Gigi thought she was going to die.

It was unfathomable what was happening to her body. She was spending her afternoon alone taking a leisurely stroll around the garden—the doctor said light exercises would be good for the child—when it happened. Then she was rushed to her old bedroom, having a shorter distance than their shared bedroom, until she was bound to the bed writhing in pain.

At first, she had a lot of cramping under her belly. Then her water broke and that's when the real pain started. Her inner muscles started to tighten and squeeze, which got worse and worse until it peaked and became almost unbearable. As if it was the worst menstrual cramps she could ever imagine, then have her insides twisted, pulled, and squeezed; only to have someone come and stab her in the stomach.

There was no use to screaming. She had witnessed the mistresses and her sister-in-laws yelling and screaming during childbirth, thinking it was rather unbecoming and would not help with the pain. So she would stay here, exhale, keeping herself calm and let nature take its course until everything subsided.

It reminded her of getting caught in the ocean wave during their honeymoon. It was powerful and scary. She could try to fight it, swallow more water and drown, or let go and wait until the wave released her.

Keeping her eyes closed, she slowly replayed what she'd practised with her doctor. Breathe deeply through the nose as a contraction starts and pause. Exhale slowly through the mouth, focusing on one physical item, such as a photograph or her husband.

Her husband!

Where was he? Right, he was still finishing his job in Seol-il and wasn't coming home for another week; her supposed due date. It wasn't Cal's fault for not being here, the baby was coming to the world early. Her eyes watered as she looked at her surroundings. It felt like she reverted back to the beginning; alone in this room, her husband nowhere in sight. Another contraction hit her and she clenched the bedcover as her handmaidens continued to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

Cal...

She needed him. She needed Cal. She could be dying.

Cal... Cal!

"Mother!" she heard Junior's voice from outside the door. It was open, but it seemed he was being barred from entering. "Mother! ...Is she okay? I have to see her!"

"Your Highness, it's not right for you to be in here," the midwife said.

"What are you talking about? It's my mother! Stand aside!"

Junior was having classes this afternoon, so someone must've told him and he came all the way here. And he might've heard her painful cries from the other side of the wall. Poor child. She wanted nothing more than to rush to his side and tell him she was alright.

But what if she really died, like Isleen? It was totally plausible. Who would look after her children? What would happen to Cal? Would he succumb to the darkness once more?

No, she told herself. She couldn't die. They were just starting to be happy together as a complete, wholesome family. She would give birth to this child and survive.

"Why is it so quiet?" Junior was getting agitated. "Let me in, I'm ordering you!"

"Your Highness, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to take it—"

"I can handle it, I promise!" he screamed. "Please, just let me be by her side till my father arrives!"

The midwife finally stood aside and Junior sprinted to the bedside with a tear-stricken face.

"Mamma."

"Junior, what are you doing—" Reaching out toward him, she accidentally grabbed the front of his shirt as a sudden contraction hit her. Junior looked alarmed. "You shouldn't be in here!"

"No, I won't!" He shook his head, uncompromising. "I'm staying here— I am not losing my mother again!"

"Junior..." Gigi shed more tears, struggling to keep her façade amidst all the sensations. "You will never lose me. I promise."

"You can hold my hand," Junior smiled, offering his smaller palm. "I'll be fine."

Gigi took his hand, holding the child closer as he snuggled to her chest, filling her nostrils with the scent of his strawberry shampoo. She closed her eyes, reorganizing her breathing.

It went on until late and Junior fell asleep at the bedside when the midwife came to check on her, after hours wrestling to keep his lids open. Gigi would gladly join him if she wasn't feeling like her body was being split into two.

"You're at nine centimetres, Your Majesty."

"Good, only a little more to go." Gigi laughed in relief.

There were noises coming from outside and Cal barged in through the door. "Gigi, Junior!" He rushed to the bedside, kissing her hand. "Oh darling, I'm sorry for being so late."

"Sire... I thought you were still in Seol-il," asked Gigi in between her ragged breaths.

"Nothing matters more than my family," he said with certainty, awakening the memory of him telling Gigi that he wouldn't seek marriage with anyone else. "Are you and the baby doing alright?"

"We're fine. Junior stayed in your stead while you were away. Until, of course, he lost the battle against sleep." Gigi giggled tiredly.

"It's alright, Papa," Junior yawned, peering through heavy lids. "I know you can't survive without me."

"Poor dear." Gently, he tried to coax Junior into moving to a nearby bedroom, promising to wake him when the baby's born, to which the boy repeatedly said 'no'. "At least go and change your clothes. I'll take over from here."

Being picked up in his father's arms, Junior finally yielded.

Cal then went to talk with the doctor. He sounded very anxious, and it was understandable, having his first wife die from childbirth; although he despised her. But she caught the doctor saying she's 'brave and strong' and relief washing over Cal's face.

