"Push!" ordered the old lady and the young woman tried her best to do so. There was an atmosphere of heavy tension and everyone's throat was getting dry. The woman's cries were filling the whole palace. She was in complete agony, even her breath could be heard clearly. Maids were trying their best to cool her body down but the sweat was leaking like Indus itself.
Finally, after an hour's struggle woman gave up and she fell on the bed ready to close her eyes. Everyone's breadth got caught up and eyes went wide. "Push!" cried the old and with that young women gathered all the strength from god knows where and did her last attempt to push it forward.
Suddenly the atmosphere filled with the cries of a newborn. Everyone's faces lighted up and their eyes started to glitter with joy. Old women said, "Princess has arrived." She looked up to the queen, but her eyes were closed and she laid on the bed lifelessly. The sudden joy was replaced with a pang of heavy guilt and fear of the king.
The old courageous women went to the door and opened it for the King who was waiting outside patiently. King's eyes were filled with hope and joy's tears as he came in and held his newborn. Old women said, "New flower born in the world, but..."
King out of complete confusion looked at women and she continued, "...but, with the death of old one." The tears of joy were replaced with humongous sorrow and pain. He went to the lifeless body of his beloved queen and showing her the baby said, "How can you do this to me? You promised to be with me forever."
With that, he fell on his knees and hugged the newborn to his dear life and started to cry. Everyone's faces fell seeing their king in such a state. Everyone knew how much he loved his queen. She was his life. but only his? She was the whole kingdom's life. Sure this was a huge loss for the kingdom.
"Leave!" the voice echoed in the whole room, as the first queen comes in. Everyone looked at the king and bowed to the queen while leaving the room. The queen sighed and went to the king. She gently rubbed her hand on his shoulder, saying, "The loss cannot be regained, but you now have new responsibility to conduct. She cannot survive without you."
King came out of his trance and looked at the baby in his arms. She looked so fragile that even the looks can hurt her. King sighed and looked at the queen who was holding the same sincerity as she used to have.
He nodded and said, "You are right, Aadrika need us." Queen's eyes started to fill with tears and she said, "Means the goddess of mountains. Her mother wanted this." The king nodded in agreement as a tear slipped his eye. He stood up along with the queen and said, "Let the celebration start... after her cremation."
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After thirteen days of the cremation of his beloved queen, king organized an announcement party in the kingdom. It was the kingdom's private party only. No royals from other kingdoms were invited, only the people of Chancia were there.
The king and queen sat on the throne along with two princes and two princesses from the first queen. Astrologers were preparing the charts for the girl. Only for this celebration, the great astrologer, Malvis, was present. He never prepared astrological charts for people other than kings and priests. This was the first time he was preparing it for a girl.
King, as usual, went to their place to invite the astrologers for this function. But before anyone can say anything, Malvis came there and asked the king if he could also participate in the celebration or not. The king has to say yes for this and thus here he was in the party of her little highness.
Everyone was singing and dancing and enjoying the program when suddenly Malvis stood up and started to shout, "I knew it! I knew it! She has arrived! She has arrived!" His little outburst stopped everything and drew the attention of everyone present there.
King from utter confusion asked, "What are you saying? What did you know? Who has arrived?"
Holding his proud up to his shoulders and with a huge smile in his eyes, he said, "She, who holds the power greater than anyone. Who will rule the three kingdoms alone! She, who will take the world out of the darkness! She, who will claim the dark stone!"
Gasps and whispering can be heard from every corner. Hearing this king went all red and said, "How dare you predict something like that?" Standing to his ground replied Malvis, "Predictions are just calculations, one cannot change or alter them accordingly."
King said, "My daughter will not follow up your prediction. She will refuse her destiny." Malvis started to laugh loudly and said, "She is of her own will. You cannot make her do what you want. She will follow her destiny! No one can stop her, not even you, you foolish king!"
Bursting from anger the king ordered, "Capture the insolent astrologer and put him behind the bars for the lifetime!" As the guard dragged him along he said, "You can capture me, but cannot capture her! Do whatever you want, you cannot stop her from being what she is!"
The whole crowd was still whispering as the queen came to the king along with little princess. She said, "What if he is right? What do we do now?" King said, "Worry not, she can never be such a lowly creature. She has my royal blood flowing in her veins. I will change her destiny."
Queen nodded and said, "I believe you but what about the people?" They both looked at the people in front of them, who were waiting for an explanation. The king sighed and said, "This is for the best." As he summoned his power and replaced the memories of everyone from the princess called a dark stone to the princess called to be queen.
That night both king and queen slept soundly thinking they have solved the problem, but do they really did?