucien, and Sora knew the absolute truth.
Cassian was gone, but he would return. That was what they all had to believe.
Sora placed one trembling hand over his swollen stomach, feeling the child move within him.
"You hear that, little one?" his voice turned soft, barely audible over the hum of the tree. "Your father is going to come back sooner or later. And once he does, he will never leave your side again."
Tears overflowed his lashes, spilling down his cheeks.
A gentle knock sounded against the wooden door, breaking the heavy silence. Dasery entered the chamber wearing a simple white gown, her long silver hair falling loosely over her shoulders. The moment her pale eyes landed on Sora, her stern face softened completely.
"High Priestess..." Sora's voice cracked as Dasery hurried over to his side.
"I am here, Sora."
She sat on the edge of the woven bed and took his cold hand into her warm palms.
"You are not alone."
Sora squeezed her fingers with all the strength he had left.
"I am scared."
"I know."
"What if something happens to the baby?" Sora asked, his voice shaking.
"What if I can't do this?"
"It won't, and you can," she said firmly.
"But what if—"
Dasery gently brushed his damp hair away from his forehead.
"Look at me, Sora."
Sora obeyed, his wet eyes meeting hers.
"You are carrying the child of two worlds," Dasery said, her smile soft and reassuring. "Half human, royal and powerful. Half elf, graceful and noble."
Her eyes drifted up toward the glowing roots surrounding the walls of the room.
"And Yggdrasil has already accepted your child into this world."
As if responding to her exact words, the entire chamber suddenly began to glow. The roots beneath the bed shimmered with light, and tiny golden flowers opened along the wooden walls, filling the air with a sweet scent.
The healers immediately lowered their heads in respect.
"The World Tree..." one of them whispered in awe. "It is responding to him."
Dasery smiled wider.
"Of course it is. After all, the divine elf has finally brought back our mother's vitality."
Sora stared in wonder at the blooming golden flowers, temporarily forgetting his fear.
"And it seems like your child is truly strong," Dasery added.
Suddenly, another violent contraction struck Sora's lower body. The gentle wonder vanished instantly. Sora grabbed Dasery's hand so hard her rings dug into her skin.
"Forget the tree!" he screamed out. "I don't care about the tree right now, just get this baby out of me!"
Dasery let out a soft laugh despite the heavy tension in the room.
"Then focus on breathing, Sora."
"I am breathing!"
"You're screaming."
"Because it hurts!"
Sora turned and buried his face directly into the soft moss pillow, his shoulders shaking.
"I hate this, I hate this, I hate this! I really hate this!"
Dasery stroked his back gently.
"Every mother says that during birth."
Sora lifted his head from the pillow, his face bright red and flushed.
"In that case, every father should have to experience this as well!"
The lead healer laughed quietly as she set up the clean drapes.
"I completely agree."
Sora groaned, shaking his head side to side. "Cassian would never survive this pain. He would be crying harder than me."
Despite the agony ripping through his body, a small, genuine smile appeared on Sora's face just thinking about Cassian's face in a situation like this.
Then another contraction came, sharper than the last.
The smile disappeared instantly.
"Ah—!"
His fingers tightened like steel around Dasery's hand.
"Something is happening down there!"
The healer immediately leaned closer to inspect him.
"Yes," her expression became focused and severe.
"The child is ready."
Sora's black eyes widened in shock. "Finally?"
"You have been in labor for hours, Saint Sora. It is time that you give birth now."
"That felt like days to me!"
Dasery squeezed his hand to ground him. "Pay attention now and listen to the healers."
Sora nodded quickly, his mouth dry.
The room became completely quiet as the healers moved into position at the foot of the bed.
"We will make a slight cut to help make the opening larger," the lead healer explained calmly.
"Push when I tell you to, and pray to our mother tree that the numbing cream keeps the worst of the pain away."
Sora's chest rose and fell rapidly.
"I don't think I can do it."
"You can."
"I really can't!"
"You can, Sora." Dasery leaned down, her face inches from his.
"I'm sure you have survived far worse than this."
Sora looked into her eyes, swallowed his fear, and slowly nodded.
"All right."
The next wave struck his body.
"Now! Push!"
Sora pushed with all his remaining strength. His entire body trembled, his legs shaking against the sheets. A sharp scream tore from his throat, echoing loudly through the hollow chamber of Yggdrasil.
Outside the tree, the quiet forest suddenly came alive.
Birds took flight from the branches all at once, and glowing forest spirits gathered around the trunk. The silver leaves began to shimmer bright, and the roots beneath the World Tree pulsed with a warm, golden light that spread across the grass.
