[ T W O ]

An hour have passed before Ainu opened her eyes in confusion. She could faintly hear someone sobbing as she slowly sat up. Her gaze shifted towards the foot of the bed where a young servant, probably at her mid-twenties, is crying uncontrollably.

'Where am I?' Ainu looked around her and upon seeing the two large dragon statues made of gold that was placed at each side of the bed, realization hit her like a raging storm. 'This is the emperor's chamber! Why am I here?!'

With a panic-stricken face, she hastily pushed the blanket away and tried to stand up but the pain in her lower abdomen immobilized her. She groaned in pain as she clutched her stomach.

The young servant abruptly looked up and ran towards the empress as tears continued to flow from her eyes. "Your Ladyship, please refrain from moving because your body is still weak."

With the help of the servant, Ainu lay down once again as beads of sweat trickled down her face. After wiping off the sweat on the empress' face, the young girl hastily went to the table to get the prescribed medicine. "The imperial physician said this tonic will help lessen the pain, Your Ladyship. Please drink this."

Ainu slowly sat up and drank the bitter medicine. Fortunately, the pain in her lower abdomen quickly disappeared after drinking the tonic. The servant took the empty cup from Ainu and placed it back on the table. "Have we met before? What is your name? Why are you crying earlier?" Ainu asked as she regarded her new servant with suspicion.

The young girl tilted her head and opened her mouth to speak. "My name is Hinata, Your Ladyship. The Emperor personally chose this lowly servant to serve you." She paused and showed the empress her handmade bracelet. "Do you remember this, Your Ladyship? Your Ladyship saved this lowly servant from the human traffickers five years ago and gave this bracelet as a gift."

Ainu's pair of phoenix eyes widened in disbelief but it was quickly replaced with joy. "I am glad that you are all right, Hinata. I've never thought I'd be seeing you again."

Hinata nodded while crying. "I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for this lowly servant, Your Ladyship, but I promise that I will serve you with all of my heart. I will protect Your Ladyship and the child you are carrying even if it means sacrificing my own life for the both of you."

Upon hearing Hinata's last words, Ainu's face turned deathly pale. 'Child? I am carrying that heartless man's child?! This can't be happening!' "Your Ladyship, are you all right?"

"No! This child must die! No!" Tears streamed down Ainu's face as she screamed. I'd rather die than bear his child!

"Your Ladyship, please calm down!" Hinata tried to stop the empress but the latter did not listen. The large wooden door abruptly opened and the emperor hastily entered. Hinata bowed down but Hyosuke ignored her as he approached Ainu. "What are you doing, Empress?!"

"Get your filthy hands away from me! I'd rather die than carry your child! Get out! Get out of here!"

Before Ainu could hurt herself further, Hyosuke was able to press the base of her neck [using acupuncture] and knock her unconscious.

"Your Majesty, please forgive Her Ladyship! She did not mean it. It is this servant's fault!" Hinata pleaded as she kowtowed continuously in front of the emperor.

"Stand up. No one must know about what happened here." Hinata nodded whilst sighing in relief. "Thank you, Your Majesty! May you live a thousand years!"

Hyosuke stared at his unconscious wife with a pained expression on his face. He forced her that night even when she refused. 'I know that this is all my fault but do you really hate me that much, Ainu? You can hate me all you want but please do not include our child.'

"From now on, the empress will be under house arrest until she will give birth. You must take good care of her." Hinata nodded. "This lowly servant will not disappoint you, Your Majesty." Hyosuke exited his chamber without looking back.

The next day, he passed down a royal edict about the house arrest, forbidding anyone from visiting the empress in her palace except the imperial physician and few nurses.

Ainu spent all her time with Hinata in the Celestial Phoenix Palace. She was furious at first but she deliberately learned to accept the bun in her womb.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Ainu's stomach grew as the little bun inside her developed healthily.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

Seven months later…

Inside the Celestial Phoenix Palace, dozens of nurses were going back and forth whilst carrying basins of warm water. Their clothes were drenched with blood as beads of sweat damped their foreheads.

On the other hand, inside the chamber, pained screams could be heard as the empress tried to push the bun inside her.

"I can already see the baby's head, Your Ladyship. Please push harder this time." The head nurse said whilst looking at the empress with pity. Ainu's grip on the cloth tightened as she gritted her teeth and pushed for the last time.

The people inside the chamber heaved a sigh of relief when the baby's loud cry permeated throughout the chamber. The head nurse took the child and her mouth curved into a wide smile.

"Congratulations, Your Ladyship. You have given birth to a healthy prince." The rest of the nurses and servants present in the chamber bowed down as they congratulated the empress.

The head nurse carefully washed the prince and wrapped him in a smooth cloth before giving him to the empress for breastfeeding.

When Ainu held her son for the first time, hatred and sadness vanished from her heart and was replaced with endless joy. Tears flowed from her eyes but she was smiling genuinely. 'My light, my joy, and my everything. You will forever be my treasure.'