1. Amberstone | ✓

2. Their Birth

3 months later.
Thethia: Royal Palace, Waiting Room

• King of Thethia, Wynston •

Crying sounds filled the labour room. Minutes passed, another wailing followed. It had been dead silence in the waiting room a moment ago, but now it was filled with life.

Wynston sat in the waiting room, tapping his fingers impatiently on the arm of the chair. He was sure he had heard the cries of the newborns just a moment ago but no one came through from the delivery room to announce about his wife. Panic settled in, overwhelming him with all the negative thoughts that swarmed their way into his head. 

At that moment, the doors from the labour room burst opened and several maidservants, together with a few medical officials scurried out and headed in different directions. The knight that stood beside him grabbed hold of one of the royal doctor who was running through the doors and Wynston demanded, "What's going on?"

Startled, the royal doctor knelt in front of him and his voice was filled with intense fear and panic when he stuttered, "Y-Your Majesty, H-Her M-Majesty showed signs of h-heavy bleeding from labour and t-the situation isn't f-favourable." 

He felt a sudden drop within his chest and gripping hard onto the royal doctor's wrist, he pulled the lanky man right in front of him and raged, "I don't care what you do. If the Queen dies, all of you will die together!"

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!" The royal doctor was terribly frightened as he quickly scrambled off, heading towards where he originally wanted to go before he was stopped. 

While the royal doctors and maidservants worked to save his queen, Wynston stood in the waiting room and the Priest appeared together with two Temple Keepers behind him. The Priest tapped the tips of his scrawny fingers together and reminded, "Your Majesty, this would be a good time to see the newborns."

"Show them to me," Wynston gestured for the maidservants beside him to go fetch the children. He sank back into the armchair while rubbing his temples with his thumbs.

"Yes," one of the maidservants responded and when they returned, the newborns were cleaned up and asleep. Carrying his children in their arms, the twins were presented to him.

"Which child has the mark?" Wynston asked and one maidservant stepped forward, she carefully held and turned over the small, stubby arm to reveal a red teardrop-shaped birthmark showed on her left wrist. The Priest smirked, "Your Majesty, she's the one."

"It's indeed my Elizabeth," Wynston reached to take the child from the maidservant. He cradled her in his arms but noticed the pale complexion on the newborn's face. Her breath of life was fragile and he frowned, "Why is she frail?"

"Twins in this realm are often born unequal," The Priest reminded. "In order to survive, they had to fight between each other for the reservoir of magic provided by their mother. However, her illness can be cured easily."

"I need her alive," Wynston stated, indirectly demanding for an explanation.

"The blood that flows in a body holds the thickest essence of magic and life. During every observed new moon, draw the blood from the other child and feed it to Princess Elizabeth. Repeat the ritual until the princess is cured," The Priest replied.

"That's all?"

"As simple as that, Your Majesty," The Priest gave a sly grin.

"I understand. Release the news that Princess Elizabeth is born," he ordered. "As for the other..."

"We know what to do," The Priest nodded respectfully and raised his hand. The Temple Keepers grabbed the maidservant who was holding onto the other child and pulled her out of the waiting room. The maidservant seemed afraid but she didn't protest. The Priest congratulated, "May Her Divinity grant blessings and glory upon the Kingdom of Thethia and her new heir." 

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The wait lasted for hours and it was long before one of the royal doctors finally came through the door and announced that his wife to be out of danger. However, the royal doctor also explained that the difficult labour had deteriorated Nadia's health drastically. Not only would she be unable to bear any more children, but she would also have to spend most of her time in bed to recuperate.

Upon the news, Wynston couldn't care about his own composure and rushed to enter the labour room to have a look at his wife, his queen. Sitting by her bed, his hand reached to touch the side of her face and he called her endearingly, "Nadia."

He felt her flinch at his touch but he refused to withdraw his hand from her. His fingers traced her tightened jaw and whispered softly, "You know that I can't lose you." 

"Where are my children?" Those were the only words she had for him.

Her jaw tensed further, her teeth almost gnashing together when she spoke through clenched teeth. Hatred, fear and a mixture of emotions marred her amber-coloured eyes. Her gaze demanded an answer and a sudden feeling of annoyance surfaced within him. His tone was detached when he replied curtly,"Our princess is sleeping."

"What did you do to the other child?" Nadia asked with panic filling her voice.

Nadia forced herself to sit up. Yet, her movement was too sudden and he watched as her body swayed, falling backwards. Wynston quickly shot up from his seat and pulled her by the arm, supporting her upright. He scolded, "Do not do this to yourself!"

"What did you do to her?" his wife demanded, forcing him for an answer.

His grip on her tightened and he averted his gaze away from her eyes while his jaw ticked with infuriation. He forcefully suppressed his annoyance as he cautioned, "Nadia, no more questions."

"N-No! Wynston, you cannot do this! You cannot do this to her!" Nadia cried desperately in her hoarse voice as her hands fisted into the expensive material of his robe. It was as though the tether to her restraint had snapped and she was solely acting on the resentment that she felt for him.

She was pushing and pulling, shaking him with the remaining force left in her limbs and Wynston shouted for her to stop, "Nadia!"

"You cannot do—" his wife choked on her words and the sudden surge of emotions was too much for her frail body to handle. She fainted right over with her arms falling lifelessly at her sides and he was holding her unconscious body that almost had no traces of life left. That was all it took to invite all the panic he felt before back in a crashing tide.

"Nadia! Darned it!" Wynston cursed and shouted for help, "Royal doctors!" 

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note: please do not drink blood to cure illness.
(it's actually toxic.)