Chapter 89
The final weeks of pregnancy felt like an eternity.
Aeliana had never been good at sitting still, had never been one to be coddled or controlled. She had spent her entire life fighting for control over her own fate, carving out her place in this empire. And now, suddenly, she was expected to do nothing but rest.
She hated it.
But even more than that, she hated the way her body betrayed her.
She had endured the dizziness, the nausea, the exhaustion. But now, as her belly grew heavy with the weight of the child she carried, even the smallest movements felt like battles.
Her limbs ached, her breathing felt strained, and some days, it was as if she were trying to carry a world inside her instead of a child.
She was forced into bed rest by the royal physician, much to her frustration.
"The stress on your body is too great," he had said sternly, his wrinkled face unreadable as he handed down the decree as if it were law. "You will remain in your chambers until the birth. Any unnecessary movement could put both you and the child at risk."
Aeliana had wanted to argue.
But she knew better.
She knew her body was struggling.
She had felt it in the way her energy drained too quickly, in the way her muscles protested even the simplest tasks.
She was not weak. But even the strongest warriors needed to recognize their limits.
And so, for the first time in her life, Aeliana conceded.
But if she had to suffer through the tedium of bed rest, she would not do so alone.
Because Tharx never left her side.
Not truly.
Even when he attended war councils or presided over the court, his presence lingered.
He ruled from her chambers now, his desk moved near their bed, his meetings conducted in hushed voices as she rested.
He watched over her with the same intensity he did a battlefield, as if daring fate to challenge him.
At first, it had annoyed her.
"You cannot hover over me like an overprotective guardian," she had huffed one evening, propped against the mountain of pillows he had demanded be placed behind her.
Tharx had simply arched a brow, unbothered. "I can and I will."
Aeliana had glared. "I am not dying."
"No," Tharx had said smoothly. "But you are the most precious thing in this empire, and I will not take chances."
Her breath had caught at that.
She had no quick response for words like those.
And so, she let him stay.
Let him pace the room while she slept.
Let him touch her belly at night when he thought she was asleep, his fingers careful, reverent.
Let him press silent kisses to her forehead, her hair, her lips, as if grounding himself in the reality of her presence.
Aeliana had never been good at stillness.
But she found peace in his presence.
She found comfort in the way he cared for her, the way he anticipated her needs before she spoke them aloud.
She was not used to being protected.
Not like this.
Not by a man who had once built his kingdom on war and fire.
But for her, he was something else.
Something softer.
Something unshakable.
And as the weeks passed, as her body grew heavier and the weight of the future settled upon them, she realized something.
This was no longer just about survival.
It was about building something greater than either of them had ever imagined.
The first pain came in the dead of night.
Aeliana awoke with a start, her breath catching as something inside her tightened, pulled, strained.
For a moment, she wasn't sure what was happening.
Then, as the pain passed, as the sensation left her shaking, she understood.
It was time.
She exhaled, slow and controlled, pressing a hand to her stomach.
A second contraction gripped her like a vice.
Aeliana bit back a sound.
But Tharx-who had been resting beside her, his body as always half-alert even in sleep-was already stirring.
His golden eyes snapped open.
His gaze found hers instantly, and the moment he saw her expression, his entire body tensed.
"Aeliana?"
Her breathing was measured, but uneven. "I-"
Then another contraction.
Stronger this time.
Tharx was on his feet in an instant, his muscles coiled, his expression deadly calm.
"Send for the physician," he ordered the nearest guard at the door.
The command was obeyed without hesitation.
Then, Tharx turned his attention back to her.
Aeliana was gripping the sheets, her knuckles pale.
She exhaled sharply. "I thought I had more time."
Tharx's jaw tightened. "It does not matter. We are ready."
Aeliana let out a breathless laugh, though it was shaky at best.
"Are we?" she murmured.
Tharx's gaze hardened. "We will be."
She let her head rest against the pillows, closing her eyes for a moment as another wave of pain rolled through her.
She had never feared battle.
But this was different.
This was something unknown.
And for the first time in a long time, she felt something sharp pierce through her usual resilience.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
Something close.
Something fragile.
Tharx sat on the edge of the bed, his hands steady as they found hers.
He did not speak.
He did not offer meaningless reassurances.
He simply held her hand, firm and unyielding.
The next contraction left her breathless.
She squeezed his fingers, her grip ironclad.
Tharx did not flinch.
He held her through it, let her take what she needed.
And when it passed, when she finally found the breath to speak, she whispered the words that would change everything.
"Ready or not, our future begins now."