[Author's note: This chapter is a continuance of the past of the Holy Empress.]

The Holy Empress stayed at the church working and doing whatever she could to help. In return, she was given basic food and water as well as a small room to stay in. The Priest and nuns noticed her stomach getting larger but they didn't comment. They found that she didn't speak much anyway.

As for the reason why the church decided to help her: no one knew for sure. Perhaps her beauty moved them into helping. Or perhaps, the snake around her wrist made them realize that her identity was something special. Either way, they allowed this quiet pregnant woman to stay and help.

The Holy Empress was growing accustomed to living there. However, occasionally she would be plagued by strange daydreams. She would be sweeping the floor and enter into a trance. Then she would speak strange words about revenge and the people on their way. The church workers were concerned, but they didn't think she was harming anyone.

That was…

Until the day her words changed.

"They are coming! They ride on horses slaughtering those who are pure. No one can escape the jaws of fate!"

The nun was startled by her sudden hostile words and pulled her to the side, "Here… Just go rest in your room..."

She continued to chant, "The floor will be stained crimson and blood will drop on Holy grounds… They are coming…"

She was placed in her bed and quickly fell asleep. The nun sighed paying her words no attention before leaving to go back to work. The Holy Empress felt something kicking in her stomach and grit her teeth. Her eyes fluttered opened as she felt her child move. Her eyes lit up, "Ah! You are moving! You have never moved before…"

However, before she could get excited, the overpowering smell of blood assaulted her nose. She instantly broke out into a cold sweat and jumped up. There were sounds of men throwing open doors and murdering the innocent workers.

They had found her.

Her breathing quickened and she opened the window to her room. She was on the second floor so she could jump down, but her stomach was now bulging. If she fell wrong, she could hurt herself or the baby. The door was thrown open and she looked back in a panic.

The ground at her feet suddenly became wet.

She didn't have a choice.

She threw herself out of the window and landed on her feet and hands. She bit her lip from the pain and forced herself to get up as the men shouted at her. She ran through the town barefoot. She groaned from the pain as rocks cut her feet and her stomach felt like it was going to rip apart. However, she couldn't stop.

She needed to escape.

The men rode after her on horses. The King wasn't with them, but it was clearly the assassins he employed. Once she was at the edge of the town, she turned to the forest and ran into it. The sounds of horse's hooves battering the ground was getting even louder.

The forest couldn't hide her from the men who could read her tracks.

Her stomach felt like it was being ripped and torn. Her footsteps came to a stop as she collapsed onto her knees from the pain. She let out a wail as she held her stomach. She forced herself to continue to run, but soon the painful ripping sensations were causing her to stop more and more.

Eventually, she fell to her knees and started to crawl away desperately. She screamed out in agony as she tried to ignore it. Her forehead had beads of sweat collecting as she panted crazily. She saw shoes and forced herself to look up.

In front of her was a man with a large heavy sword in a cloak. He towered over her like a giant rock. His skin was pale and his face was terrifying. She almost fainted from the sight of the man in front of her. However, she knew he wasn't one of the assassins. Before she could scream from the frightening man who appeared before her, the assassins finally caught up to her. Her eyes shrank back in a panic. She turned to the strange man, "HELP!"

His eyes lifted from her and turned coldly to the dozen men who had appeared. Without a word, he stepped forward with his large heavy sword in hand. The Holy Empress watched in horror as he attacked and slaughtered the men in front of her. After the last one, he turned back to her. As he stepped closer, she crawled away in fear. He stopped when he noticed this and bent down. He spoke in a low voice that sent shivers down her spine, "Are you okay?"

Her eyes slunk back in fear as she forced herself to nod. Seeing that she was still scared, he attempted to calm her down with a smile.

It had the opposite effect.

He sighed, "Ugh. I am not good with people…. Sorry. My wife is always telling me that I need to work on looking more friendly. However, I don't think I will ever succeed in that."

Her eyes stared at him cautiously, "Who?"

"Right. I didn't tell you my name." He pulled down his hood and held out his hand, "My name is Bertram."

She looked at his outstretched hand and realized that even though he was scary, he didn't mean her harm. Before she could shake his hand and introduce herself, another soul ripping current of pain shot through her body. She leaned forward wailing while holding her large stomach.

Bertram's face paled, "Y-You are having a b-baby!?"

She forced herself to nod before another ripping sensation shuddered through her. She collapsed on the ground screaming.

Bertram cursed and picked her up, "There is an abandoned hut not too far away. Let me bring you there."

It's not like she could say no at this point. Her baby was coming and it wasn't going to wait for a doctor. He brought her inside and laid her on the ground. He visibly panicked as he tried to figure out what to do.

She forced herself to speak to him, "C-Check…"

Bertram glanced down and paled. He turned back to her with a frightened expression, "I-I can't do that! I am a happily married man!"

She glared at him, "CHECK!"

He flinched and lifted up her dress hesitantly. Then his face froze, "Um. Yup. That's a head."

The Holy Empress was happy he saved her, but why was he so useless.?!

She screamed out, "HOLD!"

He flinched and put out his large hands. As she pushed, Bertram was there to grab the baby so the child wouldn't get injured. He held the child and used his knife to cut off the umbilical cord. He smiled at the small child, "It's a boy!"

"B-Boy?" She panted feeling dizzy from the exertion. He wrapped the child in a blanket and handed it to her. She took it with a frown, "H-He's not crying?"

Bertram understood and looked at the child who had it's eyes closed and wasn't moving, "He is breathing. I am sure he is okay…"

"B-But…"

Why would a baby not cry? They always cry.

Not even his eyes were open…

Bertram sighed, "We can take him to a doctor. But… Who were those people chasing after you?" She gave him with a suspicious look. He smiled, but it still made his face look scary. He spoke, "I only say that because they may come after you again."

She looked down at the sleeping baby with a frown. They would definitely find her. Even if they all died, this city was the last one they were seen in. The King is sure to send more. She spoke in a rough strange tone, "Where are we?"

"We are close to the Imperial border." Then he gave her a hesitant look, "I can get you across if you want…"

"Imperial… Kingdom…" She muttered to herself in disbelief. She glanced down at the child in her arms. She would definitely be safer in the Imperial Kingdom rather than the Sanki Kingdom. She gave a nod, "Please…"

Even though she and the baby were not recovered yet, they couldn't stay. It was only a matter of time before the King and his men showed up again. Bertram left after packing and the Holy Empress picked up her new baby and forced herself to follow after him. Her body seemed to scream in pain and exhaustion. When she stepped outside, she was surprised to see a horse waiting.

He motioned to her, "Climb up."

She nodded and he helped raise her frail body up. Her foot kicked a sack attached to the saddle bags and it fell to the ground with a plop. She turned pale at the sight of a severed head rolling out of the fallen bag.