Fear

The stormy day passed by in a blink of the eye. Helena, who had been caring for Selene, was terribly worried. The duke had yet to come see the baby and she would shake in panic when thinking about approaching him. Bella was also worried, she had gotten to take care of Selene throughout the day too and grew attached to the baby.

However they had to face their fears at some point and if fate had played a cruel joke, they received visitors after dinner time.

*Knock Knock Knock*

"Open up whore! We know you are in there with that spawn of the devil!" A guard from outside the door howled. Both Helena and Bella winced at the sudden surprise of visitors. They both slowly looked at each other before Bella stood up went to go open the door.

*Bang~*

The door was slammed open knocking Bella back on her rear end. Two guards, or knights stepped into the small quarters.

"Duke Silverhorn demands your presence in the study. Don't waste his time. Bring the spawn with you." The guard spat on the ground before leaving.

Helena slowly stood up and walked over to Selene who was now crying. Aurora to was wailing from the scary men who just stepped into their humble abode as she was old enough to slightly understand feelings of people around her. Helena picked up Selene and and began to soothe her as Helena walked towards the main castle.

The rain had stopped but the gray atmosphere had not, dark clouds covered the sky as it seemed to grimly stare at the duo as if deciding their fates. The castle was rather large with white and black stones to form its structure. A main wall surrounded the premises and divided it up into multiple sections. The servants quarters, training field, horse riding field, and the main castle were all parts of the castle as a whole. Traveling from the servants quarters, Helena made her way through the divide made up of a lavish garden.

However, the usually bright and lovely atmosphere where the duke and duchess used to stroll now was devoid of its luster and life. Helena tried her best to remember the sight from sunny days, as she was worried this might be her last time seeing it. Scared of the duke and what he might do she bravely faced it as what a loving mother would do to protect her new star.

She entered the castle and made her way to the duke's study. Taking a few minutes to get there she finally stood before two large dark oak doors aligned with gold and silver trimmings.

*Knock Knock*

"My Lord, your servant, Helena has arrived." Trembling and struggling to get the curtesy out, Helena waited.

A deep voice tinged with rage, regret, and sadness resounded within, "Come in."

Helena shifted Selene into one of her arms and pushed the door open. Sitting behind a rather large desk made of the same material as the door a man sat with deep circles under his eyes. Slouched in his chair with his head hanging, the duke didn't even look up to take a glance at either Helena or Selene.

Helena nervously looked around at the study, multiple bookshelves with books of all sizes and colors adorned the walls. On one section it broke up into a collection of achievements given to the duke by the king. Papers, decrees, and artifacts that could be shown off to other nobles sat on top of shelves. In the middle of the room sat two elegant sofa chairs with a glass table with gold legs. On the other side a beautiful three person couch.

Helena gave a deep bow while holding the baby waiting for the duke to start the conversation. The silence went on for awhile before the duke looked up. Glancing at the baby his eyes began to redden in rage and the atmosphere became heavy as objects within the room began to shake.

"Why is that thing still here?" Fury began to rise in the dukes voice. Helena trembled as she held Selene close to her body trying to stave off the danger.

"Forgive this lowly one my lord for my words, but it is a helpless baby who does not know what it has done. Death by childbirth is natural in this world and she is your child whether you like it or not. Killing her would be a terrible decision." Resolution within her voice, Helena stood her ground.

The duke grit his teeth. A mere midwife question his decisions? Does she not know her place? The baby killed my wife! Such thoughts were running through the dukes mind. He knew such thoughts were terrible but the baby took his wife away from him! 50 years of his love gone down the drain! His rage still shaking the room remained while the duke sat in thought.

There was many things he could do but he no longer cared for such a thing. He refused to accept it. Unknown to him, his rage continued to boil. The duke stood up and walked over in front of the trembling Helena and now crying Selene. The duke was rather tall at 6'4 with Helena only being 5'5. Almost a full foot taller the duke loomed over the poor midwife.

"If you won't kill it, I will." The duke pulled out his sword that was hanging at his waist resting in its sheathe. The glimmer of the candles in the room flickered across the shiny silver blade.

Helena, who was merely a midwife, could not object to what he was about to do. It was his own child not hers. Helena knew the world was full of atrocities but the one line she thought should never be crossed was killing a helpless baby.

Helena tucked Selene in closer to her body as she was determined to defend the baby even with her own life.

The room was deathly quiet as the gray eyes of the duke flickered with hatred towards the spawn that had killed his lovely wife. His sword raised ready to strike down the pitiful duo that had done no harm, the duke noticed Helena's response of protecting the child which only enraged him further.

The duke began to swing down his sword but when it reached mere inches from the midwifes shoulders a knight knocked on the door.

"My lord! The Queen has arrived!"

The blade stayed where it was, Helena's life was like a thread ready to be snipped and the duke was essentially at the cutting point. However, he would have to immediately go see the queen as it was rude not to be waiting and welcoming of royalty.

"Shit...stay here with the spawn bitch! We will finish this later" The duke quickly sheathed his sword and left the room.

*Bang!*

"Haahh~ Haahh~" Helena let out deep breaths as she had been holding it in this time unconsciously due to terror. Slumping to the floor Helena gripped Selene as close as she could without hurting the baby. Her body trembling while cold sweat dripped down her forehead, neck, and back she let out a long deep sigh while trying to regain her bearing.

'Thank you...' Unknown to whoever spared her and Selene's life, Helena thanked whatever being that gave them respite. Even if the being enjoyed playing with the midwifes feelings and heart, Helena was at least able to have a few more hours with the baby at least.

Helena was terrified, for someone to face head on a True Spirit Realm magical cultivator was a feet in of itself which went to show that Helena showed true bravery and courage. The pressure which the duke had applied inadvertently made Helena's heart shake in dread.

Helena continued to wait just as the duke instructed her. She had no idea how long she affectionately stared at Selene, it could have been minutes or hours or even a whole day. However, such a moment had to end when a knight of the duke opened the door to the study.

"You are requested in greeting hall, bring the spawn with you." Helena realized that the new term for the defenseless Selene was now going to be 'spawn'. Whether that was ordered throughout the castle from the duke or what everyone felt it made Helena feel extreme anguish in her heart.

Nevertheless, as a midwife it wasn't her place to speak as Helena stood up from her slouched position and followed after the knight. They walked through many grand halls and eventually reached an open room where a few people were sitting with maids and butlers waiting around.

Sitting on one red and black sofa sat the duke, wearing his black robes to show his signs of grieving and another person who was sitting on a red and black couch.

In an elegant black V-dress that went past her legs, with a gold necklace, bracelets and a beautiful ring on her ring finger that had a diamond surrounded by different colored valuable stones, sat the queen. Her blonde hair tied up in a tress rose and fell over her left shoulder and her black eyes, as deep as the abyss keenly watched Helena arrive. Her eyes and eyebrows were sharp as a sword that seemed to pierce into to whoever they looked at.

Helena, feeling overwhelmed by the mere presence of such royalty could only bow to her queen while keeping silent. As such a lowly servant of a duke had no right to even be in such a presence of royalty. A midwife simply helped people in the castle give birth to couples who had a kid which could be considered lower than a maid.

Holding Selene tight, Helena waited in trepidation for whatever reason she was summoned.