Chapter 31

Since we were finally able to roam the castle freely, I decided to see the gardens.

The gardens were unusually peaceful in the morning, a welcome respite from the usual bustle of court life. The roses were in full bloom, their vibrant colors painting a striking contrast against the rich greenery. As I strolled along the gravel paths, breathing in the sweet fragrance, then I saw her. Princess Delilah, her face contorted in pain, clutching her swollen belly. There were no handmaidens with her, no guards in sight. I wondered why she was alone at such a crucial moment. My heart leapt in my chest. She was in labor.

"Princess Delilah!" I called out, rushing to her side.

She looked up and saw me and her face turned even more furious.

"No! Step back Cressida, stay back!" she shouted, her voice strained and stubborn. "I don't need your help."

"But I can't leave you here. You are in pain."

I said to her but she ignored me.

I didn't want to leave her there, struggling. Ignoring her protests, I knelt beside her, offering my arm for support. "You need my help your highness. Let me assist you until help arrives."

She glared at me, but a contraction hit her hard, and she leaned into me, her strength waning. "Fine," she muttered through gritted teeth. "But only until they get here."

Moments later, the guards appeared and took over, guiding us back to the castle. We hurried through the corridors to Delilah's chambers, where the midwife had already been summoned.
As they prepared for the birth, I stayed by Princess Delilah's side, holding her hand and offering what comfort I could. She squeezed my hand fiercely with each contraction, her earlier resistance melting away in the face of the pain.

When the midwife finally arrived, I firmly ushered out. I stood in the hallway for a moment, listening to the muffled sounds from within, before making my way back to my own chambers.

Rowan was there, reading a letter at his desk. He looked up as I entered, concern etching his features. "Ariadne, what's wrong?"

"I was just in the gardens. Prince Lucian's wife has gone into labor," I said, sitting down beside him. "I was the one who took her to her chambers. The midwife is with her now."

Rowan's expression shifted, a mix of emotions crossing his face. "I didn't know she was that far along.." he mused.

"It appears she was. She was in so much pain, I hope it all turns out well."

I sighed.

"If she has a son, the King will throw a grand celebration for his first grandson." Rowan said softly. I turned to him and saw that there was a faraway look in his eyes.

"And how would you feel about that?" I asked softly, knowing it was a sensible topic for him.

Rowan sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Growing up, I knew what my life would be like. I was the Crown Prince. So I was meant to be king. I was betrothed to Delilah. So I was meant to marry her. Honestly, I feel a little jealous. Lucian is getting everything that is mine. Everything that should be mine."

"I know the baby is innocent in all of this... but it still hurts that everything I once held as mine being taken away from me."

I took his hand in mine, searching his eyes. "This baby... would it change things?"

"Would you abandon your pursuit for revenge if the baby is a boy? You know that means he is also an heir to the throne and next in line."

Rowan looked away, his jaw tightening. "Oh Ariadne... All I can promise is that I would never hurt the child, but I still plan to take back what belongs to me."


.........


As the moonlight filtered through the high arched windows, I stood before the grand mirror, allowing my handmaiden, Maria, to loosen the intricate beading of my dress. The day's weight seemed to dissolve with each deft movement of her fingers, a gentle routine that signaled the end of another long day.

"Milady, you seem troubled," Maria murmured.

I offered her a small smile through the reflection. "Just the usual worries, Maria.“

But even as I spoke, a nagging sense of unease gnawed at the edges of my thoughts. It’s been hours and there was no news of Delilah giving birth. I knew I shouldn’t be thinking about her or the baby but I couldn’t help it. Especially when something in the air felt different, charged with an ominous tension I couldn't quite place.

Maria had just begun to unlace my gown when the doors to the chambers burst open with a thunderous crash. I whirled around, heart hammering in my chest, to see Princess Delilah standing in the doorway. Her dark hair was wild, her eyes blazing with fury, and her white dress stained with blood.

"What are you doing here your highness?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the shock coursing through me.

"You wretched witch!" she spat, stalking towards me with predatory grace. Her sharp claws extended, glinting in the dim light. "You killed my son!"

The accusation struck me like a physical blow. "Your son?" I whispered, confusion and horror mingling in my mind. Son? She has a son?

