PeaceMaker

The sound rang out like a siren, ringing through the room like an alarm. The cry of a new being, the sound of a child. 

Kalmin's head turned to Alice's legs, his eyes widening as he looked up at the nurse that stood in front of Alice. In their hand was blood and feces smeared little human. A child, a baby. Her child. 

The nurse turned to the physician with a smile on a face. "It's a female."

The words hit Kalmin like a train. A female. It was another beautiful girl that would look just like his sister. The room seemed to stand in silence, a breath no one knew they were holding seemed to slowly be exhaled. It was over. 

It was done. 

Kalmin turned back to Alice as the nurse walked over to a little barrel on the ground filled with water in which she cleaned the baby with a small smile on his face. He locked eyes with the dazed gaze of his sister. "It's over, you did it, she's born Alice. Your baby girl."

Alice stared at Kalmin with a blank expression on her face before a little smile spread on her face. "It is?" she asked as tears rolled down her face. "A girl?"

Kalmin nodded, turning to the side so he could let Alice see the little baby that thrashed into the water as the nurse wiped her off. Alice watched the scene, hot tears running down her cheeks. The blood that stained the baby was soon washed away, and she smiled when she saw the soft skin of the baby. Her baby. 

The nurse looked up at Alice and gave a little smile. A servant beside her handed her a little towel in which she wrapped the baby in and began walking over to Alice. 

Alice looked at the little human that laid snuggly in the arms of the nurse, a wave of warmth overwhelming her. Her arms reached out without even being prompted to. She wanted to touch her. To feel the baby that she had given birth to, to feel the child that was hers. The nurse leaned over Kalmin and gingerly laid the little being in Alice's hands. "Congratulations."

It was a natural pain reliever. 

The moment her hands brushed the cloth that held her little baby in, the moment her eyes gazed upon the beautiful fair skin of the baby, the moment her arms cradled the tiny form of her human, she was healed. Her pain numbed, her tears overflowing. It was beautiful, that one moment as she smiled at her crying baby, as she raised her trembling hand and softly touched the skin of her child. 

It was magical.

Kalmin watched silently from the side, his eyes pinned on the baby before turning to his sister and finally, gazing at them as a pair. It was a peaceful sight, so tranquil and calming so… perfect. 

"She's beautiful…" Alice muttered as she wiped away a tear that had fallen on her baby's face. Kalmin nodded his head in agreement. Alice pulled the baby up to her face and brushed her face across her baby's cheeks. "You shine so beautifully my baby, my star… Marion."

Kalmin smiled, his trembling hand patting Alice on the head. "Marion?" he replied with a light tone, "is that her name?"

Alice nodded her head. She turned to Kalmin, her eyes bright with happiness. "Yes, my star of the sea. Marion." A little giggle leaves her lips as she brushed her nose against her baby's. "Marion, Marion, Marion. What a nice name," she chuckled, turning to Kalmin, "isn't it, brother?"

Kalmin stares at her for a moment. She looked so young. She was young, months younger than him. 14, With eyes that sparkled brighter than he could ever and a smile that made him feel lighter in seconds. She was so pure and beautiful, yet so much stronger than he could ever be. And that child in her arm, he looked down at the little human that laid snuggly in her arms, her loud crying now reduced to simple mumbling as she rested her tiny head against her mother's chest. That child would be just as beautiful. Just as perfect. 

An exact copy of his sister. A beauty.

He smiled. "Yes, it is. Marion…" he muttered, his eyes brightening at the little baby in her arms, "how beautiful she is…"

They sat there for a moment, exchanging smiles with each other, a moment of peace finally passing in the flood of pain and fear that had just passed. 

Alice turned to Kalmin. "Would you like to hold her?" she asked with a grin, "I'm sure she'd want to be held by her uncle."

Kalmin flinched, immediately backing up slightly. "Nono, I couldn't" 

Alice shook her head immediately, "Of course you would!" she pressed, "you helped me anyways. You were by my side so why shouldn't you get to hold the baby?"

