A Royal Obligation
Chapter 153: Close To Deathbed

Chapter 153: Close To Deathbed

The journey to Valeidio had been long and tense, but the Zephyros convoy finally reached the gates of the Valeidio palace. The towering structure loomed ahead, but despite its grandeur, all eyes were focused on Queen Elena, who lay unconscious in the carriage.

Her face was pale, and her breathing barely stirred the air.

Queen Morgana and King Xavian of Valeidio, standing with their court, wore expressions of concern. When they had last seen Queen Elena during the wedding of their sons, she had been full of life, her laughter echoing through the halls. Now, seeing her so fragile, their hearts sank.

"She’s barely recognizable..." Queen Morgana whispered to her husband as they watched the guards carefully lift Queen Elena from the carriage.

King Xavian’s lips tightened. "Let’s hope the healer can do something for her. The situation seems dire."

Queen Morgana followed the procession as Queen Elena was carried into the palace, her eyes full of worry. As they passed through the halls, servants opened the doors to the most luxurious chambers they had prepared for their guest. When Queen Elena was laid gently on the bed, her chest rose and fell so slowly that it seemed at any moment it might stop.

Balthor, the head healer of Zephyros, stepped forward, offering the letter that Prince Eirik had entrusted to him. Queen Morgana took it with trembling hands, reading through her son’s careful words.

Her eyes shone with pride as she finished. "Thank you, Balthor," she said, folding the letter. "Eirik has always been so thoughtful," she murmured. "We’ll do everything we can to save her."

The special healer of Valeidio, an older woman with sharp eyes and steady hands, entered the room and quickly set to work. Her face remained impassive as she examined Queen Elena, but the tension in the room grew as the minutes stretched on.

"This is bad," the healer muttered, examining the queen’s pulse, her eyes flicking toward Balthor. "Why did it take you so long to diagnose this? Nyrax Syndrome isn’t something you miss when you see it."

Balthor lowered his head, clearly embarrassed. "Nyrax Syndrome is unknown to us in Zephyros. I didn’t recognize it until I found a record of similar symptoms in one of our books. By then, it was already advanced."

The healer sighed heavily but didn’t place further blame. "She’s close to her deathbed. We’ll start the treatment immediately, If you’d arrived a day later, she might not have made it."

Queen Morgana and King Xavian stayed to watch over the unconscious queen for a moment longer as the healer fuss all over her.

Queen Morgana felt a pang of sadness looking at her. "She will be alright." She turned to Balthor.

"We’ll take care of the guards and servants who’ve accompanied her. They’ll have all they need during their stay."

As she walked through the halls of the palace, Queen Morgana couldn’t help but think of her son, Eirik. She wondered how he was truly doing, she hadn’t seen him in so long, and her heart longed for news of him.

Before long, she called one of the Zephyros maids to her side. "How is my son, Prince Eirik? Has he been well?"

The maid offered a soft smile. "Prince Eirik was doing fine when we left Zephyros, Your Majesty. He’s well taking care of."

A wave of relief washed over Queen Morgana. "Thank you," she said, her voice quiet.

Though the worry for Queen Elena weighed heavy on her, the thought of her son being safe gave her some measure of comfort.

She watched the servant go, already planning how to make sure all their guests were comfortable during their stay.

---

Back in Zephyros, the palace was buzzing with a very different kind of energy.

The news of Prince Eirik’s pregnancy spread like wildfire through the halls. Courtiers whispered in excitement, and palace staff exchanged smiles and nods, their hearts lifted by the good news.

After weeks of tension and worry over Queen Elena’s illness, the announcement of a future heir brought much-needed happiness.

"Have you heard?" one of the servants whispered excitedly as she polished the silverware. "Prince Eirik is pregnant! He’s going to have a child!"

"I know! I heard it straight from one of the healers," another replied, her eyes wide with joy. "It’s exactly what the palace needed. After all the worry about the queen, this... this is hope."

