Chapter 2: Extinguished

Late one night, just weeks from the babies' due date, Liliana awoke screaming in pain. At that point, no one would have expected her to be in labor, but given her heavy breathing and terrible spasms, it was clear that she was.

Moses called for a physician, demanding he come immediately, regardless of it being well after midnight. In the meantime, he sat next to Liliana, trying to calm her down as she heavily breathed, sweat breaking out on her forehead and all down her body. "It's all right, darling. The physician will be here soon."

"I-I can't breathe, Moses," she cried, her hand loosely grasping his, though the sweat that poured from her made her grip slick and weak.

"Lili, hang on. Please!"

The door to the royal bedroom burst open, and the physician, accompanied by a few guards, was shoved into the space, his bag of tools clutched firmly to his chest as he observed the ailing queen. "Oh, my…"

Liliana was drifting in and out of consciousness, and her vision was swimming each time she opened her eyes. She felt both light and heavy at the same time. She could hear her own heartbeat, not to mention her own blood rushing heatedly through her veins. But most alarmingly, she could hear the voice of the physician, essentially speaking her fate.

"It's not good, Sire," the older man told Moses solemnly. "This is a high-risk scenario, in which either the queen, one of the children, both of the children, or all three could die. I'm afraid at least one will be at risk of perishing tonight…"

Moses grabbed the man by the shirt with one hand and punched him in the face with his other free fist. "Do you not think before you speak?!" he snapped, gesturing toward his wife, whose eyes were tearfully straining to open. "My wife is lying right here, fighting for her life. Your job is not to predict a terrible outcome. Your job is to prevent it!"

"I-I'm so sorry, King Moses," the physician murmured, attempting to nurse his sore cheek while also attending to his role. "I meant no harm…"

"Moses," Liliana called out faintly, reaching out to him with a shaky hand. She visibly relaxed a bit when he took her hand, moving closer to her. "It's n-not his fault… Listen…" She eyed him seriously, her amber-brown eyes peering sadly into his troubled green ones. "No matter what… I love you…"

"Lili, don't—"

"I love you, Moses. I love our babies… Please, protect them, care for them, and love them as much as you have loved me."

The king felt the weight of the world on his shoulders at that very moment. He was losing his wife and potentially gaining two new lives at the same time. How was he to effectively care for two tiny beings on his own? Liliana and Moses—they were always together. Everyone always asked where the other one was if they ever dared venture out alone. Even still, he saw her soft, pleading face. "I promise," he whimpered, struggling to hold back a treacherous sob as the physician helped pull him to his feet. "But fight, Liliana. Please, fight."

She nodded, though she said nothing. Her faint smile still managed to light up the room, though she was clearly in significant pain.

Moses was escorted away as several nurses and assistants carried Liliana to the medical bay. He paced impatiently outside the room for a few hours, growing worried as he heard nothing.

Another hour passed, and Dowager Queen Frieda arrived, her weary eyes even heavier than usual as she caught her son when he fell into her arms, sobbing like a child. "It's all right, my little one," Frieda insisted as she guided her son to a cushioned bench, sitting down with him. She allowed him to keep his head on her shoulder, and she rubbed his back like she used to do when he was much younger. "I remember when I gave birth to you and your sister. It was painful, but I'd go through it again just to see your lovely faces. My Malinda, who is fulfilling her dreams, traveling the globe and studying different cultures to positively impact realm peacefulness… And you, King Moses, magnificent ruler of Exchancia. Both of you made my life so much richer, and no amount of pain could have stopped me from welcoming you into this world."

Moses sighed, shaking his head as he sat up. "But we were single babies, Mother. Liliana is carrying twins…"

Frieda frowned, knowing well just how dangerous such a situation was. She'd never told Moses after he'd excitedly revealed Liliana's pregnancy with twins, but Exchancia didn't necessarily have the highest success rate with non-fatal twin deliveries. In fact, of the recorded 16 other women who'd given birth to twins in the past 100 years, only one had made it through the birthing process and lived to talk about it. Sadly, she'd died a year later, due to malnourishment and what physicians assumed was heart failure, though they never could quite pinpoint it. The twins had all gone on to live healthy lives, although they were sometimes seen as bad omens. Twins were like a death sentence in Exchancia… "Moses, my son, this is the worst you'll ever feel: waiting for the birth of your own little ones, and awaiting your wife… And not knowing what will happen once that door opens…"

Moses soon ended up lying across the bench with his head in his mother's lap, and her fingers running through his hair as a form of comfort. He slept for an hour before feeling himself shaken awake.

"Sire," the physician began as he removed his glasses, a solemn expression on his face as he bowed respectfully, "your children have been born… A healthy little girl and boy… They're a bit premature due to their early arrival, but they will be all right."

The king frowned and sat up, feeling nervous as he asked, "And… The queen?"

Despite his desire to maintain a professional demeanor, the older man was clearly distraught, with some tears in his eyes, as he responded softly, "I'm sorry, King Moses. She… She didn't make it…"

It wouldn't be surprising if all of Exchancia heard the poor, wretched king's sobs as he screamed out for his wife, sobbing his anguish into his mother's arms as she held him tightly, rocking him back and forth like the baby she'd once known, trying to offer him words of comfort. That night, the kingdom grew strangely dim, with a heavy cloud hovering over the land, as if gripping it in a chokehold. Despite the new life bestowed to the kingdom, the light of the queen was now gone, and Moses was deeply affected by the absence of his wife.

So much so that he missed the warning signs that were right in front of him the whole time…

Next Chapter: Building Blocks