WELCOMING A NEW MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD

In the Imperial Palace of a Continent called *Eclipse of the Ocean* on planet Gieă..

     Light across all spectrums were spread across the High roof of a seemingly over-spaced square room with the lighting elements looking just like an aurora preceding over the mountains at night time_ without truly giving light nor staining the silent darkness of the room by its presence.

     Candles were arranged on the room space in a maze like array with some positioned across the edges of the square room while being upheld by luxurious dragoniod stands. The orderly candles dutifully carried their lightly swaying orange flames while giving off barely noticable smoke though the lighting of their flames once more failed to bring more than a stary spark of light to counter the darkness within the room.

Light is obviously not the purpose of the lit candles but their flames did bring about faint stream of smoke that carries an odd scent. This scent can only perceived by the spirit and its effects brings about a sense of calm.

     At the centre  of this massive square room of over sixty square feet in area sits an elaborate Oval Royal bed. One glance at this brd would tell any souls that it balongs in the chmbers of nobility as the bed has its frame made entirely of a burly crystal-ice material. This crystal material is masterfully carved into realistic still-life images of flood dragons flowing across the bed's frame. Although stationary, the flood dragons seem to be chasing one another around the bed and their eyes looked of blue-black marble.

     The setting to the bed is dark and calm and the stands of the bed are lightly immersed in something that seemed out of place for such a setting,.. water.

Softly glowing water in a shallow pool surrounds over a meter radius of the bed with the still water being in a perfectly tranquil state that seemed to mirror the face of the person who is currently sleeping peacefully on the bed.

     Dressed simply in a loose one-piece white gown, a slender woman with bulging stomach gently takes in soft breaths as she steadies her mind for what is to come.

     This isn't her first time through this process; infact, this is her third time but this doesn't at all reduce the anxiety in her heart by one bit.

     They call it the Curse of Monoliths. A harsh curse placed on every human, elf and mammal on the planet.

No matter how powerful they are, they are all reduced back to their frail mortal state at times of delivery as they are cursed to feel the pain and the tearing agony as they escort a new life into the world.

     Gently stroking her belly with closed eyes the woman on the bed looks as tranquil as the dark room then suddenly, the candle light in the room gives off an odd flicker as another woman calmly steps through the wall with a ripple before walking gracefully towards the bed.

     No surprise or change is shown on the face of the woman on the bed as she just keeps stroking her belly in silence. The new-comer stops walking at the edge of the shallow water pool surrounding the bed before waiting patiently without speaking.

     Both of the new woman's hands were positioned gracefully in front of her flat stomach which is hugged firmly by a stiff night-blue material with golden patterns laced into the fabric. The fashion behind her dress comes off both simple yet captivating as a pair of black pants complements her top dress without looking too casual nor too exquisite.

     Finally, the woman on the bed slowly flutters her eyelids open as she looks toward her ever stoic Counsel while trying to be as casual as she could manage.

     "Is he coming?..", She asks with her pale brown eyes on her Counsel's figure.

     "The Imperial Emperor sends his goodwill, he wishes you a smooth delivery as well as the good health of the child and the mother.", The counsel reports with a fluid tone and bearing that shows of a messenger performing her task.

     The woman on the bed gives a small sigh to her Counsel's monotonous words as she seemed to sink deeper into the embrace of her bed.

What was she expecting?..

It's not like he came the last two times?.. It's not like she's that important to him?..

     She is just one among his sixty-four concubines and she isn't even among the top ten in the ranks of most beautiful nor is she amongst the most talented or most influential. Infact, considering how ordinary she is compared to the rest it's a wonder how she even managed to get into his circle.

     Deep in thought, the formerly tranquil water surrounding the glassy bed ripples gently as a reflection of her mental state.

     "Your Elegance, I really despise the thought of you worrying right before delivery. It may affect the procedure of the birth of a genius.", The counsel says calmly in her usual even tone although her master recognises it as her own way of trying to give her hope.

     The pregnant woman on the bed snickers softly in self resignation, what genius!. Her last two children were the most polite versions of average talents based on the Imperial standards.

     To the rural outside world these average children of hers could very much hold their own grounds as high talents but to the true top powers, they could only be described as one word.. Trash!.

     To the true powers, her pst children weren't worth sparing a glance much less a second glance and as their mother, knowing this fact hurts ever so deeply as she cannot help but blame herself for their fortunes or rather.. misfortunes.

     She was just some overconfident princess of one of the low end clans. She was naive at the time and now, she she that version of her self as someone who did not know the boundaries between heaven and earth.

She had naively fell in love with a domineering prince on a mission and she was lucky enough to be called his 13th concubine after a night fun which led to a pregnancy that was later miscarried.

     She only knew the true difference between her status and that of her prince charming when he showed her the outside world and the portion of it he had claimed for himself. She was terrified at the magnitudes of powetf he commanded and then the already vast gap suddenly the two of them suddenly became incomparably wider when her prince becomes a True Imperial Son and then later.. the Imperial Emperor of the Continent.

This chain of transistion would obviously leave her as just a lucky princess in his story.

     She has no special influence or talent to count on and her bloodline is beyond mediocre thus leaving her offsprings with nothing but medium grade talent. Even miracle elixirs cannot make her body to accommodate half the potential of the Emperor's Imperial grade Bloodline.

Without being able to accommodate his potentials, it is of no wonder that her offsprings would lack some of the characteristics that makes Imperials.. Imperials.

     In reflection of her emotions, the water below her bed continuously ripples from different directions but then, the woman gives out a sharp exhale to purge her mind of these burdening thoughts.

     Thinking about all of this wouldn't help the process of delivery so she calms her mind before giving a calm order to her patiently waiting Counsel.

     "Bring the Imperial Mid-wives in."

     "Yes your Elegance..", The Counsel answers without hesitation as she gives a soft bow before walking out of the room through the walls.

     A minute later, three women walked in through the walls while being clothed in purple and white nun like attires as they give their respectful deep bows to the woman on the bed even though she seems not to pay any attention to them.

     "Greetings your Elegance, we are here to guide you through the process of child birth.", The slightly aged woman who is positioned at the middle of the trio midwife says while still bowing her head as if to show her total submission towards a member of the Imperial household.

     Although, a seemingly un-favoured concubine is nothing to the top powers,.. to the middle and low ranked powers these figures are still more than powerful enough to determine their life and deaths in a thousand lifetimes by just a single word.

     "Let's begin..", The Concubine replies curtly to the midwife as she grips hold of the silky ropes already positioned above her.

     The mid wife bows a bit lower for a second before raising her head as she walks towards her highness with her assistants following behind her.

     A couple minutes passes by in silence but soon,.. a scream resounds through the room as the formerly still water below the bed performs boiling motions!.