9 months, 1 week, days pregnant.

The north wing was being invaded.

Livia looks into the old, sternly wrinkled face before her with a black stare.

“Dear, did you not hear her?” Lynette bends down and glances between the two of them with a frown. She settles her stare on her daughter and musters up a fake smile, “Come on, answer Midwife Dowry,” she tries to coax.

They were in her room.

Around her, a small army of assistants to Midwife Dowry trudges around them like worker bees in a hive. As Livia sits on the loveseat, she watches as her bed is stripped of its duvet and replaced, as old furniture is carried out and new one in, and as her windows are covered in a thick black curtain, blotting out the morning sun. All while not a single person in the room bother to acknowledge her or much less inform her as to why they were doing what they were doing.

“Lady Livia,” Midwife Dowry begins to croak.

“Touch that and die,” Livia hisses to the assistant hovering over the basinet by her bed. The young girl's eyes widen and she hurries away.

“Lady Livia,” Midwife Dowry croaks again, “I have asked you a question.”

“A stupid, redundant one,” Livia snarls, completely on edge as she turns back to the withered hag.

Amaya, Liliana, and Beth had been forced out of the room half an hour ago. Only Sen was left and he stood in the shadows, his presence going completely unnoticed. Even Noctis remains hidden under the bed, a low growl rumbling from his throat as feet draw near his hiding place.

To her credit, the midwife doesn’t even blink. Instead, she turns to Lynette and purses her lips, “My lady, do you know when she had conceived?” She asks.

“Oh!” Lynette is startled by the question, “Well, uh, no.” Then her rose pink eyes turn to her daughter, “It must have been at least nine months ago,” Then she leans forward, her brow crinkling as she says in a loud whisper, “Are you sure she isn’t carrying twins?”

Without asking, Midwife Dowry lifts up a wand and casts a spell over Livia.

Livia recoils a bit violently from the feeling of small, spidery limbs crawling over her skin as a sickly blue shimmer around her body before dissipating.

“It’s only one child,” Midwife Dowry says and lifts a crooked finger. Instantly, one of the assistants breaks away and falls to her side, sitting at her feet like a puppy.

“Yes, madam?” The woman asks.

“Take note,” Midwife Dowry orders, ignoring Livia's scowling face completely.

“It’s a boy. He is a little over nine months of gestation. Seems fairly healthy. His heartbeat is strong and he is already in the head-down position,” Midwife Dowry says clearly and makes another hand gesture. A bucket of soapy water is placed next to her and she begins to wash her hands. At the same time, A white curtain is drawn up around the loveseat, obscuring the view.

“Well, that is good to hear,” Lynette says, clapping her hands with a mask of excitement.

Then she turns to her daughter and reaches out for her. Livia smacks her hand away and scoots over clumsily to put more distance between them.

Her mother keeps smiling, almost sympathetic as she says, “Sweetie, you must let Midwife Dowry attend to you. She must check and see how you are doing.”

“Strip,” Midwife Dowry orders, drying off her hand with a towel, “My magic only tells me so much. It is better to get hands-on and feel out the baby position for myself,” she tells Lynette, “I also recommend a few calming herbs for the girl. She is rather high-strung and too emotional. It is not a good state to be in while pregnant.”

“Oh, is that so?” Lynette asks airily, “Will the herbs calm her?”

“Of course,” Midwife Dowry nods sternly, “She should be able to sleep better with them as well.”

“Well, isn’t that kind of you,” Lynette compliments.

Midwife Dowry ‘hmphs’ and pins a beady eye to Livia, “How long do you intend to make us wait? Strip, girl. Hurry. Lady Lynette no doubts more important things to do then to help oversee a daughter birthing a bastard child.”

Livia's lips are pressed into too tight of a line to say anything.

“You,” Midwife Dowry points to the woman by her knee, “Help the girl get undressed.”

“Of course, madam,” The woman says and sets down her parchment. She stands and levels a scornful look Livia’s way. Without saying anything, she reaches out and tugs roughly on the sleeve of Livia’s nightgown, causing it to pull down.

She promptly gets kicked in the leg.

“Ah!” She yells as she falls. Once she is on her knees, Livia shoves her swollen foot in her throat, toppling her over.

“What on Ethetia!” Midwife Dowry's severe looks drop as her eyes widen in astonishment.

“Livia! You mustn't act in such a way,” Lynette scolds with a scowl. It does nothing to hide the mocking amusement she has for the assistant struggling to her feet.

“Get out,” Livia says lowly, her voice trembling.

“What was that dear?” Lynette's eyes brighten, “Do you need help undressing?”

Livia throws the nearest decorative pillow at her mother's head in the blink of an eye.

