Vida brought the black lens to the queen.
"Help me put it over his eyes," Elowen told Vida tiredly.
Vida did immediately as she was instructed.
Queen Elowen felt a little relieved the moment the black lens settled over her child's eye.
She held her son closer, her fingers steady despite the tremor that ran faintly through her body, her gaze fixed on the infant's face.
"He looks… normal now," one of the human midwives said softly, her voice careful.
Elowen did not respond immediately. Then, slowly, she lifted her gaze.
"Does he?" she asked in a soft yet dreading tone.
The room went quiet. The midwife hesitated then spoke in rushed tones.
"Yes, my Queen," she said quickly. "No one would ever suspect anything."
No one would ever suspect. Those words hit a spot in queen Elowen's mind.
She repeated those words silently in her mind. Then, new set of words creeped into her mind: No one would ever suspect… unless they had already seen.
Her eyes shifted, moving from one face of the midwives to another, reading their faces with instinct. "They had all seen his strange eyes, and they might speak about it," she said in her mind.
"Tell me," Elowen said softly, her voice calm in a way that made the air feel heavier, "if someone did suspect his strange eyes… what would happen?"
The second human midwife swallowed, her hands tightening together as she answered carefully.
"They would question it, my Queen." she answered
"And then?" queen Elowen asked.
"They might inform the court." the second human midwife said again.
"And then?" queen Elowen asked again. Silence followed after her last question because no one wanted to answer the question as they all dreaded the response.
Queen Elowen answered for them,"They would kill him."
The truth was a harsh one to them because a child bearing the mark of an extinct and feared species—one eradicated by the very bloodline that now ruled—would not be protected but destroyed.
Elowen looked down at her son again, her expression unreadable, her thoughts racing for more solutions for her chid's safety under the calm facade she wore.
"I will not allow that," she said.
The first midwife stepped forward quickly. "My Queen," she said, her voice trembling, "we understand. We would never speak of this. We swear it on our lives."
The second midwife nodded rapidly, her eyes wide with urgency. "No one will hear of this from us. Not the king, not the court—no one."
Elowen watched them silently then she smiled gently but that smile did not reach her eyes. "I believe you," she said.
Relief flickered across the faces of the midwives, but the relief was too soon.
Elowen tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharpening.
"Unfortunately," she continued, her voice lowered "We vampires do not dwell on beliefs but actions."
The movement that followed was swift. Her hand moved and closed around the first midwife's throat.
The woman gasped, her hands instinctively reaching up, gripping Elowen's wrist, her eyes widen both in pain and shock.
"My Queen—please—I swore—"
"I know," Elowen said gently.
"That is why this is unfortunate."Elowen said in low tones.
The woman struggled briefly, her strength fading and then, she stilled.
The silence that followed was immediate and suffocating.
The second midwife stumbled back, horror flooding her expression as realization struck with brutal clarity.
"No—please—please, I won't tell anyone, I promise, I swear—"
Elowen turned toward her.
For a moment, slight regret flickered across her expression.
"You should not have seen his eyes," queen Elowen said softly.
Tears spilled down the woman's face as she shook her head desperately and talked,"I didn't see anything—I swear—I didn't—"
"I am sorry," Elowen said with an apologetic expression and she ended the second midwife's life.
The room then fell into a deep silence. The two remaining midwives did not scream nor move in fear because they understood that the queen did that in protection of her child.
Vida met queen Elowen's gaze steadily. "Your majesty, I think this the right path to protect the prince's secret," she said.
"Yes, it's the right path." queen Elowen responded.
"What about us? Are we not ought to die for seeing and knowing the secret about the prince's eyes" the vampire midwife asked quietly.
Elowen looked at them intently then nodded.
"You will live," she said with her tone laced with warning. "But what happened in this room wiil never be heard outside."
Vida bowed her head slightly and said, "Then bind us with the blood oath."
Elowen extended her hand, "Blood," she said.
A blade was drawn. Then, their Palms were cut open and blood started welling from them.
Their blood met hers- warm and binding- sealing the oath.
"You will not speak of this," Elowen said. "Not to the king. Not to the court. Not to anyone living or dead."
"We swear on our lives," they said together. Their words binding and sealing the oath completely, at the instant, the truth became a secret.
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King Alaric entered rushing to see if his wife and his child unaware of the truth about his son.
Elowen lay against the pillows, pale and weak, her son resting in her arms.
King Alaric's gaze scanned the room and sharpened immediately. "The midwives were four," he said referring to the dead human midwives, "and why are they lying dead on the floor."
The vampire midwife stepped forward smoothly. "Your Majesty, the Queen's condition worsened. She was losing blood and she required strength."
Alaric's expression darkened slightly. "Explain."
Vida did not hesitate to answer,"They offered themselves," she said. "An act of loyalty. To preserve her life."
Alaric looked at Elowen. She met his gaze with tired honesty. The lie came easily because she truly looked spent.
"It was necessary. I needed more blood immediately unless I will die and since they were the only humans here; i drank their blood," she said softly.
He studied her then exhaled, "Call some guards to transport their bodies back to their familie."
"They will be honored for their loyalty," he continued. "Their families compensated."
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Seven days later, the court gathered in celebration. The birth of the heir and new prince demanded ceremony, splendor, and political display.
The grand hall of Nightvale Palace shimmered beneath countless chandeliers, each crystal catching candlelight and scattering it across polished obsidian floors in waves of gold and amber. Nobles moved through the space like carefully arranged pieces on a living board, their actions and words measured and deliberate.
Queen Elowen stood at the center of it all. She looked composed but slightly weaken from pains of labour.
The child rested in her arms, swaddled in soft, dark linens. His small form stayed calm despite the overwhelming noise and movement around him. The black lenses concealed his eyes perfectly.
King Alaric stepped forward, his presence commanding attention with effortless authority.
"Our son," he declared, his voice carrying across the hall, "will be named Lucian."
"Lucian," he continued, "means Bringer of Light."
The court responded with approval, voices rising in agreement, in celebration.
Elowen smiled softly in a practiced smile.
The two surviving midwives moved through the crowd quietly, their presence subtle but constant, their eyes never straying far from the child.
Lucian stirred slightly in Elowen's arms, his small fingers curling against the fabric of her gown. And then, the lens flickered with a faint blue glow slipping through and then vanished instantly.
Vida's breath caught. She then came close to the queen and adjusted Lucian's position in the queen hands.
Queen Elowen felt it -the slight flicker of her son's eyes- and tightened her grip around him.
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Later that night, when the celebration was over, Elowen stood alone with her son.
The candles burned low and silently.
Lucian shifted in her arms and his eyes glowed slightly again beneath those lens.
Elowen exhaled slowly. "You will survive, Lucian. You will." she whispered.