The cries of a lionkin infant echoes in the room.
"It's a boy, my lady," Nala cried.
"Give him to me."
I'm on the verge of crying as well, both from the exhaustion of giving birth and my swelling emotions.
Wrapped in a thin cloth, Nala handed me my child. As soon as I carried him in my arms, his cries stopped. I got worried for a second, but the tiny moans that soon came out of him immediately put me at ease.
So this is my son?
Unsurprisingly, he has many features that distinguish him from a human infant. His head was that of a lion cub's. His skin was pinkish and he already has thin hair that spreads even to his neck.
Apparently, abundant fur would grow on his pinkish skin soon, and the thin hair he has now would transform into a thick mane.
I felt a warmth in my chest as Iooked at him. I can feel my maternal instincts growing with every second. The feeling of wanting to raise and protect him was almost overwhelming.
"You're so pretty," were the only words I'm able to say as I pressed my cheek on his cheek.
"Thank you for giving birth to him, lady Rhea."
"He's a miracle to us lion men."
Zara and Nala said through their tears. But it's not only the two of them who I can hear bawling. Outside the wooden house, there were Ragna and the male lionkin.
"Let them in."
I first intended to only let Ragna in, but I thought it would only be fair for me to let the others in too. They were looking forward to my son's birth as much as everyone. As Nala let them in, they all burst into the room, also with tears in their eyes.
Their image of being beastly warriors was entirely gone.
"Please, let me see my son," Ragna said.
After another look at my baby lion boy's face, I put him on Ragna's outstretched hands. I felt safe in handing him over to Ragna. He's his father after all.
"The first lionkin to be born after our generation. He's going to be our king," Ragna said.
I thought he was simply getting ahead of himself, but it seems that the other lion men were in agreement with him.
"Our queen, please, allow me to give my son his name," he asked, suddenly kneeling to match my eyes.
I was taken aback a little by being addressed as their queen for the first time, but I decided to ignore it in the meantime.
"What is it?" I asked, inadvertently giving him permission.
In the first place, I only thought of a name for a girl.
"Yes! His name should be Kane, the same as our first king whom we worship. The mighty slayer and protector."
"That's a dangerous-sounding name," I thought.
"I think it's a great name, my lady," hearing my words, Ragna nervously reply.
Did he think I would ask him to change it? It seems really important to him, so I obviously won't. I'll respect him as the father.
"Hmrr. Now that you've had your time with Kane, give him back."
"Yes!" Ragna nodded and hesitantly handed Kane back in my arms.
Once again, I felt the urge to press our cheeks.
"I love you, Kane," I happily said.
With Kane's birth, I finally accept the role I was given in this world. In both body and mind, I'm now a woman. Something even beyond that, I'm now a mother.