2 months later
Iftia: Royal Medical Department

• Elianna •

"Don't overwork yourself," Rowan reminded, holding onto her hand firmly to help her down the carriage. "I'll send Tristan to pick you up in the evening."

Elianna nodded, casting him a wide smile and that earned her a returning smile from her husband. Rowan held her close and pecked a kiss on her forehead. He also watched her walk into the building before turning around and entered the carriage once again.

It took a few months for her, familiarising and working around her new routines to finally be able to allocate time for herself to resume her duties in the Royal Medical Department. Definitely, Rowan had tried to convince her out by numbering the many responsibilities that she had after accepting her titles as the Crown Prince Consort and the Royal Princess of Thethia. But Elianna couldn't help but miss her work as a doctor. It had always been her dream and a passion that she had taken after her mentor. Jason always wished to dedicate his whole life into the field of medicine and she would fulfil his wishes for him. Her hands smoothed over her medical garb, brimming with happiness as she walked down the hallway.

Collin, the medical administrator, was the first to notice her as he exclaimed excitedly, "Elianna!"

Across the counter, Henry reached over to whack on the back of Collin's head as he chided, "How rude! Her Highness is the Crown Prince Consort, you should be greeting her properly."

"Henry," Elianna sighed, her lips pulled into a slight frown. "Don't be a stranger with me."

"Never," Henry grinned cheekily. "You know that we're most happy to have you back, Elianna."

She chuckled softly in response but a sudden loud sound startled all of them and she whipped her head around to see Larry, his expression paled like the sheets of paper that fell out from between the messy splay of heavy books that were dropped to the ground. He gasped, "Elianna."

"Larry!" She quickly stepped forward to help him pick up the books as she continued, "It's been a while, isn't it?"

"I-I'm—"

"Larry," she cut in, frowning unhappily at him. "If the first thing you're going to say to me is an apology, I can't promise I wouldn't beat you up with this stack of heavy books."

Behind Larry, Professor Hamely had stepped out of his office to check on the commotion but at the sight of her, he inhaled, "Your Highness, why are you here? Moreover, in this dressing?"

"Please address me as you would, Professor Hamley," Elianna grinned, bowing slightly. "I'm reporting back to the Department as your apprentice again."

"His Highness allowed it?" Professor Hamley stunned but quickly added, "Or maybe, please don't answer that."

"Why not?" Elianna asked, slightly confused.

"I'm already too old bear to hear His Highness' disapproval," Professor Hamley said, coughing a little and rambled on, "Let's have a talk while you're here. I have a new study I would like to have you take a look and give me some insights on. It's already the seventh run but something seemed off about the set-up and—"

"There he goes again," Collin sighed, shaking his head slightly.

Even so, Elianna felt comforted at Professor Hamley's eagerness and the excitement that flashed across his dark brown eyes was unmistakable. All the years that passed haven't changed the warmth she felt from everyone in this place. She still belonged, within this place filled with the scent of herbs and books.

※

After the talk with Professor Hamley, she spent the rest of the afternoon tidying up the medical library with Henry. They talked about various things but mostly shared about her stories that the knowledge she gained from working with the doctors from Rivia.

"You should gather up a report on these!" Henry enthused. "You know, Professor Hamley would be most delighted to have them on records."

"Surely, I have plans for it," Elianna smiled, placing a book back into the shelf. "Though, it would take me a long time to complete them."

"If you require my assistance, I can always make a trip to Lyx," Henry winked. "Though you have to promise me to tell me more stories about Rivia."

They were casually chatting with one another until the library door was pushed opened in one abrupt slam and a lady passed through, asking frantically, "Has anyone seen Her Highness, The Crown Prince Consort?"

At her mention, Elianna quickly whipped her head around and recognised the anxious lady to be Fariah, Naailah's lady-in-waiting. She dropped the books in her arms on the nearest surface and strode towards her. Concerned, she rushed, "Fariah, what's wrong?"

"Your Highness, p-please tend to Her Highness, h-her water broke," Fariah pleaded nervously.

Elianna grasped the situation almost immediately and comforted the worried lady, "Let's get on the carriage. Don't worry, she'll be fine."

She exited the Royal Medical Department and got into the carriage as they set off to Nvre Palace in a hurry.

━━━━━━━━━━

Iftia: Nvre Palace, Waiting Room

• Matthias •

Matthias pushed himself to stand the moment he caught sight of Elianna walking through the door into the waiting room. He was all lost for words except to shout her name, "Elianna!"

