Chapter Text
Year 1885
He was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. He just couldn’t stop looking at him. He was so small, just a bean in comparison to the large, rough hands of his father. So small and so precious. The light of the candle bounced softly off the boy’s cheeks and illuminated his tiny features, which were scrunched up, showing his slight discomfort at the new atmosphere. He pulled the blanket up over the boy’s face a bit, worried that the light would hurt his new eyes, even though they hadn’t opened yet.
Arthur’s own eyes watered and he could feel the emotion building in his throat as he sat on the side of the bed.
“He’s just gorgeous, isn’t he?” asked a weathered voice atop the sheets.
Arthur looked back, forgetting that he and the newborn weren’t alone. The face of a woman, sweaty and exhausted from the recent birth, met his gaze. He cleared his throat.
“Yeah, yes, he is,” Arthur balanced his son in one hand so he could reach up and wipe his eyes before turning back to the woman, “You did a good job.”
She smiled weakly, “Thank you.”
Arthur scooted closer and held the boy to his mother’s chest, as she was far too weak to raise her arms and hold him. There were sounds of hurried footsteps and frantic voices around the room as the midwives sent for a doctor and tried to stop the bleeding. It all faded into the background. None of that mattered because, for a moment, it was just the three of them. Mother, Father, Baby. It was perfect.
The woman kissed her baby’s forehead, causing the boy to make a face. She chuckled lightly before looking back up at Arthur, her tears flowing steadily. Her eyes held only sincerity and acceptance. Though, underneath, Arthur could see the rawest form of longing. Longing for a life that she wouldn’t get the chance to live. Longing for a family that she wouldn’t get the chance to raise. For a boy who she wouldn’t get the chance to watch grow up.
She opened her mouth and took in a shaky breath, gaze not breaking.
“Be good to him.”
That was all she said. That was all she needed to say.
Slowly, her eyes fell shut and her body went limp.
She was gone.