Chapter 65

9 months, 2 weeks pregnant.

It has only been two hours and thirteen minutes into her labor and Livia was already bored out of her mind.

Livia was back in her room in the old detached north wing of the Valentine Estate. The windows were still blotted out by dark curtains and but other than that, it has been returned to the state it had been before Midwife Dowry had stepped inside. Everything has been brought up and set out in preparation for the birth of her son.

It was comfortable but it was not as familiar as her room in the east wing.

Staring blankly ahead, it was a strange thought that this would be the place that she would give birth.

Certainly, it would not have been her first choice. Then again, Wisteria as a whole was not her most ideal place to be so vulnerable.

Distantly, Livia pictures stark white walls, a pale green hospital gown, and the mechanical sound of her baby heartbeat in her ears with a wide panel view of a large parking lot and open sky.

Her older sister in her first life had given birth in such a place.

To two smart little girls who had become her nieces. She had become an aunt that day.

Livia had volunteered to keep her sister company in the room. While they had waited, she curled up on the small couch with a phone clutched in her hand and admired the orange and red leaves many floors above ground. The sky had been endlessly blue. She recalled being excited and even a bit nervous when her sister had finally been induced.

After, it had just been a game of waiting. It had been easy enough to do when Livia was just standing by, giving moral support while her sister did all the work in place of her husband who had been working overseas. Their mother had been there, along with their aunt two aunts, uncle, and grandmother.

It had been an occasion to be excited about and celebrate, welcoming the two additions to the family, the twins had been the start of another generation.

But now...

Livia stops the thought from continuing.

Hadn’t she already cried enough for her family?

No matter how many tears she shed, it would not bring her closer to ever seeing them again.

Plus, now she had another family. And soon, a new addition would be added. Only, she was now doing all the work. With the added bonus of noting have a needle shoved up her spine to numb the pain.

Livia’s face does not even twitch as the cramping pain of a contraction makes another lap. She simple breathes through it like Beth had taught her and curls her fingers into the covers of her bed, feeling mildly sleepy.

Midnight was not far off. The ending ball should have long concluded.

The north wing was quiet and even peaceful. Especially after Livia had practically barricaded herself in her own room, preventing anyone who dared from intruding.

When she had first returned to the north wing, it had felt like the ending ball had attempted to follow with her. A small parade of people in sparkling formal wear had trailed belated after her and had only stopped short at the footsteps of the forgotten wing. Livia had heard the commotion on her way up the creaking steps.

Whatever had taken place soon calmed until suddenly everything was deathly silent.

By that time, Livia had been carefully helped out of her dress, placed into a soft but old nightgown that she wouldn’t care about if it got ruined, and carefully checked over by Beth. She had been told exactly what she had expected; she had not been anywhere near ready to give birth. That her contractions needed to do their part and help prepare her body a while longer.

So now, Livia was lying in bed doing exactly that. She contemplates, a bit numbly, if she would be able to sleep through the pain of her contractions. They still weren’t too bad even though they had become a bit stronger since the party. She also wondered how long it would be before she stopped leaking the amniotic fluid. It has yet to stop at all if she was being honest.

Being in labor wasn’t at all that exciting, nor was it anything like the movies. In this, Livia was actually happy. Because it meant all was going as well as it could possibly be.

Boringly so.

The excitement was still prevalent, the brimming anticipation of finally meeting her son was practically dancing in the air, but it felt like a barrier was holding it all back. The reality of the situation soothed it into something manageable and drawn out.

“Does it not hurt at all?” Liliana stares at her from where she sits at the edge of the bed. The antsy concern that had once permitted her little sister's face has dwindled as the time had ticked onward and nothing overly dramatic happened.

“Yes,” Livia says instantly, perking up. Her eyes find the rubies that were her sisters and she makes a great show of grimacing.

Liliana's smile was small and filled with worry, “And you are sure there is nothing Miss Beth can do to speed up the process or make it less painful?” She asks for the third time that night, her voice delicate, tentative. She has not moved far from Livia at all but she also has kept her distance, not wishing to disturb her too much.

