The sudden cries of a new-born split the silence that had been permeating the waiting room. Andus' shoulders slumped in relief and he looked up from his hands with a small smile on his face.

"I suppose congratulations are in order," his younger brother said in his usual emotionless tone of voice as if what happened was of no import. Of course anyone who knew the leader of the Tenki clan also knew that the birth of a new clan member, a niece at that, would bring him immense joy. It takes a certain kind of person to make the rightful heir of the clan give up his claim without a fight.

"Yes, I suppose they are," Andus replied chuckling at Indrus' apparent flippancy, " though I think Aria is the one you should congratulate the most, after all she did all of the hard work."

"And your work is just beginning. Thankfully I married young." The older brother winced at the slightly accusatory tone of Indrus, though no one outside the Clan or even just the main family would notice.

Before he could reply the large wooden door opened and one of the midwives exited the bedroom and bowed before them. "Lord Tenki, Lord Andus, Lady Aria is now ready to receive you."

"Thank you." Andus said with a smile directed at her and stood up from his seat and followed his brother in entering the bedroom. The midwife said nothing, just bowed deeper as his brother strode by her without acknowledging her existence, his brother following with a sigh.

In contrast to the two brother's dark brown hair and even darker almost black iris', Aria Tenki had deep red, almost crimson, hair and eyes. She laid sweat-stained on a large bed in the middle of the room with the newly born Sana Tenki in her arms. The other midwives were currently gathering the bloodstained sheets they removed to be disposed of. In the presence of Tenki clan guards only of course, it wouldn't do to leave blood of a clan member, even just one through marriage, to fall in the wrong hands.

Andus approached his wife and new-born daughter with barely contained excitement. "My Dawn, is everything alright with you and her?" he asked after laying a kiss on her forehead and a hand on her shoulder, trying and failing to hide his concern.

Aria smiled up at him and kissed him on the lips. "They said they couldn't find anything wrong with Sana and I'm just exhausted." she said. Blinking her eyes she noticed Indrus standing halfway between the entrance and the bed. "Ah, Lord Father, I apologise I didn't notice you sooner," she quickly added with a bowed head. Indrus simply nodded with a cold look in his eyes.

"Little Sana seems to have calmed down, so I will congratulate you on the successful delivery and say I expect great things from my niece. After all she is your and your husbands daughter and a proud member of clan Tenki." With that said he turned around and left the room striding down the corridor outside the waiting room without looking back.

"I don't think I will ever get used to your brothers- I mean Lord Fathers, particular way of... communicating," she quickly corrected after seeing the frown on the guards faces. "I know he means well but I just can't help but get the feeling that he doesn't like me," she whispered to her husband who grimaced at her words.

"He simply had to steel his heart after becoming clan leader since I... couldn't take that responsibility from him," Andus replied with sadness in his voice. "But there is no one that feels as much love towards the clan as he does. He just can't ever show it. He loves you and Sana just as much as his own children."

Aria sighed but didn't argue since everyone always said the same thing about her... well Lord Father now she supposed. "Anyway, I think I will rest for now. It took a lot out of me, will you join me and little Sana?"

"Of course my Dawn, let me just close the blind." He replied and walked towards the window overlooking the courtyard while the guards closed the door behind them and stood guard outside. He took a final look outside, closed the wooden coverings on hinges leaving the room in candlelight, shutting the red sky and the ever-present sun at the horizon out.