News

Paedyn

Ellie is fussing over my hair, trying to make it, in her words, "perfect". I sigh. This might take a while. Kai and I are going to announce to his family that I'm pregnant today. We visited the healer a couple of days ago, and I'm 6 weeks along today. Ellie and I agree on putting on a brown silk sleeveless dress that hugs my waist tightly, but no bump yet, since it's so early. Ellie puts my hair into a half-up, half-down situation. After applying mascara and a little bit of concealer for my under-eyes, Ellie gives me her little head nod of satisfaction. I grin as I get up from my seat at the vanity.

"Thanks, Ellie!" I exclaim

"No problem! Go make Adena and me proud," she responds. I slip on a pair of sandals and meet Kai outside the door.

Kai

My breath catches when Paedyn steps outside. The silk fabric of the dress clings to her body in just the right way, highlighting her slim frame. You could never tell that she's pregnant. "Damn," I mutter under my breath.

She looks at me, grinning.

"What?" she asks, a teasing edge to her voice.

"You look... incredible," I say, trying to play it cool, but she can probably tell I'm caught off guard. I offer her my hand as we walk to the throne room where I arranged a little family meeting.

Paedyn

When we walk into the throne room, kitt is sitting on the throne, with Blair next to him. Queen Myla, Kai's mom, was sitting on her throne. I swallow hard. Blair's wearing a purple gown with flowers on the neckline. something catches my eye. a sparkle. on her hand. kitt proposed i thought. Kitt looks up at us, his expression softening slightly.

"You both made it," he says, his voice warm, almost welcoming. It's the kind of tone that makes me feel like maybe—just maybe—I can do this. I force a smile and nod.

"Thank you for having us," Kai replies smoothly, his voice steady. He steps forward, his posture commanding the room, but I can tell his nerves are hidden behind that calm demeanor.

"Actually..." Kai begins, pausing just for a moment, and I feel my heart skip. This is it. "There's something we wanted to share with all of you today. Something important."

My palms are sweating, and I squeeze his hand tighter, but I let him speak. I can't do this alone.

Kai looks at me for a brief moment, then back at his family, his voice low but steady. "Pae and I... we're going to be parents."

The words hang in the air like a shockwave. My stomach twists, but I try to keep my gaze level, not wanting to seem too fragile. But I can't help the flutter of nerves that ripples through me.

Kai

I can feel the tension in the room the moment I say the words. My family's eyes snap to us, and I brace myself for the reaction. Pae's hand is trembling in mine, but I can't let that show. Not now.

There's a long, heavy silence, the kind that makes my chest tighten. Kitt's gaze is unreadable, and I can see the slight shift in Blair's expression—surprise, maybe a little confusion. Myla, though, her eyes soften almost immediately, her lips parting as she takes in the news.

Then, Kitt speaks. "You're sure?" His voice is calm, but there's something beneath it, a question. A doubt I didn't expect.

I nod, my voice firm. "We're sure."

Blair looks at me, her face still composed, but I can see the way she's clutching her gown just slightly. I think she's caught off guard, but she doesn't say anything.

Myla finally stands from her throne, walking toward us with a smile that instantly puts me at ease. "Well," she says gently, "this is unexpected, but I can't say I'm not happy for you both." Her voice is warm, and for a moment, I feel the room shift. It feels lighter somehow.

Paedyn

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Kitt's eyes flicker between us, then back to Blair. She's still quiet, her gaze unreadable, and I can feel my nerves start to build again. I try to focus on what Myla is saying, but my mind keeps drifting back to the ring.

"Well," Myla continues, "Kai, you've always been the type to keep things close to your chest." She gives him a playful look, but there's a depth behind her words. "I'm glad you're sharing this with us now."

I smile faintly, trying to calm myself. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The silence that follows feels long, but at least no one seems angry. No one is upset.

Just... surprised. Like they weren't expecting this.

The silence in the room stretches just long enough for everyone to digest the news, but then Blair—of course—decides it's her turn to speak. She's quiet for a moment, studying us both like we're some kind of puzzle she's still trying to figure out. Her fingers tap lightly on the armrest of her throne, and I can feel her eyes drilling into me.

"Well," she starts, her voice dripping with something that's not quite warmth. "Isn't this interesting." Her gaze shifts from me to Kai, then back to me, lingering just a little too long. "I didn't think you'd be the type to... surprise us like this."

I can feel her eyes on me, almost predatory, like she's looking for a crack in my composure. It's unsettling, and I try not to let it show, but I'm suddenly aware of every breath I take.

She leans forward, her smile sharp and calculating. "I'm sure this will be... quite the change for you, Paedyn." She says my name with a certain edge, like she's not sure if she means it as a compliment or a challenge.

Kai tenses beside me, and I grip his hand a little harder, but I refuse to back down. Blair's not going to get the satisfaction of seeing me react.

"Thank you for your concern, Blair," I say, my voice a little colder than I intended.

She raises an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Oh, I'm just curious. I mean, we all know how you like to keep things under wraps, don't we? And now... a baby? I wonder how the kingdom will react to Prince Kai having a child with an Ordinary."

I can feel the room shift slightly, like everyone's waiting for the next move. Her words hang in the air, sharp and pointed, and I know what she's doing. She's trying to rattle me. She's always done this—always trying to get under my skin, like it's some game to her.

Kai steps closer, his body subtly blocking Blair's view of me. "Enough, Blair," he says, his voice low but firm.

Blair doesn't flinch. In fact, she just laughs, a soft, hollow sound that echoes in the silence. "Oh, I'm just being honest. It's not every day you find out someone's having a baby... and especially not from her." Her eyes flash with something darker now, and I can feel the weight of her words press down on me.

mb guys i'm in a little bit of a rush today. this is more of a filler chapter till tmrw. still, i hope you enjoy!

love ya