Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

Forsaken

The first thing I notice is something heavy on my forehead and I take it off first. It's a cold dampen towel.

The stickiness of my sweats is giving me an unwanted and overwhelming stench.

I get off the bed to see screen dividers at the corner of the room. It so happens to be a bathtub with warm water.

Without thinking too much, I use it.

Then while I'm trying to dry my hair, the only door to the room opens.

Alosrin holds a crying Asahi, and Niowei is tailing them.

"Mama!" Asahi reaches for me with his tiny arms and chubby hands.

"Hello, my sunshine," I take him into my arms and kisses his chubby, rosy cheeks. "Miss mommy too much I see."

"Mama!" He begins laughing immediately and talking like no tomorrow.

"Really? That's so cool!" I answer him.

"Maeve, what happened?" Alosrin asks immediately. "Mother told me you can't stand the sight of persimmons? But why were you in the Persimmon Yard?"

"How long was I asleep for?"

He rolls his eyes knowing I'm trying to change the subject, but answers me, "About two mortal weeks with a fluctuating fever."

"Oh... And may I feed my son?" Asahi is already sucking my neck.

Alosrin gives me a nod.

While breastfeeding Asahi, I ask, "Where's Grandmama?"

"She's also not feeling well and is resting."

Alosrin moves to sit on a chair across from Ashai and I with his daughter sitting quietly on his laps.

'Yes. Now that I remember how Niowei looks like, my daughter and her look different,' I thought.

"You had a daughter?" Alosrin seems to read my mind again.

I awkwardly nod.

"What happened to her?"

"She..." Can I even lie to Alosrin? "We were poisoned while she was still developing in my womb."

"Then do you believe in the so called 'Royal Curse'?"

Niowei looks sleepy in her mother's arms; and Asahi in mine.

"I don't know. Sometimes I think it's a coincidence while other times I think someone is trying to make it a curse."

"Your father-in-law, Niltiocles, told me he knew the people trying to make sure his mother and his stepmothers infertile after the birth of him and his twin brother," Alosrin still has his indifferent face just from thinking about Prince Niltiocles.

"I'm sure that's the answer to how his wife gave birth to both your husband and sister-in-law, and look at their age gap. It's definitely not thirteen."

"I saw a similar poison in you while I was nursing you," Alosrin further adds. "I'm sure you won't be able to have another child even if the magic make you incredibly fertile."

My eyes feel like they're being forced to stay open as I grab my stomach.

"I already took out the poison fully," Alosrin answers. "And I took them out of Asahi as well."

"Why Ashai too?"

"You're breastfeeding him, aren't you?" He raises an eyebrow as if he doesn't understand how I haven't made that connection.

"What I want to warn you is that once you're back with my son, be wary of the food you're being fed."

I nod in response.