“Agh!” Lynette squeals as her head swivel to the side from the force.

“Lady Livia! How dare you act in such a-ugh!” Midwife Dowry scrambles up and away, her dull grey clothes soaked through as she cradles the arm the small basin had hit.

“Fuck off!” Livia snarls, and gestures to the still figures around her room, “All of you, get the fuck out of my room!” She yells and throws the nearest thing to her. The loud clang of a heavy tomb hitting the floor, barely missing an assistant snaps them all out of their stupor.

“You cannot act in such a way!” Midwife Dowry thunders.

She gets a decorative pillow lobbed at her head for her efforts.

“Sen,” Livia hisses.

Sen appears out of the shadows, startling all the occupants of the room except for Livia.

“Beth, Amaya, Liliana! You can come back in!” Livia screams as Sen begins to drag the assistance out by the scruffs of their neck.

The door to the bedroom slams open.

“Finally,” Amaya says with a feral grin and jumps right into scaring the assistants out.

Liliana rushes to Livia's side, checking her over, “What happened!? What did they do?”

“You can’t do this dear,” Lynette was saying, glaring at her daughter as she cradles the side of her head, “Your father has granted me access to take care of you. Now, be a good little girl and settle down so Midwife Dowry can look you over-”

“Guards,” Livia calls out.

Her mother's rose eyes widen, but she tries to smile arrogantly, “Livia! Do not bother the royal guard. They are now under the direct control of your father. They will do as he has ask-”

“Yes, Lady Livia?” Two steps into the room.

Livia nods over to her mother, “Please escort my mother from the north wing along with Midwife Dowry and her assistants.”

Lynette snorts, “Dear, your father has already agreed to me being here-”

“Yes, Lady Livia.”

“What?” Lynette balks.

“Lady Lynette, please come this way,” One of the guards says.

“What nonsense are you saying?” Lynette asks snidely, affronted, “Lord Luvien has granted me permission to be here!”

“Indeed,” The other guard says, “He also insisted that if Lady Livia asked for you to leave that we are to abide by her request.”

“What!?” Lynette practically roars.

“What are you doing to my patient?” Midwife Dowry demands, striding forward to suddenly yank on Beth’s elbow, disrupting her spell. The old woman freezes when she gets a good look at Beth's face. Dropping the young woman's hand, Midwife Dowry steps back.

“No, you are...how are you here!?” She demands and points, “You should be exiled, murderer!”

Beth smiles blandly, “Madam, it seems my lady has grown tired of your presence. I suggest you leave while she is still in a forgiving mood.”

“No! Lady Lynette, do you know who this woman is-Lady Lynette?” Midwife Dowry turns and jumps out of her skin when she sees Amaya standing right behind her.

“Seems like you are the last one,” The maid comments.

“What!?” Midwife Dowry frantically looks around. Her attendants and Lynette were gone.

“Do you wish to walk out or be put out?” Amaya asks sweetly.

“You...all of you are scoundrels!” Midwife Dowry chokes. Then she swiftly leaves the room when Amaya takes a threatening step towards her.

“Are you sure you are alright?” Liliana asks Livia again, rubbing circles along her back as Beth checks her over quietly.

Livia stares at her for a second before she throws her head back and cackles.

“Oh damn, they broke her,” Amaya says.

This only makes her laugh harder.

---

 

9 months, 2 weeks pregnant.

“You don’t have to go,” Sen tells her from behind.

“What do you think?” Livia asks and does a little spin. The lightweight tulle skirt of the dress made up of gentle lavenders and sweet rose floats softly along the floor from the movement.

“Surprisingly, it isn’t a bad fit,” she says as the dress settles along her feet, draping prettily.

“Livia,” Sen says again, his expression unwaveringly serious.

Livia plucks at the silver and white threaded roses that adorned the top of her dress and snaked down both her arms in way of carefully placed vines and blooming flowers.

“I have to admit,” She says, looking down and not at Sen’s face, “That it is a bit pretty,” She glances at the orange monstrosity laying innocently on her bed, “Though, given the other option, it was no real choice at all.”

Stand aside, Beth and Amaya silently exchange a look.

Livia ignores them as well. She turns back to face the mirror and drags a hand down the front of her protruding stomach, patting at it idly.

“It’s so fluffy, you can barely see my...” Livia trails off, her eyebrow twitching. Her hands are still on her stomach and she frowns a bit.

Sen steps behind her, his eyes meeting her in the mirror.

“If you don’t want to go, then don’t,” Amaya says in a sharp voice, “It isn’t that difficult!”

Beth gives her a chiding stare and she crosses her arms and scowls.