“Not without taking a potion or remedy that enters my bloodstream,” Livia answers patiently, “It will be passed onto the baby.”

“But you mentioned that it was possible. Before,” Liliana says.

“In my first life,” Livia confirms, “Via placing a needle through the spinal cord.”

Liliana balks, “W-what?”

Livia blinks sleepily at her, “Yeah, it’s as disturbing as you think.”

“Oh,” Is as Liliana says, slumping a bit.

Livia hums and shifts, sinking further back into her pillow as she finally gives in and closes her eyes. At this rate, it will be a bit longer before the real show begins.

9 months, 2 weeks 1 day pregnant.

“What are you going to do after this?” Livia stares up at the ceiling when she asks the question. She tries not to move so much when she feels warms hands on her, gently checking as she wiggles her toes.

Beth pulls away slightly and glances up, distracted, “I’ll go fetch more towels and a few light snacks. Are you sure you do not want anything to eat? I know it is late, but the offer still stands.”

Livia squirms a bit when the midwife resumes working. The room had been emptied out for the check-up. Amaya had been tasked with fetching more blankets and Liliana went with her. Just outside the door of the room, Sen stood guard.

“That isn’t what I meant,” she says, her face carefully blank. Then it crumbles as pain washes over her, nearly toppling her from the force. She bites down on her lip to hold back the sound, but she ends up holding her breath, causing her body to go tense, upping the pain.

Beth pulls away again. There is a splash of water as she washes her hands. Livia pointedly does not look like the clear bowl of water pinkens. Soon hands are at her back, rubbing into it.

“Remember to breathe, Lady Livia,” The midwife tells her, “Follow after me. Inhale...exhale.”

Livia’s breath explodes out before she gets it under control. By then, the contraction has started to retreat, and soon it is as if it had never appeared at all. She sighs and sinks into the pillows propping her up.

“You are doing great,” Beth compliment her, smiling.

“How many centimeters apart am I now?” Livia asks tiredly.

“...Still two,” Beth winces at her low curse.

“It will just keep getting worse from here won’t it,” Livia says and doesn’t really need an answer. Then she shakes her head and lifts herself up to face Beth.

“What are you going to do after I give birth?” Livia asks, then she pauses and thinks back over the question, “What do you want to do?” She tries again.

Beth is obviously confused, “Well, once you finish giving birth we will have to deal with the afterbirth. There also might be a few tears that I will need to heal. But right after your son is brought into the world, the most important thing is for him to have physical contact with you and for you two to bond-”

Livia shakes her head, almost smiling, “No, I mean...” She sighs and her shoulders slump, “The deal I have with King Grail only lasts until the birth. After which, the pardon will be lifted and you will once more be exiled. If that is what you choose, I will not stop you...however, if you wish for a different outcome, I am also all ears.”

Beth doesn’t seem to know how to react or what to say to that.

Livia goes back over her words. Then she face-palms herself mentally. It sounded as if she was eager to see Beth go when in fact the opposite was true. However, she was not comfortable with keeping the older woman under her employment any longer than strictly necessary.

With Sen, it was a matter of the blood pact and invested interest. With Amaya, it was a matter of a deal and a certain promise. They had both been hired and they were both receiving paychecks for their services. It was the same case for Beth, only the young midwife was emotionally invested and she just wished to help in any way she could to seek out rightful justice.

The fact that she happens to be a midwife and a healer was only beneficial to Livia. And Beth, being the nice and overall decent person that she was, had given her help without hesitance. She had even agreed to follow Sen and Livia back to the capital of Wisteria on the fly and even had offered to work for free and in secret if it meant she could help out.

Livia had not been keen on the idea, as it would have put Beth in a lot of danger. So, she sought to find out a way in which Beth could be paid as an employee under her. Even if it meant doing something as outlandish as blackmailing the king of Wisteria to make it happen.

But now, the road was coming to an end.

Livia could have been thankful for Beth’s help and just assume that she would always be by her side. Given her personality, she would not be at all surprised if the midwife just went with the flow with little trouble.

