Chapter 476 The options
Alicia's anguished cries echoed through the stone walls. The pain etched on her face was unbearable, and Paulina wasn't sure whether finding Prince Harold was the right option since the physician was against him meeting her soon. She didn't know the content of the letter Alicia had read; however, she knew that the pain she was feeling was far different from the ailment any physician could treat. If Prince Harold's presence was able to provide any solace to her ailing mistress, then she would not hesitate to find him.With a heavy heart, Paulina sought the prince, her steps echoing the urgency of the situation.
As Harold entered the room, his eyes widened in alarm at the sight of his Alicia in such agony. Without hesitation, he rushed to her side and enveloped her trembling form in his arms, holding her close to him.
Despite the stab wound in her heart, Alicia clung to Harold, seeking comfort in his embrace. The pain of her injury seemed to fade momentarily as she buried her face in his shoulder, tears flowing freely. "Harold, it hurts so much," she whispered between sobs.
It felt like her heart was constantly being stabbed. The pain was quite intense and not only physical.
It was funny how she was always so tough whenever Harold was away, but as soon as he showed up, it all overwhelmed her and broke her spirit.
Everything that had happened lately.
Luciana.
Susan.
All the deaths.
And most especially, she knew her time here was almost up.
She guessed that had been her destiny here. To save all these people. She wasn't exactly sure to what extent she would be able to do that.
"I am here," Harold murmured in a reassuring tone, his voice full of concern.
His heart ached as he felt her pain, torn between wanting to hold her even closer and the fear of causing her more harm. However, he tried to lessen his hold on her but still kept her in his arms, breathing her in.
"Alicia," He whispered.
It had been a while.
Just then, the royal physician entered the chamber with Paulina in tow. His eyes narrowed disapprovingly when he saw Harold beside Alicia, but he could not say a word about it; instead, he went into action, assessing her condition and checking her pulse.
Harold stepped away for a moment to give him the chance to do that, but he didn't leave the room this time. He closely watched as he tried to put her at ease, all the while the man's brows were furrowed in concern.
By the time he was done, Alicia was calm on the bed with her eyes closed, much to Harold's relief.
But the physician still had to remind Harold about what was at stake, even though he was scared to do that.
He glanced at Harold and motioned for him to step aside, requesting to speak with him privately. "I must discuss something of grave importance with you," the physician said solemnly.
"You can speak here," Alicia said in a very low voice, opening her eyes faintly.
Harold's side eyes briefly looked at her before they turned to the Physician as he said, "We can speak outside. She needs to rest."
He wasn't looking forward to the conversation.
He turned to leave, but Alicia spoke again, weakly. "Do not hide anything from me. Let him say it."
Harold felt torn, wanting to shield her from any further distress but also knowing that the truth had to be faced.
Harold was distressed. He turned to look at the physician one more time, his gaze permitting the man to share whatever information he needed to share while he went to sit on her bed beside her and took her hands.
With a heavy sigh, the physician relented, steeling himself for the heart-wrenching revelation. "My... Princess, you are with child," he said gently, his voice laced with sorrow.
Confusion washed over Alicia's face as she processed the news amidst her pain. She briefly turned to look at Harold and then further away at Paulina, and when their facial expressions told her they already knew, her eyes widened slightly, and he squeezed her hand gently.
The physician further explained, "Your pulse is weakening, but there is another, fainter pulse growing stronger. You carry a child, my lady."
Alicia's eyes grew even wider with realization, and a mix of emotions surged through her. "I'm pregnant?" She whispered, her voice filled with wonder and fear.
The physician's expression remained sombre as he continued, "Yes, my lady. But this complicates matters. You..." He paused and briefly glanced at Harold, too scared to say more.
"I... what?" Alicia asked weakly and also glanced at Harold, who shut his eyes at once, steeling himself for the news he didn't want to hear.
The physician still hesitated to inform her about it. The options were both difficult and filled with uncertainty, putting her in an agonizing predicament. He tried to explain the situation, listing out the options Harold had since he was her lord and would be the one to decide their fate. However, either one of them was heartbreaking.
The first option presented to Alicia was to attempt to remove the unborn child from her womb and give her a chance to live. This choice aimed to give her a chance at survival for at most 2 years, as it would alleviate the strain on her weakened body caused by the pregnancy. However, it also meant terminating the life of the growing baby, making it an emotionally distressing decision for Alicia.
The second option was to continue with the pregnancy and give birth to the child. However, it came with significant risks, as the pregnancy was already taxing her weakened body. There was no guarantee of her survival after the birth or even making it through the duration of the pregnancy, and she would be sacrificing her own well-being for the chance to bring new life into the world.
Alicia's already wounded heart pounded in her chest as she comprehended the gravity of the decision before her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Harold, whose eyes were still shut and whose hold around her hand tightened.
He refused to look at her.
Alicia let out a faint, heartbreaking smile before saying a quiet "Thank you" to the man, dismissing him as well as Paulina, who seemed to be trying so hard to hold in her emotions in front of her.
When it was just the two of them left in the room, she turned her gaze to him and whispered his name, but at once he let go of her hand and stood up, saying a stern "No!" when she hadn't even said anything.
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