You went through it all, you watched as your body slowly deteriorated during the pregnancy, how Claude, the emperor distanced himself from you ever since you told him that you would keep the child that slowly took your life away, to the point of almost abandoning you. Yet you made a promise, to protect your child no matter what. The day arrived when you gave birth. What you didn’t expect was for Claude to finally appear that night.

The words he spoke about your condition were nothing but foul, yet he didn’t seem satisfied with just that. After he had gotten rid of most of the staff and midwives of the room, there you were, your child in hands as you listened to the cold words leaving the Emperor’s mouth, they were directed towards you and your child.

“You are breathing… just barely.” Was it relief? Twisted in a sense where no one could tell if it was towards the fact of you still being alive or the way you were slowly fading while still offering the bits of warmth to the crying baby, whose little wails were softening as if sensing the sudden coldness in the room.