Chapter 279 - Baby

After Prince Rama swept through the battlefield like a raging storm, Golden Camellia was subsequently defeated due to heavy casualties. The Roagelt wall gate had been broken down after the Sun Kingdom soldiers defeated the remaining soldiers who were trying to guard the gate desperately.

The generals reported the situation to Prince Rama and Milord Aster, they were eager to invade the Golden Palace right away. Meanwhile, Prince Rama was staring at his wife with absolute devotion and asked, "It's up to you, wife."

Aster didn't give an order immediately, there was something really heavy in his head right now, as if he was deciding whether this thing would affect the war or not. He just got the news from Golden Princess' subordinate that she requested the invasion to Golden Palace to be held until next morning, because there was an urgent matter that needed to be done now.

Rosalie was in labor.

Rosalie was already eight months and a half pregnant, and the child might come out anytime. He thought that the child would be born after the war ended, but he got the news that Rosalie was suddenly delivering the baby now.

Aster was unsure whether Rosalie switched sides again and colluded with her brother to delay the war, knowing how easy Rosalie could betray anyone, Aster was bound to be doubtful.

However, the baby inside Rosalie's belly was really important. Because if it was a boy, then he could be the next one in line after him, since he would never have a child himself, the child would cement his position as an Emperor after he placed the child as crown prince. The state would be in peace and the ministers would not push him to marry a woman after that.

If it was a girl however, then, there might need to be some amendment of the law to enable a girl to be a Crown Princess.

"Hold the war until tomorrow morning, we will rest and prepare for now," Aster ordered. The generals frowned, one general rebutted:

"Milord, if we attack the Golden Palace now, the victory is one hundred percent ours," the general said. However, Aster was firm with his order. The generals could only seek for Prince Rama's intervention, but seeing his adoring gaze at his wife, the generals could only swallow a bitter pill and followed Milord Aster's order.

Aster and Ramuja entered their tent to rest, when Ramuja entered the tent, he asked Aster immediately, "Why didn't we attack now? You know that we can surely win this today. I want the war to be over soon," so I can do you for ten hours in the ship.

Aster sighed, he hung his coat and replied, "Rosalie is delivering her baby right now. Although we can attack today, I don't want her to be in deep stress because of the invasion, and I surely don't want that baby inside her to die."

Ramuja frowned, "Why do you care much about the baby?"

"Because that baby will be the next Emperor after me. Golden Camellia can only be ruled by golden blood, since I will not have a child in my life, I will make her baby the next ruler after me."

Ramuja was somewhat reluctant to let Rosalie's baby take the throne after Aster, he still had resentment towards all golden bloods except Aster, "Is it absolutely impossible to pass the throne to other people?"

Aster looked at Ramuja meaningfully and then a faint smile appeared on his face, "Well, there is another way. I just need to marry a woman and have my own child, as long as you allow..."

"I WILL NOT ALLOW!" Ramuja reacted wildly. Imagining his wife marrying other people made him almost lose control immediately. His eyes were dark and he clenched his fist. He had the flash of thought to kill everyone in sight, so nobody would dare to covet his Aster. But he recovered immediately.

Ramuja bit his lips and said, "Fine then, we will attack tomorrow."

Aster knew that Ramuja was actually unwilling, he could've just reprimanded him in front of the Sun Kingdom generals, but he decided to let his wife order the generals around. To that, Aster was appreciative.

"Ramuja, I know that you are unwilling and impatient, but I only want to marry you, I will find ways to secure our position, being a ruler is not easy," Aster said, then he chuckled lightly, "Unless you want us to retire after the next ruler is ready to rule, we can live as a pair of lovers in a small house near the lake."

Aster said that jokingly, but Ramuja seemed to be deciding something in his head for a moment and then nodded, "Plausible."

Florentino was outside the room while he heard Rosalie screamed in agony for hours. He was truly anxious, although he didn't love Rosalie, but the child inside Rosalie was his baby. He didn't want anything bad to happen to the baby… and Rosalie.

Truthfully, he still didn't like Rosalie because of her cowardly and treacherous nature, but he was really grateful for her motherly trait. Although Rosalie was not a good person, she was really attentive to the baby inside her belly, she knitted many clothes for her baby and she already prepared everything.

She didn't even hate Florentino even though he ignored her most of the time. This made Floren feel guilty in his heart, 'If… if Rosalie and the baby survived, I will compensate Rosalie for all my wrongdoings! I will try to love her!'

Meanwhile, Rosalie had fainted many times inside the room. It had been ten hours since her water broke and the midwife was trying her best to help her. Maybe because she had a weak body from the start, or because this year's cold winter, or maybe… because of the stress due to war. But she felt that her life was already on her throat.