His sudden loudness had stunned her but Elianna recovered rather instantaneously as she mentioned, "Matthias, calm down. I'll tend to her now."

"S-she's in a lot of pain," he exhaled, worried out of his mind.

"Wait outside. Naailah and your little princess will be okay, I promise," Elianna reassured him once again before entering into the delivery room in a rush to join the midwives inside.

He only caught a glimpse of his suffering wife before the ladies from within slammed the door right in his face. Dropping his forehead against the hard surface of the door, he prayed, "Your Divinity, please protect my wife and our daughter."

"Matthias!"

From behind, someone had called his name and he turned to see his brother moving into the waiting room in urgent haste. His hair was slightly messy and he panted slightly through his breathlessness. He inquired, "Is Elianna inside?"

"She entered a moment ago," Matthias replied. A muffled scream of pain sounded from within and it caused Matthias to straighten his back uncomfortably as he shifted his attention back towards the door.

"Matthias." Rowan rested a hand on his shoulder. "Naailah will be okay. Have faith in her."

Matthias wasn't sure how he was supposed to react in this situation as he stood in the waiting room with his heart thumping painfully and crazily against his chest while listening to the love of his life suffering and screaming in pain. On top of her cries were the nervous sounds of a group of ladies, loudly reminding her to breathe — maybe they were loud enough to also remind him to breathe. Pacing left and right by the door, the unease within him had unsettled him. Was childbirth supposed to be such torture?

In the midst of his questioning, he noticed that his brother hadn't uttered any more words. His eyes tore away from the door and focused on the large frame standing with unnatural stiffness behind him. Weirded out, Matthias asked, "Brother, why do you look rather tense?"

Seemingly jarred out of his thoughts, Rowan had recovered his stance and dropped his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as the expression on his face darkened slightly. Rowan responded to his question with dejection marring his voice, "I was reminded that Elianna went through this by herself."

"You know, she doesn't resent you for anything," Matthias sighed, feeling an ache in his chest when he saw how crestfallen his brother appeared at his own realisation.

"I can only imagine how lonely she felt when she had to pull through all of that to birth Arell all by herself." Rowan shook his head slightly.

"You can be there for her," Matthias attempted to assuage. "For your next child."

Rowan lifted his head to face him, he had a brow raised when he asked, "You would want another child?"

His attention quickly went back to the agonising cries of his wife in the delivery room. His shoulders slumped as he replied, "It would be nice but I won't decide that for my wife. After all, bearing a child takes a huge toll on her body, not mine."

"I wouldn't be able to listen to my wife cry in pain," Rowan commented.

Matthias shot a look at his brother and frowned, "I'm going crazy right here and your words are the least comforting to hear, brother."

"I'm sorry," Rowan's expression softened slightly as he looked towards him. "I'm sure Naailah and your little princess would be alright."

※

Time stretched into infinity as moments passed them by and Matthias started to panic again when he noticed how Naailah's voice had slowly faded and she was struggling through her laboured breaths.

He trotted to and fro the door, biting onto his finger nervously until an abrupt silence caused him to halt in his step. He swung his whole body around as a wave of fear seized him, making him realise that silence was much more frightening than hearing her cry in agony.

Just when he was about to force his way through the doors, he heard a sudden wail that filled the room within and he exhaled a heavy breath out, the relief almost caused him to lose composure and fall to the ground. He was still worried about Naailah but at least, he knew that their princess had arrived safely into this realm.

The door eventually opened and Elianna was the first to congratulate him, "Both the mother and child are safe! Matthias, hurry in, they're waiting for you!"

He refused to wait for a second longer and quickly rushed into the room. His eyes fixed themselves on his wife. She looked beautiful, too beautiful, when she smiled so blissfully at their child even though her complexion was paler than the sheets. When she raised her gaze to look at him, her pale grey eyes glimmered in lovely silver and she whispered through the hoarseness in her throat, "Matthias, come and say hello to Indira."

Emotions pooled and brimmed within him as he strode towards her, letting his long legs take him as fast to her as possible. Carefully wrapping his arms around her and their child, he couldn't help but cry, "Thank you, Naailah. Thank you so much."

※

your author is going to be down with baby fever.

do you think indira would be more like naailah/matthias?
and guess who's going to pay indira a visit in the next chapter? 

please vote and comment if you're enjoying the read!