W.I.T.C.H.: The Bloody Throne

Part 24

        Again Will felt trapped in a corner. On one hand, most of the people who were important already knew or would spill the beans soon, at least she was certain that Hay-lyn would confess to their friends soon. Furthermore, she wasn't sure how long she wanted or could keep the baby a secret, soon there would come a time where the bump in her stomach couldn't be hidden anymore and summer was coming; if she calculated correctly, the baby would be due in August. However, she did want to make this decision with her husband, as it was with him that she chose to keep the pregnancy a secret. Add to that fact, it was Elizabeth's birthday. Even if she was only turning one and wouldn't remember that day in years to come, it didn't feel right to her to make this little girl share her special day with someone who wasn't even born yet. Still, she could feel the atmosphere in the room growing heavy as both Isabella and Seras were waiting for her to make the decision, which Will could understand as it was her body carrying the baby. For a second, Will's eyes scanned the room, trying to find a way out of the discussion. She looked at Elyon, then at Korinthia who seemed more interested in straightening her skirt than anything, then at the window and wondered how her husband was doing. Fiddling with the tail of her sleeves, her voice shook a little as she asked.

"Well, I still want to discuss this with Phobos, but, since the news is out and you two," she gestured to Isabella and Seras, "have had kids and are expecting, is there anything that I have to keep an eye on during the pregnancy and the first year? I want to make sure the baby won't lack anything."

"Why didn't you ask this sooner?" Seras voice rang like a bell with joy and excitement. "For one, try to avoid stress as much as possible. I remember when I was pregnant with Myra, my husband had an accident that ruined his legs. Some things are unavoidable, but I blamed myself for the accident since I had suggested it to him. I almost lost my dear Myra over that time."

Just as Will intently listened to Seras's story, Elyon was listening in. Her brother hadn't taught her much about her cousins and she was certain that this was a story that even Phobos didn't know. However, just as Seras was beginning to tell the story and Isabella was sprinkling in advice on how to take care of a newborn, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Looking up she saw that it was Korinthia, her doll-like eyes looking down at Elyon with an expression that Elyon couldn't peg but must lie somewhere between boredom and discontent.

"I want to go on a walk, and I want you to join me." Her voice, like her eyes, seemed hollow and more like a demand than a suggestion. For a moment, Elyon wanted to refuse, as she really wanted to listen to the story, but something in the cold stare in her cousin's eyes made her follow Korinthia out the door and into the wide, empty hallway. Only after the door shut behind the two princesses with a loud and echoing thud, did Korinthia let her expression change. To Elyon, it almost appeared like Korinthia deflated like a balloon before collecting herself again but leaned against the closed door to the study like she was trying to hold back a flood of feathers. "All this talk about babies is giving me a headache."

"Huh, why is that? Don't you want to be a mother someday?" Asked Elyon as she stared at her cousin in surprise. Initially, she had thought that Korinthia was simply bored because Korinthia had something better to do; to hear that the talk of babies upset Korinthia made Elyon more curious about her cousin.

"Not really." Replied Korinthia and closed her eyes for a bit. "I am engaged to marry next year, and I thought that is what I wanted, but all I have been hearing since Isabella found out she was pregnant was babies. Then Elizabeth was born and mother found out she was pregnant again. I know all they wanted was to teach me, so I can be prepared, but I have heard so much about them, that I hesitate to think of having any. Perhaps my future husband doesn't want any children. He is the second son of the Cina throne, so it isn't like anyone is going to demand he has heirs."