“Lady Livia, there is nothing you have to prove to them,” The midwife says gently.

Livia snorts, “I know that.”

“Do you?” Sen counters.

She turns to face him and rolls her eyes, “I do.”

“But...?” Amaya prompts, staring at her carefully.

Livia sighs and glances back up at Sen, “But...after staying out of sight for so long, I realize that this has put me in a bit of an awkward position.”

Beth's shoulders relax, “How so? Does it have to do with the ‘OG’ plot?” she asks, using finger rabbits.

Livia sighs again, “Yes. For the most part, I have little to no interest in who Amelia chose or where the story will take the girl. However, given the past few weeks, I understand that standing back and doing nothing is also not an option.”

Amaya hums, her gaze mildly interested, “So, you wish to get ahead of the OG plot and take a more active role so no more unexpected surprises can happen again?”

Livia snaps her fingers, “Exactly.”

“What will happen at the closing ball?” Sen cuts right to the point.

Livia shoots him a glance and grimaces, “Well, beyond the obvious?”

“Duh,” Amaya says, walking forward to fiddle with her hair to do something with her restless hands.

“Let’s just say...something interesting-ow! Amaya,” Livia scowls at the maid.

“Knock it off and just hurry up and say it. It’s bad enough that I won’t be able to see the show for myself,” Amaya pouts.

“Is that really the problem?” Beth says and massages her temples.

Amaya directs her pout her way, “From what I have heard, the climax of the events or route or whatever the hell you call them is always interesting. Like a live show or episode from a k-drama!”

“K-what?” Beth blinks slowly.

“I have been showing her some scenes,” Livia says in explanation.

“What. Will. Happen,” Sen grates out, tugging on a strand of her hair to draw her attention back.

“Ow, fuck you! You know I have a sensitive scalp,” she says as she pointedly steps from between Amaya and him and waddles over to Beth.

“Livia,” Sen drones, obviously losing patience.

“All right, all right,” Livia says, holding up her hands.

Damn. Guess there was point in holding it off any longer.

“As you know, Rodale must escort the candidate he currently favors to the ending ball,” She begins.

The small group of three nods.

“Right, so, depending on who Amelia is currently pursuing, Rodale’s date changes, but this point isn’t too relevant. Going off the OG plot, if Amelia has succeeded to get Rodale at six hearts by this point, she is chosen. If not, then Amelia is either escorted by the target she has the highest status with or she asks a target she wants to raise hearts on to be her date,” Livia looks around, “Still following?”

“Yup,” Amaya gives a thumbs up.

“Hmm,” Sen says.

“Uh...I think so?” Beth says, blinking slowly.

“Great,” Livia powers on, “Now, on top of all of this, there is an unavoidable occurrence that takes place that pushes the main plot of the story forward regardless of who Amelia is currently favoring.”

“Oh, and what is that?” Beth asks.

Livia hesitates.

“Damn, now I am really interested,” Amaya says, leaning forward eagerly.

“Saer,” Livia spits out the words.

Amaya draws back as if she had been slapped.

Sen drops his crossed arms.

And Beth, well she blinks again and nods slowly, “Yes, right. Of course. Seer.”

Livia's lips twitch, “Saer.”

“Hm, right,” Beth bobs her head along again, paying close attention, “Saer,” she corrects carefully.

“The emperor!?” Amaya practically yells.

Beth balks, “The what?”

“Why are you only saying something now?”

Damn Sen for asking the important questions.

“Because I had not thought it would be relevant,” Livia answer honestly, the words dragging out.

“How so?” Sen presses.

“Because she had thought the Fall Festival would never take place at her house, therefore the events that took place during it would have had nothing to do with her. But, as it happened, it did end up happening at the Valentine residence,” Amaya explains to him quickly.

“What does Saer have to do with the plot?” Sen asks after glaring at Amaya.

“Damn. I think it would be easier to ask me what doesn’t,” Livia says as her forehead scrunches up, “But, to answer your question, it is rather obvious. Saer is a target, but he is also the emperor of a foreign country an ocean away. So, how does he come to interact with Amelia as a love interest?”

“How?” Beth echoes.

“He doesn’t!” Livia answers brightly.

Beth stares at her, “Huh?”

“At least, he does not at first,” she clears up quickly when Sen looks about ready to tug on a strand of her hair again, “Saer is still stuck in the Eastern Empire. But that does not mean he still cannot influence the plot. Hell, you and I both know just how persistent the prick can be,” she tells Sen.

“Hmm,” He agrees.

“At any rate,” Livia continues calmy, “The plot goes like this. Saer sends a man undercover to spy on the Wisteria Kingdom. This man's name is Roy Grym,” Her eyes fall on Sen. She does not miss the muffled surprise on his face.

