Silence fell into the room for a moment. Cathy's hands instinctively moved to her swollen belly. "Will they… will they be born healthy? Alive?" Her voice broke slightly as she continued, "I've lost four already. I can't... I can't bear to lose them again."
Emily's brows knitted together, her worry deepening. The High Priestess stepped forward, her expression softening. "Lady Storm, the process your family uses—forceful extraction—is not kind to either the mother or the child. It is cruel, even by noble standards."
"It's not my choice," Cathy said, her voice trembling. "The elders demand it. They want the heirs born under celestial signs."
