The next morning arrived quietly over Shaktiveer Territory.
Soft sunlight slipped through the tall windows of the imperial residence, passing through the blue-and-white curtains before spreading across the enormous chamber.
The room, which had looked so grand and almost untouched the previous day, now felt different.
There was a small cradle near the bed.
A folded blanket rested beside it.
Several medical items had been moved onto a nearby table.
And on the enormous bed, Vanshika was still asleep.
Her breathing was calm and peaceful after the exhaustion of the previous day.
Her long, thick midnight-blue hair flowed naturally across the pillow and over one side of the bed.
Even after sleeping, it retained its smooth, flowing appearance, with soft waves falling around her shoulders and down across the white sheets.
Her face remained serene.
She had an exceptionally refined appearance, with delicate features, long eyelashes, naturally soft rose-colored lips, and a graceful expression that seemed effortless even in sleep.
Her complexion appeared luminous beneath the morning light, while her deep cosmic azure eyes remained hidden behind her closed eyelids.
She wore an elegant blue-and-white dress, carefully designed with flowing layers of pale fabric and delicate golden detailing.
Tiny star-like patterns were arranged across parts of the dress, resembling scattered points of light against the blue material.
Fine crystalline ornaments were woven into the fabric, catching the morning sunlight whenever she moved.
Even after the previous day’s exhaustion, nothing about her appearance seemed disordered.
She looked peaceful.
Most Beautiful as always.
Completely unaware of the tiny presence beside her.
Something gently touched the fabric of her bust area of the dress.
Once.
Then again.
Vanshika’s eyebrows moved slightly.
She didn’t wake.
A tiny hand touched her clothing once more.
This time, she slowly opened her eyes.
For a moment, her vision was blurred.
She looked toward the movement.
A tiny face was staring back at her.
Vanshika froze.
Her sleepy expression immediately changed into surprise.
“…Vivaan?”
The newborn moved his little hands.
Vanshika stared at him for another second before remembering everything.
A smile slowly appeared across her face.
“Oh.”
She pushed herself carefully into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard.
“It’s you.”
She looked at him as though she had somehow forgotten for one sleepy moment that she had become a mother only yesterday.
Vivaan remained beside her, his tiny body wrapped comfortably in his blanket.
His eyes were open.
Those familiar azure eyes looked directly at her.
Vanshika’s expression immediately softened.
She reached out and gently lifted him into her arms.
“Good morning, little one.”
Vivaan’s fingers moved toward her.
Vanshika smiled.
“Did you wake Mom up?”
His hands moved again.
She looked at them seriously for a moment.
Then she nodded as though he had given her a perfectly understandable answer.
“I see.”
A small laugh escaped her.
“So that was a yes.”
She adjusted herself comfortably against the headboard and held him close.
After feeding him, she kept him nestled safely against her for a while, gently supporting his little head and watching his sleepy expression.
There was something almost amusing about how quickly her attention became completely occupied by him.
The enormous room could have contained countless treasures.
Rare artifacts.
Beautiful magical objects.
Precious decorations.
None of them received even a fraction of the attention Vivaan received.
When he was finished, Vanshika carefully adjusted his blanket and settled him against her.
Vivaan looked up at her.
Vanshika looked down at him.
Neither moved.
Then her smile grew wider.
“Now that you’re awake, what am I supposed to do with you?”
Vivaan moved one hand.
“Hmm?”
She tilted her head.
“You want to talk?”
Another little movement.
Vanshika immediately nodded.
“Of course.
Mom understands.”
She paused.
“Well…
mostly.”
Vivaan’s fingers curled around the edge of her dress.
Vanshika looked down at them.
“You’re holding my dress again.”
She gently touched his tiny hand.
“You really like holding things, don’t you?”
Vivaan responded with another small movement.
Vanshika smiled as though she had just received a detailed explanation.
“I knew it.”
She carefully lifted one of his hands and examined it.
His fingers were unbelievably tiny.
She held his palm against her own finger.
“Look at you.”
Her voice became warmer.
“You’re so tiny.”
Vivaan blinked.
“And so cute.”
She gently touched his cheek.
“Very cute, most cutest.”
His eyes moved toward her.
Vanshika suddenly became quiet.
She looked closely into those celestial blue eyes.
The same beautiful deep-blue color.
The same strange depth.
The same tiny moving stars of light that she had noticed yesterday.
A fond smile appeared.
“Your eyes are exactly like mine.”
