Chapter 253 Helpless Gregor
âNo! I cannot allow you to harm my wife and my child!â
âGregor!â
The loud voice of King Tredor echoed inside the study as he stood up from his chair and faced his enraged son.
âDo not forget I am the King of Valor! My words are the heaviest in this kingdom, and what I decide to do, no one in this land can ever disobey. You are nothing but just a Crown Prince. How dare you go against the King?!â
âThe King that I know is a wise man! He will not take the life of a person after listening to mere words without evidence!â
âThose words are uttered by the High Priest who always said the right thing for the wellbeing of our kingdom.â
âFather,â he said through gritted teeth, veins protruding through his skin, âthatâs my wife and child you are planning to kill. How can I agree to this madness? I will never allow you to do it.â
âGregor, youâ¦â
Just then a knight entered the chamber with a lady servant who informed with a trembling voice, âY-Your Majesty, p-pardon but Lady Sephina has gone into labour and will give birth soonâ¦â
âKing Tredor, this should not happen,â the High Priest declared.
Without waiting for anyone, Gregor stormed out of the Kingâs study, his heart filled with fear and worry for his wife and child.
ââ
Inside Sephinaâs chamberâ¦
After Gregor left, Shanel held Sephinaâs hand to comfort her. âEverything will be fine, Sephina. Do not stress yourself in this situation. Stress is bad for the child, but you already know that, right?â
Sephinaâs tears continued to fall. âB-But what the High Priest saidâ¦â
âSshhh, our husband will handle it so calm down and take deep breaths.â
Sephina nodded weakly, and just as she was about to wipe away her tears, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her belly. âAhh!â
âSephina? Whatâs wrongââ Shanel looked at her worriedly while her lady-in-waiting noticed the growing stain on the blanket.
âYour Highness! Lady Sephina is having labour pains!â
They again heard her pained cry as she gripped Shanelâs hand.
âGet the midwife! Hurry! Servants, prepare everything!â Shanel ordered before looking at the pale Sephina.
As a mother of three, Shanel could guess the younger womanâs internal panic. âDonât worry. We will soon have a healthy little princess who will look as lovely as youâ¦bear with the painâ¦take deep breathsâ¦â
With a pained expression, Sephina could only nod before crying out once more. As she struggled to breathe, she turned to Shanel with a pleading gaze.
âYour Highnessâ¦just in caseâ¦if something happens to me, please protect my daughter. Please!â
âNothing will happen to you, Sephina,â Shanel, who herself was panicking inside, tried to be calm and comforted the pregnant woman.
âPlease, give me your words that you will protect my daughter. You will take care of herâ¦Please, Your Highnessâ¦â
âFine. I give you my word. I will always protect our little princess. Now, donât think about anything and try to focus on your breathingâ¦â
Fortunately, the midwife arrived to take care of everything.
When Gregor arrived outside his second wifeâs chamber, all he heard was his wifeâs screams and cries beyond the door. He was about to rush in when the servants outside stopped him from going inside.
âYour Highness, Lady Sephina is giving birth under duress. The Crown Princess is inside with her, and she fears your presence might further stress Lady Sephina. Please wait here until the Lady successfully gives birth.â
Gregor wanted to quietly wait outside, and he would have done so if not for the unexpected situation caused by the High Priest. After making a bold decision, he turned towards his guardian knight.
The Crown Prince lowered his voice to one barely above a whisper. âTaylor, keep an eye on what my father is planning. He will try something to kill my child. Also, make arrangements to send the child out of the palace. Do not let anyone know about it.â
âI have received your orders, Your Highness,â the knight saluted before leaving.
Time seemed to crawl as he waited. Gregor was praying for his child to be born as soon as possible so that he could send her away; however, he could hear nothing but the cries of his wife in the hallway, not the sound of a newborn infant. He could only pace around anxiously while waiting to hear the good news.
âWhy is it taking so much time? Shanel did not take this longâ¦It must be because of stress thatâs why sheâs having difficult laborâ¦â
As he let out a sigh, he noticed a number of footsteps approaching. He saw two servants being escorted by the royal guards and the knight of the King. One of the servants had a small bowl placed on the wooden tray in her hand.
âHalt!â Gregor scowled as he blocked their way.
âWe greet the Crown Princeââ
However, he was having none of their nonsense. âWhat is âthatâ?â
The servant who was not holding the tray replied in a calm voice, âYour Highness, this is medicine for Lady Sephina.â
âMedicine? She doesnât need any medicine. Take it back.â
âHis Majesty the King has given a royal decree that this medicine be fed to Lady Sephina to helpââ
Gregor knew what it was and was about to march towards the servant but the royal guards blocked his way. This time, the Kingâs knight stood to face him.
âYour Highness, do not do anything that we have to use force on you.â
Gregor pulled his sword out of its scabbard. âTry it!â
More royal soldiers appeared behind the knight, filling up the entire hallway, and the knight informed with a terse expression.
âCrown Prince Gregor Valor, according to His Majestyâs decree, the moment you show resistance, you will be stripped of your title and be imprisoned for the crime of treason.â
âWhat nonsenseââ
âHis Majesty has ordered us to kill everyone inside this residence if you do not obey his orders. As a criminal who had committed the highest offense, the equivalent punishment would also force us to seize your properties and apprehend the rest of your family. Not only your wife but your three sons as well, the three princes, will pay with their lives for their fatherâs mistakes.â
All the blood inside Gregorâs body seemed to have turned into ice.
The Kingâs knight continued, âIf you think your knights will be arriving to side with you, then stop your meaningless expectations. They have already been taken care of. As for whether they are alive or not, well, they are still breathing for now, but I cannot guarantee what will happen to them.
âMake your choice, Crown Prince. Stand down or lose it all.â
The sound of a sword falling on the floor echoed in response, and along it the sound of a shattering heart.