“It’s a girl!”

Those three little words changed Helios’ life forever. Looking over at his wife, who looked beautiful even drenched in sweat after seventeen hours of labor, he brought her hand, which was still clutching his, up to his lips and kissed it.

“You did it, maiden,” he said. “We have a daughter.”

Though she must have been exhausted, Serenity managed a smile, wiping tears of joy from her face. “Oh, Helios, a little girl!”

“Would the proud papa like to cut the umbilical cord?” the obstetrician asked.

Helios nodded, doing as the doctor instructed him. Once that was done and the baby was cleaned up, the doctor handed the precious newborn over to her mother, bundled up in a soft pink blanket that matched her hair. She looked exactly as Helios imagined Serenity must have looked when she was first born, and, like most proud new fathers, he was certain that his daughter was the most beautiful baby in the world.

“Have you decided on a name yet?” the doctor asked.

“Not yet,” Serenity answered, somewhat surprising Helios.

“That’s fine. Take as much time as you need. For now, I’ll give you some time alone to bond with the new princess. Your Highness, somebody will come by later to show you how to nurse.”

With that, the doctor and the nurse who had assisted with the delivery left the private suite, giving the royal couple their privacy. Sitting down beside Serenity on the bed, Helios wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you,” he said, caressing his daughter’s plump, soft cheek with his thumb. “She’s absolutely beautiful, my maiden. Just like her mother.”

“She is, isn’t she?” Serenity cooed, landing a kiss on the top of the baby’s head. “Would you like to hold her, Papa?”

“May I?”

Serenity laughed. “Of course, silly. She’s your daughter, too, after all. Just make sure you support her head.”

Gingerly, as if she was a porcelain doll that would break at the slightest touch, Helios took his daughter in his arms for the first time, amazed by how much love he felt for her already. He thought his heart was about to burst from his overwhelming happiness.

“So, why did you tell the doctor that we hadn’t picked out a name yet?” he asked, remembering earlier. “I thought her name was going to be Serenity, after you, your mother and grandmother. That’s the Lunarian tradition, isn’t it?”

Serenity shrugged. “It is, but some traditions are made to be broken, right?”

“I thought it was rules that were made to be broken.”

“Rules, traditions -- nearly the same thing,” she said. “Besides, I’ve had my heart set on a certain name since the moment I found out she was coming.”

That was news to Helios. During her pregnancy, Serenity had never once mentioned having any other names in mind. “Oh?”

“What do you think about the name Elysia, in honor of your homeland?” she asked after a brief pause.

“Elysia?” Looking down at the little girl in his arms, Helios smiled as his daughter waved her arm around, as if trying to give her approval to the name. “I think she likes it, and so do I. It‘s perfect, Serenity.”

“I think so, too,“ she agreed. “Our little Princess Elysia…”

“…may all her dreams come true.”

DISCLAIMER: "Sailor Moon" is the property of Takeuchi Naoko.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Any comments or criticisms can be sent to me at ElysionDream@aol.com. Written for the sm_monthly community at Livejournal, Theme - Honor.