She brought her face a little closer.
“Actually…”
Her gaze traveled over his face.
“Everything about you looks like me.”
She gently ran her fingers through his soft midnight-blue hair.
“Your hair.”
Her finger moved lightly across his cheek.
“Your face.”
She smiled.
“Your skin.”
Then she looked into his eyes again.
“Your eyes.”
Vanshika laughed softly.
“Did you inherit everything from Mom?”
Vivaan’s little hand moved toward her face.
His fingers brushed against her cheek.
Vanshika stopped.
Then her expression became delighted.
“Oh?”
She leaned closer.
“Are you checking Mom too?”
Vivaan’s fingers moved again.
“Well?”
Vanshika waited dramatically.
“What do you think?”
He obviously couldn’t answer.
Vanshika stared at him for another moment.
Then she laughed.
“Right.
You can’t tell me yet.”
She gently tapped his nose.
“You’re too small.”
Vivaan blinked.
“You don’t even know how to talk.”
Another tiny movement.
Vanshika immediately nodded.
“Yes, yes.
I know.”
She smiled.
“You’re telling me something very important.”
She paused.
“Unfortunately, Mom has no idea what it is.”
Vivaan’s fingers moved again.
Vanshika laughed.
“You’re adorable.”
She held him a little closer.
For several minutes, she simply played with him.
She moved his tiny hands gently between her fingers.
She fixed the blanket around him.
She touched his little nose.
She watched his expressions change whenever he heard her voice.
And she kept talking.
She talked about the room.
She talked about the morning.
She talked about the sunlight outside.
She told him that one day she would show him the gardens.
Then the waterfalls.
Then the markets.
Then the beautiful streets where children played.
Vivaan couldn’t understand any of it.
But every time Vanshika stopped talking, his little hands moved or his eyes shifted toward her.
And somehow, she treated every movement as an answer.
“You want to see the garden first?”
Vivaan moved his fingers.
“I knew it.”
She smiled proudly.
“You have excellent taste.”
She paused thoughtfully.
“Of course, you do.”
Vanshika looked at him for a moment.
“You know why?”
Vivaan stared.
“Because your mom has excellent taste.”
She waited.
Nothing happened.
Vanshika narrowed her eyes playfully.
“You’re supposed to agree.”
Vivaan blinked.
She sighed dramatically.
“Fine.
I’ll forgive you because you’re my son also additionally you’re only one day old.”
She laughed at herself.
Then her expression became gentler.
“Do you know why your name is Vivaan?”
She looked at his face.
“No?”
She smiled.
“I suppose you don’t even know what a name is yet.”
She carefully adjusted his position in her arms.
“Vivaan means full of life.”
Her voice softened.
“And to me, it means something even more special.”
She looked into his eyes.
“The life born from Vanshika.”
Her smile trembled slightly.
“The life that came to me.”
Vanshika became quiet.
She looked down at her son for a long moment.
Her eyes slowly became moist.
“You know…”
She took a slow breath.
“I’ve never been happier this much before.”
One small tear gathered at the corner of her eye, but her smile remained.
She gently wiped it away.
“I don’t even know how to explain it.”
Her fingers moved slowly through his hair.
“I just know that you’re here.”
She looked at him again.
“And somehow, that’s enough.”
Vivaan’s little hand touched her finger.
Vanshika closed her fingers around his.
She smiled.
“To me, You are enough to just be my son.”
She leaned back against the headboard.
“I’ll love you absolutely forever.”
Vivaan stared at her.
“Even if you grow up and become the most troublesome little boy in Shaktiveer territory.”
She paused.
“Even if you refuse to listen to Mom.”
Another pause.
“Even if you tell me you want to sleep when I’m trying to talk to you.”
She laughed softly.
“I’ll always love you.”
Her expression became playful again.
“Forever.”
Vivaan suddenly moved his little hand toward her.
Because he had been resting close to her after feeding, his hand caught the front of her clothing near her chest.
Vanshika looked down.
Then she looked back at him.
Her eyebrows lifted.
“Oh?”
Vivaan held on.
Vanshika’s playful expression returned.
“So you don’t believe Mom?”
Vivaan moved his fingers.
“Really?”
She smiled.
“Are you saying I’m not the most beautiful woman in the entire world?”
She waited dramatically.
Vivaan simply looked at her.
Vanshika stared back.
Then she laughed.
“That’s because you’re just one day old.”