She smiles dimly, “It is exactly who you think it is.”

“I thought...”

“That he was dead. Yeah, I know,” Livia's tone gentles.

“Who the hell is Roy Grym?” Amaya asks, looking between the two.

“He is a top tier target who is on the same level as Sen,” Livia says, and before more questions are thrown her way, she pointedly looks up at the old antique clock on her wall, “Well, as much as I would love to do over the fine details, the fact of the matter is that I don’t currently have the time too.”

“But later,” She promises at the expressions on both Beth and Amaya’s face, “I just think it is better to fill you all in at the same time.”

“Liliana,” Beth says, and Livia nods.

Amaya pouts again but she lets up, “Alright. Another time.”

“Okay,” Livia says and then offers her arm to Sen, “Shall we?”

Sen eyes the arm before rolling his eyes and looping it through his own, “Let’s just get this over with.”

---

 

Later that Night

They walk into the ending ball without any fanfare.

Livia guides Sen up the stairs while sticking to the walls and shadows of the main ballroom of the Valentine Estate, trying to keep out of sight.

While she had every intention of viewing the status-quo of the OG plot with her own eyes, Livia still had no interest in actually being a part of it. Her goal was to observe from a distance as tonight's main event plays out and leaving as soon as it was done. She hoped to avoid lighting up any more targets profile pictures if she could help it. Roy Grim, target nineteen, was no different.

“This should be a good spot,” Livia says as she takes a seat near the balcony railing overlooking the Ending Ball in the most unused spot she could recall. She is careful to leave plenty of room for her stomach and is happy to be off her feet after the long walk to the main ballroom.

On the other side of the small, gold-rimmed table proudly sporting the Valentine emblem, Sen sits down as well. They were in between a towering square pillar and a wall. With his back against the wall, he could survey his surroundings while still being in a good position to not be snuck up on.

The view below them was a bit awkward and was not the best, but it will sever its purpose grandly.

“Are you hungry?” Sen asks her.

Livia's nose wrinkles up at the thought of food, “No.”

Silence.

“How many people noticed our entrance?” Livia asks as she spots Amelia in the crowd below with practiced ease.

Unsurprisingly, Rodale was with her along with two other targets. Juri, target twelve, was one of the targets. She was a bit sad that she missed the look of disappointment on the girl's face when Rodale had entered with Lady Vivan on his arm.

“A few,” Sen states, “Your father, Kolton, Orin, Giselle, and Amelia noticed. As well as that president.”

Livia hums.

Liliana was unfortunately stuck by their father’s side. She did not miss the way that her father was carefully introducing her little sister to other noble men and women. Her eyes narrow.

On one end of the ball, Rodale stands between his sister, Adanna and Lady Vivian. He had the same default expression he always wore, but Livia could easily tell that the crown prince was bored out of his mind and was going over study material in his head to make up for his wasted time.

The crown prince was also doing a poor job of pretending not to stare at Amelia from across the room.

From this angle, Livia could not really tell what Adanna and Lady Livian were talking about, but whatever it was caused the small army of followers to laugh along with her.

Drawing her eyes away from them, Livia catches sight of Kolton and Leighton standing on the outskirts of the dance floor. Another target was with them. Ah. It was that group. The student council of Aster. Just as she thinks this, another target joins them.

In the background, the music picks up into something more upbeat and lighter.

“How long will this take?” Sen asks.

“Too long,” Livia sighs.

They had at least another hour or so.

---

 

Livia suddenly perks up and shifts to look down to get a better view.

On the other end of the table, Sen's eyes come alert at the movement, “What is it?”

“Is that...there,” She points below, “He barely just entered,” she groans.

Sen follows her finger.

The silver hair of Roy Grym gleamed even from a distance.

“How long?” Sen prompts flatly and has to lift his gaze or else risk his fellow target from sensing his eyes on him and looking up in their direction.

“Shouldn’t take much now,” Livia says and shifts. Her butt was going numb and her legs and backed ached terribly. At this rate, she edits her original goal. Witnessing the beginning of the event should be all the confirmation she needed.

If only Roy was taking his sweet time to blend in. He pauses frequently to chat up the guest while subtly marking a path that leads straight to Amelia.

“Why her?” Sen barely manages to get the question out before Livia's head snaps in his direction with a deranged look in her eyes.

“Well, I am glad you asked!” She chirps. She was painfully bored and willing to do anything to encourage the seconds to go by faster. It is better to focus on producing words than the stupid false labor that was being particularly insistent today.

