There was no better husband to have at her side than Akagi. He had been her rock throughout the whole pregnancy and her labor had been no different. He was always there, giving her energy and comfort and all the love in the world. Her water had broken nearly ten hours ago and they had done some test pushing at that point but the labor was not far enough long. Then labor had stalled, there was little progress and Althea was trembling with exhaustion. But every time she almost fell asleep she'd have another contraction.

Akagi brushed her tears away and she leaned into his hand, her tears falling more heavily. "I'm so tired Akagi, what if I can't push them out?" she whimpered. The midwife, a witch, came back at that moment, looking plenty refreshed herself. "None of that now," she said to Althea, not unkindly. "You are a powerful woman and we'll get those babies out. Now, let's check you again."

Althea sighed and rolled from her side to her back so the midwife could check her progression. Again. She was sure there would be no change. "Oh! Now look at that! You're almost there!" Althea perked up and looked down at the midwife. "Are- are you sure?" she asked, hesitantly. "Absolutely. Just give it another half an hour tops and you'll be ready. Try to take this time to rest up," she said.

Althea leaned back on her pillow and scrunched her face up. She hadn't been able to rest in the last twenty four hours, what difference would this last thirty minutes make? She rolled back over to her side and looked up at her husband. "Akagi? Will you lay with me?" she asked, patting the bed beside her. Their bedroom had been prepped for her delivery right there.

If it wasn't for Akagi, Althea would have lost of her strength and motivation. But his joy and excitement were contagious and his support was exactly what she needed. She smiled in a tired way and closed her eyes, humming her agreement. "I love you too," she mumbled as rest finally seemed to come for her.

Before she knew it she was woken by a very strong contraction and a need to push. She gasped, her eyes flying open and the midwife came in without any sense of a rush, having done this plenty of times before. The midwife encouraged Akagi off the bed but Althea to remain on her side. "Do you want to help bring the babies out or help your wife?" the midwife asked the Crowned Prince.

The midwife was used to flustered fathers. At least the fathers that chose to be part of the birth. There were many who preferred to sit outside and wait while their wife did all the hard work. It wasn't uncommon for that to happen either. Before she could respond that, no, he couldn't really do both, he had moved to focus on the Princess.

"Okay, your Highness, I need you to hold her leg up for her. Keep it supported. She's going to be pushing from this position," she told him. It would make Althea's pushing more effective if she remained on her side. "Alright, Princess, take a deep breath and push."

Althea gripped Akagi's hand tightly and she scrunched up her face and pushed with everything she had. Many pushes later and the first baby was brought into the world. Being twins, and coming a little bit early though still full term for twins, the baby was on the smaller side, a mere five pounds. "It's a boy!" The midwife stated and handed the baby off to another who wrapped him up, the baby crying healthily.

"No time to rest, my dear," she said, "The next one is wasting no time."

She didn't even get a chance to see her first. A boy. An heir. Their duty fulfilled with their first child. The sound of his cry made her ache to hold him, to see him, but his twin was coming. Althea felt so tired and in pain. She didn't want to do it again. She wasn't sure she could do it again. But it wasn't as if she had a choice.

So mustering any strength she had left, and letting her body do what it already knew how to do, it wasn't long before a second cry joined the first. Another boy. Althea fell back into the pillow, breathing heavily and feeling more tired and more in pain than she had in her entire life. Witches and enchanters alike came to her aid with potions and magic to heal her and ease her burden while the twins were introduced to their father, the Crown Prince of Arynn Frey.

Althea felt...different than she thought she would. Physically she had been plenty prepared for how hard this would be but emotionally... She felt a surge of love for her children but there was also deep pain there. Regret. Did she even deserve them? Did she have any right to be a mother after what she did? She had never been able to tell Akagi, though she'd tried many times. She had aborted a baby, their first born. How could she look these two infants in the eye knowing what she'd done to their sibling? Could she be the mother they needed or would she be cursed to be a threat to all of her children?

She felt the tears begin to fall as she was tended to and squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could disappear.

She heard Akagi question her but didn't respond, feeling the worry washing through her. She then felt the bed sag where he sat down and spoke again to her, holding their newborn twins in his arms. She slowly forced her eyes to open and turned to look at them.

The emotions she felt in that moment were ones she'd never forget, a flow of love for the two little babies that she and her true love had created together after so long of waiting. They were finally here. In that moment all her physical pain seemed to wash away with the burst of serotonin and dopamine that she got. But it didn't wash away her worry. She looked from their little faces to the one of her husband, suddenly feeling so unworthy of him and his love.

"What if I'm a terrible mother?" she whispered, her eyes wide and fearful and her lip trembling.