ᴛʜɪʀᴛɪᴇᴛʜ.

They noticed how her body changed during the past months. She started having morning sickness and most of the food they cook is not suitable to her taste. When she got her cravings, they bought a huge amount of the food she liked and stored it just in case she wanted it during midnight. The servants were receiving supplies from the Royal family but the Lord of the Hasegawa family was always declining it. The older Archduke of the Aoyama family visited her a few times to take a look at her condition. 

Within those months, the Prince never visited her. It was what she wished for but when she was alone in her bedchamber, she couldn't help but to feel sad and cry about it. That was what she wanted, so why was she crying? There is no doubt that the child she is carrying is the Prince's child. She was devastated when the Archduchess broke the news about the opening of the official candidacy of the Prince's future spouse. 

"Are you fine with that? Fuyu, it is not yet too late to go back. I'm sure Sho will accept you and your child with open arms." The Archduchess persuaded her when she had the time to pay a visit. 

"I'm fine with that. I hope his future wife will be clean and untainted. Someone who is pure and innocent." She answered while staring outside the windows. 

"Are you really going to abandon the love he gave to you? You love him, right? And he loves you, too." The older woman said and she smiled faintly while shaking her head. 

"I don't love him anymore." She mumbled, placing her hand on her growing belly. She caressed it and kept her faint smile on her lips. She doesn't want to add any more problems to the Royal family. 

"If I kept my contract with the Viscount, would I be able to have a peaceful life?" She whispered. She remembered how she admired the Viscount of the Suzuki family before. How was she able to forget about those times? 

"Fuyu, I'm begging you. I don't want to see you and Sho being miserable. Ever since that day, he stopped talking to people. He is not even attending banquets. He stopped meeting us. I tried to visit him once but when I saw him, he lost more weight. For how long do you want to punish him and also yourself? Fuyu, it will be better if your child will be able to know about his father." She tried to convince her once more but she felt like she was just talking to a cold wall. 

"My child doesn't need a father, Gia. I can take care of him alone. Brother doesn't have any plans on getting married yet, so I know he will be happy to spend time with his nephew. I think you should go now. I want to take a rest." The Archduchess let out a sigh and nodded. She helped her lay down on the bed and then, she closed the windows since it was already dusk. 

On the other hand, the Prince just finished taking a shower. He saw his mountain of used clothes at the side and then, he decided to put it under the blanket, imitating his figure before sneaking out of the castle. He put a mask on and walked to the forest with his horse first before mounting it. He quickly arrived at the castle where Lady Fuyu was staying. He hid his horse at the side and then, he climbed up on the walls when he saw that the windows were open. She was standing in front of the mirror and brushing her hair when she saw a hand on the windowsill. She looked at it and she saw the Prince. Her heart started to beat so fast and she started panicking, so she closed the windows but he managed to stop her. He removed his mask and stared at her growing belly. 

"What are you doing here?" She whispered but he didn't say anything and just knelt in front of her to place his ear on her belly. He closed his eyes and listened to the faint heartbeat inside it. 

"I don't want to see you. Please leave." She continued to whisper. He wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her belly. 

"I will not marry anyone except you, Fuyu. The official candidacy for my marriage is just a show. Please come back to me already. I need you." He whispered and tears started to form on her eyes. 

"They are right. I'm not suitable for you. I never wished to be suitable for you. I only wished to have my Prince Charming." She mumbled and then, he stood up to wipe her tears. 

"I'm your Prince Charming, Fuyu. You know that." He kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes before holding onto his sleeves. She gripped on it tightly and she started to tremble. 

"Sho.. It hurts.." She said, feeling her chemise getting wet. Her water started to break and he carried her to the bed. 

He rushed out of her bedchamber and called for everyone. They needed the midwife now. She will give birth soon. The servants rushed to the city capital to get the midwife and to tell the news to the closest friends of the Hasegawa family. She started whimpering in pain while holding onto his hand tightly. It is already her due this month and she remembered when the older Archduke reminded her about it. She looked at him while crying and he didn't know what to do until the midwife finally arrived. 

They stayed outside the bedchamber for an hour and all they heard was her screams. The place went quiet and after a few minutes, they heard the baby crying. The door went open and the midwife told them to come in and see the newborn baby. He sat down beside her and he was a little scared to hold his son in his arms, thinking that he might drop him. The midwife assisted him in carrying his son and he smiled when he stopped from crying. 

"The baby is healthy and she will need a lot of rest. She can't move too much for some days for her to heal but the baby will need milk from her."  The midwife said and he nodded. She smiled softly with the view of her son and his father. 

"Shu.. His name will be Shu.." She mumbled while weakly holding onto the hem of his clothes. He carefully placed their son down beside her and she closed her eyes to take some rest.