The Price of Birth

Four to Three

Queen Nirvana lays on her bed reading a book, while King Harold is in the bathroom combing his hair. Nirvana sits up a bit more to ease the discomfort she's feeling from her stomach. Looking through the bathroom door crack, she can see her husband.

"My love," speaking with slight pain in her tone, "do you have to groom before bed? You know when you wake up, you will have bed head either way."

He gives off a slight laugh, "well, my dear, the bed head is a lot less noticeable when I do my primping before bed." Turning his attention away from the mirror, he looks at Nirvana and notices that she doesn't seem entirely comfortable. "Is everything alright?"

"No," she tosses a pillow from behind her to his side of the bed.

Walking across the white marble floors with golden lines, Harold picks up a blanket she tossed earlier. "Talk to me, what seems to be the matter?"

Nirvana grunts attempting to fluff the pillow behind her. "Well, for one, my stomach hurts." She let herself fall onto the bed; her golden hair flies all around her pillows as if to show how radiant she is. "And for the second, my belly is carrying four children, and they all need to come out soon, or I will have them removed by Mark."

Harold leans down and kisses his wife's forehead as he takes his place next to her and holds her hand. "First off, you look gorgeous, and you know I am telling you the truth because you and I don't lie to each other." He grabs some of the baby blue silk blanket and pulls up on her. "Second, you will not have Mark remove our children because they will come out hen they are good and ready."

"Oh," she gives him a sour look. "you don't get it. And you are a liar. I don't know how I can ever trust you." She turns to her side and closes her eyes. "Now tell Mags to turn off all the lanterns. I need my sleep."

Harold turns to the bedroom doors and nods to the brown-haired servant girl in the doorway. She bows her head and rushes to turn down the lights from the circular switch by the doors. She exists and closes the doors gently behind her.

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"Harold," Nirvana shakes him rapidly. "Harold," screaming she pushes him off the bed.

Jumping up from the ground, "what, what is it? Guards!" He yells in response.

"Harold, they're coming." Still, groggy Harold looks at her for a minute while he registers the fact that she is screaming at him that she is in labor.

"Oh," he says softly then crawls back into bed and closes his eyes.

"Harold," Nirvana hits his head.

"Oh!" He jumps out of bed and runs over to the Nirvana's side of the bed. "The babies are coming, the babies are coming." He lifts Nirvana from the bed bridal style and begins running towards the door chanting in rhythm "the babies are coming."

The guards open the door and see Harold running towards them, they step out of the way to make room for the king and queen.

As they enter the hallway another guard sees and hears what is happening and runs ahead to prepare the carriage for transport.

Running towards the grand staircase Nirvana's scream becomes louder and she grabs ahold of Harold by the chin forcing him to stop and look at her. "If you do not stop chanting that I swear to the gods that I will use my own umbilical cord and strangle you and leave all of our children without a father."

Harold looks at her with empty and terrified eyes. "Right okay." He readjusts his grip onto her and starts hiking down the stairs. "Just breathe, just breathe."