Chapter 5
The Possibility of a Miscarriage
Tristrian approached me with a smirk, his hands casually tucked into his pockets.
“A wedding night after four years. Quite belated, wouldn’t you say?”
It wasn’t four years. It was ten.
The time I had waited for my first night with Tristrian.
In my past life, he had never once come to me—not even a single time—so I naturally assumed he wouldn’t show up tonight either.
For all those years, he had never sought me out. So why now? Why did he appear so effortlessly before me today?
His patterns had always been predictable in my past life.
Whenever I, desperate to conceive an heir, set a date for our union, Aira would deliver a message that I was “unwell,” ensuring that I couldn’t leave the palace. And so, Tristrian never came to me on the designated night.
Aira’s blatant attempts to prevent our union and Tristrian’s enjoyment of my humiliation—how many nights had I spent shedding bitter tears because of them?
And yet, now—of all times.
Tristrian dragged his feet toward me, stopping just close enough for our bodies to almost brush against each other. Then, suddenly, his face contorted.
“…I don’t know why, but I despise that expression of yours.”
“What kind of expression would Your Majesty prefer me to make?”
“Who knows. As long as it’s utterly ruined, I suppose anything would be better.”
Ah. He was angry.
So, he had come here to vent his frustrations over what I had said in the banquet hall.
It was amusing. If he could appear in my chambers so easily, then all the hardship I had endured before had been for nothing.
As I stifled the laughter bubbling up, Tristrian pulled a small bottle from his coat and placed it on the table.
Inside was a thick, green liquid that gave off an unpleasant odor.
“Drink it.”
“What is this?”
“No need for you to know. If you drink this, tonight will go exactly as you wish.”
Such arrogance, as if daring me not to drink it.
In the past, I wouldn’t have cared whether it was poison or not—I would have gulped it down without hesitation. But now…
“I refuse.”
Tristrian’s eyebrows twitched.
“…That’s unexpected. I thought you of all people wouldn’t refuse.”
“Isn’t it obvious? What I want is the imperial bloodline, not a night with Your Majesty. I am the Empress. I cannot recklessly ingest something when I don’t even know what it is.”
“Surely you don’t think I would give you poison?”
“If not, then why won’t you tell me what this medicine is?”
“It helps with conception.”
“Ah.”
“…Are you laughing?”
I couldn’t help it.
His claim that it was a fertility aid suddenly made me feel certain.
A man so eager to torment me wouldn’t have brought medicine for my well-being. And if I died suddenly, he would be the first suspect, so poison was unlikely.
He had ignored my pleas for ten years, never once coming to me. And now, not only had he sought me out on our designated union night, but he was even trying to make me drink something while feigning interest in an heir?
There was only one possibility.
It was a contraceptive.
He had come here to settle the score from the banquet—seeking revenge through humiliation.
He wanted to disgrace me but couldn’t stomach drinking the foul-smelling liquid himself.
Now that I understood what it was, there was no way I could drink it.
For whatever reason, Tristrian and Aira had desperately prevented my pregnancy for the past ten years.
But what if the possibility of conceiving was completely eliminated?
I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Tristrian might do to me.
His face hardened, as if realizing that I had seen through him.
“You won’t benefit from insulting me when I have come to share a wedding night with you.”
“Insult? I was merely overjoyed to hear that Your Majesty went through the trouble of preparing medicine to help with conception.”
“You say that, but your smile is extremely unpleasant.”
“I am truly grateful that Your Majesty is thinking of me.”
I smiled as brightly as I could manage.
“I appreciate the sentiment, but I must decline. I am still young, and according to the imperial physician, my health is in excellent condition. Even without medicine, I should be able to conceive the imperial heir soon enough.”
“…Is that so?”
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tristrian drummed his fingers on the glass bottle as he mulled something over, his expression stiff. Then, slowly, he spoke.
“Drink it anyway. If your body is healthy, the medicine will only work better. Ah, and just to be clear—this is not a request. It is an imperial command. You would do well not to refuse.”
He was invoking an imperial decree now?
While an emperor’s command was absolute, it was customary not to use the word “decree” lightly unless the matter was of great importance, in order to preserve noble autonomy.
At this rate, I might have no choice but to drink it and be forced into a humiliating wedding night.
I had no way out. But that didn’t mean I would submit without resistance.
As I silently confronted Tristrian, unwilling to back down—
“Kyah! Lady Serenity!”
“Call the physician—hurry!”
A flurry of urgent voices and hurried footsteps erupted outside my chamber. Then, someone frantically knocked on my door.
The frantic banging sounded like a blessing from the goddess Benedith herself.
“Y-Your Majesty! Terrible news! Lady Serenity suddenly complained of severe abdominal pain and began bleeding…!”
“…What?”
Abdominal pain and bleeding.
My thoughts went blank.
Dilex.
The name of my precious child surfaced in my mind, and I immediately rushed past Tristrian toward the door.
“Wait—stop! Empress!”
Thud!
Tristrian grabbed my wrist, and I instinctively turned to face him.
If I left now, who knew how he might retaliate?
Perhaps next time, I really would be forced into drinking that contraceptive and suffering a disgraceful wedding night.
But…
I clutched my chest.
I felt like I was suffocating. My heartbeat pounded so loudly it was deafening.
No matter what happened later, right now, I had to check on Dilex.
I couldn’t bear to be separated from my unborn child like this.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.”
I wrenched my hand free and dashed out of the chamber.
Leaving Tristrian behind, I ran to Serenity as fast as I could.
My hair came undone in my haste, and my robe slipped off, leaving me in nothing but a thin chemise—an embarrassing state, but I had no time to fix it.
I paced anxiously in front of Serenity’s room, listening to her pained moans. Soon, the imperial physician emerged.
“How is my sister? And the baby?”
“It must have been a frightful night, but thankfully, they are both safe.”
“They’re… safe?”
“Yes. Both Lady Serenity and the child are unharmed. She was exhausted, so she has fallen asleep.”
“Ah…”
“Your Majesty!”
My legs gave out, and the maids rushed to support me.
My hands, braced against the floor, trembled violently.
“Thank goodness…”
I had been so terrified that I might lose Dilex again.
This had never happened before. What had changed?
The imperial physician provided the answer.
“During early pregnancy, symptoms like bleeding and abdominal pain can occur. It’s crucial to ensure she gets plenty of rest. If these symptoms continue, there is a risk of miscarriage.”
Rest.
The banquet, my return to the palace, Tristrian’s sudden visit—
My actions had altered the past, affecting Serenity as well.
I bit my lip.
I had almost erased my child from existence. With my own hands.
I clenched my trembling fists and nodded.
“…I understand. I will make sure she rests.”
NOTE
Hey guys, if you like my work and want to support me you can visit this link for tip.
As I can’t create kofi because of unavailability of PayPal in my country, I’ve made this teir which will be updated weekly so you won’t be charged again until you want to tip again, also you can exit the tier after donating.
Enjoy reading 💞💫
