It was a cold Saturday night nearing the end of November. Thunder and lightning were wildly clashing outside the thick castle walls, filling the atmosphere with a feeling of almost palpable eeriness as the rain poured down the windows rather like a waterfall.

A scream broke through the thick silence looming over the castle, and the maids standing around the queen immediately started whispering words of comfort and encouragement; telling her to push, to stay calm, reassuring her it would all be over soon.

She did as she was told, gripping the hand of Ottavia, her personal maid, tightly as she pushed just a little more, awaiting the cry of her baby.

It had been a long, exhausting night and when with one last effort, one last push, the child was finally delivered, the mother's entire frame sagged against the pillows she'd been perched upon, relief flooding her senses.

The doctor snipped the umbilical cord and carefully took the infant in his arms, wrapping a silken blanket around it before turning to the audience standing there, all waiting in anticipation.

It was on November 26th of the year 19xx that the young queen of Accidia gave birth to her third child. It was also on that same rainy night, in the midst of a rainstorm unlike any other, that something truly incredible happened. Something that, by every definition of the word, should have been impossible.

Queen Rosalie turned her gaze to the man that had helped her deliver her third child now, the exhaustion evident on her fine features. But even that could not wipe the small, gentle smile that crossed her lips.

"A girl?" She asked, using the aid of Ottavia to pull herself up a bit and look at the man. Call it intuition, or a mother's keen instinct, the queen had always firmly believed her third to be a healthy, bouncing baby girl. The doctor hesitated though, making the silence that filled the room all the more obvious. It was unnerving, really... the baby wasn't crying. "A-another boy then…?"

The moments that followed might have been just that- moments- but to everyone present, it felt like ages. Finally, at long last, the doctor shifted the tiny weight in his arms and directed his gaze towards his Queen, a grave look simmering in his dark eyes.

"Your Highness-"

"Why isn't she crying?"

The doctor shook his head again, and that was when Queen Rosalie felt her world crumble. It couldn't . Not her baby.

"I'm truly sorry, your majesty." The doctor spoke softly. Lithe hands flew up to cover her mouth, and Queen Rosalie choked out a sob, her whole body keeling over.

God, no, please. Please, no. Not her child. Not her baby.

"She was stillborn. She seems to have been for some time now... she-"

A flash of light lit up the room, giving the queen a glimpse of her baby, her darling little daughter. Whatever the doctor said next- a cause of death, her mind would later register- was lost on the mother in that moment. She was fixated on the bundle in the man's arms instead and couldn't help but gasp. She looked so small and peaceful, almost as if she was merely sleeping.

She couldn't be dead, right?

Somewhere in the far end of the room, the sound of a door being closed was heard, and they all knew the King was gone. A girl was a disappointment either way- a dead one... it was not even worth mentioning.

The Queen was shaking.

"My baby." She whispered as she held out her hands, her voice breaking. She reached out, motions desperate. "Give me my baby."

"Your majesty, you really shouldn't-" Ottavia started, only to be cut off as Queen Rosalie pushed her away with a force that should transcend the capabilities of her thin, exhausted body. She had never been what one would call physically strong, but as she reached out for the baby now, a ferocious-sounding growl escaping her throat, she gave off the impression of a beast.

"Give me my baby!" She screamed. The look in her eyes caused the doctor to back off, for never in all of his years had he ever seen sweet Queen Rosalie in such a state. She looked insane, pupils dilated and teeth bared in a show of warning. All traces of her usual grace and elegance were gone as she blindly grappled for the wall- seeking support but refusing to give up. She looked downright murderous. "I said, give me my daughter!"

"My queen!"

"Queen Rosalie, calm yourself!"

"Your majesty, please!"

The maids tried to hold her back, the doctor backing off, still holding the newborn infant's body in his arms as he watched his Queen fearfully. This wasn't like her, and one would almost think she was possessed. The way she could still move around, albeit swaying, determined to get to her child, was something both terribly sad... and scary.

Queen Rosalie seemed ready to fight her way through the maids surrounding her, when suddenly, they all froze.

Above the loud rumbling sounds of thunder, above the queen's shouts and the maids' pleas, a cry was heard.

It was a sound so familiar and yet so unrealistic.

It was the sound of a crying baby.

A/N: Hello everyone, and welcome to my new story! In case anyone was wondering, Accidia is a fictional kingdom situated in northern Europe. You'll find out more about that soon though!

Hope you enjoyed, please leave a review!