The Emery Chronicles: The White King's Woman (FIRST BOOK)

Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty Five- The Test

"Mother how could you? How could you agree to such a thing!" Arwen whirled on her mother as soon as the doors to her chambers shut behind them. They had barely made it out of the business chambers alive, but now they were alone in her mother's rooms.

"I am helping you. Trust me, I am always right." Her mother remained calm and collected.

"But what if this time you're wrong? What if you have just handed them my head on a silver platter?" Arwen felt hysterical, but her fear was just.

"Don't be ridiculous, Arwen. And please, calm yourself. This pregnancy is very crucial, you must keep yourself and this child healthy. No stress, no tension." She placed her hands on Arwen's shoulders, rubbing them and trying to calm her.

"No stress," Arwen scoffed. "That's easier said than done. How can I avoid stress with the situation I'm in? I have to have a son."

"And you will," Bianca reassured her. "Do you remember the night we cast the spell? I told you to choose whether we would use just rose quartz or combine it with amethyst to make Gavin fall in love with you. You chose not to use the amethyst. The spell wasn't a trick to make anyone fall in love; it was a pure and clean spell that would simply draw Gavin to you. You and I both know it was pure, our sister witches' spirits know it was pure, and the gods will too. Don't fret, my sweet. We will win in the end, our ancestors said so."

Arwen remarked, "I hope so," before falling into her mother's arms and letting the last of her tears flow.

***

Arwen followed her mother's advice and kept herself healthy throughout her pregnancy. She avoided all stress at all costs; which meant she must avoid Gavin. The only people she saw were her children and her mother. She kept herself happy and relaxed by watching her children grow and learn and play and laugh, without a care in the world. She even took to eating in the nursery with them rather than the dining halls with Gavin or guests. She slept in the nursery, by her daughters' side, or in her mother's chambers. She lay in bed and rest a lot, but also took strolls through the garden, breathing in the fresh air and exercising her limbs. Arwen drank teas infused with citrine, jade, and rose-hip to keep herself physically and mentally fit.

No matter how much happiness she surrounded herself with, as her belly swelled and the child inside her grew warmer and more alive, a feeling of dread lay deep inside her as well. Time was drawing near for the birth, and with each day she worried about what would happen when the baby left her body and revealed her sentence.

***

Arwen waddled to the Hall of Gods, her pregnant belly so swollen it kept her slow. Any day now, this child would be born and her fate would be discovered.

She managed to get to the great statue of the gods and slowly but surely kneeled before it. Breathing heavily, she clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.

"Gods, please watch over this child. Please protect this child. I don't even care whether it is a boy or a girl. Please, no matter what crimes I've committed, pardon my child. Let all my children live on, no matter what you decide for my fate. Please, help my children, please, pl--Ah!"

A sharp pain shot through Arwen, and her lungs felt as if they had collapsed. She held her round belly and waited. Sure enough a second pain shot through that made Arwen cry out, "Gyaaah!"

She moved her legs out from under her and saw the water stains on her skirts.

A page ran into the Hall calling out, "My Queen! My Queen?"

"Quick, I need help, my child is coming!"

"Shall I help you to your bedchambers?" He looked nervous and unsure of what to do.

"No, there's no time! It's coming fast! Send my mother and my handmaiden here, I'll have to give birth here." The page nodded and turned to run out of the room as Arwen called, "Hurry!"

She pushed herself toward the stairs that led to the statues and supported her back against the stairs. She kept her breathing as even as she could, holding back her screams as the pains came faster and faster after one another. She became aware of footsteps coming towards her, then felt a coolness on her face. She opened her eyes to see Margaery holding a damp cloth over her face.

"We're here, My Queen. Do not worry, you're alright."

"Yes, my sweet, don't worry. Come on, bring this boy into the world." Bianca took her place at Arwen's legs, rolling up her sleeves and preparing herself.

Arwen rolled her head back so she was looking at the statue of the gods upside down. She silently continued her pleas of protection, "Please, please, please, please, please pl--Aaaaaah!" And there came the sound they'd all been waiting for. A child's cry wailed throughout the Hall of Gods.

"Is she healthy?" Arwen asked, lying back and trying to catch her breath.

"I've seen many babies born," Bianca said as she swaddled the crying baby, "but this has to be one of the healthiest I've seen. Round and ready to conquer the world." Bianca stood and held the bundle out for Arwen. "And it's not a she."

Arwen looked at her mother in disbelief, choking on words. She took the swaddled child, indeed heavy and round and rosy, and moved aside some of the blanket to see for herself. And, indeed, it was a boy.

"Oh, my prince. At last, my little prince." Arwen lightly ran her hand through his tiny tuft of hair on his head and smiled at his round, beautiful face and his beautiful blue gemstone eyes. Tears freely escaped from her eyes, tears of absolute joy.

The three women turned when they heard footsteps in the distance. Margaery and Bianca gathered what they had brought with them and stood to leave. Before Bianca could leave, Arwen grabbed her arm and said, "Don't tell him it's a prince yet." Bianca nodded and stood to leave.

At the entrance of the Hall, Bianca and Margaery ran into Gavin. "How are they?" He asked as soon as he saw Bianca.

"Both mother and child are healthy as can be," she replied, "and if it please m'lord, Margaery and I are going to find some help to come clean up here."

"Yes, of course." Gavin said, already forgetting what she said. He made his way to Arwen and dropped next to her on the floor, looking at the bundle in her arms. "Beautiful," he whispered looking at his child.

Then he turned to Arwen, "Oh, my love, I'm so sorry. The one time it counted for me to defend you, I didn't. I understand why you did what you did, and I don't care what others say. I believe you're here to help me, and I love you. I love you so, so much. And all of our daughters, I will love and treasure them forever."

Arwen closed her eyes and sighed, then opened them and meekly asked, "And what about our sons?"

Gavin blinked in confusion. "Our sons?"

Arwen handed the baby to Gavin, who now looked at it in amazement.

"Our son?" He asked again. Arwen nodded and the baby squealed. Gavin's ecstatic laugh boomed throughout the hall. "Our son! Our little prince!"

They both laughed and Gavin rested his forehead against Arwen's. "Thank you, my love. Thank you." He kissed her lips, sweet and slow.

And they were happy again.