When the Sun Fell |✔|

36

Josiah entered the bedroom, exhaustion stained upon every surface of his body as he loosened his shirt and slowly sat on the edge of the bed.

He took in the sight of his sleeping Queen, his hand reaching out before stopping in midair. Slowly, he pulled back, worried that he would wake her.

The physician had told him that any day now- it could happen any day.

One would think that Ramus was the father with the way he hovered over Lumi and scolded her every movement. He had already annoyed Josiah with the dark circles that showed clearly under the male's face when she went a week past the expected date.

Josiah gently laid on the bed, taking in the sight of her. Any day now. The whole castle was on edge but Lumi seemed calm.

Josiah had to wonder where her calmness came from. She was only twenty-one...but she seemed aged beyond her years in his mind.

He couldn't help himself.

His hand went back up, pushing a loose curl that had fallen onto her face.

"My Lumi," he whispered in the dark.

He had not even realized that he had fallen asleep until a noise woke him up.

Bleary eyed, he looked to see Lumi standing while holding the edge of the desk. Groggily, he sat up, wondering if he was still asleep or not. 

"Lumi?" His voice did not catch her attention and it took him several seconds to register finally, that she was completely ignoring him. She was instead focusing on deep breathing as she bent over the desk, one hand gripping it while the other held her stomach.

That gesture made him get up quickly, alarm running through him, "Lumi, what's wrong? Is it time?"

She shook her head, pushing his arms away as he tried and failed to hold her.

"Lumi?" He could hear the panic now in his voice. A low groan left her and he saw the tightening of her knuckles on the edge of the desk.

"I can do this- don't touch me Josiah," she hissed.

He blinked in surprise, "Lumi...are you...is it Kestrel? Is it the baby?"

She was gritting her teeth as she nodded, her head suddenly bending from the pain.

"Lumi you....God Lumi! Don't just stand there in pain, get back in the bed!" He tried to move her but she shook her head. 

"I can do this-,"

"God. God. Fuck. Oh no. What do I do- Physician, we need the physician!" Josiah turned to run and get him but tripped over the carpet.

"Damn, my knee!"

Lumi suddenly shouted at him from above, "For the love of- get up Josiah! I'm dying here! I have a human coming out of me!" His lack of movement prompted her to scream, "now!"

After that, the whole castle suddenly became alive with the screaming of their Queen.

Josiah paced in front of the door with Ramus watching.

"I should be in there," he said- but the murderous scream of Lumi cursing his name had Josiah taking a step back.

"Outside is good enough," he mumbled.

Several hours passed before Josiah could take no more of it. He felt like his nerves were shot.

"Do women go through this every time?"

Ramus stared at his King in bewilderment, the only one who was present at the moment. He cleared his throat, trying to think of a reasonable answer that would not give away his ignorance when suddenly the door opened.