Notices for this chapter and upcoming:

During childbirth, in the old times, the room was dark(no lights only lamps or candles), warm(from the candle/lamp energy) and quiet; midwives and nurses had to whisper. It was so to recreate the womb for the newborn baby; dark, warm and quiet. And even so, it was believed too much light was not good for the mother during labor and for the baby too.

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Specific oils or soothing balms were usually rubbed on the mother's belly to relieve pain.

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Babies were swaddled so that their limbs would grow strong

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A month before the royal pregnant woman was put to bed, a lying-in had been already prepared. In other words, she couldn't regularly be in contact with the husband.

For Zen, I think it would be an indirect suicide. We all know Zen can't live with out even looking at Shirayuki's face. That's why I decided for him to see her and be with her.

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Baby bottles were not invented until the 19th century. But since the baby bottle will play a role in this chapter, let's just play it's has already been invented;)

Warning: Details of Childbirth and confusion level: 100%

Quick reminder: Shirayuki's placenta has fallen out. She has started to bleed uncontrollably, and also due to this, the baby's health is in danger.

Chapter 32: Whispers

The midwife rises up, whispers into, the assistant who had called her, her ear, and she leaves in a hurry.

Shirayuki started to panic inside.

"We're sorry, Your Highness, but we've got to get the baby out of the womb immediately as possible," the midwife informed whispering while separating Shirayuki's legs even further from each other and pulled her dress up till it only covered her chest, leaving her eight-month-old belly in the view.

All the labor nurses came in with each holding something.

Shirayuki's pains were so much that she felt she was losing her sight, due to slight blurriness.

Finally, one of the windows was opened into a few centimeters and more candles were lighted.

One of the nurses poured a soothing balm and another nurse held her hand for comfort and the midwife positioned herself between Shirayuki's legs.

To Shirayuki, everything was happening incredibly fast. The pains had become frequent. Shirayukis legs were so tired, it needed to be held strongly by one of the nurses. The assistant nurse that had held her hand.

With a surprise, the midwife stuck a finger inside Shirayuki. "I can feel the baby's scalp." She stuck her finger out of Shirayuki and continued, "Since you're not fully dilated, your pushes are going to be long and painful."

Shirayuki throws her head back in pain as a response.

"When next you feel the sharp pain, take a very deep breath, -do not exhale-, make sure you hold it in down for as long as possible, and then push."

Not so fast as a quick wave of pain was felt. Shirayuki breathed in and held it -just like she had been instructed- and pushed with effort.

"That's it. Keep it calm. From the second push going, it's going to hurt and burn really badly," the midwife said trying to keep her voice low.

Shirayuki held in another breath and pushed. And indeed, the second time hurt, just like the third time, the fourth and so on...

"One last big push, Princess. The head is already on the view."

She was so tired; the pains were too much for her; there were so many pains and burns in her abdomen and vulva, mostly, her vagina.

And for the last time, she pushed.

Unexpectedly, the infant didn't cry. The room was quiet, only filled with Shirayuki's tired breathings. On top of everything, the baby is so small, very small and was covered in blood.

Shirayuki watched as the midwife tied off the cord, washed the child, anointed the child with salt and honey and roses, rub its gums with honey, and swaddled it. Unfortunately for Shirayuki, two of the nurses left with the baby.

The midwife turned around to face Shirayuki and she smiled. "Congratulations Princess Shirayuki, it's a boy, and don't worry, your baby will be brought to you soon."

Shirayuki had ignored what the midwife said. All she wanted to do now was to ask where her baby had been taking to without letting her have the first hold of her son who had been in her for the past eight, horrible, terrifying, awful months.

Her body laid stiffly on the bed. She wasn't moving. The pains and the burns were still there.

One of the assistants who kept her forehead clean with a hot water-filled towel, asked, "Is something the matter, my Lady?"

A tear flowed down her cheek. "Am I still supposed to be feeling pains and burn even after giving birth?"

The assistant was confused and turned to look at the midwife. The midwife immediately asked, "How does it feel?"

"It burns as before. No change." Her eyes were just as red as her hair from crying, her voice was cranky.

The midwife went back to her position and once more stuck a finger. To her surprise, she felt something soft and surprisingly said in a whispering loud tone, "Goodness!"

The pains in her abdomen were so much all she could do was cry and lie there like a breathless woman.

