Dilemma

Empress Fiona rode in her carriage very early in the morning, with a wide grin on her face, listening to the sound of the early morning wind and birds chirping, her mind picturing how the newborn of Queen Olivia her childhood friend would look like. Olivia was Queen of Edor,the second kingdom of Delvin the realm of Demons and closet to Urah,the capital city.The Empress and Olivia had attended the same royal academy as children and had been close ever since but for ten years now Olivia had been avoiding her. She only sent letters which Fiona returned refusing to see her and giving excuses why she couldn't and finally the day had arrived a day she would see both her friend and her newborn. Last night she had received a letter that Olivia would give birth in a birth house in Urah,the location she was now headed to,had handed the letter over to the knights who drove her carriage and had set off very early in the morning. She couldn't hide her excitement that it made her heart thud faster, making her smile sheepishly but still when she meets Olivia she would scold her for having avoided her for such a long time. Fiona's was pretty and looked young,much too young for her age with an oval face and huge brown eyes which matched the color of the curly hair that fell gracefully down her shoulder concealing a quarter of her face. She wore a v-neck shaped purple gown designed with golden embroidery which exposed a small part of her breast.It was casual just how she wanted it as she didn't want to draw attention to herself at the birthhouse.She didn't even bring her crown. She looked over at a small mobile bed next to her where her spirit guard,a small guidian spirit always sat. Everygrown demon in Delvin owned one.It was a lifetime companion whose existence would be erased If it's Master dies. On this perfect morning it had overslept,no it always did and she had felt no need to wake it up to accompany her.If not it would have made her ride less boring than it was with no one to talk with so she was left with nothing but her thoughts. She had always loved it's company but today she didn't care,soon she would see Olivia and they had a lot to talk about. Fiona moved closer to the window of the carriage,swung the curtain open and let her face get sun kissed.She sighted the maid servants on horse back on that side and smiled to no one in particular but they returned the smile. Today she rode with fifteen knights and four maid servants on order of the Emperor,her husband who never had time for her.He had ordered not less than this number of knights to go with her anytime she left the imperial palace despite the barrier he had erected around her. She pulled the curtain over and placed a hand on her protruded stomach,she could feel the baby kicking,he always kicked always moved in her stomach,an action which made her feel uncomfortable but at the same time brought her great pleasure. Fiona was carrying the imperial prince a thought that always brought her great pride anytime it crossed her mind.Soon like Queen Olivia she would become a mother and the thought of their delivery dates being so close pleased her the more. She was so immersed in her own thoughts that she didn't realize her carriage had stopped till it's door flew open. A knight stood in front of her bowing and awaiting her next action or order.When she made a move to come down he stepped aside,took a halt and everyone lowered their heads. Fiona alighted from the carriage and starred at the building in front of her. It was three stories tall and old with faded green paint.The building had cracks all over as if it could collapse any minute. "Are we here?"she asked turning to the knight beside her. "Yes we are your majesty"he responded lowering his head the more. Fiona frowned. Of all places and birthhouse in Urah why had Olivia chosen here unless perhaps she was on her way to a better place and labour had caught her by surprise. She shook her head and hesitantly took a step forward when something pierced through her nape.It made her dizzy for a while that she staggered slightly trying to maintain her balance. A maid gently took her arm offering her assistance. "Your majesty if I may_" "Am fine"Fiona said withdrawing her hand immediately,but she wasn't.She had just been pierced by a poisoned needle.Her hair covered the area so no one had noticed. She spun around, craning her neck,to look for her attacker and when she saw no one she pulled out the needle in a way not to make the others notice. She had been expecting an attack sooner or later before she delivered as this wasn't the first time. When she was six months gone,she was attacked while taking a walk in her quaters. Someone out there for her head,but the people loved her or was it her child's. From the time she concieved of him she always knew he was unusual and she felt the Emperor knew something he wasn't telling her. After the attack he had erected a barrier around her and how an assassin had somehow managed to breech the anti-magic barrier the Emperor had erected which aside from it's peculiar function of repelling magic and spells was also impenetrable to external force. So far in Delvin only the Emperor had been able to erect such a barrier and only someone on the same magic level with the Emperor could breech it.If there was any.Now she had just discovered there was. The Emperor was rumored to be the strongest in Delvin whose magic energy was second to none in the Realm but after all it was just a mere hear say. Her attacker was probably on the same level with the Emperor or even stronger. Carolene watched the Empress turn from side to side looking over the roof of the surrounding buildings as though looking for someone.She immediately ran to her side. "Your majesty are you alright"she queried,a concerned look on her face. Carolene was her personal maid servant and attendant,the closet to her.She was a few years younger than the Empress,a short brunette attractive maiden,her brown hair was short and styled in a bob. Those huge hazle brown eyes starred at the Empress for a while awaiting a response which never came. When Fiona didn't respond, Carolene gently placed hand on her shoulder. "Are you looking for someone?" The empress threw her a broad smile and shook her head. She ordered some of her knights to come in after she had climbed up the stairs and wait at the reception area. She didn't want to draw attention,not at a place like this,where she had just been attacked. Although she wasn't sure her attacker would come for her again but she thought it best to keep to her plan of maintaining a low profile It made her wonder if her coming here was all just a set up or a trick but that didn't look like what Olivia would do and the handwriting was no doubt Queen Olivia's. Whatever she had been poisoned with was potent.It was draining her strength fast and blurring her eyesight. This birthhouse might as well turn out to be where she would deliver her own son. She quickly went in with her maid servants, relieved no one recognized her.Though a few commoners never took their eyes off her,they made no move to pay their respects to her. Fiona ascended the stairs but stopped halfway panting, sweating all over and gasping for air. "Your majesty pls..."the maids pleaded gesturing to take her arm. This time Fiona let them and they led her up the stairs into the room they had reserved for her.Fiona looked around the room when they entered.It had no content except a table in front of a farthingale chair which stood in front of a fire place,just the way she had requested. Originally she was to wait her for Olivia to deliver but now she would be needing a ward. She sank into the chair trying to catch her breath then she discharged other maidservants,listed some ingredients for a decoction and asked carolene to prepare it. Fiona watched carolene leave with her medicine box,praying deep within her that she found the ingredients for the decoction quickly,she didn't know how long she could hold on. She always carried her decoction and ingredients along with her when ever she left the imperial palace but this one was different. Since it wasn't her due date yet she had never drank it before. Empress fiona brought out her handkerchief from a small red bag she always carried and coughed into it.She withdrew it from her face and saw it was stained crimson red with blood.As she felt her airway clog she coughed out more blood, placing a hand on her chest as she did. She felt herself jumping in and out of conciousness but she struggled to stay conscious.It wasn't over yet not untill she delivers her child. The Empress coughed till she slipped off the chair and fell to the dry marble floor.She managed to sit upright but had lost the strength to carry her own weight. she couldn't climb back up the chair and now sat trying to keep hope alive and struggling to keep her eyes open, frightened that if she shut it,that might be the last time she would see the land of the living Her mind was now fixated on delivering her own child that she now ignored the main reason she had come to the birthhouse.The poison might claim her life but she swore to protect her child and give birth to him at all cost for that reason she tasked herself with staying alive at least till she saw her own child and her beloved Emperor but deep within her she was unsure she would last the next hour