"Princess, push harder!" The midwife was desperate. Rosalie was unresponsive for a moment, he glanced at the door, Floren must've been waiting for the baby to be delivered safely.

'I don't think I can survive this, but… I want Floren to be happy, at least, if the baby survives, Floren will finally love me…'

Rosalie was determined, she pushed harder until all veins on her head and neck were strained. Finally, after eleven hours of labor, Rosalie heard the cry of the baby. She slumped on the bed, unresponsive. Her gaze was blurry, she heard the midwife say, "Congratulations Princess, it's a baby boy!"

The midwife cut the cord of the newborn baby and washed the baby with warm water before wrapping him with a warm blanket. The midwife put the baby beside Rosalie. Rosalie watched the newborn baby boy cry, and then tried to appease him.

"It's fine, my son. Everything will be fine…" Rosalie said, he stared at the baby and finally gave him his name, "Your father wants you to be charismatic and strong, so he wants your name to be Ardent. So be it, you are Ardent Audric Camellia. The next Emperor after your uncle, Aster Di Arlingdon."

Rosalie looked at the midwife, she wanted the midwife to call for Floren. But she was shocked when she saw a shadow behind the midwife. The midwife screamed and the shadow slashed the midwife's neck, he said, "Emperor Charles wants you to hand over the baby now."

Floren immediately opened the door once he heard the midwife screamed. He saw the midwife got slashed on the throat and Rosalie was shielding her baby with her body. There was a knife planted on Rosalie's c.h.e.s.t, but she stubbornly protected the crying baby on her embrace.

"ROSALIE!" Floren rushed and pulled his sword. He stabbed the assassin and then checked on Rosalie and their baby. Rosalie's eyes had turned pure golden, her heart had been stabbed, but somehow, she still lived for a brief moment. She looked at her husband and smiled, "Floren, we have a baby boy… Ardent Audric Camellia."

"There will be another assassin sent by my brother soon… go to Aster now… our son… must live… Floren…" Rosalie opened her hand and handed the crying baby over. She smiled at her husband and closed her eyes peacefully.

Floren took the baby in his embrace, he looked at Rosalie who looked like a sleeping beauty, but the knife planted on her heart said otherwise. Floren bit his lips, he could only kiss Rosalie's lips and then said, "I'm sorry, Rosalie. I am too late for you, but I will not let our son die."

Floren rushed outside and rushed to leave the Golden Palace. There was an assassin who tried to catch up on him. His eyes looked around as he noticed that all the palace guards turned blind eyes to him, as if they got the order to stay put by Emperor Charles, even though their Golden Princess had just been assassinated.

Floren gritted his teeth and ran faster. He jumped on a horse outside the main courtyard and rushed to leave the palace.

The assassin attacked him with an arrow, the arrow pierced straight through his shoulder, "Ack!"

Floren glanced at the arrow who pierced through his shoulder, he spurred the horse faster. Floren looked back and saw the assassin didn't chase him after he left the golden palace. It seemed that Aster's victory was certain.

Floren left the city and passed the gate despite the soldiers shouting at him, trying to warn him. Once he entered the Sun Kingdom's camp. The soldiers who were guarding the camp blocked his way.

"This is Sun Kingdom's camp, who are you?"

Floren got off his horse, his breath was heavy, he had expected that the arrow was poisoned, "I… I want to see Aster. I am Florentino Viete…"

Aster and Ramuja immediately rushed to see Floren, Aster saw Florentino standing beside his horse, the light from the torch showed his complexion, and Floren was really pale. Even his lips were white.

"Floren, you have been poisoned!" Aster said immediately.

Floren gave him a wry smile and handed over the baby who was still crying loudly, "His name… Ardent Audric Camellia. I beg you to take care of him, this is my and Rosalie's last plea… please…"

Aster took the baby from Floren's hand, and the baby suddenly stopped crying. He only whimpered, and soon, he was sleeping in Aster's hand. As if Aster was his real mother.

Floren gave his last laugh and said, "As expected… he is only compatible with golden bloods… thank you, Aster."

Floren closed his eyes and fell on the snow. Aster called the doctor immediately. When the doctor checked on Floren, he only shook his head and sighed, "This gentleman has been poisoned with a deadly poison, it seems the arrow point in his shoulder was coated with it. Pardon my incapability, Milord, but this guy has passed away…"

Aster looked at the bloodless Floren. He was grieving in his heart. Floren was an excellent man that he had considered to be his prime minister after the war ended. He gazed at the sleeping baby in his embrace, his shining golden hair was enough to confirm his identity as a golden blood.

"Ardent Audric Camellia..."