Chapter 227
’Lin Wan...’ he thought silently, his dark eyes burning with an unshakeable, fierce affection.
’Just hold on a little bit longer.
We are right outside.
And this time... we are never leaving this valley without you.’
The heavy, tense atmosphere inside the Supreme Citadel had become noticeably quieter and far more somber.
The very moment Cassian returned through the heavy iron gates, he bypassed the grand council hall entirely, ignoring the senior ministers and military officers who were eagerly waiting to hear a full report of the parley.
Instead, he headed straight for Lin Wan’s private residential courtyard without pausing to change out of his snow-dusted cloak.
Captain Ronan followed dutifully several paces behind his Sovereign, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
Just as they reached the grand wooden entrance of the inner bedchamber, Royal Physician Alaric walked out into the hallway, carefully carrying a large wooden medicine box beneath his arm.
The elderly physician immediately halted his steps and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty."
Cassian completely ignored formal pleasantries, his sharp golden eyes looking straight past the old man toward the tightly closed bedroom door. "How is she, Alaric?"
Physician Alaric offered a warm, reassuring smile, his gentle voice instantly cutting through the thick tension in the corridor. "There is no need for such deep anxiety, sire. Lady Lin only suffered a sudden episode of severe physical exhaustion."
Cassian frowned, his posture remaining rigid. "Explain her condition clearly."
Alaric nodded understandingly, smoothing his long white beard. "Her body has naturally become much heavier and far more delicate due to the advanced stage of her pregnancy."
"Today was the very first time she spent an extended period walking outdoors in the freezing winter air after many weeks of resting inside," Alaric explained softly. "She simply became lightheaded and dizzy after standing on her feet for too long in the garden."
Cassian’s tightly clenched shoulders visibly relaxed just a fraction. "And what of the children?"
"They are in absolute, perfect health, Your Majesty," Alaric stated with complete confidence. "Their spiritual heartbeats are remarkably strong and vibrant."
Cassian let out a long, slow breath that he had not even realized he was holding in his chest.
Physician Alaric noticed the Sovereign’s subtle display of relief, but he wisely chose to pretend he had seen nothing at all.
"I have already given strict instructions to Lady Lin that she must remain in bed for the rest of the day," Alaric continued cheerfully. "I have also adjusted her daily herbal tea to help soothe her physical fatigue."
Cassian gave a firm, approving nod. "Good."
The elderly physician hesitated for a brief second, his warm expression growing somewhat more serious before he spoke again. "There is one more matter I must bring to Your Majesty’s attention."
Cassian turned his full gaze back onto the old man. "Speak."
"The children have dropped noticeably lower into her pelvis today," Alaric revealed in a low, gentle whisper. "I believe the actual birth will not be far away at all."
"Perhaps a few days from now," the physician noted carefully. "Perhaps even sooner."
Cassian remained entirely silent, his mind absorbing the profound weight of those words.
Alaric added softly, "Because her body is preparing for labor, it would be best if Lady Lin avoided any unnecessary emotional stress or sudden shocks."
"I understand," Cassian replied plainly.
He dismissed the old man with a slight nod. "Thank you for your tireless care, Alaric."
The elderly physician smiled warmly, bowing low once more. "It is my absolute honor and duty, sire."
After the physician and his young medical attendants quietly departed down the wide stone corridor, Captain Ronan stepped back toward the entrance archway.
"I will remain posted right outside these doors, Your Majesty," Ronan stated respectfully.
Cassian gave a single nod of approval. He reached out his pale hand and gently pushed open the heavy wooden bedroom door himself.
The private bedchamber was profoundly peaceful and quiet.
Warm, golden sunlight filtered softly through the clear crystal windows, reflecting gently against the polished dark wood floorboards.
Lin Wan was propped up comfortably against several thick, velvet-covered pillows on the grand carved bed.
A thick leather-bound book rested open on her lap, but her small hands were resting idly over the pages.
She was not reading it at all.
Instead, she was staring absentmindedly out the tall window, watching the soft snowflakes drift lazily across the garden outside.
The subtle, quiet creak of the bedroom door opening caused her to blink and turn her head.
When her dark eyes landed on Cassian’s tall figure standing in the doorway, a look of genuine surprise washed over her pale face.
