The Cursed King

"Please.. Your Grace... let me keep my baby..."  Elise gripped her nails on Loriel's arm. Her tears were falling down harder. Loriel was actually feeling surprised when he realized his weak and ailing wife could grip his arm this hard. She was like an animal fighting for her life.

No… she was like an animal fighting for her cub's life. Was this a mother's instinct? He was wondering.

Seeing his wife looking so pitiful made Loriel's heart break. He also really wanted to have this child… but not at the expense of his wife.

The man was fighting back tears. He shouldn't cry before Elise because it would make her feel sadder. He should be the strong one between them.

"Elise, I also want to keep the child, to be honest," Loriel finally told her. His expression was grim. "But Zaff already said that it will be dangerous for you to continue the pregnancy. Do you really want to die???"

He didn't want her to die. She was such a sweet and gentle woman. She didn't deserve to die so young if Loriel could prevent it.

He remembered Catalina Leoralei died after giving birth to Elise. Now Loriel realized Catalina must have died because she was stubborn and insisted to keep the baby in her womb… and died because of it.

If Loriel could help it, he wouldn't let Elise die, just like her mother.

"I am such a useless woman," Elise cried despondently. "I can't even carry a child properly..." She stared at the man pleadingly and clutched his arms. "Please, Your Grace, allow me to give you a child. Please let me be useful to you..."

Before she became pregnant, Elise thought maybe... maybe, if she gave Loriel a child, he could love her. 

And she already saw how much he had changed after he found out about her pregnancy. He was sweet and caring and now they even had sex regularly. She already felt like a real wife to him.

Loriel moved in with her and stayed in her chamber full time. That was all great progress. He was more considerate and Elise knew he was a good man and he had been trying to do what's right. He even admitted that he tried to love her.

But trying to love and sincerely falling in love were two different things. Elise hated herself for the fact that her husband had to work to force himself to love her just because they were married and he wanted to do the right thing.

Since he was already putting in the effort, Elise thought she should at least give her husband something back so he could justify his effort. 

Well… Loriel was a king and the king needed an heir. So, Elise would make sure he would get one.

At least, a child would make Loriel remember her After she was gone. Even though Elise might die to give her husband a child, at least she would live on in their son or daughter.

If Elise had to lose her life to give him one, it's okay. Loriel could always marry another woman to help him raise the child she left behind.

At this moment, Elise understood what her mother was thinking when she was pregnant with Elise. The late queen of Myreen must be devastated, but because she loved her husband so much she was willing to make the sacrifice.

Elise believed, as long as she gave him a child, Loriel's life would be better.

And perhaps he would think of her from time to time.

Elise was usually meek and gentle, but this time she was so stubborn and she wouldn't let Loriel go until the man promised he wouldn't try to make Elise abort her fetus.

Loriel was truly in a dilemma. He finally turned to Zaff and asked for his opinion. Or perhaps, Zaff could convince his wife to accept the reality that she really had a small chance of giving birth to a baby. If Zaff could talk Elise into aborting her baby, Loriel would feel more relieved.

He would be devastated by losing the baby... but he was more ready for it than losing his wife.

"What do you think, Zaff?" Loriel asked the royal physician.

"If Her Majesty insists, there is nothing we can do but to grant her request," Zaff replied. He sighed and pressed his chest. The man solemnly vowed to do his best to help Elise during her pregnancy. "We will try to make things work."

"Uhh... do you think that can work?" Loriel looked at the physician with furrowed brows. 

"I don't think we have a choice, Your Majesty," Zaff finally told Loriel. "It's Her Majesty's body. So, it's her choice and she chose to keep the baby. All we could do is to support her the best we could and hope for the best. For now, Her Majesty should get bed rest and don't do anything tiring."

Loriel let out a long sigh and then shook his head.  He touched her hair and rubbed it gently. His voice was filled with concern when he spoke. "You've heard what Zaff said. We will try our best to make  things work."

Elise found relief in her heart that she couldn't say anything and just trembled. Her face was wet with tears but now she looked happy. 

"It's okay, we will make things work," Loriel repeated his words. "I will take care of both of you."

He kissed both corners of her eyes and hugged her as Zaff made his way out of the room. Elise slowly wrapped her arms around Loriel's waist and hugged him back. She felt touched. 

Elise could feel the man was serious with his words to take care of her and their baby. She bit her lip and looked down at her stomach. The chances of her surviving were slim but she would do it. 

This was worth it, she thought.

If she could make Loriel happy with a child, then her sacrifice would be worth it.

"Okay, you have been crying long enough," Loriel said. He took a handkerchief and wiped her tears. "Do  you want to drink something?"

"Y-yes, please..." Elise nodded weakly. She needed to stay strong and not appear annoying.

"Okay. Wait here."

Loriel patted her back gently and the rose from the bed. He went outside and asked a maid to bring a pot of tea and two cups. The maid returned in fifteen minutes and brought the tray with teapot and two cups inside the chamber. 

Once she was done arranging the tray on the bedside table, Loriel kicked her out.

He poured tea into one cup, blew the heat, and gave the cup to Elise. "Here, drink something so you will feel better."

Elise's sobs were no longer intense. She could finally manage her feelings and stopped crying. She steeled her heart and accepted the cup from her husband. She drank the tea slowly and after she had finished her drink, her mind cleared up.

"Thank you, Your Grace." She lowered her face.

"Thank you for what?" Loriel asked her. "I didn't do anything."

"Thank you for respecting my decision and supporting it..." Elise finally found her the words to say. She spoke in a barely audible voice. "I won't let you down."

"Don't say that, Elise, please..." Loriel said. He tugged her chin and made her look at him. "You are my wife and you are carrying my child. Of course, I have to protect you two." 

Elise smiled despite the tear-streaked marks on her face and the two of them shared a kiss. Loriel hugged her and kissed her forehead. He knew she was an emotional wreck and there was no use to try and talk some sense into her about aborting her child.

So, he just played along with her request and accepted that Zaff also seemed to agree with Elise's request. As long as she stop crying and she could rest, Loriel would make her feel calm and happy.

He would think about what to do once he was alone and could gather his thoughts.

"You should rest," Loriel said. "Zaff said you should get bed rest and not do anything tiring. Can you do that? Can you do that for our baby?"

Elise nodded weakly. "Yeah.. I can do that."

"Good." Loriel helped Elise to lie down and then he covered her body with a blanket. He sat there by the bed and watched his wife until she closed her eyes and slept.

'Oh, Elise.. what should I do with you?' Loriel asked himself. He wiped tears from his eyes and then left the chamber.

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From Missrealitybites:

Thank you so much for all your support for TCK. I hope you will support my new book, "The King's Wife Is The Alpha's Wife". It already has 11 chapters on NovelFull. Please read it and let me know your thoughts ^^.

PS: Thank you, DespinaNY, for gifting a dragon to TCK and TCP yesterday xx