“I don’t know what you’re—"

"LIAR!" Delilah shrieked, and before I could react, her claws raked across my face. Pain exploded in my vision, and I stumbled back, clutching at my bleeding cheek.

"Princess Delilah!" Maria cried, stepping forward in a futile attempt to shield me.

In that chaotic moment, Rowan, burst into the room, his roar echoing off the stone walls. "What’s going on here?!”

But before he could reach us, Prince Lucian was upon him. With a savage growl, Lucian leapt at Rowan, forcing him to abandon his advance on Delilah. The two collided with a bone-jarring impact, their struggle sending furniture crashing to the floor. Rowan dodged a particularly vicious swipe from Lucian, who ended up crashing into an ornate cabinet, splintering wood and glass everywhere.

The commotion seemed to fuel Delilah's rage. She lunged at me again, and I barely managed to sidestep her, the back of my legs hitting the edge of the bed. "Please, I don’t know what you are talking about." I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice. "Please!!!”

"You liar," she hissed, her eyes narrowing as she advanced on me once more. "I shouldn’t have let you touch me. I shouldn’t! You are the reason my son is dead! You are a demon!”

Her words cut deeper than her claws ever could. "That's not true," I whispered, though the doubt in my heart made my voice falter.

Delilah's hand shot out, her claws aimed for my throat. Time seemed to slow as I saw death in her eyes, but before she could strike, Rowan tackled her to the ground, pinning her down with a strength that left no room for resistance.

"Enough, Delilah!" he bellowed, his voice thunderous with authority and anger. "You will leave my wife and these chambers at once!"

Lucian, having regained his footing, moved to intervene.

“Don’t you dare put your dirty hands on her!”

Rowan's gaze pinned him in place. "Lucian, control your wife or I will."

Lucian snarled, but a look from Rowan, a silent communication between them, made him pause. He stepped back, his eyes still burning with hatred.

Rowan kept Delilah restrained, his grip unyielding. "You come into my chambers, you attack my wife, and accuse her of the most heinous crime without evidence. This madness ends now."

Delilah struggled beneath him, her fury unabated. "I speak true. Ask her! Ask her what she did to me! Everything was fine until she came along! She is a witch! She is the reason my son is dead. I know what happened."

"And what evidence do you have of this?" Rowan demanded, his voice colder now, like the steel of a blade.

"She was there, when I went into labor" Delilah spat out, her eyes wild. "She touched me. She helped me into my room. She must have done something to me as she pretended to help me. And now, I can smell her scent even clearer! She is not one of us!”

I struggled to my feet, clutching at the bedpost for support. "I only helped you because you needed help. How could you mistake my kindness for cruelty?! All I ever did was help you to your chambers."

Rowan's eyes softened as he looked at me, but his grip on Delilah didn't waver. "Cressida is not lying. If she were anything less than truthful, I would know. You will leave now, Delilah, and you will not return here unless you are summonsed. I am sorry about your son but my wife is not to blame.”

Lucian moved to help Delilah to her feet as Rowan released her. She shot me one last venomous look before allowing Lucian to guide her out of the room.

As the door closed behind them, the tension in the room seemed to dissipate. Rowan turned to me, his eyes filled with concern. "What did she do to you?!”

My hands were trembling. "I will be fine. Don’t worry.”

He gently cupped my face, his thumb brushing away a tear I hadn't realized had fallen. "I should have been here sooner."

Maria approached with a damp cloth, her hands steady despite the chaos that had just unfolded. "Let's tend to those wounds, milady."

“Give it to me. I’ll do it.”

Rowan said with clenched jaws as he collected the damp cloth from her.

As he began to clean the cuts on my face, I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. The pain was sharp, but it was the accusations that hurt the most. Delilah's words echoed in my mind, a dark shadow I couldn't shake.

Rowan stayed by my side, his presence a comforting anchor. "I’ll get to the bottom of this. And I’ll make sure she is punished for this."

"I don't understand why she would accuse me," I whispered, the exhaustion of the ordeal finally catching up with me. "All I did was help her.”

"Grief makes people do terrible things," Rowan said softly. "She can’t bear the thought of losing her child so she is looking for who to blame.”

“I’ve been nothing but respectful to her. I wished her well. I don’t understand why bad things like these keep happening to me.”

“What if? What if what she said was true Rowan?”

“What if I did kill him?”