“You see, word has spread about Rodale favoring a certain pink-haired simpleton,” Livia begins explaining, “It is also being told just how much the other conveniently important targets are also taken with the wet piece paper that is Amelia! Do you remember? Even when we were on the outskirts of the Wisteria Kingdom, we still heard the gossip about this unknown girl of low-born status suddenly rising up to be a baron’s daughter. It is a tail worth passing on, don’t you think?”

Sen stares at her as if she had lost her damn mind.

She likely has.

Boredom will always be her number one enemy.

No matter how many lives Livia lived, this fact alone had been made painfully true.

“Now, if I was a newly appointed emperor, I would also wish to know all the weakness that could be exploited by past enemies,” Livia says, “Saer is of the same mind.”

“So...”

“So,” Livia echoes Sen and draws out the word a bit, “The prick had sent the most capable men he could hire to do his dirty work overseas while he stands by and does ‘emperor’ things until the plot needs him to show up. While he remains busy, his assigned spy trips and falls head over ass for Amelia,” She finishes.

Below the table, her knee was bouncing and her hands clenched and unclenched above it as her teeth begins to chatter a bit.

She could also feel Sen's eyes looking her over, sharp and attuned to every detail.

He frowns, his nose even twitching as if he wanted to sniff the air.

“Are you alrigh-”

“Look!” Livia points, “It is finally happening!”

It was the truth. Why was Sen looking at her like she was trying to distract him?

Rude.

“Look,” she says again and scowls.

Sen looks.

Below them, Amelia and Orin were smiling at each other as they stepped off the dance floor. As the second prince attempt to guide the baron girl to the spot they had vacated a clearly drunk guest's interest is piqued by her.

“My, aren’t ya’ cute ma’lady,” Livia says in perfect sync with the quest.

She ignores Sen’s look and continues to narrate the interactions.

“U-um,” Amelia says, looking up in surprise.

“Ya’ wanna have a gud time with me?” Drunk guest asks, swaying closer.

Orin steps between them, “Sir, it seems you have a bit too much to drink,” he says while smiling.

“Oh! I kno’ you,” Drunk guest points rudely at Orin's face.

Livia pauses, her eyebrow ticking up as the guest goes completely off-script.

“You are that prince that had exiled that lady along with the crown prince! Bastard! How dare you stand by and do nothing,” Sen narrates in monotone.

She rolls her eyes. Of course, he could read lips.

“Roy is making his move,” Sen notes blandly.

Indeed, he was.

Target nineteen passes by just as Orin and the drunk guest get in a slight skirmish. They bump into Amelia and she falls right into the arms of Roy.

“Huh, he does a little spin and everything,” Livia says, blinking. No such thing happened in her first life because the OG game was mostly made up of still pictures.

As Roy straightens with Amelia still in his arms and says something suave and heart-throbbing as he lifts up her hand to kiss, Livia cast her gaze away and frowns suddenly to herself.

It was another false contraction.

And so soon after the last one.

Wait. How long has she had them now?

And since when did they hurt.

Silently, Livia waits for it to ease up as she subtly tries to change position as she massages her fingers into her stomach absently.

It was not going away or becoming weaker.

If anything, it was...

“Ughn,” She grasps at the edge of the table, her eye squeezing close as the contraction grew in strength and stayed for a few seconds before fading away.

“Livia,” Sen was by her side instantly.

No.

No.

This was not happening now, Livia thinks desperately, it was just another false one.

She was just overreacting.

Already she felt completely normal.

It had to have been a false one.

So, she calmly straightens and bats away Sen’s hand.

“Party is over,” Livia states and moves to stand. Awkwardly, she grips the very hand she just pushed away to get onto her aching feet, “I can pretty much summarize what happens from here on out on our way back to the north wing,” She continues.

Sen has a laser focus on her.

She avoids his gaze and heads in the direction of the stairs. He falls in step behind her on enviously quiet feet. They go unnoticed as they land on the second floor of the main ballroom.

A small commotion has started up.

Sen does not glance over as they keep to the walls and avoid the crowded areas.

“What’s happening?”

“After Orin and Amelia step away from Roy, they run into Kolton, Rodale, Lady Vivian, and Adanna at the same time. Tension rises, passive-aggressive comments are exchanges and it leads to a skirmish,” Livia says with her eyes on the back exit.

“Funny enough, despite it being named Aster Academy: The Feuding Houses, a good portion of the conflict at the beginning of the story comes from a single house infighting.”

“The house of Pegasus?” Sen guesses drily as a stray; muffled yell falls upon their ears.

“Yup,” Livia says, popping the ‘P’. “This event leads to the building tension between the three brothers to rise at an all-time high. They finally acknowledge the well-known fact that they are love-rivals and in direct competition for Amelia’s all healing luv.”