Within the royal chambers, Kaelix sat beside Eirik, his hand resting gently on his husband’s. Eirik had been resting since the healers insisted he needed it, his body still recovering from the collapse.

Kaelix watched him with a fierce sense of protectiveness, his heart swelled every time he thought about the new life growing inside Eirik.

The door creaked open, and Kaelix’s cousins, Darren and Lysander, strolled in, their faces alight with mischief.

"There’s the man of the hour!" Darren called out with a wide grin. "Kaelix, you work fast, don’t you?"

Lysander chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. "Barely a few months into the marriage, and you’ve already got Eirik pregnant. What are you trying to do, win a competition?"

Kaelix smirked, shaking his head at his cousins’ antics. "Jealous, are we?"

"Jealous? No," Darren teased, nudging his cousin’s arm. "Proud? Absolutely. You’ve done us all a favor. The family line is secure, and you’ve proven you’re not just a pretty face."

Lysander chimed in, his tone light but sincere. "Fatherhood’s going to suit you, Kaelix. But you’d better be ready. From what I hear, babies don’t care about royal titles or schedules. They’ll wake you up at all hours."

Kaelix chuckled, his eyes flicking to Eirik, who was watching the exchange with an amused, tired smile. "I’m not worried. We’ll manage."

Darren clapped Kaelix on the back. "That’s the spirit! Though, if you ever need tips on how to get the little one to sleep, don’t come to me. I’ll be too busy celebrating my cousin’s new fatherhood to deal with diapers."

"Don’t worry, Darren," Kaelix shot back, smirking. "I’ll be sure to send you the first diaper as a gift."

Lysander burst into laughter, clapping his hands together. "Oh, please, do! I’d frame it."

Eirik, lying in bed, let out a soft laugh at their playful banter, though he still felt the exhaustion in his bones. But the sight of Kaelix laughing with his cousins was enough to lift his spirits.

Lysander’s voice softened as he spoke again.

"All jokes aside, Kaelix, we’re happy for you. Both of you. You’re going to be amazing parents. But more importantly, you’re going to make sure Eirik’s looked after, right?"

Kaelix’s expression softened, and he glanced over at Eirik, his heart swelling. "Of course," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I’ll take care of him."

Darren smiled, his usual teasing tone giving way to sincerity. "That’s what we like to hear. Congratulations again, Kaelix. I’m proud of you."

The cousins shared a few more moments of light-hearted teasing and warm congratulations before finally excusing themselves, leaving the couple alone again. As the door closed behind them, Kaelix turned to Eirik, his expression tender.

Eirik smiled up at him, his hand resting on his stomach. "They really do know how to make a scene," he said, his voice laced with amusement.

"They mean well," Kaelix replied, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from Eirik’s forehead. "And they’re right. We’re going to be great parents."

Eirik’s smile faltered slightly, and he glanced down at his stomach, his hand brushing over the fabric of his robe. "Parents..." he whispered, the word still foreign and surreal. "It doesn’t feel real yet."

Kaelix leaned down, pressing a kiss to Eirik’s temple. "It’s real," he murmured against his skin. "And I can’t thank you enough for this. For giving me a family."

Eirik’s heart swelled at the tenderness in Kaelix’s voice. He reached up to cup Kaelix’s cheek, pulling him down for a soft, lingering kiss. When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against Kaelix’s, closing his eyes.

"I’m glad," Eirik whispered. "I’m glad we have something good to hold onto, even with everything else going on."

Kaelix nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He pulled Eirik into a gentle embrace, resting his chin on the top of Eirik’s head. "We’ll get through it all," he promised, his voice barely above a whisper.

Eirik closed his eyes, leaning into Kaelix’s warmth, letting the steady beat of his husband’s heart soothe him.

As they lay there, wrapped in each other’s warmth, Kaelix’s thoughts briefly drifted to his mother.

In Valeidio, Queen Elena’s treatment continued under the careful supervision of Valeidio’s special healer. Queen Morgana visited frequently, overseeing the progress and making sure that their guests from Zephyros were well cared for.