Kalmin shook his head slowly, a nervous laugh on his face. He locked eyes with Alice's eyes and let out a sigh. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?"

"Nope, stretch out your arms," Alice prompted. 

Kalmin hesitated for a moment but after a brow raise from Alice, he immediately complied and allowed her to place the baby in his arms. The moment he felt the soft covers of the baby's clothing, his heart skipped a beat and when the tiny baby was pressed against his body, he felt like he had melted. She was so tiny, so tiny, and yet so warm and cute. 

"Marion…" he thought to himself as he stared at her cute tiny face, "so tiny…" he thought to himself as he held her, tears falling down his cheeks almost immediately. "My niece…"

Alice chuckled weakly, her vision starting to blur again. Her arm twitched, yearning to feel the warmth of the baby. She felt cold. 

"Should we give her a middle name?" Kalmin chuckled, turning back to Alice to which she cocked her head. 

"A middle name?" Alice asked, her tone in a mocking yet entertained tone. "What do you want to give her?"

Kalmin thought about it for a moment before looking back at her. "Adonia?" he commented, his head craning slightly in confusion at his own suggestion. 

Alice stared at him blankly before bursting into a light chuckle. "Adonia?" she repeated, "maybe I shouldn't let you name her afterall."

"Whattt," Kalmin groaned, "Adonia is beautiful though, it fits her… aura?"

"But have you even thought about the name together? Marion Adonia, Marion Adonia… does that seem fitting to you?" Alice teased, "it sounds so out of place…"

"No, it doesn't. Listen to it, Marion Adonia, Marion Adonia, Marion Adonia… doesn't it start to have a ring to it after you repeat it a bunch of times?" Kalmin added, trying his best to hold up his argument. After a second of watching Alice's unimpressed face, he gave in. "it doesn't?"

Alice stared at his crestfallen face for a moment before chuckling. "Ok… fine. Marion Adonia… it does have a little ring to it doesn't it?" she chuckled weakly. 

Kalmin looked up at her with an uncertain face for a moment as he cradled the baby ever so softly. "Are you sure?" he asked. 

"Unless you don't wa-"

"NONONO!" Kalmin immediately interrupted, his voice holding a whisper yell tone that made Alice laugh a little, "I'll take it!"

Alice smiled, looking back at the little baby in his arms, a smile on her face. "Marion… Marion," she muttered, her lips feeling a little cold and her vision blurry.

Kalmin grinned, looking up at his little sister's face. "Do you want to hold her again?"

Alice nodded her head lightly, "Yes…" to which Kalmin immediately leaned over and carefully handed the baby to Alice who held the baby in her trembling hands, pulling the little being to her chest. "Marion…" she muttered with a little smile. "Marion Adonia…"

Kalmin's smile was cut short when he heard a familiar voice repeat the same name Alice had muttered. "Marion Adonia… is that her name?" the voice asked. Shivers ran down Alice's spine as she recognized the voice. "Is that her name? Marion Adonia? The name of my-"

"NO! SHUT UP!" Alice screamed, her hands covering the baby's ears, "DO NOT LET THOSE WORDS LEAVE YOUR MOUTH!" 

Justin flinched, taking a step backward as Kalmin stood from his seat, locking eyes with Justin. "Never…. Never say that name out of your mouth ever again."

Alice shuddered, holding her baby close. Her breathing was staggering as she shuddered again. She was cold. It was cold, the only warmth on her was the child in her arm. Her child and her child only. It was only hers. No one else! No one…No one else…

Her vision blurred again as her breathing got more unstable. 

"Marion…" Alice muttered weakly as her grip on her baby started to weaken. "Kalmin…" she called you with barely a whisper. "Hold her… Hold Marion."

Kalmin flinched, turning to Alice with panic in his eyes. "Alice? Alice is something wrong?!"