Content Warning: This chapter contains scenes that some viewers may find disturbing or triggering; it includes topics like death. Reader’s discretion is advised.

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Everything went back to normal the minute my soul merged with the newborn’s body.

Then, I felt being forcefully yet carefully taken away from the grasps of the person holding me by the prince. He then passed me onto the older man wearing a butler’s uniform, who took me gently without question.

“Urgh!” I heard a thud as the perpetrator’s body flew and hit the ground after the prince kicked her hard in the chest. She heaves as she struggles to sit back up but slumps back on the floor every time.

“Vhar! Mhuye hastep unat vhar dre kuman vhar-i?!” [1]

The older woman paled and immediately kowtowed in front of the prince. I hear thuds as countless knees make contact with the carpeted floor, probably from the other uniformed women in the room.

“This impudent one tried to kill the Princess in front of me,” the prince says. Albeit not having any idea of what he was saying, I could feel how venomous his voice was.

The woman trembles. “I dare not Vhar El Haluman! I tripped–”

The prince did not listen to what the woman was saying and roared, “Guards! Seize this midwife at once!” The veins in his temples pop as he shouts, and the double door swings open.

Four armored people rush inside the room to hold the crying, hyperventilating woman.

“Heed my orders: This woman committed an act of treason and tried to assassinate the Princess. Everyone present, from servants to nobles, currently in the Royal Capital must gather at the Hall of Punishments and witness the execution of this impudent woman… death by a thousand cuts!”

“AAAAH! Noooo!”

One of the armored people covers the woman’s mouth while she is struggling to free herself. “Hadidi, Vhar El Haluman!” the four armed people reply in unison. [2]

“All three generations of her family are to be reduced to slavery for five generations. Her corpse is to be displayed in the Square to serve as a reminder for everyone who thinks of bringing harm to my daughter.” His voice is void of any emotions… no, he spoke with venom in his voice.

“Noooo! Hwan! Please believe me! I dare not harm the Princess!” the woman pleads again. [3]

“How dare you say you did not harm my daughter? Are you saying that I am the one who lied?!” he roars.

“N-no… I-I didn’t… but I also didn’t… no… no…”

“All members of her family are to be flogged every month until death,” he says with finality as he waves his hand in dismissal.

‘This man is scary… he’s crazy. I should not get on his wrong side.’

The mad prince is enraged. He looks back at the person holding me. Without exchanging any words, the butler gave me to him and left the room, followed by all uniformed women except for the two kneeling by the bed.

The woman who looks like Nana is forced to stand up and is dragged out of the room. Her pleas echo as the mahogany doors close. “I was only protecting Saridayang! Nooooo! Hwan! Please forgive this servant for what she has done! Please!” [4]

It is quiet for a while until a woman wearing an exquisite yellow crinoline dress says: “My King, maybe she was just really protecting Saridayang. No one would dare harm her as she is your child. Not to mention that you are here in person and that this is a heavily guarded place; no one would dare commit treason in this situation.”

The prince’s head snaps in her direction, his eyes full of rage. “Are you saying I lied, Alicia?”

“Eh? N-no, My King… of course not. It’s just that it’s absurd that she would just kill the Princess right in front of you,” she reasons, her voice trembling.

“Are you saying that I overreacted, then? This child is the hope of my kingdom, the answer to all our hardships. If you think that this matter is only small and what I did was too much, then I don’t see any reason for you to be by my side any longer since you failed to see how important this child is to the kingdom’s future.”

Upon hearing what the prince said, the woman immediately kneels and asks for forgiveness; however, he no longer pays her attention. Instead, he walks towards the other woman lying on the bed. He sits down on the edge of the bed and hands me to her. She kissed me on the head and started to hum while he moved some strands of her hair stuck on her face.

“You’ve done well. Thank you for giving birth to a healthy daughter,” he whispers to her. “Rest. Don’t worry about anything. I’ll make sure that nothing of this sort will ever happen again.” He lovingly caresses my face before leaning in to kiss me. 

Afterward, he turns his attention to the three women still inside the room. “Haven’t you heard what I said earlier? I instructed everyone to be present in that midwife’s execution, so why are you still here?” 

Sensing that the man is still furious with what had just transpired, the three hurriedly exit the room.

His attention went back to us, and his soft countenance came back. He holds the woman’s hand and massages it a little. “I need to go now.” He smiles once more before ultimately leaving the room with the rest tailing him, leaving only the woman in the bed and me alone.

The woman adjusts herself and pats my back gently. She starts to sing a lullaby that I’m not familiar with but still makes me relax. I soon fell asleep while listening to her soft voice, and I felt my soul drifting away from this body again.

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[1] Translation: “You! What do you think you are doing?!”

[2] Hadidi = a formal way of saying yes and can be used when someone agrees with something.

[3] Hwan = literal Damari term for the word king.

[4] Saridayang = Damari term for young princess given to the daughters of the Kingdom of Amari’s monarch.