Disclaimer: I do not own the transformers franchise. Although I do own my own characters; Aethelgythe, Alpharious, and Optimus Prime's first spark-mate before Elita whose name is Navina.

Author's Note: Reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed, flamers are not. The sequel story will be titled either "A New Life Begins" or "Child of Two Worlds". This is a re-write of the old story. So it might appear slightly different if you are a subscriber and have re-read this story before in the past.

Chapter 1

This is a story that has been lost to the ageless fabrics of time. Like all others it begins with the creation of a new life. This is the story about the birth and the life of Optimus Prime's second child, his daughter Aethelgythe...

A multitude of countless stars, stretched across the vastness of space like grains of sand, blazing in all their glory and winking at distant travelers like sparkling diamonds, shedding light within the dark depths of the universe.

Below the heavens, one planet lay nestled within its own solar system, shining with a light of its own. The planet Cybertron, home to autonomous robotic organisms. They had the power to transform into alternate forms in which to disguise themselves from prying alien eyes. To the Transformer's point of view, transforming wasn't a power but a way of life, much like an Earth Chameleon's natural camouflage ability.

The Cybertronians were a proud race, who had lived there for eons. This planet was ancient, most likely the first in creation, billions of years ago. These beings were created by the Maker of the universe, known to the Cybertronians as Lord Primus.

Lord Primus was a good and just being, filled with light and love. He watched over all the innocents he created and celebrated as his children prospered and grew. The universe was filled with a multitude of lifeforms and each world that Primus created was filled with beauty and splendor.

Until Unicron, who was full of darkness and hate and malignant with evil, vowed to destroy all of Primus's wonderful works. The dark Lord in the beginning had tried to deceive the first thirteen Cybertronians that Primus created in an attempt to get them to join his cause and turn on their Creator. At first, seven were intrigued by what Unicron had to teach them. In the end only one chose to completely submit his spark to evil…and he forevermore became known as "The Fallen". With the help of the other twelve, Lord Primus was able to defeat the Dark Lord and The Fallen and cast them out into the void, for which they remained for some time.

Unicron had been defeated…but his spirit endured. Darkness crept back into the universe and one by one…each planet that Primus created began to fall to evil's sway. That was when Primus began the line of Primes, descended from the first, loyal twelve He created in the beginning.

The planet Cybertron was currently divided in half after eons of civil war. One side called themselves Autobots, freedom fighters and followers of Lord Primus. Their enemies allied themselves with Unicron and called their army the Decepticons. The balance of power between the two factions shifted beyond reckoning. At last, the Autobots led by Prima liberated Cybertron from the tyranny of the Decepticons. Then came a time of peace…but it was not to last.

Megatron, leader of the Decepticons managed to infiltrate the Autobot's capital with a small contingent of warriors. There he assassinated Prima and his wife and assumed world-wide domination of the planet.

There was a young spark destined for greatness who managed to escape. Once Megatron learned that Prima's son had survived he began a relentless search in the hopes of slaying the child. The Autobots went underground and hid Prima's son. It was there that Optimus grew and honed his skills as a warrior, never knowing that he was a leader in the making.

Sometime later, Optimus was called away on a spiritual journey and came to know Lord Primus. When he returned from his quest, he had now become a devout follower of the Lifemaker and his spark had become more pure. Primus granted him great power and the title of Prime was bestowed upon him. The war resumed.

Optimus Prime proved to be a formidable fighter and was not the weakling that Megatron had presumed. Time and time again, the leader of the Decepticons was denied the chance to slay his most hated arch-rival and suffered one defeat after another.

Soon the planet was divided in half, both Autobots and Decepticons separated by a planetary border.

Hundreds of thousands of years later, Optimus met and fell in love with a femme that would soon become his spark-mate and the mother of his first child, a son they called Alpharious.

Once the news reached Megatron's audios that Prime had a child, he vowed to wipe out Optimus's bloodline and end the line of Prime's permanently.

Still more years passed and Optimus did the best he could to devote his equal time and dedication on both his Autobot army and his family.

Alpharious grew to be a fine warrior, although he remained rather distant. Some believed that he felt too burdened being his father's son and wanted nothing to do with the future responsibility that Optimus expected of him.

Then came the news that Optimus was about to receive a second child.

The day finally came for the delivery of his daughter. Once Optimus heard the news he dropped the datapad that he had been holding in his hand and ran to the med-bay, his work utterly forgotten.

Optimus had to push his way through a throng of other Autobot soldiers who had heard the exciting news spreading like wildfire throughout the base. He finally got through the crowd and was granted clearance into the med-bay where Ratchet was currently attending to his spark-mate.

Optimus went immediately to her side and held one of her hands within his own.

"I came as soon as I heard the news!"

"I'm afraid you've missed the most exciting part," Ratchet commented as he turned his back on the couple to go over to another part of the med-bay. He returned with a sparkling protoform curled up in his giant hands.

The two parent's attention was riveted on the sparkling, their optics were completely glued to the little bundle that the CMO was presenting them with.

The little sparkling was completely transparent since it had yet to develop and grow body armor, leaving the infant's inner workings, wires, and tiny little spark exposed to open view beneath the layer of what human's might call, "baby skin". Its optics were currently closed, most likely recharging after its first few minutes of activation in the sparkling shell.

"The spark transfer from mother to the protoform shell was a safe delivery, thank Primus. Congratulations, it's a femme," Ratchet announced finally after giving the parents a moment to gaze upon the newest addition to their family.

