The first meeting.

The king lowered his gaze. Not wanting to break the silence of the room, he was careful even as he blinked his eyes.

Inside the cradle that was much smaller than the bed, the queen was lying on was an even smaller child. Afraid that he would wake the queen and child, he did his best not to make a sound with his footsteps, ruffling clothes, or even the sound of his fluttering hair.

The two cheeks of the child were very red. Actually, that was not all. Her forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, chin, and neck were all extremely red. The thick cloth that was wrapped around the child’s body was just as red.

This was their first meeting. Thinking of what that meant, the king slowly kneeled.

He had heard from his servant while he was out that the queen will soon be giving birth, and he had returned to the palace immediately. He walked faster than his servants and was practically running towards her. So the king stayed by the queen’s side in the room where the servants were coming and going. He did his best to hear everything the chambermaids and nurses were saying, but every time the queen screamed, his mind seemed to turn white. To maintain his kingly composure, he paced the room, tried to discuss the child’s name with the queen, and even thought about who he would assign as the child’s instructor. But he knew better than anyone that this all was not necessary. Actually, he had been running so fervently that he didn’t even have the time to mat down his disheveled hair.

Luckily, the queen was fine.

Only then did Lu Havre sweep the sweat-soaked hair away from her face.

“…Lu Havre.”

Lu Havre, who had knelt down to look inside the cradle, got up and lifted his head.

Even normally, her face had been so pale, but now it looked like she had no blood in them at all. Lu Havre immediately went over to the bed. He quickly leaned down to face her. He placed his hands over her forehead.

It was warm. Ashite smiled easily.

Are you feeling alright? You’ve been brave through it all. Thank you. He had wanted to relay all these things to her when she woke up, but he thought that these words might not be enough. With his hands, he shared his warmth with her, then kissed her round forehead.

Thank you. It was a weak and hazy voice. But Lu Havre could still hear here sincerity.

“I thank you also. Ashi.”

The childlike smile on her face did not erase. They both stared at each other and smiled.

Then Ashite looked over at the cradle. She lifted her hand. The chambermaids who had been waiting in the corner not wanting to interfere with the king and queen’s time together suddenly ran over quickly.

“No. It’s alright.”

Of course, she wanted to hold the child herself immediately, but Ashite shook her head.

“Lu Havre.”

“Hm?”

“Would you like to hold her?”

He felt his heart drop to his stomach. Lu Havre blinked his eyes slowly.

He didn’t get a chance to say that he would, but she could tell from the look on his face. Ashite pushed him forward with her two hands. He had already turned around.

It only took two steps. Lu Havre stood in front of the cradle. The inside of the cradle seemed to have embraced all the peace of the earth and was quiet. He again looked down.

Her forehead was so round. The just-born child was wrinkly, but Lu Havre looked at her as if she was the most perfect thing in the world. The skin under her eyes was very red. He wasn’t sure if it was because she had been crying or if it was like that naturally.

But he still wanted to try touching it. Under her eyes were her round nose, and like the red face, her red lips and her cheeks, which looked as if it would be squishy like a marshmallow. He leaned forward.

The first time he had ever thought something was beautiful was when he had seen Ashite dance. From deep within himself, the feeling had bloomed until he could no longer suppress it. And she had been the first person that he had felt such feelings of love towards in his life.

And this child was the second. Lu Havre slowly raised his hand.

They told him that the queen had been in labor for a long time. She had been in pain throughout the night and had screamed constantly. Watching the queen in such pain made it impossible for him to feel tired. The day ended, and night came, then the morning light filled the room again. Up until the sun was fully up in the sky again, he had only drunk water. But there was something much more important to him than hunger and sleep.

The queen and child. After giving birth to the child, the queen had fallen asleep.

After suffering through hours of pain without being able to sleep, she was finally able to smile. Lu Havre’s heart seemed to fill with the laughter that came out of her mouth the moment she woke up. Then he looked at the child.

The just-born child was so small. The child was smaller and frailer than the queen, and was a frail and young ‘life.’ And she was here.

Once, someone had asked him if he was human, but now he was certain of it.

He couldn’t control his erratically beating heart.

Lu Havre smiled. Then he stroked the child’s cheeks with the back of his hand.

It was warm and squishy. It was but creased skin, but there was nothing more soft than the feeling of her. Even though he had slept with her all these times, he couldn’t help noticing it. Lu Havre opened his hand. This time, he swept it over his forehead.

“Lu Havre.”

The refreshing laugh and young voice sounded like a signal. Lu Havre put one hand on the child’s head and his other beneath her body. Then as if performing a ceremony, he lifted her carefully.

The child in his arms was so warm that he placed his cheeks on hers.

The sound of a heartbeat was so loud. It was hard to tell where it was coming from.

Ashite got up.

The window became dyed in white, and the sunlight filtered through like watercolors into the room. The bright white lights were blinding, but there was one thing that could not be blocked. The man who had whispered his love to her each night was holding their child in his arms.

Her eyes grew hot, and, at the same time, she wanted to burst out in laughter.

“Hemelina.”

It was the name that they had decided on after several days and nights contemplating it. Ashite, instead of lowering her gaze, called out her name.

Lu Havre opened his eyes. Then he nodded his head.

“Hemelina.”

Afraid that the child in her arms would wake, he moved carefully and quietly. Even though it was only a few steps away, he carefully sat on the bed. His movement was so supple that he didn’t make a sound.

“Ashi. Would you like to hold her?”

She hugged the child without saying a word. Then, as he had done, she closed her eyes and listened to the child. The sound of her breathing, the beating of the heart, the slight shuffling of movement, all were warm and soft sounds.

Lu Havre reflexively tilted his head.

White and yellow light fell from her hair. Her round forehead, dark lashes, golden eyes, sharp nose, red lips. Her pink hair like sweet candy fluttered, and her white neckline showed through it. The light draped over her frail shoulders and spread slowly. Her entire body seemed to shine with the sunlight of summer. That warm light fell over the small breathing of the child.

Lu Havre blinked slowly, again and again. He tried to fill his memory of her holding the child.

As if he never wanted to forget this moment.

Ashite. I wanted her to be happy in my embrace. And he tried to hug her tightly so that she would not lose her smile which was like rain in a desert. These thoughts that he had kept in his heart from the very beginning had not changed. Instead, they seemed to have grown stronger, and so he wanted to express it gently and wonderfully every day. And I will never forget this moment.

Lu Havre blinked consecutively.

Whatever happened to him, he will always protect the woman and child.