"Mommy!"
"Your highness! Is the princess, okay?"
"Your highness! What happened to the mistress?!"
Heise, Roman and Alex both rushed towards them. Both of the men quickly assumed their attack stances when they saw who emerged from the water with their princess while the child went to warm his mother up immediately.
"What are you doing here?"
"What have you done to her?"
Roman and Alexander both interrogated the man, who was supposed to be back at their Empire still in a coma, but was sitting there across them and happened to rescue their princess.
What's happening?!
"Stand down, Alex, Roman. He still saved Adira. A life for a life."
They heard Casimir's voice command them before they relaxed their stance. But, that didn't mean they were not hostile with him anymore.
Also, even when their prince sounded relaxed, the glare and the frost in his eyes says otherwise.
Here, in front of him, was a man too obsessed with his wife that he almost damned her to hell. He could not forget that no matter how long it took or no matter what he did.
Just because he saved Adira, doesn't wipe all the sins he had done against her and the crown. This was just a one time thing.
He'll close his eyes about seeing him here in exchange for rescuing Adira from drowning.
However, even when both of Alex and Roman's blades were almost at his neck already, Leon's eyes were still fixated on Adira's unconscious form.
Raidyn, trying to distract the trio's attention away from Leon, approached Casimir and offered them a room in the palace for the princess to rest.
"Thank you, King Raidyn."
"No. It's partly my fault after all, Prince Casimir. I will also send the best palace doctor to your room to take a look at the princess. We can't take chances."
Casimir only nodded and, once again, offered his gratitude before turning his back on Leon's frozen outstretched hand.
...
"Your highness, do you think that was the best decision? To let that man go free?"
Roman questioned the abberance of Casimir's too mild decision. If it were the usual him, he'd have drawn his sword right then and there and shed blood—even if they were on foreign land.
Especially since the wife was out cold and cannot see this gruesome spectacle. Nothing should've stopped him.
"He saved Adira's life, Roman. I'm just repaying that debt."
"Yes, but wasn't he the one who endangered her life the last time?!"
"And I've paid that by almost killing him as well."
Casimir then turned his frosty eyes towards Roman's way and shut him up. He wasn't in the mood to discuss about Leon when he still hadn't heard from the doctor, who went in to go and check his wife.
What's taking him so long?
He groaned before leaning his head on both of his palms before they combed his hair up—expressing his utter frustration at being practically useless when Adira's life was in danger.
The door then creaked open and Casimir was already up his seat, wordlessly asking the doctor that came out how was his wife's condition.
The elderly doctor took one look at Casimir's haggard and worried face before giving the man a big gummy smile and shook his hands.
"Congratulations, your highness! The Princess bears your child!"
He announced and it floored everyone present in the room—which was only Casimir, Heise, Roman and Alex.
But the former was too stunned that he couldn't stop shaking the doctor's hands while still trying to wrap his mind around this old man's words.
It couldn't be that he's just being a senile old man and mistakenly gave him the wrong diagnosis, right?
"A child... Did you just say a child?"
"Yes, your highness. The Princess' nausea, fatigue, and other symptoms were because of her pregnancy.
So please bear with her if she starts to crave for different things or becomes too moody from now on."
The elderly doctor kindly informed Casimir of the possible changes in his wife's attitude and wants.
Roman and Alex were the first to snap out of it before the former beamed and congratulated Casimir with a bright aura around him as well.
It was as if all the bloodlust that these two held a while ago were nothing but an illusion as it was quickly wiped away with extreme happiness from this big and wonderful news.
"I-Is it fine to see the princess now, doctor?"
Alex asked for the silent Casimir, who was still stunned out of his wits.
"Sure! She's already up and fine so you better go in and talk with her, your highness."
The doctor slightly bent his old and cranky body while giving way to this completely frozen prince.
It was Heise who made him take a step, by pulling him by his hand, after getting tired of him just standing and gawking there like a statue.
"Mommy?"
"Baby?" The woman, who was sitting comfortably on the bed, turned to them from staring at the outside world and smiled.
"A-Adira."
"Yes, Casey?"
"I-Is it true? You... You're pregnant? Wi-With my child?"
The man repeated slowly, still unable to believe it even when he heard it from himself. It still felt like a very, very beautiful phantasm.
Adira's hands then moved to her belly as she softly caressed it before turning back to her husband with teary ashen eyes and answered him with a pretty smile,
"It seems so, husband."
Casimir carefully and gingerly wrapped the woman inside his arms—incredibly happy about this news but also extremely scared at how fragile she must be now that it wasn't only her.
"Heise? Is something the matter, baby?"
The woman noticed the child still standing by the door and just staring at them. It was his turn to be frozen solid by this news now.
It had a different effect on him when he heard it from his mother herself.
And then suddenly, large beads of tears fell from this beautiful child's sapphire eyes.
"Am I... Am I not Mommy's baby anymore? Because Mommy already has a new baby?"
Adira's heart twinged painfully at hearing the little child's anxiety and fear that she could only sigh helplessly before softly beckoning him over.
When the child arrived at her bedside, she engulfed him in a soft and warm motherly embrace before petting his silky and smooth raven hair—softly coaxing him.
"Heise will always be Mommy's baby. This new baby only means that Heise will be a big brother soon.
It means that you need to protect your little sister or brother. I can count on you, right?"
Adira asked to which the child replied with a gentle bob of his head before adding,
"Un. I will protect the baby with my life."
"Thank you, big brother Heise. Is what your little sibling said. And Mommy says that big brother Heise also needs to protect his own life. Because Mommy will be really, really sad."
The child cheered up and pumped his fists animatedly—getting fired up with his new mission.
To protect the newest addition to their little family.
Notes:
Happy 111 chapters to us! So to celebrate the triple numbers, here's a lovable chapter for everyone~~
What do you think will be the baby's gender? Comment your thoughts, my lovelies ❤️ banzaaaii 🎉🎉🎉