She gently touched his cheek.
“You can disagree when you learn to talk.”
Vivaan’s tiny hand moved again.
“Oh, now you’re defending yourself?”
Vanshika laughed once more.
“You’re already stubborn.”
The peaceful moment continued until the chamber doors opened quietly.
The younger healer from the previous day entered carrying a tray of food and several prepared items.
She stopped when she saw Vanshika sitting comfortably with Vivaan in her arms.
A smile immediately appeared on her face.
“Good morning, lady Vanshika.”
Vanshika looked toward her.
“Good morning.”
The healer placed the tray on the nearby table.
“I’ve brought your breakfast.
And if you need anything, please tell me.”
She straightened and was about to continue.
“Your Majesty—”
Vanshika immediately raised one hand.
“No.”
The healer stopped.
Vanshika gave her a look.
“Don’t start.”
The healer smiled awkwardly.
“I was only—”
“I’m still Vanshika.” Vanshika said.
She glanced down at Vivaan.
“Especially in front of him.”
The healer nodded.
“Of course.”
Her eyes then fell upon the newborn.
Her entire expression brightened.
“He’s awake!”
Vanshika smiled proudly.
“He woke me up.”
The healer stepped closer.
“May I see him?”
Vanshika looked down at Vivaan, then back at her.
The healer clasped her hands together.
“He’s incredibly cute.”
Vanshika smiled.
“I know.”
The healer laughed.
“And look at his hair!”
She carefully leaned closer without touching him.
“His eyes are exactly like yours.”
Vanshika’s expression became pleased.
“I know.”
The healer smiled wider.
“He really did inherit your appearance.”
Vanshika looked at Vivaan proudly.
“Everything.”
She gently brushed his hair.
“His eyes, his hair, his face…”
She smiled.
“He’s going to be incredibly no, even most handsome when he grows up.”
Then she looked at him again and corrected herself.
“Actually, he already is.”
The healer laughed.
“You’re praising him already.”
“I’m his mom.” Vanshika defend herself.
Vanshika lifted her chin proudly.
“I’m allowed.”
The healer looked at Vivaan for another moment.
Then she hesitated.
Her gaze shifted toward Vanshika.
“Could I…”
She stopped.
Vanshika raised an eyebrow.
“Could you what?”
The healer looked slightly embarrassed.
“Could I hold him?”
Vanshika stared at her.
The healer immediately became nervous.
“Only if you allow me.”
Vanshika’s expression remained serious for a moment.
Then the corner of her mouth lifted.
“Hmm.”
The healer waited.
“Perhaps.”
“Perhaps?” Vanshika repeated seriously.
Vanshika looked down at Vivaan.
“Let me see what he thinks.”
She carefully shifted him slightly.
The healer extended her arms.
The moment Vivaan realized he was being moved away from Vanshika, his expression changed.
His tiny face tightened.
His hands immediately reached back toward his mother.
Vanshika stopped.
The healer froze.
A small cry escaped Vivaan.
Vanshika’s expression changed instantly.
She brought him back against her.
The crying stopped almost immediately.
The healer stared.
Vanshika looked down at her son.
Then she looked at the healer.
“I think that’s a no.”
The healer laughed softly.
“Apparently.”
Vanshika gently rocked Vivaan.
“You only want Mom?”
Vivaan’s little hand grabbed her clothing again.
Vanshika smiled.
“All right.”
She kissed the top of his head.
“Mom won’t give you away.”
The healer watched them with an affectionate smile.
Then something unexpected happened.
A faint glow appeared beneath Vivaan’s clothing.
Vanshika stopped moving.
The healer’s smile disappeared.
Both women looked down.
The light was coming from somewhere near the center of Vivaan’s chest.
It wasn’t bright enough to illuminate the entire room.
But it was unmistakably there.
A soft, strange radiance pulsed once.
Then again.
Vanshika’s expression became serious.
Her arms instinctively held Vivaan closer.
The healer took one cautious step forward.
Neither of them spoke.
The glow remained for only a few seconds.
Then it vanished.
Vivaan became completely calm again, as though nothing had happened.
Vanshika looked at her son.
Her hand gently rested against his back.
The healer looked toward her.
“Miss…
did you see—”
Vanshika raised her eyes.
The room fell silent.
Whatever had just happened, neither of them understood it yet.
And beneath the peaceful morning of Shaktiveer Territory, something about Vivaan’s first full day had quietly changed.
To Be Continued…