Siemus and Frenchies were super fast in reaching the hallway. Their faces turned horrified when they found Isabella groaning in pain and was thrashing over the chair. Her face was pale with sweatdrops dripping from her forehead. Her one hand was holding the stomach and eyes buldged out in pain occasionally. Her breathing was coming out in rapid and multiple groans escaped from her pained lips.

She looked like she was going for the labour but it was still early!

Siemus ran over to her in a shot and started to check her temperature. Patting on her forehead, her anxious voice came out abruptly,

" Princess.. Princess..are you going for labour? Is the baby coming?"

Frenchies was stood by her side and was somehow bewildered about the entire situation. He had never seen any woman's child birth and didn't certainly understand what should be done right at this moment. Isabella clasped Siemus's palms for support and whinned in pain when another painful surge broke out from her lower abdomen.

Pressing her lips together, she gasped to breath and answered abruptly to Siemus,

" I..I don't know but it's so painful, aunty.."

Siemus's brows furrowed in concern. She held onto Isabella cautiously and looked up at the blank faced Franchies in anger. She barked at him sending the clueless man some consciousness,

" What are you waiting for? Call the midwife! Damn it! She must be in labour."

Frenchies came back to his rational sense and nodded his head repeatedly. Turning around, he shouted inviting the all the maids of Dixon Palace and then went out all by himself to summon the midwife.

If something bad happened to Isabella, Cedric would bury him alive without any doubts!

Siemus instructed Isabella in a worried voice and waited for the midwife,

" Keep breathing Princess! Take a long breath!"

The maids had all arrived within a short moments and surrounded Isabella from each sides. They were so busy in doing homeworks that they missed the crying voice of Isabella.

Siemus shouted at the guilty faced maids who appeared anxious in surface,

" Where were you all? Princess had to shout to gain your attention. Huh! Damn it all! Call all the midwife now."

Siemus turned attention back on Isabella and mumbled under her breath,

" There is still two months left. Why did this happen so early?"

She spoke again hearing the groan and mournful screams of Isabella,

" Should I inform the Highness? They haven't returned yet."

Isabella shook her head and clutched Siemus's palm to regain some strength,

" No..They..they are newly married and spending time alone.. Don't.. don't bother them now...I will be fine, Aunty..Just stay by my side..."

" Aahhh! ", Isabella broke out into another mournful cry and laid numb in Siemus's arms.

**** WHITE CASTLE, DALASTIA ****

Elizabeth waited for his answer. She watched as his face went through some complexions and his voice came out with a little hesitation,

" I..I just know..."

Elizabeth was too determined to know his answer. She insisted keeping her eyes focused on Alexander,

" I want to know the answer, brother Alex."

Alexander sighed helplessly. His eyes lifted up to look at Elizabeth blankly and words came out squealing,

" The night when you left with your mother, I had a doubt that she would be mad at you. So I followed you and ended up evasdropping the argument between you and your mother. I didn't mean to hear anything but somehow stayed there. Then I saw you getting beaten. I wanted to offer you help but my presence would turn the situation more bad. So I had to leave without doing anything."

He took a pause and looked up at Elizabeth whose face was full of disbelief. He gulped a little and resumed pulling the dress down from her thighs,

" I ...I am sorry..I couldn't do anything.."

Elizabeth couldn't hold back her emotions anymore. She asked in a whispering voice,

" So you care about me?"

Caught red-handed by her, Alexander appeared anxious and spoke with uneasiness,

" I..I just didn't want you suffering, Elizabeth.."

Elizabeth bit down her lips together sorrowfully. Why didn't she even ask when she knew that his answer will always be the same?

She looked up aimlessly inside the room and replied in a stern voice,

" Don't show me any affection that you can't afford! Who knows someday I may start thinking that you really care for me! "

Alexander desperately wanted to confess that he did care for her but at the same time, he cared for his brother too. If he insisted on holding their feelings, Arthur would hate him for sure. The brothers had no confrontation since their childhood. It was decided from the beginning that Alexander would take the throne. Arthur never chased for fame and his dream was to marry Elizabeth ever since he met her.

Alexander didn't wish to sieze this happiness from his brother!

Alexander got up without saying a word and explained himself bitterly,

" It's not a crime to care for my friend."

Elizabeth stood up and beamed into a wide smile. Fighting with her own tears, she spoke in her choking voice,

" Exactly! I am your friend! So don't give me any hope to believe that you feel about me more than a friend. Your brother is ready foadmitted

Alexander's face stiffened a little. Swallowing the bitterness in his heart, he mumbled pulling his eyes away on the painting,

" Yes! He cares for you more than me."

Elizabeth smiled bitterly. Her eyes watched Alexander disbelievingly and a sudden surge of emotion ran through her mind.

She stepped closer until they had only an inche gap left between them. Standing on her feet numbly, Elizabeth demanded in a cold voice,

" If you really care for me, do me a favor brother Alex."

Alexander looked up at Elizabeth whose expression was full of complicated thoughts. Nodding his head slightly, he urged unhurriedly,

" What.. is it?"

Elizabeth replied in her stern voice,

" Don't appear in front of me anymore! "