“Fascinating,” Sen says, sounding pained.

Livia smirks over at him. Then her face falters, her brow crunches up.

No.

Not another-

She quickly bites down on her lip to stop any noise from escaping and puts an effort into not faltering her pace.

They were almost near the exit.

Just a bit closer and she could...

“You!”

Livia and Sen look over upon hearing the hissed words.

The crowd has parted. Without realizing it, they have drawn close to the event.

Rodale, Orin, Kolton, Lady Vivian, and Amelia pay them little mind.

It was Adanna who the words have fallen from and her full attention was centered on Livia.

Damn.

No. Wait.

What was stopping them from just continuing on?

Livia stares right into the crystal-blues eyes of Adanna even as the stupid false contraction once again rises intensity and turns away as she resumes walking.

She would not wait and stare stupidly until she was approached by an unwanted character. She was not a brain-dead NPC.

“You! How dare you!”

The enraged words were muffled as the crowd comes together again.

The door was right there.

Livia could feel the cool night breeze on her face. She smirks and shares a look with Sen.

A small trickle of liquid falls down her inner thigh.

Livia stops dead.

Did she just...!?

“Livia?” Sen turns to stare back at her.

Did she just pee herself?

The fuck-

“Stop right there!” A spoiled voice demands behind them.

Livia doesn’t turn even as Sen looks over her shoulder.

“Lady Livia?”

Kolton has joined your party.

Woah.

Wrong game.

Livia snickers, then she frowns, then tears sting her eyes as her mouth falls open in an O.

Oh no.

No, no, no, nononononono-

“You think you can walk away from me!?” Adanna exclaims like the spoiled bitch that she was.

“Adanna, don’t,” Kolton says.

“What are you doing?” Orin.

“What is happening?” Amelia.

A small hand clamps down on her shoulder and spins her around.

The trickle returns.

Livia wasn’t peeing.

“Just who do you think you are!” Adanna screams in her face.

Then the princess's head whips to the side. A slap rings in Livia’s ears. Her hand stings.

Amelia lets out a gasp. Rodale's eyes widen in a rare display of shock.

Precious silence.

Livia stares blankly at her palm. In front of her, Adanna brings a trembling hand to the red side of her face, looking completely stunned.

Then all hell breaks loose.

Adanna is pulled back and Kolton stands in front of her with a face brimming with anger.

“What the hell is wrong with you!?” He yells.

Livia's hand lifts up, preventing Sen from stepping forward. There was no need to escalate the situation any more than she had just done. Her lips were pressed into a thin line and she no doubt looked like she was on a verge of snarling when in reality she was just grimacing.

Her expression did nothing to temper the raging third prince in front of her.

“How dare you hit my sister!” He grounds out as he glares.

Inside, her mental self was screaming and doing laps. Livia didn’t dare move. The trickle was not letting up. If she walked away now, the small puddle below her would be obvious.

There was also the small little matter of slapping a princess in the middle of a ball, but in all honesty, it was almost instinctual. Livia hadn’t even given it a split-second thought before her hands were moving. When you see a bug crawling in your space, you smacked it away.

It was simple logic.

It was also one the esteemed population of Wisteria didn’t seem to share.

“What is wrong with that girl!?”

“How dare she lays hands on Royal House of Silvan!”

“Just because she is a candidate, she thinks she can act in any way!”

Great. It seems they have become the focus of attention.

“You have gone completely mad,” Adanna says, still cradling her cheek with angry tears in her eyes.

Orin and Rodale don’t draw closer to her even as she is clearly in distress. Instead, it is Vivian and her small entourage of followers that come to her comfort and aid in glaring at Livia.

“This act cannot go unpunished!” One of them says.

“It is practically treason!” Another one says.

The crowd shuffles closer, surrounding them as low, agreeing murmurs rise up.

The contraction has finally eased up.

Livia sighs quietly.

Well, since there was no salvaging the situation.

Ignoring Kolton’s fuming words, she carefully steps around him and glides towards the princess, her face neutral.

“What are you doing?” Kolton asks.

Sen remains silent, not moving from his spot.

Rodale and Orin do not dare to step forward, keeping back and away from further trouble with Amelia wedged between them.

“What is going on here?” Her father steps through the crowd. Liliana, the three witches, and Fin follow behind him. He stares at Livia incredulously.

Adanna lifts her chin and her eyes were cold and unsmiling, “I will not accept your apologies!” The princess intones angrily as she shoves through her group of minions. Her eyes dart around, “Guards!” She calls, “Guards!” She says again, pointing, “Have this fiend arrested-”

Daintily, Livia reaches out and plucks a glass of blue wine from a tray a butler is carrying nearby.

