I couldn"t sleep. I should"ve been able to sleep in peace, but for some reason, I couldn"t sleep. I rolled over and looked at the side of Lucia"s face. She was deep asleep. I visited her last two nights to keep her company. Lucia needed to have somebody with her at all times at the moment, because she is at the most risk. If she gave birth in a state where she wasn"t mentally sound, then she would be at risk. I didn"t know why I hugged Lucia all the time. Maybe it was because she had a faint scent of flowers on her.
Mommy Vyvyan"s blonde hair swayed gently on the small bed by the side. There was a clear breeze and the moonlight at the balcony. Vyvyan seemed to be very fond of the place. She was sound asleep, but I knew that she would instantly detect any anomalies with Lucia"s body if any did come up.
I gently stroked Lucia"s face. Lucia wore a very peaceful expression.
It was almost time for Lucia to give birth. The child could finally produce its own mana, so Lucia didn"t need to suffer from such tremendous mana expenditure. However, she was still very weak physically, so she still often pa.s.sed out.
I stroked her short hair as I admired her smiling face. I didn"t know why I couldn"t sleep. My thoughts were disordered. The thing was that I shouldn"t have had anything to be fl.u.s.tered about.
"My wives will soon give birth, while things in the North have been dealt with, so what else is there? I honestly can"t think of what it is. What else can give me grief?"
I rolled over and looked at the ceiling, or rather, the pattern on the overhead bed curtain. My thoughts were muddled. I remembered there was something I had to do after much thinking, only to suddenly forget again. The feeling was akin to excitedly picking up your phone to order some food, only to then forget what you wanted to order. I shut my eyes and replayed everything that happened in the day in my mind.
"I worked with Freya in the office, locked the door. Then I returned to Nier, had a chat with her and then… and then… What did I say after…? I can"t remember; I think I had an argument with her, but what did we argue about? I remember that we were getting along very well, but why have I forgotten it when it was but just an hour ago? Nier and I virtually never argued, specifically, after we got married. If we argued over something, then the reason we argued is really important to me."
"Why can"t I recall it, though? I feel as though it"s something very important. It must be very important to me, but I can"t remember what it was. I can"t recall it no matter how I rack my brains. What exactly was it? Whatever. Let"s just not think about it. If I care about it enough, I"ll definitely recall it. I definitely will."
I shut my eyes and forced myself to stop thinking about it so that I could sleep. I didn"t know how long it took, but just when I felt my eyes shutting, I heard birds outside chirping. A gentle ray of sunlight swept over in front of my eyes. I also felt a pair of hands clasp my face.
I felt the gentle and warm touch of bliss on my lips. I was awake, but I wasn"t sure if I should open my eyes or not. I froze stiff in place. All I could do was allow my mouth to continue being violated. The feeling of hair brus.h.i.+ng my face gently teased my cheeks. I felt a gentle breath spray onto my face, causing my eyelashes to itch.
"I think I should open my eyes."
I opened my eyes and almost shouted, "Vyvyan". Her name had reached my lips, but what I saw wasn"t blonde hair and blue eyes. I saw green eyes and short black hair. Lucia raised her head up and clasped my face. She greeted me with a smile: "Good morning, Your Highness."
I looked at Lucia and chuckled quietly. I clasped her face and gave her another kiss.
Lucia was barely ever awake for long. That was the first time I saw her awake and able to kiss me since she was tormented with her condition. It was the best shape she"d been in for months and her first kiss.
We clasped each other"s face and pa.s.sionately kissed. I only just woke up, but it felt similar to honeydew. We focused all our attention on kissing, until Lucia"s breathing couldn"t keep up. Then we let go of each other.
"Pant… pant… pant…"
Lucia lay back down and gasped for air. We tightly held each other"s hands. She smiled as she looked at the side of my face. In a soft voice, she said, "Your Highness, I immediately began to look forward to you kissing me when I saw your eyes for the first time when I was young. I"ve been by your side for so long and fantasised about you kissing me countless times. I felt blissful every time. I was so nervous I felt as though my chest would burst the first time I kissed with you. Now, however, we can kiss whenever we like, and I can look at your eyes forever."
I smiled: "I like your eyes very much, as well. No. Not just your eyes. I like everything about you."
"Did you not think I feel the same way, my Prince?" Lucia giggled as she moved to kiss my cheek again. She narrowed her eyes and softly said, "Your Highness, I think our child will soon be born. I feel as though I have recovered quite a lot over the last few days. Our child should be able to produce mana now, right?"
"Our child, children, I meant, must be very healthy, then."
"Yes." Lucia stroked her belly gently then said, "Your Highness… During this period of time…, I really missed you… I really missed you…"
"I"ve always been by your side, but I was very worried about you."
I tightly held Lucia"s hand. She smiled, and then turned over. She chuckled and replied, "Do you have any names for our children? I feel that they"ll soon be born. I think they"ll be born in less than a month"s time?"
"I don"t have any ideas… But, let"s leave it with Mommy Vyvyan."
"Her Highness? I think that is a very good idea. Her Highness would definitely be able to give them a very n.o.ble and graceful name, wouldn"t she?"
"That"s right. I"ve already come up with two names for you."
I suddenly heard laughter from the window when I went to speak. Lucia and I both stiffened up in place. She felt too awkward to turn and look. Lucia didn"t know Vyvyan was there. I admittedly totally forgotten Vyvyan was behind us. Vyvyan sat in her chair with one leg over the other while looking at us with a smile. I slowly turned my head around to see Vyvyan in her sleeping gown with her legs exposed.
Vyvyan leaned on the desk beside her and supported her head with her right hand. Her golden hair hung down, thereby resembling a waterfall. Smiling, she said, "It"s fine. It"s fine. You two can continue. It feels nostalgic seeing your two showering each other with affection. I watched another couple from this angle back then, too."
"You watched them from that angle in the past, but then you became the main wife, after!!"
"Your Highness!!"
"Aaahh, it"s all right. It"s all right. Lucia, don"t get emotional. You"re still physically weak, so don"t thoughtlessly move about. However, the fact that you woke up is a sign that you will soon conceive. You must look after yourself in the coming days and stick by my side," said Vyvyan then stood up. She walked over to us and touched Lucia"s belly. She giggled: "How interesting… This is similar to ten years ago… It"s the same as when I saw Elizabeth… It"s virtually… the exact same…"
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