The mother reached for her infant and Ratchet carefully handed over the sparkling, giving Optimus a warm smile as he did so. He could see the barely contained excitement in his commander's eyes and if his constant fidgeting was anything to go by, Ratchet would surmise that Optimus was very eager for his turn to hold his infant daughter. Ratchet went back to cleaning up his medbay, giving the family some privacy.

"Optimus…isn't she beautiful?"

"Very beautiful…like her mother"

After another few minutes of silence, Optimus posed a very good question.

"What should we name her?"

"Hmm…we could name her after your mother, Lyla."

Optimus shook his head thoughtfully.

"No. I think our child deserves a unique name of her own."

His spark-mate smiled softly as they both spent some time brainstorming possible names that would be suitable for their daughter. Optimus was finally given the chance to hold their sparkling and he cradled her to his chest with the tenderness of a father.

After a time, Optimus came up with the perfect name as he gazed down at his newly sparked daughter, studying her face.

"How about, Aethelgythe?"

Navina considered the name and nodded her head with a smile, meeting his approval.

"That name…means Noble One, doesn't it?"

"Yes, I believe it does."

"It's perfect."

The parents remained in the med-bay for some time so that Ratchet could monitor the sparkling and mother for any complications that might arise. Their son Alpharious heard the news that he was now an older brother and ventured his way in to the med-bay to see his baby sister. He greeted his father diplomatically and cast a small smile on his mother before turning his optics on the little sparkling currently nestled in his mother's arms.

"So, this is the little runt I'm going to be responsible for watching after?"

"Her name is Aethelgythe, Alpharious. Would you like to hold her?"

He seemed to hesitate, a little unsure about it but a reassuring smile from his mother encouraged him to go ahead and reach for the sparkling.

"You have to be very gentle and hold her like this"

Alpharious nodded his head in understanding and took his newborn sister into his arms and studied her.

"She's so small…"

"You were that small too when you were a sparkling," Optimus smirked from where he was seated next to his spark-mate.

Alpharious shot his father a frown and went back to studying the tiny creature. After another minute he handed the sparkling back to his father stiffly.

"I came also to say farewell…"

"Farewell…where are you going?"

Optimus frowned sensing that something was not quite right with his son's words. He could always of course, try to use their parent-child telepathy bond to sense what his son was thinking but respected his child's independence now that he was older and refrained from prying.

"I can no longer stay here, father. I must go."

"Why can't you stay a while longer? Why must you leave in such a hurry?" his mother nearly pleaded with him, her optics begging him to stay.

He shook his head with a sad smile.

"I must go and find my destiny. I can't find it here."

Optimus stood up slowly, handing Aethelgythe to his wife before approaching his son with an unreadable expression. He placed one hand on Alpharious's shoulder and looked him in the eyes.

"Be careful, son. And come back to us soon."

Alpha nodded his head before turning around and marched out of the med-bay. His parents watched his departure sadly as the med-bay doors hissed softly shut behind him.

"I knew this day would come," Optimus mumbled tiredly as he took his seat beside her.

"He must find his own destiny…you can't make his choices for him."

"I know. And yet, I feel as if something has changed in him."

His wife's optics dimmed slightly as she regarded her husband next to her.

"I know, I have sensed it too. All we can do is hope, and pray that he will make the right choices."

The two sat in silence for a while, watching over their sparkling. Optimus couldn't stop thinking about his son and thought about going after him, afraid of his intentions but knew that if he did that, Alpharious might never speak to him again.

His spark-mate was currently recharging, tired after the day's events. He was currently holding Aethelgythe in his arms, content and at peace just holding her when he chanced upon a spark-warming sight as he looked down at her peaceful face. Her optics opened revealing two small, glowing blue optics that stared intently back up at him.

Optimus smiled warmly and whispered so his recharging wife could get her rest.

"Why hello there, little one…"

The sparkling fidgeted in his arms and Optimus's spark nearly overloaded from the love that he was feeling for her. He could start to sense the infant spark-bond that he had with his child and was relieved to know that she was content for the time being.

"Welcome to the universe, my child. We've been waiting for you…"

The little one blinked innocently up at him, just the sight of her bright, baby blue optics staring intently into his own was enough to bring tears to his eyes. He continued to talk to his sparkling with warmth and love in his voice, the infant appearing to be enraptured just by the sound of him speaking to her. Then she did something that nearly reduced her father's spark into a pool of quivering energon…she smiled at him, for the first time.

Optimus considered waking up his spark-mate to share this moment but decided against it. She needed her rest and there would be many more moments like this for the two of them to share in the future.

"I love your smile, little one."

The sparkling reached a small hand out and grasped one of his large digits tightly, still gazing up at him.

"You just being alive…makes me so happy."

His sparkling then closed her optics and went back into recharge, still adjusting to life in her new body. Optimus felt so blessed to have been given the chance to interact with her for even a few minutes. He loved holding her and just feeling her small spark beating against his battle worn chassis sent a thrill through his system.

She was so precious and so small, so innocent.

As Optimus Prime cradled his daughter against his chest lovingly, he swore to himself, that he would always be there to protect her.

Soon, Ratchet had to take the sparkling away from him to run a few scans on her and it was then that Optimus Prime slipped into a much needed recharge.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Author's Note: I'll give an energon cookie to the first reviewer!