𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 (𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝)

31. The long awaited baby

Three weeks passed since Arielle fell into her deep slumber, and the once vibrant palace felt like a ghost of its former self. The bright banners that hung from the walls now seemed dull and lifeless, mirroring Aiore's heart. He had ascended to the throne, but every crown he wore felt heavier than the last. The weight of responsibility pressed down on him, and the joy of being king felt like a distant memory overshadowed by his grief.

Each day blended into the next as Aiore kept vigil by Arielle's side. He would sit in the dim light of her chamber, holding her hand in his, wishing for a spark of warmth to return to her touch. The wedding day they had eagerly anticipated had come and gone without a celebration, leaving behind a painful reminder of what should have been.

The air in the room was thick with the scent of flowers that had long since wilted, a symbol of his faltering hope. Aiore had ignored the advice of courtiers and advisors; he could not bring himself to embrace the role of king fully, not when Arielle lay there, so close yet so far from him.

One fateful day, a wizard approached him with a grave expression. "Your Majesty," he said, bowing slightly, his brow furrowed with concern, "I need to discuss Lady Arielle's condition."

"What is it?" Aiore asked, his heart racing. "Will she wake up soon?"

The wizard hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the ground. "If this continues, the baby within her will not survive. I can perform a spell to extract the child, placing it in a magical womb, where it can grow safely and receive the nutrients it needs."

A chill ran through Aiore. "No!" he shouted, the denial roaring to life within him. "She will wake up! I know it!"

Aldith, who had been silently observing, stepped forward, concern etched on his face. "Brother, perhaps it's time to accept the truth. Arielle may not return. We must not let our child suffer because of our stubbornness."

Anger flared within Aiore. "Shut up!" he roared. "She will wake up! She promised she would!" His heart raced, emotions boiling over. "Doesn't she love me anymore? Why is she doing this to me?"

He leaned closer to Arielle, his voice trembling. "Arielle, please... don't you love me anymore? Is that why you're not talking to me? Are you taking revenge on me for not talking to you in the past? If you want me to talk, I'll do it all day! Just come back to me, please!"

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he clutched her hand tighter, wishing for a sign of life. He could not bear the thought of losing her.

Aldith felt his heart clench at the sight of his brother's despair. "I'm sorry, brother," he whispered, the heaviness of the situation weighing on him. "But we need to save the baby."

In a moment of desperation, Aldith seized a nearby lamp and, with a swift motion, struck it against Aiore's head. The room spun around Aiore as he collapsed, unconscious.

---

When he awoke, Aiore felt disoriented, his head throbbing. "What... where am I?" he muttered, blinking against the harsh light. Panic surged within him as he recalled the wizard's words.

Aldith stood nearby, his face pale with concern. "You're safe, but we need to discuss the baby," he said, his voice steady yet strained. "I had to act."

"Where's Arielle?" Aiore demanded, scrambling to his feet. He rushed to her room, heart pounding.

As he entered, his heart sank at the sight of her lying still, her stomach flat and devoid of life. The room felt colder, emptier, a stark contrast to the warmth that had once filled it.

Aldith stepped in behind him, his expression somber. "Brother, you must understand-"

"No!" Aiore shouted, fury and despair mingling in his chest. "She can't be gone! She wouldn't leave me like this!"

Aldith's shoulders sagged as he saw the pain etched on Aiore's face. "We did what we had to do to save the child," he said softly.

Aiore's fists clenched at his sides, trembling with rage. "I don't care about the child! I want Arielle!"

"Do you truly believe that?" Aldith asked gently, watching his brother with concern. "She may still wake up. We just need to hold on to hope."

"I can't do this without her!" Aiore cried, his voice breaking. "She said she loved me! She can't just abandon me!"

"She won't leave you, brother. She's just resting. She'll wake up for you, for your child. She won't abandon her family. But you have to be strong. You're not just her fiancé, you are the king of this country."

As Aldith spoke, Aiore felt the hollowness inside him deepen. The weight of kingship pressed upon him, a crown he had never wished to wear if it meant ruling alone.

Months passed like an endless nightmare, and Aiore became a king in name only. He drifted through the palace, lost in a fog of sorrow. The kingdom thrived around him, but he felt like a ghost, a mere spectator in his own life. His brother took on the mantle of leadership, diligently managing the affairs of state while Aiore remained trapped in his grief.

Finally, after six long months, the moment arrived. The child was deemed healthy enough to be taken from the magical womb. The palace erupted in celebration, yet Aiore remained ensconced in his sorrow, unable to join in the festivities.

Aldith approached him, cradling the tiny baby boy in his arms, the child wrapped in soft blankets. "Brother, he's born," Aldith said, his voice tinged with hope. "The long-awaited baby..."

Aiore felt a wave of emotions crash over him. Tears filled his eyes as he gazed at the innocent face of his son. "He wasn't meant to be born this way," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. The vision of Arielle smiling at him, their child cradled in her arms, danced through his mind. "She would have loved him so much."

"Isn't it time to give him a name?" Aldith asked gently, watching his brother's expression.

"Whatever," Aiore replied, his voice devoid of enthusiasm.

"Why, brother? You're acting like your own father and your stepmother. Isn't your baby the most pitiful one here? He lost both his parents, not just his mother." Aldith said, his eyes filled with tears. "He deserves to know love, Aiore. Please don't abandon him."

Aiore's heart twisted at the thought of his child growing up without parents. "No..." he said, his voice shaking. "I can't let that happen."

With trembling hands, he reached for the baby, cradling him against his chest. "My child..." he whispered, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his cheeks. He pressed a gentle kiss to the baby's forehead, feeling a spark of warmth radiate through him.

"Look, Arielle, it's our baby," he said as he brought the baby toward her bed, his voice thick with emotion. "Doesn't he look like you?"

Aldith watched, tears glistening in his eyes as he witnessed the tender moment between father and son. The sight filled him with hope, yet the absence of Arielle weighed heavily on his heart.

"Please, Arielle," Aldith thought desperately, casting a glance toward her still form. "Wake up. Your family is waiting for you."

As Aiore held his child close, the echoes of laughter and celebration rang through the palace, a stark contrast to the sorrow that enveloped him. In that moment, he realized that love could transcend even the deepest grief, but only if Arielle would return to them.

His child needed her.

He needed her.