However, that did not sit right with her.

Not when Livia knew that her own path led down into a freefall.

It simply would not be fair not to give everyone a chance to get out. To get as far away as they could from her while she was still walking towards the cliff.

Beth, Liliana, Sen and Amaya.

Just because their path has crossed along with hers now does not mean it will not separate again.

Livia wanted them all to know that they did not owe her anything. That they were under no obligation. As long as their wants and goals crossed over Livia’s, she would help them in exchange for them helping her. She did not like to just take.

Oh.

Maybe that was the problem.

What did Beth want?

What did she need?

Why was she even here?

“After tonight, or however long it takes me to give birth, you will no longer be employed to me,” Livia probably could have said that better. Once more, she tries again, “I mean to say that you will no longer be assigned to look after me. If you wish to return back to your life in Zinnia, I will make sure you are given a safe passage. If you wish to go somewhere else, the same thing applies.”

Beth is silent. Staring at her.

Livia tries to quell the rising panic and anxiety. She talks on, “Staying here, in Wisteria is also an option. I can make it so that the king pardons you fully. Maybe even had your status returned to you if that is what you wish as well? Um...I mean,” she trails off, her face coloring.

Maybe she should have waited after giving birth to have this conversation. To get her thoughts in order. Suddenly she didn’t even make sense to her own ears.

However, once the thought had hit, it was hard to ignore it.

“Lady Livia.”

Purple eyes raise, her back straightens, “Y-yes?”

“Am I to assume that you are trying to tell me to know that the duties and responsibilities that I have agreed to help you with are coming to an end? And that after you wish to help me in any path I chose afterward in exchange? Like a business contract that ends on good terms?”

Livia’s brow scrunches up.

“I...I think so.”

Beth stares at her seriously for a second before her face wavers and she giggles.

Livia blinks at her like a stupefied owl.

“Oh my, Lady Livia,” Beth wipes a tear from her eyes, still chuckling, “Aren’t you rather sweet?”

Livia bristles at this, “I’m not,” she says instantly because she was not a sweet person at all.

Beth just giggles again at her affronted expression.

Livia sulks and then she winces. Without being told, she starts to breathe and tries not to clutch at her stomach.

As Beth shuffles closer and rubs circles into her stomach, a soft smile, different from her usual ones, lights up her face.

“If it is no trouble to you, Lady Livia, I wish to stay here in Wisteria, by your side a little longer,” the midwife says after a while.

The contraction passes.

Livia stares down at her covers, her fingers curling into them.

The answer...did not please her. But at the same time, she could not fight down the warmth that spread through her core.

“I will make it so,” Livia says, and lifts her eyes with a look of melted steel.

Beth smiles sweetly back, “I do not doubt it for a second.”

9 months, 2 weeks, 1 day pregnant.

“What are you going to name him?”

Livia looks up from one of the small memory orbs she had been fiddling with within her hands, absently sucking on her bleeding thumb. To her right, Liliana was settled into the bed with Noctis curled up in her lap. To her left, Amaya snuggles further down into the bed covers, her dark eyes trailing away from the memory ball to look over at the sisters.

It was now half-past two.

Livia has been in labor for almost five hours.

The room around them was dimly lit by a few stray candles. Beth has just finished checking up on her and was now sitting on the loveseat with a book in hand to resume reading with her body towards the bed and Sen has left to check up on the outside to report back to her father and do a security sweep of the north wing.

The contractions are...bad. Just bad.

They are also more consistent and come in shorter periods of time.

Livia can no longer keep a straight face during them. Breathing helps, but sometimes one or two is more painful than the other and all she can do is sit still and endure through them.

Her body was still not ready and Livia is trying hard not to think about the horror stories she had seen before in her first life, of mothers laboring over twenty hours and sometimes even days.

That was why she was sitting between Liliana and Amaya and trying her best to relax and keep her mind off of certain topics. The memory was a very welcome and nostalgic distraction. Reminisce of the time in which Livia had easy access to all sorts of entertainment back when she had a phone in her first life.