"You came back so quickly," she murmured softly.
Cassian closed the heavy door behind him and walked over calmly, his heavy cloak making a quiet rustling sound as he approached the bedside. "I heard you collapsed in the garden."
Lin Wan gave an embarrassed, helpless smile, her cheeks flushing with a touch of color. "I only became a little dizzy, that was all."
"You frightened everyone in the entire palace," Cassian said, his tone low and serious as he stopped beside her bed.
"I really didn’t mean to cause such a commotion," she whispered, looking down at her hands.
Cassian stood quietly beside her for a moment. Then, without uttering another word, he leaned down slightly and gently rested the back of his bare hand against her forehead.
His palm was cool against her warm skin.
Lin Wan completely froze in place, her breath catching in her throat at the sudden, unexpected physical closeness.
"...What are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely louder than a breath.
"Checking to see if you have developed a fever," Cassian answered smoothly.
"I don’t have a fever," she insisted gently, though she did not pull away from his cool touch.
"I know you don’t," Cassian murmured softly, removing his hand and standing back up. "Yet you still managed to worry everyone around you."
Lin Wan lowered her long eyelashes, a faint look of guilt crossing her features. "I am sorry."
Cassian looked down at her quiet face, his golden eyes softening just a fraction. "You do not need to apologize to me, Lin Wan. You were not actively trying to make yourself collapse."
A comfortable, quiet stillness descended upon the warm room once again.
Lin Wan gently placed her hand over the soft curve of her stomach, stroking the fabric of her silk robe. "The babies are completely fine."
"So Alaric informed me," Cassian replied quietly.
"They are becoming far more active with every passing day," she added, a faint, tender smile touching her lips.
As if directly responding to the sweet sound of her voice...
One of the babies delivered a sharp, energetic kick from within.
Lin Wan let out a soft, genuine laugh, her dark eyes lighting up with pure joy. "There."
"They heard your voice."
Cassian instinctively lowered his gaze toward her stomach, his eyebrows lifting slightly. "...They moved again?"
She smiled warmly up at him. "They have been extraordinarily lively all afternoon."
A moment later, another clear, distinct bump appeared beneath the soft wool blanket as another baby shifted position.
Cassian stared at her stomach for a long, mesmerized moment, completely fascinated by the sight. "They are remarkably strong."
"They take after their father," Lin Wan said softly, the affectionate words leaving her lips entirely without thinking.
The peaceful bedroom suddenly fell into an absolute, dead quiet.
The moment the words left her mouth, Lin Wan froze, her mind catching up to what she had just casually blurted out.
A deep, vivid red flush rapidly spread from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her delicate ears.
"I..." she stuttered, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. "I... I didn’t mean it in that way..."
Cassian looked down at her thoroughly flustered face in complete surprise. Then, for the very first time in what felt like an eternity, a faint, genuine smile appeared on his handsome features.
"It seems even you are willing to admit that much," Cassian remarked, his deep voice laced with a subtle, rare warmth.
Lin Wan quickly turned her head away, staring intently at the wooden wall as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. "I only meant that they are unbelievably stubborn!"
"I will happily accept that comparison as well," Cassian replied smoothly.
Lin Wan could not stop herself from dramatically rolling her dark eyes at his smug composure. "You truly know how to take immediate advantage of someone’s foolish slip of the tongue, don’t you?"
"Opportunities like that do not present themselves often when speaking with you," Cassian noted, his golden eyes filled with quiet amusement.
Lin Wan let out a dramatic, exaggerated sigh, burying her face slightly into her blanket. "I have made a truly terrible mistake today."
Cassian actually let out a quiet, genuine chuckle.
The low, rich sound surprised both of them deeply.
For a brief, fleeting moment in time...
The grand, heavily guarded bedroom felt strangely and wonderfully peaceful.
There was no cold King standing guard.
There was no fragile prisoner waiting in fear.
There were simply two people, bound together by fate, quietly waiting for three precious new lives to enter the world.
After the light moment slowly faded away, Cassian’s expression became serious once again.
"I met with Wang today," he revealed softly.
Lin Wan’s playful smile instantly vanished. Her fingers instinctively tightened around the soft edges of her blanket.
"...I see," she whispered, her voice barely audible.