Love In The Palace

Torn

Chapter 34.

This chapter is extra longer than the previous ones.

Recap: in the previous chapter, Consort Lana who has bad intentions seemed to soften slowly as she empathises with Jade while Empress was confused about the Jade's child. As she quarrelled with General Wales, the latter seemed to have a change of heart in his feelings.

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"How many months has it been?" Crown Prince asks, his eyes are set on Jade's growing belly, his hands gently caressing her belly in hope that his child will be able to feel it. Being a father for the first time feels weird to him, but he is undoubtedly happy about it, because the mother of his child is Jade.

"Six months." Jade answers, resting her hand on top of Crown Prince's. He entangles their fingers together, gripping her small hand tightly.

"I am so glad we met." He looks out of the door, into nothing, reminiscing those years he was suffering in humiliation. Then one day, out of nowhere, a female servant just appeared in his palace. At first, he despised her. Slowly but surely, as he found out more secrets about her, the attraction would not stop. It was all too late when he wanted to repel the feelings away as they just grew stronger. How lucky he was when she agreed to be his Mistress, he thinks. At first, she was a little bit apprehensive. However, she has become more open towards him.

"Me too." A smile is plastered on her face, a sincere one, as she gently caresses her belly. They just stay silent in each other's presence, enjoying their tea in her quarters.

"Ah!" A movement in her belly surprised her, a feeling that she never has felt before. It is weird. Knowing that her baby is kicking inside her belly, but still unsure of it, she waits for another one.

"What happened?!" Crown Prince rushes to her side, putting both his hands on her arms gently, his expression carries a thousand of worries. The shocked expression of Jade only puts him in worse state of worrying.

"Jade?!" He asks again, this time his heartbeat picks up a rapid pace, clearly implying his protectiveness over his Mistress.

"The baby..."

"What? Is there something wrong with the baby?! We need to get the physician! Rowe-"

"No!" Jade grips back Crown Prince's arms, it is strong enough to reassure him that nothing is wrong with her. Jade places her hand back on her belly, as though she can feel her baby, as though her baby can respond back to her loving mother.

"Baby... The baby is moving..." A drop of crystal clear tear rolls down her cheek as her lips are unconsciously pulled up into a smile. Such warm love, such a warm feeling, it is her first time feeling it. The love of a mother even when her child is not yet born. It feels as though her life depends on the baby in her belly, as though her baby is her life.

"Jade..." Crown Prince carefully wraps his arms around her, his eyes slowly turning glassy when he knows that her baby is growing healthily inside of his love.

"I hope that it is a son. When he grows up, I can personally teach him swordsmanship, horseback-riding, archery and many more. I am very sure that he will be my pride, our pride." His words have her stunned. No matter how much parents want to see their children successful, and become honourable government officials, they still would not want their children to go through emotional complications, especially the mothers, especially so when Jade has seen how fierce the power struggle between Empress and Consort Shine. She does not want to go against Crown Princess, she does not have the ability to do so. Moreover, seeing how Crown Prince favours her over Crown Princess, she is even more afraid that the feud between Empress and Consort Shine will be repeated between her and Shana.