"love doesn't leave just because the person does."

6 months later
Rivia: Ajayib, Town of Central Rivia, Elianna's Residence

• Elianna •

"Kiran!" Elianna cried as her hand held tightly against the area where she felt a sharp contraction.

"Eli?" Thunder rammed the door open and barged into the room but was immediately pulled to the side by Kiran.

"Thunder, stay outside," Kiran ordered.

"Is she going to be okay?" he panicked.

"Come on, Thunder. She'll be alright." Jana comforted.

She listened as Thunder left the room and Kiran rushed close to her. Each contraction caused a jolt of intense pain that consumed her entirely. Bunching onto the material of her bedding, she writhed in agony on the bed as she felt almost being crushed by the splintering throes. Feeling something close to her mouth, Kiran instruction, "Elianna, open your mouth and bite onto this." 

Fear and confusion robbed her ability to think and all she could do was to follow whatever that was said to her and hope that all would turn out well. Jana and Kiran supported her in position as they continued to remind her to breathe. 

Every second that passed had stretched into infinity and all her muffled scream were drowned by tears that flowed relentlessly from the corner of her eyes. Her entire body clenched involuntarily as she pushed together with Kiran's count. Struggling through the ripping pain that was agonizingly torturous, she clamped her teeth tighter onto the rolled towel placed in her mouth so much that she could feel her gums growing numb. When her head grew hazier, a wave of panic set into her. 

"Breathe, Elianna!" Kiran reminded, sounding almost afraid. 

She inhaled sharply but the air burned through her lungs and her chest ached. The subsequent breaths became harder each time. It was as though someone had pushed her underwater and she was drowning and struggling to reach the surface. The back of her eyes burned as another shock of sharp pain shot up from her lower abdomen. Strength slowly seeped away from her body and her consciousness was fading. It was an unfortunate sign that her body was on the verge of giving up. 

Just when her senses dulled, she heard a slightly distant shout. "Elianna, please stay with us! You cannot pass out now!"

Kiran's panic caused her heart to race as she fought internally to regain her consciousness from the deepest recess of her own mind. At the thought of her child, she managed to drag herself forward and her hands gripped even tighter in an attempt to reacquire strength to force herself through the labour. Unsure how long had passed, but she refused to let her body concede until she was sure that her child would be safe.

"He's out!" Kiran's voice felt even further this time.

She strained to keep herself present, clinging excruciatingly to the last bit of consciousness in her. Between her wavering senses, she heard a loud shrill and a weak smile lifted from the corners of her lips before she allowed herself to drift off.

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Iftia: Lyx Palace, Study

• Rowan •

"For the rest, we would follow—" A sudden jolt of pain shot through him while he was trying to explain himself to the rest of his knights. Stumbling forward, his hand clenched onto the left side of his chest while the other was planted onto the desk ahead of him to support his body.

"Ro!" His knights called out, jumping off their seats on high alert.

"I'm fine," he said hoarsely. "Give me a moment and we will resume in a while."

Then, he dismissed his knights from the study, leaving him alone to rest. He sat at his desk and his fingers tapped mindlessly on the wooden surface. He hand smoothed across his shoulder and a mist of darkness danced across his fingers through the lines of the mysterious mark on his chest. 

He tried to ask, but no one could explain to him about anything. It was reaching a point of frustration but he could only wonder if the pain a moment ago was a sign. If it is, why hadn't he got anywhere near his answer? 

He also couldn't find the right words to explain the shot of pain that happened just now. It didn't feel malicious. Instead, it worried him but also washed him with a sense of calm after it receded.

Getting up from his chair, he stood by the window and peered out into the vastness of white that contrasted against the dark of night in the vast land of Iftia. Emotions spiralled within him and one of his fingers accidentally got caught with the strings from the knot that was tied to the ring of his sword. Those magic crystals jingled upon contact and he glanced down, tangling the chords in between his fingers. There was a gap in his memories and he knew that it had to be related to the person who gifted this knot to him. Undeniably, he had received many knots from the noble ladies but for him to willingly knot one on his own sword. This lady must be important to him. 

Who are you? 

He sighed with the lost emptiness tugging against his heart because he couldn't remember a single thing. Yet, a strong feeling remained within him, confusing him thoroughly. 

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Rivia: Ajayib, Town of Central Rivia, Elianna's Residence

• Elianna •

The sound of a baby chuckle and a thud on her face woke her up as she followed the sound and fumbled to her side to find the playful imp.

"Elianna, he's here," Kiran laughed, picking the baby up and placed him in her arms. The little one rolled in her hold mischievously, still chuckling adorably. She touched him gently, her finger caressed across his soft cheek and caught his tiny hand that was dancing around in the air. His fingers curled to grip on hers as a surprised sound escaped from him, shrieking in delight. She giggled breathlessly at his liveliness. "Hello, little one."

"Elianna, he's a really beautiful boy," Jana marvelled from the side.

"Tell me about him," she smiled.

"His skin is pale. And he had dark hair, almost black," Jana laughed, getting more excited as she described. "But his hair curled in the same way as yours, definitely messy! Oh, did I mention about his eyes? He has huge eyes!"

"Really?" Elianna exhaled a giggle. 

"He's staring fixedly at you right now," Jana pointed out, her voice still beaming with happiness. "He has beautiful blue eyes with faint rings of gold in them. It must be that he also received some blessings from you." 

At the mentioned of blessing, the baby chuckled as though he had agreed to Jana's words. Then, he wiggled again in her hold and Elianna tapped on his nose. She spoke softly, "Aren't you a mischievous one?" 

"Just like you." Thunder's voice sounded from far as Elianna heard his footsteps when he entered the room. She lifted her head towards the direction of his voice. 

"You're definitely involved in all the trouble I had made," she burst out a laugh. "I can't help but think back about how angry Jason and Lylia would be all the time." 

"You'll be in their shoes with this little one here," Thunder reminded.

"But just like them, he could be whoever he wants and I would still love him with all I have," she whispered softly, cradling the baby closer to her.

"It's unfortunate that they aren't here to see this little one," he sighed. 

"You're wrong, Thunder," she smiled and placed a hand across her chest to where her heart lies. "They're here and they'd always be. Their love would always stay with us."

"I guess you're right," Thunder said, voice soft. Then, he tutted again and started complaining, "By the way, this rascal looked too much like him." 

In her arms, the baby made a sudden loud sound and startled everyone present. 

"He's protesting," Elianna frowned funnily.

"What a trouble," Thunder laughed. "Have you thought about his name yet?" 

"Arell." 

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'Arell' means 'light'.

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End of Book Two, Shadowlight

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