"There might be another baby inside." The midwife informed.

And once more, Shirayuki began her already-familiar route; breath in as long as possible and push as far as it can take her.

Another litre of oil and soothing balm was rubbed on her tummy.

She was so tired, it felt like she was dying. But for the sake of her another baby who was still in her tummy, she kept pushing, even though her body was weak. She was managing the last energy she had left.

And just as before: no cry of a baby, small and covered in more blood.

"Your Highness, it's a girl."

Shirayuki didn't smile or even show any emotion because, at the end of it all, her second baby had been also taken away by the assistant who was holding her hand while giving birth.

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The windows had been opened and the candles were out of light. It was shown it was evening. She had first entered labor when it was afternoon and now it was soon to be midnight. After so much work and enduring of pains, her precious babies were taking away from her without a glimpse - a glimpse of their face.

The door's doorknob twitched.

The visitor took a seat on the bed near her.

The fragrance was familiar.

"Shirayuki?"

His voice as soft as ever. She still didn't respond. She was crying mercilessly with her face facing the other side.

He thought she would be resting by now, an order given by the midwife.

He took few strands of her wet hair and also starred at her.

"They took them away, Zen. Our babies. They are gone."

"Don't say such, Shirayuki." Zen wiped the tears flowing her cheeks. "They are going to fine. The midwife said they are only doing a checkup, that's all. Nothing serious."

Shirayuki immediately turned to Zen. "Why are you lying?"

"Shirayuki..." Zen sighed, and she faced back.

After minutes of silence, Shirayuki apologized for earlier, "I'm sorry for earlier. I shouldn't have shouted at you when you said you were supposed to leave."

Zen smiled. "It's okay."

"Can you lie beside me?"

With a smile, he removed his indoor winter boots and laid on the other side of Shirayuki. He gave her a deep, passionate kiss on the lips and Shirayyuki let her arm around his neck. Then afterward, he kept her close by letting her sleep on his chest. He gave a couple of kisses on her scalp before jokingly lullabying Shirayuki to rest.

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Zen sat on the bed. He looked at his tired-looking wife. To be honest, even after what the midwife had said before entering this room, he is proud of Shirayuki no matter what.

The time was over midnight.

A quick knock came in. He received the knock, and to his surprise, it was the head midwife.

He stepped outside the room. The midwife curtsied.

"Is she asleep?" The midwife asked and Zen nodded. "Good," she answered, relieved.

"How are the children? Any progress yet?" Zen asked.

The midwife sighed. "My Prince, it's a lot complicated than we expected. Their still not breathing as newborns normally do; and it's been making them fussy, especially when they're trying to eat or sleep. And their eyes have yet to open." The midwife again breathed. "The possibility of their death right now as we speak is 85 percent."

Zen's palm covered his face. He couldn't believe his children were going to die. At this rate, the survival rate was only 15 percent!

"And as we had agreed. Here are the bottles, in any case." With that, the midwife left.

Zen kept leaning on the door and looked at the bottles in his hand.

Since Shirayuki was ordered not to do anything above her strength, only to take her rest, the midwife and Zen had agreed that if possible, Shirayuki could leak some of her breast milk into these two bottles and the nurses could feed the babies with.

Zen then entered the room.

To his surprise, Shirayuki was awake. His eyes widen a bit, scared that she might have heard.

"What did she say?" Shirayuki's voice was so narrowed.

At this point, lying was definitely not an option. All he had to do was say the truth.

He sat down on the bed and explained everything from head to toe - even had the courage to tell her about the death rate of their children, and told her about the reason why he was holding baby bottles.

She tried holding back the tears, but she couldn't.

Her babies were going to die. Going to die.

Zen placed the bottles on the center table.

She just closed her eyes and let the tears flow.

With a quick notice, Zen realized Shirayuki's eyes were shut. It was a surprise to see Shirayuki like that. It was like she was...

No! Zen shook his head for any negative thought and quickly made a way to her. She shook her body and called out her name softly: "Shirayuki."

No response.

His heart fastened.

"Shirayuki?" He started checking her pulse. Her breath was normal except that her eyes weren't.

"Shirayuki?!"

"Shirayuki!"

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A/N:

Twins! A boy and girl!

Please remember to review/comment. It really motivates.

Hope you enjoyed:)