Cold
1351 Words
The physician came back in, a worried expression on his face.
“Your grace, I believe that she might be in premature labor.”
“What?”
She had passed out, the sweat dripping from her forehead, her legs were spread as I saw the fluid fill the sheets.
“We have to get this baby out or she will die. Call the midwife.”, a worried expression on his face.
“Your grace, I believe that she might be in premature labor.”
“What?”
She had passed out, the sweat dripping from her forehead, her legs were spread as I saw the fluid fill the sheets.
“We have to get this baby out or she will die. Call the midwife.”
After hours of her laying there unconscious, she produced a boy, he was small, compared to the others I had seen. It seems the physician miscalculated how far along she had actually been.
I had gotten her pregnant on our wedding night. Good fortune for an empire, good fortune for the rest of our lives.
I held him in my arms, his tiny noises filling the room. I kneeled next to the bedside caressing her cheek.
“My love, come meet our son.”
Her eyes still never opened.
“My love?”
The midwife came over and saw her lifeless figure.
“Save the empress!”
It had been a week since she had slipped into a coma.
She had been sleeping through all of his life practically. I knew that she would like to see him, so I brought him to her often, sitting there for a few hours each day, I have yet to name him. Yet to disclose an heir had been born. This was her child. This was our child.
She was unconscious because of me. My carelessness. She was abused by her own family, she was nothing but loyal to me, did nothing but be there for me, and then got mad when she threatened the banishment.
Why did I go after that servant? What was the point of it all? I was married, yet at that moment in time I had forgotten that I had a wife, that I wasn’t a bachelor anymore.
I was a husband and a father, the light and sun, ruler of the empire.
Meanwhile my wife, my light and sun, my love was death stricken, because of my wrong doings.
“Your grace! Your grace!”
I left to my feet running towards the door.
“Your grace she’s crying for the child.”
I ran back to the nursery, picking him up gently before being escorted into her room. She looked weak and frail, but also panic stricken.
“My love, I have him.”
I gently set him in her arms, she took out her breast, helping him to latch on to her breast. She did it naturally, she was the most nurturing woman, the kindest. I had betrayed that trust.
“Octavian the II, the son of the light, prince of the sun.” I looked down at her.
“Are you sure my love?”
“That is his name, his official title, how he will be addressed.” She breathed out cooly.
“My love...I’m sorry.”
“For whatever for? You took care of me, as one would, as one was able to, the pain was too great...I blocked it out. I don’t remember anything before walking out into the garden.”
I sighed in relief.
“I thought I lost you, my love.”
“I had to come meet my son. I knew he would be a son, I felt it.”
“I do remember you mentioning that to me.”
“You never named him? It’s been a week Octavian.”
“I waited for you my love. I couldn’t name him without you. He is your son after all. He hasn’t even been announced to the court. Everyone thinks that you are just fever stricken. Remember that few knew of your pregnancy, I kept it strictly on a need to know basis. The physicians and attendants to you were the ones that knew.”
“What happened in the garden?”
“You...you fell down.”
“I remember I came down to the yard, I was trying to get you out of my head.”
“Is it such a bad thing for me to occupy your thoughts?”
“Not when they’re full of how bad of a husband you are.”’
“What?”
“You kissed a lowly servant Octavian. I am not stupid. I woke up to hear the maids gossiping. Yet you keep the court from your son? Why not let them know how much of a family man you are. I told you from first night we married I would not be that person. Yet here you are, humiliating me, humiliating your people, your country, your son. You could have killed him Octavian. I don’t even know who you are. You hit me. You laid your hand on me, look at what you have caused. I have missed my own sons birth, I have missed his first breath, his first cry, I have missed his first feeding. Because of your selfishness Octavian.”
“I know my love, it won’t happen again.”
“Octavian, you don’t realize the weight of your actions. I have given you an heir and you have given me nothing of what you promised. A broken promise while I have given you mine. You have yet to even name this child! What would’ve happened had I not woken? Would you have given him no name? No title?”
“He is my son! He is my son too! I love you jade, I do, and I’m sorry, I’m sorry I screwed up again! I’m sorry that all I do is hurt you! I’m f*****g sorry. I know you need some time but I am not unwilling to fight for this marriage. I wish for us to be happy, to before last week. You will move into our shared room, along with our son. Your sole purpose until you feel you are ready to part with him during the day to handle other duties. I will make the announcement to court, I will set the baptism date, I will gather the priest. He is my legally binding heir, my first born, with my sovereign wife.”
“He is tired,”
“He’s missed you. I sat with him every day with you, trying to get you to wake up, for you to meet him. I thought you were dead.”
“And what if I was?”
“My love please don’t be stubborn, let’s look past this.”
“Look past what pain you have caused me? You had almost killed my father for threatening your heir when we didn’t know I was with child at the time. Yet when I am visibly carrying your heir you strike me.”
“Jade, I know,”
“No you don’t know. You were too hopeful when I had tricked you into thinking I hadn’t remembered anything. You wouldn’t even admit it to me, do you think me so incompetent?”
“No,”
“Leave,”
“I am not leaving you.”
“You will leave, I will stay by myself and our son.”
“No, absolutely not.”
“You don’t have much of a choice, I will not lay beside you. You have made me your lesser.”
She was right, I had unintentionally stripped her of her equality to me. Now she was only my wife on paper. I had never seen Jade, a sweet and forgiving person, turn so cold.
- Writer
