Marriage Alliance With The Lycan Monarch-Chapter 239: The Dowager & The Countess

"What is it? Speak!" Drevon demanded.

"I-I cannot tell the due date," Celia replied shakily.

"What do you mean?" I asked, sitting up too fast, and everything spun, but Drevon held me steady.

"Careful," he scolded.

"Celia."

"T-The baby is not in position." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

My blood ran cold. "I-If there’s no due date, then..." I swallowed. "Is there something wrong?"

"Not entirely."

"I suggest you give me a more accurate response."

Celia took a sharp intake of breath. "There should be signs that the royal baby is close, but none are showing. Corvin and I already predicted the queen would give birth in 30 weeks."

"Then get Corvin here," Drevon ordered.

"Y-Yes, my liege." She hurried away.

"Don’t worry. When Corvin comes, we can be sure."

"Drevon..." I held him tightly.

"It’s going to be alright. There is no need to be scared."

He was calm about this, and I knew he was only that way so that I wouldn’t panic.

"Dear goddess," The Dowager said worriedly.

Plans had already been made for an early birth, but this delay changed everything.

"My liege," Osha’s voice came at the door. "Countess Valestra is here."

"What does she want?" The Dowager snapped. "What is she even doing within the royal quarters? Who let her through?"

I felt a comfort knowing Grandmother was here. "Let her in."

The Dowager didn’t seem too pleased by my response. She looked to Drevon as if for him to do something, but he wasn’t paying her any heed, keeping his full concentration on me.

The doors opened, and Grandmother walked in. Eyes roaming the vast room until she settled them on me.

A breath of relief escaped her as she came close.

"Oh my dear! I heard the news and came as fast as I could. How do you fare, my child?"

"We have everything under control, so you shouldn’t be here. You may be a guest in our home, but that doesn’t mean you roam as you want," the Dowager said sternly.

"Yes, I’m a guest. However, you cannot expect me to just sit still." She faced me. "What did your Royal Healer say?"

"There is no due date," Drevon replied. "The baby is not in position."

"I see. Your Healer was right to mention that you’d give birth early. At most 30 weeks, but with no due date that is a great change. Rest assured, child, I’m sure this is just temporary." She placed a hand on my bump. "We’ll wait for a few days and see."

But I was still shaken, and I kept conjuring images of rotting away like my mother did.

"Valestra, the females in your clan, when do they give birth?" Drevon questioned.

"30 weeks," she replied. "Eloise’s case might be different because she has human blood. She might reach a full term."

I noticed Drevon took a breath of relief before his hand tightened against mine.

"M-My mother." I broke the temporary silence. "She must have given birth at 30 weeks and—"

"Eloise," Grandmother stopped me. "What happened to my Lysandra was no doubt the doing of negligence from her supposed husband. Her condition was rare because she carried a mixed bloodline. But you, my child, you have all the support you can need, even a warlock tends to you. With magic on our side, I’m deeply certain this will go well. Trust me."

I forced a smile. "Thank you, Grandmother."

~•~

"Valestra and the Dowager are not on good terms. It’s far worse than I thought," I said as Drevon gave a delicate message to my bump.

When Corvin came, he had said the same thing. The best we could do was wait a few days, and if it’s still the same, I might complete a full term after all. I didn’t know if I should be relieved or more worried.

I had prepared in hopes that I would see my son sooner than expected.

"Give them time," Drevon replied, fully concentrating on his work.

All I had to do was relax, but there wasn’t a bone in my body that I wanted to.

"Maybe we should work on their relationship. We are trying to let the lycans be on good terms with the snowbloods. I think the best thing to do is start with them."

"Good terms? I was only under the impression we were ending the chaos Orianna did," Drevon reasoned.

I licked my bottom lip. "I have been meaning to tell you. I think we should ally with the snowbloods."

"Marriage?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, no. That’d be too big a step, perhaps a form of arrangement that benefits both sides. Discuss with Grandmother, and I’m sure we can make this true."

I knew I had asked a lot of Drevon. It had only been two years since the war ended.

"I shall discuss with your Grandmother. Besides, I already brought the suggestion to my court."

"Y-You did?"

He winked, and I blushed. I cannot believe he thought of that. He was already willing to go that far?

"Don’t tell me you were roaming the gardens. Grandmother and I spend a lot of time there."

He chuckled. "I was watching from my study." He kissed my bump. "It’s a nice view from there."

I pushed against his chest, and he laughed.

"I know how much Valestra means to you," he said softly. "You have a special connection with her, and I love that. You deserve it."

I blinked away the tears. "Gosh! Silly me, I’m always a teary mess."

He kissed my bump again. "You’re making your mother cry too much. Careful now..."

"I thought of a name."

"Did you? So did I."

I gasped. "When were you planning on telling me?"

"Until you were ready."

"What do you mean?"

"When I mentioned names, you told me we had all the time in the world, but..."

"But?"

"I realized that you were thinking so hard about it and you needed more time..."

"You know me too well," I smiled before it slowly fell. "A name means a lot to me. I was never given one. I want the name for our son to be special, but I do not want to set you aside. I want you to be involved too."

"Eloise... you shouldn’t worry about something like that. Go on, tell me, what name have you chosen for our son?"

"Lucard..."

"Lucard?"

I nodded, hoping he liked it.

"I read a book about a main character with that name. He was the light in the darkness. A brave light."

"Then it’s perfect," Drevon said with a smile against his lips. "Because Lucard’s mother makes it so."

I kissed him on the cheek. "I can’t wait to see our son."

"Soon, my love. Soon." He kisses me gently.

"How about this?"

"What?" he asked, trying to focus on kissing me.

"Whatever name you have thought for our son he shall have that too."

~•~

A few days passed, and yet there were no signs of a birth. It was then concluded that I might carry up to a full term.

Although I should spend my time confined in my chambers, I had made preparations for brunch. This was certainly what I got for trying to do this.

The Dowager and Grandmother sat across from each other, and the pressure in the air could suck the life out of you.

I nudged my chin at Talia and Osha to drop the pastries and leave. They did and snappily exited. I didn’t blame such a quick response. I would have left, too, if I weren’t the author of this disaster.

I sighed dramatically. What have I gotten myself into? What exactly was I expecting? That brunch would go as smoothly as a calm sea? I clearly did not think this through. I might be the reason for another war breaking out if I don’t navigate this swiftly.

"Oh, look, macarons, these are my favorites." Grandmother grabbed one and happily chewed on it, ignoring the Dowager’s glare.

"You love macarons? They are my favorite too!" I pitched, hoping to make the mood lighter.

"Oh my, finally I have someone to share my love for these pastries."

"It’s just pastries, there’s no need to be dramatic about it," The Dowager cut in irritably.

"Oh, Arwen, you wouldn’t know the delight of such simple things."

"A-Arwen?" I mumbled. That was the Dowager’s name! Oh my!

"I thought blood was usually the preferred diet. No wonder you look as pale as a ghost."

"Age seems to be catching on with you. Those lines are far more than mine, and I’m not even your age."

The Dowager gasped, and I snorted. She looked at me and moved my gaze elsewhere.

"There is no need to be so hostile towards me." Grandmother placed her hand on mine. "I wish for no conflict of any kind. What Eloise carries is all our future, and she shall be the reason we coexist as one. Eloise is the first to make that come through."