The Cursed King

TRIGGER WARNING:

The characters experience losing their baby.

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Loriel realized his grave foolishness after that day and swore to never consider aborting the baby again. He would take care of Elise and make sure that she was healthy, he wanted both the baby and Elise to survive.

He was afraid of losing them both.

The man did his best to pour love, affection, and joy into her life, and Loriel became the best husband that he could be. What else could he do to ever deserve such a wonderful woman like Elise?

He needed to repay everything that he received from her. Elise had given him all the love and unconditional understanding. So, Loriel thought he needed to give her everything that she deserved.

However, Loriel was not powerful or almighty, he could not change things and so he was forced to watch as Elise's condition worsened over time. He did not know what caused it, or if it was because Elise was really weak, Months went by and as her pregnancy grew, Elise bled a lot and became sick by every little thing.

He morning sickness was the worst and didn't go away even after months. Loriel could do nothing but watch her suffer. Nothing he did, to try to alleviate the woman's pains, worked. 

Every time he saw her wince in pain or threw up, Loriel felt his heart drop to the floor and he wanted to cry. He could see how much Elise was going through so much in order to deliver their baby and survive the aftermath.

Slowly, his heart was filled with so much affection and care for the beautiful woman who became his wife through the arranged marriaged set up by their mothers.

Secretly, Loriel prayed to whatever higher beings there were to bless his wife with health, so she could carry their child to full term and survive childbirth. He promised to care for Elise and their child, and protect them with his life.

However, Elise's condition didn't get better. It was not strange for Elise to be bedridden and stay in her chamber with Brick snuggled around her feet constantly. Zaff, the royal physician, was always constantly summoned to check and monitor the queen's condition.

One time, Loriel woke up to the stench of blood and quickly woke up to find Elise still asleep but bleeding profusely despite her not moving at all. Loriel found his heart not taking the sight of Elise suffering so much.

The couple went through so many scary things throughout the months of Elise pregnancy until it finally culminated into the end. It was time for Elise to give birth and the event surprised everyone because it was premature.

Elise's shriek of pain and agony of labor echoed across the entire chamber.

Loriel felt his hand hurt as Elise squeezed it hard as tears sprang up from the corner of her eyes. The midwife was delivering the child with the help and attendance of Zaff constantly watching the process with careful eyes.

Elise was given herbs and medicine to reduce the labor pain, but it was taking some time before it actually gave effect… and yet it was already late. The midwife said an oath and prayer as she carefully delivered the child. Once she pulled the baby out, she gave a sad look to Zaff and was unable to say a word.

"My baby, where is my baby?" Elise whispered. Her pale was face while still in a state of deliriousness. Cold sweat was evident across her entire face and the process of childbirth only weakened her further that it was a surprise to see her still awake. She continued pleading with a hoarse voice. "P-please… where is my baby?"

Loriel tried to soothe his wife despite the terrible knots in his stomach. "Elise, please, calm down for a moment. You need to rest instead of exerting yourself like this."

"Your Majesty, where is our child?!" Elise hiccuped and looked him in the eye with grief.

There was no cry of a baby that night at all and yet when Loriel looked at Zaff, the royal physician's head was down and he couldn't even say a word. There was nothing that the man could do in this hour.

It was the midwife who carried the baby somberly, already wrapped, that revealed to Loriel the truth.

"I'm incredibly sorry, Your Majesty," the midwife hoarsely said and yet with the words of someone who has encountered relaying the news to countless pitiful couples. "Your child is stillborn. She did not survive."

So, it was a girl. 

His mind went to Harlow, Emmelyn's really cute daughter that he met two years ago. He was jealous that Emmelyn, the woman he loved, had such a cute daughter with her husband.

Whenever he thought about it, Loriel secretly desired to have a daughter too. His daughter would be more beautiful than Emmelyn's daughter.

However… his daughter was born stillborn. She was dead before she could even see this world. No one could see how beautiful she would become.

Apparently, Loriel didn't deserve her. She was taken away before Loriel could hold her in his strong arms.

Loriel felt his heart rip apart mercilessly by invisible hands. He had never felt so hurt and sad at the same time like he did that day.

He finally experienced what he thought to be the worst day of his life.

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From Missrealitybites:

Writing this chapter is really difficult because it's heartbreaking. I wanted to go deeper, but then realized it might be too much to handle.

I hope you could also see that Loriel has been working hard to be a good husband after Elise became pregnant, and slowly, his love for Elise grew.  Unfortunately, before their love gained a strong foundation, they have to deal with such terrible loss. And so... they were back to zero.

This is not uncommon to happen between couples who are faced with tragedy.

PS: Thank you, DespinaNY, for gifting a dragon to The Cursed King yesterday. xx