I remember the day well of my nephew's birth, being the hand maiden to my sister during that time. I had the water prepped and the blankets I took the time to weave myself laid next to her. The candles were buring low in an joyful gloom. 
     Sanako laid nearly helpless and in much pain and I sat beside her with a cloth to pat her forhead as the time neared.  We sat waiting for the doctor to arrive, talking and reassuring each other and speaking of dreams for our family. We often spoke about such things and how ourlives would be perfect, watching our own children grow old with us.
    But the doctor came too late....
    It was the work of Tai and Wu - one exchange for another.  My nephew was here, but in exchange for his own mother's life. Her life blood ran too fluidly and we could not stop it. San held her son in her arms, giving him the name Ninked, meaning "Beautiful Sunset", and she spoke no more..
    Yuris passed and Rune and I raised our nephew as our own. And as the time passed, I watched this remarkable man grow from a young seed, into an oak that surpasses no other.  He was the son I could never have and he left to make his mark.
    And now I grow old, my time nearly passing.  The Tao at work again - made another exchange.  As I adopted him into my own family, he has now adopted me into his....

~Artic Westenlake