As the time finally came for her to push, Cal held her hand tight, eyes filled with tenderness. Gigi couldn't remember in detail, she just felt the strong urge to push. As all the pain and pressure subsided, she knew that after making it through this last little part, they would meet this wonderful little person they had been longing for for so long.

"It won't be long now," the doctor announced gaily. "I can see the baby's head!"

"That's fantastic, darling, you're doing great!" Cal cheered, stroking the back of her palm.

Gigi squeezed his hand tight and gave it everything she got.

A baby's cry pierced the room, and one of the midwives caught it before severing the umbilical cord.

"Congratulations, Your Majesties." The doctor bowed after giving the child away to be cleaned. "You have a princess."

A girl? As they had been wishing for...? Gigi looked over to Cal, but he was at just as much a loss for words as she was, clutching and kissing her hands, pouring words of gratitude into her skin.

Soon the baby was returned to them, already bathed and cleaned, wrapped in the batik swaddling cloth made by her handmaidens. Cal held their daughter in his arms; a child of Praja and Angletonia.

"Syena... Syena, isn't it?" He chuckled, calling her with the name that Gigi and Junior had so thoughtfully chosen. "Rasyena dear, my Princess."

As Cal brought Syena over to her arms, Gigi laid her eyes upon her daughter for the first time. The baby had predominantly her features, some even resembled her mother's; but her sharp nose and thick dark lashes were definitely Cal's. She wondered what colour her eyes were going to be.

"Thank you, Gi," Cal gushed tearfully. "She's so beautiful."

"As are you." She smiled up at him, happiness shining through her eyes as he pulled her into a kiss.

"I have to tell you, this is actually the first time I've ever been in the delivery room. When Junior was born, I was so wounded that I couldn't even bring myself to go in, merely praying that the baby survived."

"It's alright, darling. You are safe now; both of you are safe." Gigi laughed weakly, kissing him lightly. She then held the baby to her breast to be fed. The moment seemed to last forever.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, you have a sister." Her handmaiden told Junior as he returned to the doorway, stunned and wide-awake.

"Come, come, Junior," Cal gestured at him to come over. "Somebody wants to meet you."

Skittishly, Junior climbed onto the bed, peeking into the bundle.

"Hi, Brother," Gigi simpered. "I'm the one who has been kicking you over the past few months, but that's because I like you so much. I really hope we can be friends."

"Hi," Junior greeted, as awkwardly as he did the first time.

Syena yawned, having taken her milk and dozed off. Her lids fluttered open at her brother who was gazing down at her, extending her arms and fingers. Curiously, he slipped a finger into her palm, letting her tiny ones curl around him.

Junior goggled, not expecting the sudden reaction. Then slowly, he leaned toward his sister, landing a kiss on her rosy cheek.

It was perfect.

***

"Please move a little to the centre, Your Imperial Highness." The photographer directed, and Junior shifted, leaning closer toward the baby in Gigi's arms. "Alright. Could you smile a little more... happier... good."

The three of them were doing the preparations for Syena's naming day; an occasion where the Imperial Family announced the full name and titles of a newborn child, approximately a week after they were born. As the eldest daughter, Syena was to inherit the title Princess Imperial; meaning she would start carrying out the royal duties in the Empress's name after she came of age.

On the morning after she was born, the palace aides released a bunch of lilac balloons to the sky, marking the birth of a daughter. The Leroy family had a peculiar tradition around a child's birth; they would release green balloons for a son and lilac for a daughter.

The photographer shot several photos inside the room before they moved outside to take different shots with the panoramic background of the palace gardens. Syena was napping through the entire event, but once she was taken outside she became wide-awake, blinking rapidly as the light hit her eyes.

After a couple of discussions, they'd decided that her middle name was to be Avantie, after Gigi's mother, the Queen of Praja. Gigi offered to use 'Estelle' but they both agreed that a Prajan name would be a better match for her first given name.

"I hope your family would approve of the name," said Cal, after the photo shoot ended.

"Oh, I believe they would, avidly." Gigi raised her brows, settling Syena down on a cozy carriage. It wasn't good for her to be exposed to the sun for too long. "At least she wouldn't have to follow my father's weird obsession with alphabetical names."

"Alphabetical names?"

"My father has a weird way to single out the Queen's—my mother's children. We were to be set apart from the others as the firsts in line to the throne; so to make it easier to memorize the birth order we were named in alphabetical order. My six older brothers were named Aditya, Bramantya, Cendana, Devandra, Eshaan, Ferdian, and myself, in that order. I am the Queen's seventh born, so I was named Gianita, starting with G."

"But what about Aravin? He's the eighth, and his name starts with A."

"Aravin is his middle name, his first name was Harish. My mother picked the name Aravin and she was furious she couldn't name her own child," Gigi giggled, remembering how her mother fumed at her father yelling, 'I gave birth to them!' with a squealing baby in her arms. She was twelve.