Adanna watches the motion, her eyes widening.

“No-” She starts to say, attempting to scramble back.

“Livia, don’t you dare!” Her father steps forward, his expression thunderous.

Kolton just stares in shock, his feet apparently glued to the glossy for. Rodale and Orin stand like stone pillars, watching silently only a few feet away, not making even a twitch to stop her.

Without preamble, Livia dumps the contents of the glass over the princess's pretty blond hair, shaking it for good measures so every last drop land.

Adanna lets out a short scream as her hands grips her hair, her expression horrified.

Livia smiles serenely, “It is just as I thought, blue really is a color on you,” she tells the princess. The blue imported wine sinks into the golden stands, staining it right before her eyes.

Another pregnant pause.

It is cut short by a tiny, musical laugh before Liliana covers her mouth.

Livia's lips twitch.

Hands roughly grip her shoulder and spin her around. The motion turns the small trickle into a full-blown gush. Livia stills, her eyes widening as amniotic fluid rushes down her leg.

Oh.

That was...Ugh.

Kolton's face of fury falters. His expression turning into one of confusion as he looks down.

She can’t help but follow his gaze.

A puddle of clear liquid has formed below them.

“What is that?”

“Disgusting!”

“Did she just...!”

Sen was stalking forward, his gaze lifting up from the floor.

“It’s not pee,” Livia informs the crowd around her as they mutter and look at her in pure disgust. She calmly removes Kolton's hands digging in her shoulders.

Sen removes the younger and still stunned third prince bodily with little effort the moment he reaches her.

“How long?” He asks her in a clipped voice, his expression conflicted. Beth did not leave a single stone unturned. She made sure everyone was properly educated on the very basics.

“Not that long,” Livia informs him honestly. And by that, she means it had not been that long since she realized the same thing Sen did. As for what stage she was at exactly, she was still processing.

Suddenly her father was there, and he yanks her by the wrist, “How dare you conduct yourself in such a way,” He hisses lowly, “To think I would overestimate you. I will not make the same mistake again.”

He tries to drag her away.

Around them, the guest talks and murmur loudly amongst themselves, staring at the live show with eager interest.

“Didn’t she just...?”

“Shameful.”

“How utterly horrendous.”

Livia twists her wrist out of his steely grip with expert ease. Before her father can say something more infuriating, she points to the liquid on the ground.

“In case all of you are not aware, that is amniotic fluid,” Her voice raises over the noise level, cutting through it like a knife.

The guests fall silent. Her father looks at her, then the puddle, his face still furious. They all stare at her as if she was speaking plain nonsense now.

Obviously, they had no idea what amniotic fluid meant.

“My water just broke,” Livia tries again. Her eyebrow twitches as her stomach start to tighten as the contraction makes its way around from her back.

They were between three to five minutes apart. Thinking back now, she acknowledges that she at least has had them for the past three to four hours. Livia was a bit annoyed she could not pinpoint the exact time her false labor had turned into the real thing. There was a real possibility that she had been in pre-labor for days now and just didn’t realize it.

Oh, man.

Beth will not be pleased.

“What strange things are you saying?” Her father asks her, still angrily confounded. A quick glance around the crowd showed that he wasn’t the only one. Mostly men and the younger, unwed women.

Livia’s eye twitches

Of course, her father would have no clue about what she was speaking of. It was almost insulting that a man of such high birth and education was ignorant to something as basic and primal as the process of labor. But that was simply the way of this land. Livia knows it is not limited to just Wisteria, either.

Men simply did not know the workings of a women's reproductive organs. Hell, they probably barely know how their own worked beyond the bare-bones concept of breeding a worthy male heir. Regardless of this, they of course had no trouble putting in their own input as to what was proper and what was not.

If she had been married and giving birth to a legitimate heir, Livia would not have ever been seen by the public until the job was well over.

But her baby was only a bastard. A small nuisance that did not deserve to be truly respected or cared for.

Stop this.

She was only making herself angry.

“I am going into labor,” Livia informs her father, and by extension, everyone who surrounded them. Ignoring the gasps, wide-eyed gawking, and outright skepticism, she continues on.

“For those of you who are unaware,” She says, her eyes drawing coldly up to her father’s, “That means that I will be giving birth soon.”

Low whispers merge into one stream of noise. Livia does not bother to try to make out the words.

The aristocratic mothers in the crowd are the only ones unsurprised. Some even stare at her in empathy. Most keep their expression neutral and unblinking, giving nothing away. The three witches were of the latter, curious enough. Even her own mother, who Livia had thought would be the first to accost her.

