The forest was alive with the sound of raindrops pattering against the lush canopy above. The leaves rustled softly in the breeze, their vibrant green hues glistening with moisture. A narrow stream wound its way through the dense foliage, its surface rippling with each raindrop that kissed it. The air was thick with the earthy scent of wet soil and the fresh fragrance of rain-washed leaves.

Rhea was drenched, her clothes clinging to her skin as the rain poured down around her. She stood with Harvey in a small clearing, their laughter mingling with the sound of the storm. It was a memory that felt like a dream, the world blurring at the edges as if painted with watercolours. Harvey's laugh echoed around her as he spun her around, his eyes sparkling with a joy that seemed to light up the stormy sky.

"You're crazy, Harvey!" Rhea laughed, her heart swelling with love and happiness. "We're going to catch a cold!"

"I didn't expect you to care for things like that, Rhea," Harvey replied, pulling her closer. His voice was warm and reassuring, a stark contrast to the chill of the rain. "We only get moments like these once in a lifetime, so just dance with me."

His lips brushed her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Rhea felt her heart race as she looked into his eyes, seeing his love and devotion. The world outside their dance ceased to exist, and all that mattered was the man in front of her, the man who made her feel alive. Harvey's touch was warm, his embrace was a sanctuary that shielded her from the storm.

"I could stay like this forever," Rhea whispered, her voice barely audible over the rain. "Just you and me, Harvey."

He smiled, his gaze never leaving hers. "Forever sounds perfect," he murmured, his lips finding hers in a tender kiss. The rain seemed to intensify, the world around them fading even further as they lost themselves in each other.

But then, slowly, the scene began to shift. The rain stopped falling, and the world around her started to fade. Harvey's face became distant, his features blurring as if being washed away by the rain.

"Harvey?" Rhea called out, panic creeping into her voice. She tried to hold onto him, but he started to slip away.

"Rhea," Harvey's voice was soft, a whisper on the wind. "It's time to wake up."

"No! Harvey, don't leave me!" she cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Rhea, you have to wake up," he said, his voice firm but filled with love. "I'll wait for you here. But you need to live your life."

The weight of his words crushed her, and she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. Harvey pulled her close, his arms enveloping her in a final embrace. His lips found hers once more in a kiss filled with all the love and longing he had, a kiss that would have to last a lifetime.

"I'll always love you, Rhea," he whispered against her lips, his voice fading. "Live your life, my love. I'll be here, waiting."

With one last lingering kiss, Harvey faded away completely, leaving her alone in the darkness. Rhea's sobs echoed in the void, her heart breaking as she clung to the pieces of him that existed in her memories.

.

The rain poured down in relentless sheets as Curtis trudged through the forest, Rhea unconscious in his arms. His heart ached with every step, the weight of her sorrow pressing down on him. The Black Wind Tribe's village came into view, its huts barely visible through the deluge. The scorpions were waking from hibernation; their confusion evident as they emerged to see Curtis approaching.

"Curtis?" Korrin's voice was filled with worry as he hurried over. "What happened?"

Curtis said nothing, his face held a stoic expression, his eyes were void of any emotion. He carried Rhea up to the palace in the cliffs, laying her gently on her bed. She was still soaked, her face pale and streaked with tears.

"Why is she crying?" Korrin asked, his voice trembling. "What happened to her?"

"Harvey is dead." He said coldly.

Korrin's eyes widened in shock. 

"It was a mistake to let her go to such a place; a place with too many Kings is never a good place. Now she was caught in the corss fire. "

The silence that followed was heavy. Korrin sat down beside Rhea, his heart breaking for her. 

"Will she be alright?" Korrin asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," Curtis admitted. "I don't know when she'll wake up."

The entire three-day journey here, she had not stirred once from her sleep. 

.

Rhea woke to the soft warmth of sunlight filtering into her room. The rain had stopped, and the world outside was quiet, the only sound being the gentle rustling of leaves. She blinked, disoriented, and then the reality of what had happened crashed down on her.

"Harvey..." she whispered, her hand reaching for the place on her ribs where his beast mark had been. 

It was gone.

Curtis burst into the room as soon as he heard she was awake. His eyes were red-rimmed, his face drawn with worry. "Rhea! You're awake!"

She managed a weak smile. "Curtis..."

He rushed to her side, struggling to hold himself. "I didn't know if you'd ever wake up again. I was so scared, Rhea."

She reached out and hugged him, holding him tightly. "I'm here, Curtis. I'm here."

Korrin came rushing in, his face pale and anxious. "Rhea!"

She looked up at him. "Come here, Korrin." She held out her arms, and he joined the embrace, she was grateful he was safe and sound.

"Where is Leo?" Rhea asked after a moment, looking around the room.

Before Korrin could answer, Leo's voice came from the doorway. "I sleep for a few months, and you come back unconscious. You really worry me."

Rhea turned to see Leo standing there with a smirk on his face. "Welcome back, my queen."

"I'm glad.." she replied, her voice breaking, "I'm glad you're all here. I'm glad.."

Leo stepped into the room, "It's good you're awake. I guess I should brief you, huh?" He sat on one of the stools in the room. "We've made some advancements while you were unconscious. I think you'll be pleased with the progress."

"Tell me everything," Rhea said.

"We've fortified the village's defences, improved the irrigation system for the crops, and started a new training programme for the younger scorpions. The village is thriving, Rhea."

She listened, nodding as he spoke, grateful for the stability they had managed to create. "Thank you, Leo. I knew I could count on you." He was the only one from her world, so he was the only one who could know what to do next. 

Leo's eyes sparkled with excitement as he continued, "We also found iron in the mines. The scorpions don't know what to do with it yet, but once we teach them, it'll make our lives so much easier from now on."

Rhea's eyes widened, her mind racing with the possibilities. "Iron? That's incredible, Leo! Do you know what this means? Tools, weapons, infrastructure... We can revolutionise everything!"

Leo nodded, his excitement mirroring hers. "Exactly! We can start by making basic tools and gradually introduce more advanced techniques. This will change everything, we can have toilets!"

"We need to set up a forge immediately. We can teach them how to smith, and we can start creating iron tools. They can learn how to make armour and knives!"

Leo grinned. "I knew you'd be excited. I've already started gathering some of the scorpions who seem interested in learning. We can begin as soon as you're ready."

He paused and then looked smugly at her. "There's more; congratulations."

Rhea frowned, confused. "For what?"

Leo's grin widened. "Well, you're expecting, aren't you?"

Rhea's breath caught in her throat, her hand instinctively going to her stomach. "I... what?"

"You're pregnant, Rhea." 

"Holy shit."

A/N: Literally wrote 21 chapters in 2 weeks imma take a break. Hopefully I have the same energy for Princess Simulator. 

Sigh. 

Why is fanfiction so fun to write? When I get back there'll be a time skip. Then we're gonna crank up the 'kingdom building' genre to the max. Wait for me, flame city, hahahaha.