Prologue- I don’t want that ugly child

             The shrill cries of the woman in pain filled the entire hospital theatre, echoing throughout the empty hallways as the nurse gently urged her to push.

Her royal Majesty as she preferred to be referred to due to her importance even with no relations to any royals, Queen Julia St Clair was the woman in labour.

A birth anticipated by all as she was the widow of the currently deceased powerful Man, Liam St Clair, leaving his lovely wife with a pregnancy and her two year old child to cater for.

His death was a huge blow and people wondered what would become of the prestigious family.

Liam St Clair had only recently married Queen Julia, taking her in with her child and treating the child as his, just when she was pregnant for him and everyone was happy that an heir for the St Clair Empire would be born, death came knocking robbing the unborn child of her father.

Queen Julia had wasted no time in remarrying her now husband, Dominic Rossi, her high school sweetheart who happened to be the father of her first child.

She claimed that her husband would be happy with her moving on and having someone to watch over his legacy while he was gone.

Afterall, the children also needed a father.

The moment news got out that the charming widow was in labor, all press outlets followed the speeding car carrying the heavily pregnant woman.

They camped outside the hospital, setting up cameras and Mics, awaiting the birth of the heir despite the St Clairs requesting a private birth.

"Push, gently!" The nurse called to Queen Julia as she took in deep breaths, grabbing the bars on the bed, "You can do this, the baby is almost here."

She nodded, her eyes fleeting to her parted legs as she took in another deep breath, yelling out her lungs at the immense pain coming from her.

The nurse had been with the family for a long time and she was the perfect person to be present to oversee the birth of the heir.

"This child had better the worth it!" She yelled again, taking in a deep breath, "She had better be as beautiful and lovely as my first daughter and if it's a boy, he had better be handsome."

"Oh don't worry your royal highness." The lovely nurse smiled down at her knowing her words were due to the frustration of the labour pains, "She surely would be as gorgeous as you."

Queen Julia nodded, taking in one last deep breath, and with all her might, she let go, excruciating pain followed by a terrible relief as the innocent cries of a newborn filled the room.

The nurse smiled, quickly grabbing the baby and cutting the umbilical cord. She cooed softly as she wrapped the baby up, "It's a girl, Your Royal Highness."

She smiled at Queen Julia, walking towards her with the baby held delicately in her arms, "A lovely baby girl that looks just like her late father, bless his soul."

"What?!" Queen Julia spat as the Baby was presented before her, "Take that ugly black thing away from me!" She screeched startling the nurse, "Now!"

"But Ma," The nurse's features contorted in confusion as she cradled the baby stepping backward, "She's your child!"

"I do not want that ugly black thing!" Queen Julia screeched, a thousand thoughts running through her mind as to why her baby came out darker than she expected, "And that hideous birthmark on her face, gosh!"

She strung out curses, yelling at the Nurse to get the baby out and the confused woman gently cradled the baby hurrying out of the room to run to Dominic in the hope that he would be more reasonable than Queen Julia.

"Sasha." Dominic called to the nurse as he got up from the bench on saw her approaching, "Is she alright? Is the baby all right?"

"Sir Dominic." Sasha shivered in fear presenting the baby to him, "Madam said she doesn't want the baby."

"Oh! I do not blame her!" He peered down at her arms, "That thing is an eyesore, gosh! Couldn't she be as light as her sister?"

"But Sir Dominic, the baby is going to be biracial knowing the race of her dad and her mum."

"That doesn't give her the excuse to come out ugly." He frowned stepping away like the baby was a curse, "God! What would people think?! And look at that hideous birthmark, no one would marry her when she grows!"

"I want to see the baby." Sylvana, Queen Julia's daughter ran towards them excitedly," Let me see, let me see."

Sasha smiled, bending down to show the baby to her with the hope that at least one person in this family would take a liking to the poor child.

"Eww, get it away!" Sylvana began to cry, "Ugly!"

"You see!" Dominic shook his head, "Even the child knows, that thing can't be kept within the family."

"But she's the heir-"

"Shut up and know your place, Sasha, take that thing away from my sight, I need to see my wife."

Dominic made his way to Sasha's private room, one of the best in the hospital, he couldn't wait to see his sweetheart. He knew she would be distraught at the reality of what came out of her and the only thought on his mind was to get rid of the freak, no one had to know.

"Darling." Dominic pushed the door open peering inside, "Oh my sweetheart." He entered the room moving immediately towards her, gathering her in his arms as she wept profusely.

"Oh Dominic, I can't believe she came out looking like that." She hiccuped through her words, "God hates me so much, oh why?!"

"It's okay Darling." He patted her head, smoothing strands of her hair out of the way, "Look at the good life we are fortunate to live, God surely doesn't hate us."

"What do we do?" Queen Julia inquired leaning away from her husband, she gripped his arms looking up at him, "The press is outside, everyone is waiting."

"That is true, what do you suggest my lovely wife?"

"Let's kill her! No use keeping the wretched thing. I can't believe my body went through changes just to birth that swine, my darling Sylvana would have a monster for a sister."

"We can't kill her Julia." Dominic shook his head, "She's the heir and Liam willed his fortune to her."

"Killing her would make it easier, all fortune would go to our darling Sylvana."

"You have a point." Dominic shook his head, "But then again, that could be too rash as she's the only one who can access her fortune."

"What do we do then?"

"I have a plan." Dominic offered his wife a smile and she returned it knowing how bright his ideas always were.

Sasha had managed to calm the crying baby, she was deprived of milk in her first hours on earth and she was scared that the baby might have complications.

While she rocked the child, her head shot up hearing footsteps as Dominic and a now-dressed Queen Julia entered the room.

"Your Royal Highness." Sasha called slowly, "You should rest, you just gave birth."

"I don't have time for that!" She snapped stepping towards Sasha, "We have a proposal for you."

"You do?"

"Yes, I will offer you four hundred thousand dollars to record no birth, we shall tell the press that the child had di-"

"No!" Sasha shook her head, "You can't do that to the poor baby."

"Then the baby shouldn't have come out looking like that!" Dominic added, "Go on with our plan and save the child some ridicule, raise it as yours!"

"I can't do that." Sasha shook her head, "That is cruel, the child needs its mother and-"

"Don't you ever refer to me as that thing's mother!" Queen Julia snapped, "Don't you dare! I can never be a mother to that abomination!"

"You have no choice but to accept our offer, Sasha. We will offer you a million dollars!"

"I can never!" Sasha stood her ground trying to soothe the baby who had begun wailing again, "That is cruel and-"

"Take the offer and follow us home, care for the child till she's an adult."

"Please, Queen Julia." Sasha pleaded, "Rethink your decision."

"Our decision is final!" Dominic and Queen Julia proclaimed at once, "A car would wait for you behind the hospital and would take you to the mansion."

"No."

"Go! Or I swear to God, I will strangle the tiny beast myself!" Queen Julia yelled and that frightened Sasha as she hastened out of the room, cuddling the baby and going towards the spot they had prepared for her.

After Sasha had left, a hysterical Queen Julia and Dominic along with their child came out of the hospital announcing the death of the newborn heir and requesting privacy at this dark time of their lives.

Sasha had heard the news on the car stereo, she couldn't believe how cruel her employers could be and with teary eyes she held the baby close, rocking her softly.

"Don't worry little one." She cooed at the baby, "You would live and survive my darling."

The baby sighed in return leaning into her touch.

"I shall name you." Sasha whispered, "Lunaria."