Abigail nearly collapsed to the ground. She looked pleadingly at the midwife, but the midwife was also at a loss. In her lifetime, she had witnessed the dangers of childbirth many times, but when it became that perilous, there was no saving either the mother or the child. "What do we do? What can we do?" Abigail cried, tears streaming down her face as she wiped the sweat from Leona's brow. "You're suffering so much, Leona. I'm so sorry."

"It hurts..." Leona could only repeat those two words, her gaze pleading for help from one person after another, but no one could offer her relief.

Outside, hurried footsteps echoed-Heather had arrived.

She rushed into the delivery room, pushed Carissa aside, and took Leona's hand in her own.

"Leona, I'm here. How are you feeling?"

"Hurts..." Leona looked at her mother with no trace of joy. In fact, she looked fearful and wanted to pull away from Heather's grasp as she searched for her cousin.

"Just endure a little longer. Giving birth is painful. When I had you, it was agony, too, but I made it through. You can do this." Heather squatted down beside her and spoke softly. "Take slow, deep breaths in and out. It will help with the pain."

Ivy interjected, "Your Grace, she took a blow to the abdomen. The baby is likely in danger, and it could endanger the duchess' life as well. This pain is beyond mere endurance."

"Enough with your nonsense! Prince Harvey has already gone to fetch the royal physician. He will be here

she refrained from saying so. It wouldn't do to undermine

asking about the

made her nauseous. She managed to sip the concoction a couple of times before retching it

the royal physician in to check her pulse. However, the physician hesitated, citing that men should not enter the birthing

moved forward to do so. The royal physician frowned as he looked at the results. "Is her

has opened a little,"

this be? Is there a lot

not excessive, but her waters broke. It's been over two

asked, "What about using acupuncture to induce

"We've tried, but there's

Heather urgently urged, "You have to come up with something!" Hearing Leona's cries growing increasingly desperate, the royal physician

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