It was a small blessing.

“Poor dear,” The words were not of Lynette. Livia frowns as Lady Giselle steps forward with a relaxed expression, “It must have been so shocking,” Her grandmother goes on as she approaches her, “In your current state, of course, your actions would be out of the norm. Emotions tend to be overpowering when in labor, sometimes women act in ways that cannot be explained.”

Ah.

Alright.

Livia barely blinks as another contraction rolls into her like a wave. Now that she was used to the new intensity, it took no effort to remain silent and for her face to be grimace-free.

She figured she would have plenty of time to ugly yell and scream when the ball really got going. From her estimate, she was still somewhere between pre-labor

The countess turns to her father, her pale eyes lifting up and frosting over, “How long will you let this scene go on, Duke Valentine? Must you make a spectacle out of your own daughter?” Lady Giselle admonishes him like a child.

Then she turns to nearby servants and raises a pale eyebrow at the mess Livia had made that was still on the gleaming floor. Without prompt, they scramble to begin cleaning it.

“Lady Livia needs medical attention,” Fin steps out of the crowd with a serious expression, “A healer or midwife should be called upon.”

Her father's expression was back under control. He coolly flickers a look at the guests, at the children of Royal House of Silvan, before he speaks.

“Call the midwife,” He orders to one of the servants lingering by. Then his gaze falls on Livia, unreadable, before they stray to Sen, “Escort my daughter back to the north wing. The rooms have already been prepared.”

Livia does not wait for permission and neither does Sen or Liliana.

Midway between her father’s words, the three of them move as one.

Liliana walks to her and stands by her side. She places a supporting arm around her back and offers up her hand to be held. Livia takes it gladly and leans her weight on her sister.

Together, they walk forward and head out the back door with Sen, along with three royal guards following closely behind.

Livia is grateful for both of their presence. She even musters up an amused smile at Liliana’s obvious excitement. Her ruby eyes were wide and her little sister was practically bouncing alongside her as she cast curious and assessing glances Livia’s way every few seconds.

“What is it?” Livia asks her when she could practically hear the torrent of words her little sister was holding back.

Liliana falters a bit and looks over at her shyly, “Nothing.” She says, then her snowy eyebrows draw up.

“Are you alright? Are you feeling pain? Beth said it could be painful in the pre-stages! Unless you already passed that? I mean, your water broke, so you are right? But, doesn’t that mean it really hurts?” Her little sister cast her an increasingly worried look.

“Should we speed up? Or slow down? Walking is supposed to help. Somehow, I don’t really understand it-but oh! Do you need to sit down for a bit of rest? When did you eat? Are you hungry? Do your feet hurt? Maybe we should sit down! Why is the north wing so far? How far apart are the contraction? How long has it been since you had them? Do you need anything?” Liliana says it all in a single breath. She finally pauses and waits for an answer to her many inquiries.

“Liliana,” Sen says from behind them, a soft warning in his tone.

Floppy white ears twitch and go limp, “I’m sorry, of course, this is the time to ask such things,” Liliana says with sad, worried eyes, “You can lean on me more, Liv. It’s fine.”

Livia says nothing and simply does as her sister bids and rests her head on her shoulder as they walked towards the north wing.

Her amusement was gone. Her expression was stiff and void of emotion.

Suddenly, it all caught up to her.

She was in labor.

In a matter of hours, she was going to give birth and have her son in her arms if all went well. The anticipation of finally meeting her baby boy was nearly swallowed whole by cold dread. Livia was not ready to become a parent.

She also knew she never would be.

Livia recalls the dark turn her thought had taken at the tea party only days before.

Guilt eats at her soul.

She should have never contemplated such things, but at the same time, she will not deny the small part of herself that had wished for a different outcome, a different decision.

Livia acknowledges it and stares at the seed of insecurity and greed from the roots that had sprouted from. It was ugly and not easy to view head-on but she did it anyway. A shadow shaped like her was walking on a path of burning darkness that left no room for remorse or regret. She stared straight ahead with a single-minded focus.

It was a life that could have very easily been her reality.

But it was not.

Livia had made her choice long ago.

Only now, it was time to truly embrace it.

She reaches out inside herself and dismantles the seed. In the palm of her hand, its size was small, weak now that it was taken away from its source of life. Slowly, but surely, she crushes it. When she opens her palms, the seed is split in three, the roots are withered and dried.

It was dead.

The dark shadow of herself disappears entirely.

There was only one path and it was the one she was currently walking on.

The dread shrinks. The fear, anxiety, and unreadiness along with it.

Livia lifts her head, her eyes sparking to brilliant life, and she smiles.

It was finally time to meet her son.

---