The Royal Concubine (please read edited version)

Delivery

        My pregnancy progressed slowly in ample bliss. I spent my long days still in the palace and though I was trapped in its confinement, I felt free when I was with my emperor. Obvious civic duties kept him away for most of the part but he made it a priority to try to make it in time for the night. It was our special time, an interrupted time span where we listened to each other breath and drift to sleep, wrapped in each others arms. That was the only time I could relieve myself from the overwhelming feelings of captivity.

Despite our peaceful nights together (and the ones full of passion), Yoongi seemed to carry a heavy weight on his shoulders from the ongoing conflict the Japanese Empire was having with us. I didn't know much of what was the exact situation, Yoongi made sure for everything to be sheltered around me. When we lie in bed, I would turn his back towards me, disrobe him from his upper half and gently massage his knots in the back caused by stress with my good hand until he would visibly relax at my touch and moan in contentment.

"Don't tire yourself out rose, I don't want to exhaust you," he implores to me but I shake my head and hold his big hand in mine.

"This is the least I could do to help you, you are my husband and it my duty to help you in any way I can," I say.

He didn't reply. Yoongi had already fell asleep. I rest my hand back on my pillow and watch his back as it moves slightly with each slow breath. Sleep hovers over me and I doze off. I hoped that long nights like this would always last.

The queen would always come to my chambers to check in on me. Her complete character change was surprising, so naturally, my guard lowered around her. Though I was forbidden to go into the village to shop and choose all of my pieces for the nursery, the queen brought talented designers and builders to comply to my wishes.

"My, this is too much Your Highness, thank you for the kindness you have showed me." I bow to her.

"I don't mind helping the heir, it's the least I can do." The queen smiles kindly. This has been ongoing for six months. The queen grew very fond of visiting my room and admiring the baby clothes I have made.

It would be any day now that the baby would come. My stomach was the size of a large watermelon and my small figure made it hard for me to move with the extra weight. Nonetheless, I still made an effort to take a daily garden walk and calm my nerves. The air was crisp and the autumn wind cooled me down.

Sitting on the stone bench, I gaze at the beautiful flowers scattered around. A light blue bud catches my eye. Its petals were twisted up, still not fully matured. I reach my hand out to touch it but a sharp pain in my stomach stops me. I breath deeply so the maids around me wouldn't worry, but I couldn't hold in all of my groans.

"Lady Hye-Rin you should return to your room." A maid that has been watching me says.

"I'm fine, it won't last long," I say, out of breath.

"Lady! You're going into labor!" She rushes over to me.

"No I'm not, this pain is usual."

"Lady, look at your skirt!" She says quickly and calls for more maids to come help.

I do as she says and notice the bottom of my dress is wet. The pain must have masked the feeling of my water breaking.

Maids surround me, but I didn't want to get up. My legs would not move and my head could not focus on one particular thing. I try to tell them to stop but my lips could not form the words.

My body moves without my consent off the bench and towards to the maid head building. I was instructed to go there if my water broke and I didn't have a maid close by to take me.

For some reason I feel dread. It wasn't because I was scared of delivering, but scared of not delivering. My heart was beating with the memories of the cabin and my lost child. I wish for nothing like that to happen again.

Right in front of my eyes was the room with the bed which I thought would be my coffin. Its dark, wooden walls seem to close in, suffocating me. I am pushed onto the bed. It is all too familiar.

"Stop! Save him! Save my baby!" I yell in pain. He is going to die because I am weak.

"Your baby is fine. Please lay down," a maid says. Her voice is calm and snaps me out of my nightmare. I am no longer in the cabin but a large white room.

I scream as I feel a searing pain in my lower region. I try to look down and already see that nurses are hard at work. One of them pats a cold towel on my forhead, she has been saying calm words this whole time but I just start listening.

"Your most important job is to focus on me. Now, my lady, take deep breaths. It will be over soon."

I ignore her and keep looking around the room, waiting for my beloved Yoongi to appear. He will surely come once he hears the news.

"Lady, you have to push," a nurse out of my view says.

Now I have two pains: one physical and one mental. Where is he.

"King." I breath out as I turn to the nurse still beside me, "King."

"Don't worry, he looks forward to meeting his heir."

But I want him now.