Divine Empress

Chapter Forty-Two

Raina's POV

Silence engulfed me as I watched the gentle dance of snowflakes, before gliding down to create a white blanket. Everything seemed at peace. However, I felt uneasy. "I don't think... I will be an excellent mother," I said, like a whisper. A whisper to the snow as they danced in the air.

"What makes you think that?"

Why, you ask? I asked in my head. My plan from day one in this world was to find a way back home. Though it sounds like a simple plain, circumstances kept coming and changing. I married the Emperor, became an Empress that needs to prove her worth, and now... pregnant. What will happen if I get back home?

"Are you thinking about going back?"

I turned my gaze, meeting his crimson red eyes, and all I could see was fear and concern. A soft sigh passed my lips, then hesitantly gulped before turning my gaze away. "I wanted to go back... but... I don't know what's waiting for me." I shrugged my shoulders, watched as more snowflakes fell.

"Don't you have a family?"

"Uh... I do. It's just that... we never see eye to eye...," I said, nodding my head.

"... 'never see eye to eye'?" He asked, under his breath. I snapped my gaze back at him, as his gaze stared out to the snow. "I never saw eye to eye with my father and we met for the first time... He killed himself. Then Grand Empress Dowager doesn't want to look at me, but wants to control me." He said.

He turned his gaze to me, carrying nothing more than warmth as he spoke those chilling words on the wintry day. A warm smile graced his lips as he stretched out his hand, caressing my cheek then planting his hand on my growing bump. "My wish for my child is to be happy and not a pawn for power, and I wish you can be there to protect them." As he said this, I could hear regret and worry as though he was going away.

I watched his thumb rub in gentle circles on my bump. My hand lifted, wanting to feel his warm hand under my palm. However, I stopped—"What if I'm not good enough?" I asked, feeling a lump in my throat.

"That should never stop you from trying... You've always done your best."

'Always done your best', those words repeated in my head as I placed my hand on his. 'Always done your best'. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain pierced through me from my lower abdomen, and my eyes clenched shut as the pain shot through my entire body.

'Always done your best'.

My eyes snapped open, and everything was red. Red! Red! Red! The colour of blood. I glanced at Kai, but he vanished, and pain grew as the warmth that I once felt faded with the icy wind. My body slowly shook, my arms cradled my baby, and a scream rang in my ears. "My baby... Save my baby!"

What's going on!?

"Your Grace! Your Grace!?"

W-who's there?

"Hurry! Call Doctor San!"

My, my baby...

"RAINA! RAINA!"

Kai?

Darkness engulfed me, surrounding me in an icy breeze before I knew it, the pain faded and I opened my eyes. An annoyed groan escaped my lips, blinded by a bright ray of light. What's going on? I thought to myself, hearing laughter as I lowered my hand and flickered my eyes open. Her caramel eyes stared at me, winked at me with a sly smirk. "Long time no see," she asked.

"Trix..."

She brushed her scarlet red hair off her shoulder and waved at me, "what's happening?"

"'What's happening?' 'What's happening?'!" I said, yelling and storming towards her. "What happened to my baby? Why am I here and what's going on!?"