"Harish?" Junior suddenly appeared behind them after pushing Syena in her stroller, grinning ear to ear. "I should just call him Harry!"

***

The Emperor and Empress are delighted to announce that they have named their daughter Rasyena Avantie Leroy.

The baby will be known as Her Imperial Highness, Rasyena the Princess Imperial.

***

This year, Cal would be celebrating his birthday with a tour of parade around the Empire. The tour would last for a couple of months, kicking off from the capital and up through the northwestern coast, making a stop in Archambault estate and back south where they would finish by departing to Praja. They would be presenting Syena to the Royal family and celebrating their actual, if not second honeymoon.

Since Seol-il was now a part of the Empire by de-facto, Cal wanted to include them in the tour but was disappointedly advised against it by his advisors, due to the unstable political condition and the lack of decent facilities to hold a parade. Instead, they would open the barriers in the borders to allow the Seol-il citizens to come down to Archambault if they desired to see their Emperor and Empress.

As could be expected, the citizens of Angletonia welcomed them triumphantly during the tour, especially Cal, as a war hero who had once again painted their nation as a champion in their conquests. The streets were bathed in the colour green, flowers and confetti; with huge crowds wherever they went.

Not that Cal didn't bask in it. At some point he asked to stop their car so he could greet them in person, only to have them chanting the birthday jingle to him. Gigi, who wasn't used to the crowds, found herself overwhelmed in the sea of people till she came across a woman who asked her about the Princess and gave her a cute stuffed toy. They even gave her a nickname, calling her 'Empress Gi'. It gave her a sense of belonging, knowing that she wasn't here by coincidence and the people did want her.

"Your Majesties, we have a situation," the Head of Security came to them the day they finally reached Archambault estate. "The parade isn't in two hours and yet the amount of people gathering outside has gotten insane. I suggest you go and greet them from the balcony."

"That many people?" Cal raised his head from teasing Syena, who just had started cooing and sucking on her fists over the past few weeks. "Did you know about this?"

"Some are spending their first summer as free people and had never been allowed to greet their rulers before without having their heads stuck on the ground. They are eager to see you," said Kym Shion, who had been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Seol-il; acting as the head of government who ruled under the Empire. The Princess was giving them no answers, and they had no time to waste.

She was still the Princess, though only in name.

"Junior, come along and see them too!" Cal offered his hand to Junior who backed into a corner and shook his head vehemently.

Gigi lulled Syena to sleep before handing her over to her nursemaid, a Prajan woman who was carefully selected and hired by her mother the Queen to help her feeding routines. Praja had a strict code about exclusive breastfeeding during the first sixth months of a child's life, and as a working mother with numerous public engagements, Gigi couldn't just pop a boob at any time.

"Look, Gi, isn't this beautiful?" Cal opened an ornate gift box, revealing a simple golden necklace with a sunflower crest, the symbol of Seol-il. "A gift from Kym Shion especially made for you from the royal mine. Since you're also an Empress of Seol-il now, it's good to display their crest to show we're supportive."

Turning around, she allowed him to put the golden chain around her neck. "The royal mine?"

"The single resource that the royal family had hoarded from their people for hundreds of years, concealed as a sacred site. I wasn't stupid, of course, I knew there must be a secret as to how they could afford luxury while most of their people dwelled in poverty. That gold mine is now ours."

"...How?"

"Naturally, it's the Empire's to be precise. Kym Shion agreed to it; a fair price to pay for liberation. One-third of it would be given to the people, building a decent system for them to grow. They will be well provided, more than they'd ever seen in history, and we would have an extra boost to fund our operations for the next ten years." The corner of his lips curved up into a wily smile, almost like a smirk. "Now, would you like something for Praja?"

Gigi's breath hitched as the truth dawned on her. "If this was your objective, why orchestrate all those plans? Why prolong the process and go through such complicated lengths? I'm sure you would have got what you wanted if you marched into Seol-il on the first day."

"Because now we know, if anything happens, the people will be on our side. Because they know, we are the kind ones." Smiling widely, he offered her his hand, taking her to the balcony where the people awaited their appearance.

"They're ready for you, Your Majesties."

"Open the doors."

The bright light greeted their eyes as Gigi found herself in a profound realization, gaping at the crowd beneath her—the people whose gold they occupied—gazing up at them with adoration and hope.

Cal, bathed in sunlight and glory, graced the people with his poised gestures, impervious to his own gambit. The Serpent banner fluttered in the sky behind them.

Strike down a country and you'd become a merciless conqueror. Do it to save its people and you'd be named... a hero.

The Emperor turned to her, still showing his perfect, serene smile; signalling her to follow.

But did she not enjoy this? Did she not enjoy... their devotion?

Gigi faced the people again—and let go, showcasing her own brilliant smile.

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.

Rasyena is pronounced like "Rah-shayn-a"