The elves standing guard outside looked up in complete wonder.
"The tree is glowing!"
"What is happening inside?"
"The divine child is coming..."
A second wave of light spread from the trunk, sweeping through the entire forest.
Inside the chamber, Sora cried out again, his face slick with sweat.
"Again!" the healer commanded.
"Push hard!"
"I can't!!" Sora sobbed into the quiet room.
"I want Cassian! Please bring Cassian, I can't do this without him!"
Dasery's heart tightened painfully in her chest. She leaned down close to his ear, her voice steady and soothing.
"Then imagine his hands, Sora."
Sora closed his eyes tight, heavy tears flowing down his temples.
"Imagine him holding your hand right now," Dasery whispered.
"Imagine his deep voice comforting you, telling you to stay strong and endure for the sake of your child."
A fresh tear rolled down Sora's cheek as he pictured Cassian's red eyes looking down at him with love.
"Imagine him telling you that you are doing so well."
Sora nodded weakly, his throat tight.
"Cassian..." he whispered through squeezed eyes. "If I see you again, I am going to kill you for leaving me!"
Another contraction hit him, harder than all the rest.
"Now, Sora! Push!"
Sora bore down, pushing with every single piece of strength left in his body. He gave one final, desperate cry that rang out against the wooden walls.
And suddenly, a sound followed that was unlike anything the forest had ever heard for years.
It was the sharp cry of a newborn baby—small, angry, and completely alive.
A deep silence fell over the room right after.
And Sora stopped moving, his head falling back against the moss pillows as he panted for air. The healer carefully lifted the small child into the air for everyone to see.
For one full heartbeat, nobody in the room said a word.
Then, the baby let out another loud, healthy cry.
Sora burst into tears, his shoulders shaking. "She made it... my baby girl made it..."
The healer smiled softly, her eyes warm. "Yes... *He* made it, Saint Sora."
Sora immediately pulled his hands up to cover his mouth in shock.
"It's a boy?... My boy is alive and well?"
Dasery wept quietly beside him, wiping her face with her sleeve.
The newborn was quickly cleaned, wrapped in a soft white linen cloth, and placed carefully onto Sora's bare chest.
Sora stared down at the small bundle. Tiny, red fingers curled around his index finger. A small tuft of dark hair—the exact same dark shade as both his own and Cassian's—rested against the baby's smooth forehead.
Sora's lips trembled violently.
"Oh..."
He reached out with a shaky hand and gently touched the baby's warm cheek.
"You're so small."
The baby snuffled, crying softly against his skin, and Sora let out a wet laugh through his tears.
"You sound just like your father when he's angry."
Dasery wiped her eyes and leaned over the bed. "Does he have your ears?"
Sora carefully moved the edge of the soft blanket away from the baby's head. Tiny, pointed ears peeked through the dark tufts of hair. Although they were not Elven pointy and long ears. The child's ears were spock enough like that of a fairy's, to show that Elven blood flowed through him.
Dasery's eyes widened in wonder.
"An elf."
Sora laughed softly, pressing his cheek against the baby's head.
"Half elf. Just like me."
Right then, the baby's tiny eyes slowly opened for the first time.
Sora froze completely.
Looking back up at him were eyes with a striking crimson tint.
The healers gasped in low voices, while Dasery stared at the infant in absolute amazement.
"The child has inherited both bloodlines," she whispered, her voice full of awe. "The pointed ears of our royal elf line, and the crimson eyes of the Valemont Prince."
Sora's tears returned in full force. He lowered his head and pressed a long, tender kiss against his son's forehead.
"Cassian..." Sora's voice broke completely as he spoke to the empty room.
"You missed it."
He hugged the small child carefully against his chest, holding him as close as he could.
"You missed your son being born."
The room became quiet again, the healers moving back to give them space. Sora looked toward the glowing roots along the wall.
"But you will come back," Sora whispered, his voice steady despite his tears.
"You have to."
He lowered his head, nuzzling his baby's soft cheek.
"I won't let our child grow up without knowing who you are."
Outside the tree, Yggdrasil suddenly released a massive wave of warm golden light that spread across the entire forest. Every silver leaf shimmered, and every pale flower opened completely. High above the forest canopy, the ancient branches of the World Tree seemed to reach out toward the distant eastern horizon, as if sending a message to the prince who was far away.
Sora looked back down at his sleeping newborn son.
"Welcome to the world, little one."
The baby slowly closed his tiny hand tighter around Sora's finger. Sora smiled through his tears, resting his chin on top of the child's head.
"Your father is somewhere out there," Sora whispered softly.
"And until he comes home... I will love you enough for both of us."
*****