Livia quickly becomes sucked into the images flickering into a holographic light before her. The ‘screen’ was not overly big. It could be compared to a small tablet or projected image as the memory orb from which it was being broadcasted was small. But it was no trouble. They all simply had to squeeze in tighter together to view its contents, hence why Liliana and Amaya were at her side.

Surprisingly, Livia did not mind her space being invaded while in labor. If anything, the two young women made perfect stress balls as they were quick to offer their hands for her to squeeze whenever another contraction falls over her.

With a thought, the image in front of the trio freeze as Livia blinks lazily at her sister's question.

“A name?”

Liliana's smile brightens. She squeezes her hand as she lifts up her head from her older sister's shoulder.

“Yes, what will be my nephew's name? Have you decided yet?”

A few feet away, Beth lifts her eyes in the reading. There was a small, honey ball of light floating above her shoulder. It was the least evasive monitor spell she could use.

Apparently, her son has gotten increasingly sensitive to magic as his entrance into the world of Ethetia draws near. It had been the first real scare to see the look of mild alarm on Beth’s face during the third check-up of the night. However, Beth had reacted with astonishing speed. She had been able to discern the problem and quickly adjust.

Truly, Livia had been a bit amazed. Beth's skill and passion for midwifery were undeniable. It is little wonder that she had been once seen as a young prodigy.

“Have you not thought about it?” Amaya sits up a bit, staring at Livia as well.

She blinks slowly.

Right.

A name.

…

“Livia?” Liliana nudges gently against her side.

“I have not,” Livia answers. Then she closes her eyes and starts to focus her all in just breathing. Pain swells in her back and crawls around her belly and down her legs.

“Ugh,” She grunts, wincing visibly as the contraction lingers on and does not let up.

Damn it.

It hurts.

She squeezes Liliana’s and Amaya’s hands until her knuckles were white.

“Breath, make sure to keep breathing,” Beth is beside her. Amaya easily moves to make room to give her better access, careful and light with her movements on the bed.

“On a scale from one to ten,” Beth starts to say when she slumps into the pillows behind her.

“Six,” Livia answers.

Beth makes a sympathetic noise, “Do you want to try walking again? I can also give you another massage. Taking a warm bath is also another option,” Beth offers as she dabs away the sweat on her brow and lifts up a cool glass of water to her lips for her to sip on.

Livia's legs felt like jelly. There was no way she would be able to stand within the next few minutes. The massage had helped but she was also in a very comfortable position that she did not want to move from. As Liliana and Amaya get up without a word and Livia shift to the side to let Beth retrieve and replace that towel under her, she contemplates the bath.

She did feel kind of gross.

But it required moving and she wasn’t up for that.

Plus, at this rate, she would just become increasingly disgusting as the early morning wore on.

Suddenly weary, Livia’s eyes droop, “I want to try to sleep for a bit,” she says and the image broadcasting over the memory orb flickers and then disappears entirely.

She doesn’t even care if the task was near impossible now. She just wishes to lay down and curl up a bit. Livia settles down into her bed and sighs as she rolls to her side and drapes a hand over her stomach. The low hum or buzz under her skin seems to like it will never go away at this rate.

Soon...soon...

But why couldn’t it be even sooner?

How much longer would she have to endure?

At the same time, Livia wished it would all just stop. That the pain stopped increasing and that she could return back to naïve woman who did not know the struggle of labor.

Beth nods and settles the covers carefully around her, fluffing up a pillow, “Alright. If you need anything I am only a short distance away,” Then she turns to Amaya and Liliana, “Do you two wish to settle in for the night? At this rate, it will be a bit longer still. I’ll be sure to wake you as soon as anything happens.”

Liliana instantly shakes her head, “No. I want to be here,” Then she looks to the floor of the room, “Can we not just lay down here? That way we aren’t far? The other rooms are on the other end of the hall.”

Amaya cracks her back, “I’m fine with that. Livia has the right idea. A nap couldn’t hurt.”

As the three of them talk and discuss how they were going to do things, Livia nuzzles her face into Noctis fur and closes her eyes. Somehow, she manages to drift off once more.