As one leaves, another takes her place.

[Madame Unicorn]

It had been a quiet few months. She had signed away a few documents, planned new national projects, addressed her people during the Aotearoan crisis. But all the while, she had thought about him.

The morning sun shimmied it's way through her windows as Madame Unicorn tossed and turned. Her dreams had become more strange, more.. abstract. It was as if something was taking over her body at night. She dreamed of the late Mykep, the life they could have had, then of the pain he must've felt when his life was being taken.. She wished she could speak to him one last time, tell him everything she felt and thought. Alas, it was not to be.

Madame Unicorn woke up, sleepily rubbing her eyes as she pulled on a dressing gown and made her way to the kitchen. Opening her door, a weird wave hit her, and she bent over as vomit gushed out of her mouth. Shaking, she straightened up and ran to the bathroom before another wave hit her. This time, luck was on her side as she reached the sink just in time... A maid came in and froze in shock

"Madame, are you okay!? Quickly, get into the shower, your gown is all stained.." Madame Unicorn slipped out of the gown and into the shower, turning slowly.

"There's a mess by my bedroom door.. I need it to be cleaned immediately"

"Right away Madame."

She sank to her knees in the shower and cried. This was not the first time she had thrown up in the past week.. Something was wrong. Madame Unicorn washed herself slowly, then got out of the shower and pulled on a plain summer dress, grabbing her phone off the desk in her office as she dialled her doctor's number.

"Hello? Barry? Barry, I've been throwing up a lot. Always in the morning. I always want to eat more, and.. I've missed my period. I think I need you to do a pregnancy test..."

----

Nine months later...

Screaming. All she could hear was screaming. Doctors and nurses surrounding her, encouraging her as she bought her new child into the world. Madame Unicorn was giving birth to her child. Mykep's Child.

Barry held her hand as he smiled,

"Madame, only a little more to go, most of the torso has appeared.. One more push." She screamed and lunged forward, the pain becoming unbearable.

"I can't do it.. Please.. Help.. I'm in agony." She sighed, and inhaled deeply, ready to push once more.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the pain subsided, as the nurses held up the newborn for the Madame to see.

"Madame! It's a boy!" They exclaimed with smiles on their faces. She sighed with relief as her head fell back onto the pillow, the nurses cleaning the newborn for the Madame to hold. Barry kissed her hand and looked down at her with a huge grin on his face

"Well done, Madame. You now have a healthy, happy baby boy." He manoeuvered her arms and nestled the baby into them.

She looked down and saw a little crinkled face, red from all the crying. Smiling, her body was filled with a sudden.. happiness that she hadn't experienced before. If this was what unconditional love towards a child was, she was feeling it.

A nurse took the baby from her arms as she laid back down, ready to sleep. The nurse smiled softly and whispered,

"What a cute little boy.. What are you going to name him?"

Madame Unicorn turned her head as sleep overcame her, but not before whispering something back..

"Damien..."

-----------

A month had passed since Damien's birth. A happy month in which Madame Unicorn spent sleepless nights, and wonderous days with her child. He was so responsive, giggling when she tickled his stomach lightly, or when she held him before putting him to sleep, he would attempt to smile. She loved being a mother to this child, and wished that Mykep could be here to complete their family. But the most gut-wrenching decision of all, was whether to give up her Leadership.

In the end, it wasn't a hard choice at all.

[OOC: will finish the other half tomorrow]