Mirha's eyes fluttered open slowly. The first thing she saw was Arvin's face above her, his arms wrapped securely around her as he held her on the chaise. A soft, tired smile curved her lips.
Arvin's expression warmed instantly. He brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.
"How are you feeling, my love?"
Mirha shifted slightly in his embrace, still a little dazed. "I feel rested… and better. I was really tired."
Arvin leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, lingering there for a moment.
"Why didn't you tell me you were sick?" he asked quietly.
Mirha's brows furrowed in confusion. "I'm not sick… I just felt really tired."
Arvin listened carefully, his thumb stroking her cheek. After a pause, he said firmly but gently, "You won't be taking that tea anymore."
Mirha paused, waiting for him to explain.
"That tea is weakening you," he continued. "That's why you passed out."
Mirha was quiet for a moment, processing his words. Then she said softly, "But… if I stop, I won't be able to predict my cycles…"
Arvin cut her off, his voice low but decisive. "I don't care. And it doesn't seem like a bad idea for you to bear my child, would it, Mirha?"
Mirha hesitated, her heart skipping. "Of course not… but Her Majesty…"
Arvin cut her off again, gentler this time. "You should rest now. I need to go take a bathe."
Mirha simply nodded, too exhausted to argue further. She watched as Arvin stood, his hand lingering on her shoulder for one last reassuring touch before he left the room.
She lay there alone, the weight of his words settling over her like a warm, heavy blanket.
Arvin left Mirha resting and made his way to the private study. The palace was quiet, the long journey's exhaustion still hanging in the air.
Yadid was already waiting, standing near the desk with a concerned expression.
"She is awake now," Arvin said without preamble.
Yadid nodded. "How did she handle the news?"
Arvin paused, his jaw tightening slightly. "She doesn't need to know for now. If she found out that the tea has completely ruined — slimmed down — her chances of conceiving a child… I don't know how she will take it." He exhaled slowly. "I need you to keep trying. Find remedies. Anything that can help her recover."
Yadid nodded helplessly, his voice quiet but honest. "Your Majesty… I need you to remember that there has never been a cure for it. It was made specifically for that purpose — for concubines who were not meant to bear heirs."
Arvin cut him off, tone firm but weary. "I trust you will find something to work with."
Yadid bowed his head. "As you wish, Your Majesty." He hesitated, then added gently, "It is late, and you have only just returned from a long journey. You should go and rest."
Arvin gave a small nod. "I will. Good night."
Yadid bowed once more and quietly left the room.
Arvin stood there for a moment longer, staring at the closed door, the weight of the conversation pressing on him. Then he turned and walked back to his chambers.
When he entered, Mirha was already asleep, curled on her side under the silk covers, her breathing soft and even. The sight of her peaceful face eased something tight in his chest.
He removed his coat and shirt, letting them fall carelessly to the floor, and slipped into the bed beside her. He turned toward her, gently pulling her closer until her head rested against his chest. He pressed a tender kiss to her temple, breathing in her familiar scent.
Then, exhausted from the journey and the day's events, Arvin finally let sleep take him.
Arvin left Mirha resting and made his way to the private study. The palace was quiet, the long journey's exhaustion still hanging in the air.
Yadid was already waiting, standing near the desk with a concerned expression.
"She is awake now," Arvin said without preamble.
Yadid nodded. "How did she handle the news?"
Arvin paused, his jaw tightening slightly. "She doesn't need to know for now. If she found out that the tea has completely ruined — slimmed down — her chances of conceiving a child… I don't know how she will take it." He exhaled slowly. "I need you to keep trying. Find remedies. Anything that can help her recover."
Yadid nodded helplessly, his voice quiet but honest. "Your Majesty… I need you to remember that there has never been a cure for it. It was made specifically for that purpose — for concubines who were not meant to bear heirs."
Arvin cut him off, tone firm but weary. "I trust you will find something to work with."
Yadid bowed his head. "As you wish, Your Majesty." He hesitated, then added gently, "It is late, and you have only just returned from a long journey. You should go and rest."
Arvin gave a small nod. "I will. Good night."
Yadid bowed once more and quietly left the room.
Arvin stood there for a moment longer, staring at the closed door, the weight of the conversation pressing on him. Then he turned and walked back to his chambers.
When he entered, Mirha was already asleep, curled on her side under the silk covers, her breathing soft and even. The sight of her peaceful face eased something tight in his chest.
He removed his coat and shirt, letting them fall carelessly to the floor, and slipped into the bed beside her. He turned toward her, gently pulling her closer until her head rested against his chest. He pressed a tender kiss to her temple, breathing in her familiar scent.
Then, exhausted from the journey and the day's events, Arvin finally let sleep take him.
---------->
The next morning, Mirha was panting in her sleep.
The sound woke Arvin instantly. She was shaking, sweat glistening on her forehead, soft moans of pain and discomfort slipping from her lips.
Arvin sat up quickly and pulled her into his chest, arms wrapping around her tightly.
"Yadid!" he shouted, voice sharp with urgency. "Call the physician!"
The guards outside rushed off immediately.
Arvin kept trying to wake her, gently shaking her shoulders. "Mirha… Mirha, wake up."
But she only whimpered, eyes still closed. "Mama…"
Arvin's heart clenched. He shook her a little firmer. "Wake up, damn it."
Mirha's eyes finally fluttered open, glazed with pain. She clutched at her lower belly, voice weak and trembling.
"My belly hurts… Your Majesty… it really hurts."
Yadid hurried in moments later, accompanied by two attendants carrying a tray with a steaming cup of tea. He knelt beside the bed and helped Mirha sip the warm liquid slowly. The herbal scent of wild carrots filled the room — a bitter, floral brew that had once been her daily shield.
Mirha's breathing gradually eased. Her eyelids grew heavy again, and she drifted back into an exhausted sleep.
Arvin turned to Yadid, his expression dark.
"I thought you said it would not hurt her."
Yadid bowed his head, voice careful. "It should not… but maybe her body has grown used to the poison. It is now relying on it."
Arvin's brow furrowed. "What?"
Yadid gestured for the attendants to leave. Once the door closed, he spoke more openly.
"It is clear she has been taking this tea for a very long time, regularly. It has slowly become part of her system. While she was drinking it, the effects were slow and painless. Now that she has stopped… her body is struggling to continue its work without assistance. The withdrawal is causing the pain. I should have warned you earlier, but I did not think it was this severe."
Arvin was furious — not at Yadid, but at himself and the chain of events that had led to this moment. His jaw tightened as he stared at Mirha's pale, sleeping face.
"What do we do?" he asked quietly.
Yadid sighed. "I wish I could tell you I can fix it. But Your Majesty… if you do not give her the tea, she will remain in pain. For now, the kindest thing is to resume small doses while I search for other remedies. However… I think you should prepare yourself to let go of the idea that My Lady will ever bear a child."
Arvin was silent for a long moment. Then he nodded once, the weight of the words settling heavily on his shoulders.
After Yadid left, Arvin sat beside Mirha for a while, simply watching her sleep. He sighed deeply, wondering whether he should tell her the truth or protect her from it a little longer.
Finally, he gathered her gently in his arms, carried her to the bathing chamber, and washed her with careful, tender hands. Once she was clean and dressed in fresh silk, he carried her back to the bed and laid her down.
He climbed in beside her, pulling her close against his chest, and closed his eyes.
The journey to Taico had only just begun, and already the shadows were growing longer.
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