Her pregnancy had now reached nine months.
The wife prepared breakfast before sunrise. She was overly excited today, because Morcant had promised to go shopping for some baby clothes together.
Although the sky was still dark, the house was already brightened with Raven's smile, "Morcant will surely like this. Because this morning's dish isn't vegetables. Hehe."
Very early she had already cooked venison from the adventurers who had stopped by their village yesterday.
The table was filled with food, she sat on a chair, waiting for her beloved husband to wake up in their room, while caressing the little baby not yet born.
But Raven was still sleepy, "Hoam..." her eyelids went up and down, the more she resisted drowsiness the stronger her desire to close them became.
Unable to resist sleepiness, she dozed off at the dining table.
In the bedroom, Morcant awoke. His eyes widened because his wife had disappeared from his embrace, "...Raven, where are you?"
The man got out of bed and looked for his wife under the bed, but all he found was a pile of dust that had been forgotten to be cleaned.
"Hmm, as if my wife would be under the bed," he stood back up and went out of the room.
Morcant hurried, his forehead tense, "Could it be... she knows?"
When he reached the family dining room, he saw his wife's hair dangling down covering her face.
He panicked and immediately ran to the dining table, "Raven!" Without realizing that breakfast was already prepared on the table, his gaze was fixed only on Raven.
Morcant's heart pounded, he thought Raven was too exhausted in the late stage of her pregnancy, "Ra-Raven... I'll carry you to the nearest healer."
Before he could move, Raven woke up, "Haa," Morcant was surprised, but Raven glared coldly at her husband, "Morcant."
Morcant gripped Raven's shoulders tightly, "W-what's wrong my wife? Are you alright, are you tired?"
"Ugh... what's wrong with you...?! You smell bad, go bathe first...! After bathing then eat breakfast," snapped Raven while covering her nose.
Morcant felt relieved, he let out a long breath, "...You made me panic, I thought you fainted."
The wife only laughed, she muttered, "Hehe... I just fell asleep because I woke up early, I was too excited to go shopping with you."
But the husband only looked sadly at his wife, his tone softened, "Raven, sorry, the tax collector will be here today."
Raven only stared deeply at her husband's gaze, she understood that Morcant bore responsibilities, "It's alright... You really are busy, I'll go shopping by myself," it felt suffocating when the promise they had made was hindered by work that could not be postponed.
Raven muttered, comforting her husband.
"The tax collectors indeed arbitrarily seize the harvest, if it is not negotiated properly... we'll be the ones in trouble,"
"Last month I didn't go shopping, so this month I'll buy it myself, you must not forbid me to go alone because of my pregnancy,"
Raven grasped her husband's arm with both her arms.
"I only want to be the best wife for you, so do your best, as the true father of my child."
"Eat breakfast first, I've prepared venison this morning, you can bathe later."
Morcant ate breakfast.
Seeing her husband devour all her cooking, for her it was enough to feel full without eating a single bite.
Although their small family were just village farmers, Raven was grateful that the father of her child was a good man she loved so deeply.
Unnoticed, the sun had already risen, Morcant prepared to tend the fields, while Raven prepared to go shopping.
Merseyside Village—a small village, but it felt far to go to the market for a pregnant woman.
"Tiring indeed, but I want my child to be properly clothed."
As in her earlier preparations, Raven only brought coins and a shopping basket.
She placed the coins inside a woven purse, containing 2 silvers and 100 coppers. Once all preparations were packed, the wife finally hurried off and said goodbye to Morcant.
This time the husband didn't misplace his hoe, he waved his hand to his wife to be careful, "Be careful, dear."
Raven walked leisurely while holding the other life inside her belly, moreover the fetus had become more active with little kicks from within the womb.
She walked calmly, greeting neighbors and villagers. Then a gentle hum flowed from her lips, singing to fill the travel time.
"In the warm darkness... you breathe within my veins..."
"I embrace you with prayer... in the chime of time... your tiny steps tremble... like whispers of light... my child... my star... sleep in the womb of heaven..."
Her face shone brighter as she reached the second verse, her tone growing softer with every step.
"Hear my song... oh light of my life..."
"In my womb a world is created... a place where you meet love... Grow... oh my soul, eternal flower in the garden of time..."
"Mother is here waiting... to welcome you with a rainbow..."
Upon arriving at the crossing bridge, she stopped for a moment, making sure the woven purse hadn't fallen from the basket.
But when Raven checked, her eyes widened, because the purse was not in the basket, "Why isn't it here," she muttered, increasingly puzzled at the empty basket.
"Hah... To have come this far only to forget it."
The wife had forgotten to put the purse in when she had prepared the shopping coins.
Raven turned back toward the house to retrieve the forgotten purse, but the sunlight made her neck sweat again, "Forget it, I'll cancel shopping, I'll just go later with my husband, huh..." while wiping the sweat dripping from her forehead.
Walking the same road again, but it felt farther because she had already begun complaining about the situation.
Not long ago Raven had greeted the villagers, now they were puzzled why she was heading back, but she calmly said, "I left my purse at home." With a wry smile on her face.
When she arrived at the fields, she was puzzled to see the fields empty without her husband working.
"Heh... Where's my husband, I hope he hasn't fallen asleep again."
With a small laugh she entered the house, then headed for the bedroom.
Just as she reached for the handle of the small bedroom door, a voice was heard from inside, instantly stopping her hand.
"Hmm... Am I not more beautiful than your wife...?"
It was the voice of an unfamiliar woman from inside their room, her heart instantly exploded. Then she heard Morcant's voice, her husband.
"We'd better stop this... This is the last time we meet... I love my wife, especially since she's the mother-to-be of my child..."
"At first I married her because I was disappointed in you. But now it's different."
From outside the room, Raven was speechless, her hands trembled, her vision blurred as tears flowed unconsciously, she still couldn't think clearly about what was happening.
Her heart whispered faintly.
Who is inside? What does he mean he married me because of disappointment?
Raven's body stiffened, her fingers clenched her clothes tightly as if trying to hold her body from collapsing.
What does this mean...? Hiks.
She stared blankly at the door, biting her lips until blood dripped on the floor, as if physical pain could no longer be felt.
Again the voice inside the room was heard, a woman moaning.
"Mpphh...!"
Hearing the woman's moans from inside, her breathing grew heavy, her chest rising and falling erratically, and at the corner of her lips was a whisper of deep disappointment.
Her voice was choked as sobs became heavier and unstoppable.
"Mor — cant!"
Raven left the house, walking away in tears.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
It sounded so sorrowful.
Her lips trembled, unable to speak.
Her heart shattered.