Chapter 1
Sir Richard Netthalies
It felt like hours. It felt like an eternity since my wife entered the labour room. I kept pacing outside the room for god knows how many times. Everytime I heard a scream emerging from the room, my head instinctively turned towards the door, hoping it was over. Her voice rose with each wave of pain. If only I could take away the pain from her. If only I could be beside her right now, soothing her pain. But the midwife has told me that no man was allowed in that room. For God’s sake, she’s my wife. I have seen everything. Every part of her. I don’t care if she looks awful while giving birth. She is giving birth to my child. Our child. Damn it. I ran a hand down my face at the thought, still annoyed over the fact that I was cast out of that room.
A hand was placed gently on my shoulder. “She will be fine, Richard. Maggie’s labour wasn’t that easy either. Little Frezhel here is a stubborn baby. She will be fine, I assure you.” I turned towards my best friend, Edward Roland Reclipse and then to his wife beside him, a 5 year old Frezhel standing in front of her.
I sighed. “It’s - I just wanted to be with her during this time, Edward. I mean - You do know how long we had wanted a child of our own, right? The previous miscarriages weren’t easy for Victoria” I shook my head and continued “this is the most crucial and meaningful moment of our life and yet - and yet, ugh - the midwife just has to cast me out like this!” I looked skyward as tears formed in my eyes. Edward’s grip on my shoulder tightens, as if reassuring me that it would be over soon. I could only hope.
After what felt like days, we heard a final scream and then I heard it. I heard the cry. The cry of my firstborn child. My face was still stained with tears but a huge smile spread across my face. I wiped the remaining tears and rushed towards the door, the Reclipse tagging along behind me. Just when I was about to reach for the doorknob, I heard a click and the next moment, the midwife appeared with a huge smile on her face “Congratulations, My Lord! It’s a girl!” and sensing my worried look, the midwife continued “and no, don’t worry, My Lady is safe. She’s inside. You can come in now.” I let out a sigh of relief and stepped in.
Inside, my wife was still lying on the bed. My throat tightened when I saw her, tears of happiness forming in my eyes. Her face was still a little red from the delivery earlier. Her wavy dark brown hair that was tied up in a bun earlier, now tangled and messy with loose ends falling all over her slim face. I could see that she was still weak and tired but she was glowing. The smile that was plastered on her face was full of love and tender as she stared at the small bundle wrapped in her arms. At that moment, they were the perfect picture. My perfect picture. With a soft smile and tears stricken face, I made my way towards her slowly.
“You did well, my love. You…you really did” I tried my best to be my usual composed self but my voice broke at every word. She glanced up from the small bundle beside her and a trembling smile flashes on her face, trying so hard to hold back her tears when she saw me. “We did it...we..really did it, Richard” she managed to say and like a dam giving way, she cried out again. I reached out my arms and held both of them in a gentle and loving embrace.
I pulled back, smoothing her loose ends away from her face and kissed all her tears away. She smiled softly and whispered “She…She’s beautiful, Richard” With one final kiss to her lips, I glanced down to look at the small bundle on my wife’s arms, cooing softly.
Before me, I saw a little girl, my daughter. Our daughter. She was the most beautiful and adorable little human I had ever seen. “I think she got your nose, Richard.” Victoria commented. “And your lips, love.” I replied with a smile, my eyes flickering to my wife, who was still staring at our little miracle. When she opened her eyes, it caught both of our breaths away. Her eyes were special, something that I had never seen in my life before. Her right eye was of crystal blue, just like her mother’s while her left eye was of the lighter shade of brown, just like mine. A beautiful and unique mismatched eyes.
“Oh. My. Stars. She is beautiful! Truly beautiful! Congratulations to the both of you! Edward, love, look! Isn’t she adorable?” Margaret Alice Reclipse clasped both of her hands to her chest, eyes shining when she saw our daughter. She has entered the room despite her husband’s protests.
Edward and Frezhel are peeking by the door, the former’s hands still trying to pull his wife out of the room when he caught both of mine and Victoria’s stares. His eyes flicked to the both of us and then back to his wife, he cleared his throat and said “I’m sorry, Richard, Lady Netthalies, I tried to stop her from interrupting this special moment. Maggie! Come here!” He gestured for his wife but Margaret just made a face to him and drifted further into the room, ignoring her husband’s commands. Me and Victoria erupted into laughter while Edward stood by the doorway, running his hand down his face, as if thinking “why do I have such a wife?” I gently placed my forehead against my wife’s, both of us smiling down at each other.
I turned towards Edward and Frezhel who were still at the doorway and said “Stop peeking from there, you two. Come inside already!” Victoria smiled and echoed “Yes, Edward, come in. Both you and Maggie are like family to us. You will always be welcome in this house” and then she turned towards Frezhel, “Come Frezhel, come here and meet your new friend,” she said while beckoning him over. Frezhel looked up to his father, waiting for his approval and when Edward smiled at him, he rushed towards us and stopped abruptly in front of our daughter.
“She is so cute! I like her eyes too! They are my favourite colours! Can I hold her?” Frezhel questioned, looking up at the both of us. Before we could give a reply, “Frezhel! No, don’t -” but Victoria already nodded to Frezhel. I swore Edward felt like he was expiring right there in the room. But instead of holding her, Frezhel’s small hand crept to her and with his index finger, poke our daughter’s cheek softly, causing her to coo softly. He looked up again and asked “What’s her name, Mr Netthalies?” My brows rose because we were so carried away by the excitement of finally having our own child that we have not thought of any possible names for our daughter.
I turned to my wife, “What do you think, love? What should we name her?” Victoria pondered a little and said “I want our daughter to have trust and confidence in whatever she does in the future. To be loved just like how we loved her even before she was born. Hmmm…What about Faith, Richard?” I smiled at her, “And what about combining both of our mother’s middle names - Rose and Belle - hmm Roselle?” I raised one of my brows to her. Victoria grinned and continued “Faith Roselle Netthalies. It’s a beautiful name, Richard.” Turning her attention to our daughter, “Welcome to the world, Faith. We have been waiting for you,” and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
