•Birth of a blessing and a curse•

On one rainy faithful day,the Vermill family of Kingdom Guvalon had a worrisome morning.

Duchess Catalina Vermill's screams of agony were heard from the hallways of the Vermill Mansion corridors as she was due on her pregnancy.

The poor noble woman couldn't help but cry and scream due to the amount of pain she was suffering while trying safely give birth to her child.

The midwives were also trying their best to help the Duchess,the whole hallway of the Vermill mansion was filled with them going in and out of the Duchess's bedroom.

"W-Where is Joseph?.."

Catalina asked for her husband's whereabouts in bed laying weakly and tiredly while her whole body could not move as she was in a difficult situation.

"Master Joseph will be back soon, your grace!...As he is out to meet the King."

A maid nearby said.

"Please hold on..your grace...the child in your womb.-"

The midwive froze in pure shock.

"What is it? What is wrong?"

The head-maid asked after she saw the midwive froze in pure shock.

"The c-child is n-not one...it is t-two.."

Said the midwive in shock.

"AHH!! FOR GOD'S SAKE WHERE IS MY HUSBAND?!"

The Duchess screamed in pain.

"Quickly,help our lady give birth! I do not care if there are two children!"

The head-maid said that in a worrisome look to the midwive.

| While those chaos were happening at the Vermill Mansion, a shot of an arrow flew and pierced through the skin of a deer in the Royal hunting grounds. |

"That was an excellent shot! Duke Vermill.."

The King proudly cheered at the man holding a bow while drinking a glass of fine wine.

"Or shall I say brother in-law?"

The King smiled at the Duke as he stood up from his chair and walked towards the man.

"You're flattering this poor noble servant of yours..Your Highness,I do not dare to accept such cheers from you"

The Duke said that as he lowered the bow and turned to look at the King.

"No need for formalities Joseph...talk to me as Casimir..not as your king for now"

The King said that while gulping down another glass.

"Well then.. how is the life of a king?.. I remember that you used to say kings are all old and grumpy.. Now aren't you also becoming grumpy too,Casimir?"

Duke Joseph Vermill said that jokingly while smiling back at the King Casimir Cyprus.

The King couldn't help but chuckle.

"I suppose you are right..Joseph..being a King is quite hard..but not as hard as your life.."

The King looked at Joseph,smirking.

"What do you mean?"

The Duke looked confused.

"Oh come on..you married the 'Princess of anger'..my quite angry as a rhino sister..."

The King laughed.

"Well..Catalina maybe an angry rhino but she is as beautiful as a peacock and have a great mentality."

Duke Vermill said that while looking away to the fallen deer.

Suddenly the head-butler came running and then kneeling to both the King and the Duke.

"Please excuse this poor butler for such an improper intrusion, Your Highness and Duke Vermill.. "

Both men looked confused and looked at the Butler.

"What has made you come to this grounds like a monkey in trouble? Ezra.."

The King asked while Duke Vermill was beside him.

"A servant from the Vermill Mansion reported that Princess- I mean Duchess Catalina is in the time of deliver.."

Head-butler Ezra said that while sweating a lot due to him running to the Royal Hunting grounds from the inner palace corridors.

"Catalina is in the time of deliver?!.."

Duke Vermill gasped and said that in a shock.

"Looks like my sister is inneed of her husband.. Brother in-law..now go to meet your newborns in time won't you?"

Said the King.

"Ah- yes..Please excuse this brother in-law of yours,Your highness."

Duke Vermill bowed after he said that and went along with Ezra to the horse stables.

After getting his horse,the Duke could only ride on and try to make his horse go faster faster.

While riding his way to the Mansion,he could not help but be nervous as he is about to be a father now.

As friends,he and his wife were quite a ruckus.They would always fight about very small things since children.But as a husband,he started to worry about both his dear wife's health and the still-born child of his.

| While in the corridors of the Vermill Mansion , Duchess Catalina has successfully given birth to healthy twin babies but there seems to be a problem coming up on the Vermill's |

"Head-maid...those children are..cursed.."

The midwive said that to the Head-maid.

"I know..but they are still our Master and Madam's children. Cursed or not we need to serve them..they will be the new Lords of ours sooner or later..do you understand?."

The Head-maid said that firmly while looking serious.

"B-but one is a female devil among a m-male..it is said that the f- "

The midwive said that while trembling and in panic.

"Devil or not! They are our new masters sooner or later. Who tells you that you have the right to judge our Madam and Master's family matters.."

The Head-maid said that angrily.

"Sasha..please stop the ruckus for now..it is quite noisy..let me see my newborn..."

Said faintly by the Duchess who just woke up from her rest after an exhausting childbirth.

"Of course,your grace...this servant will bring the young lady and lord.."

Said the Head-maid as she brought the newborns,handing them to the postpartum mother.

"Lady and Lord...what do you mean..-? I gave birth to a pair of twins..?"

The Duchess raised her dark black eyebrows in confusion and asked.

"Yes,Your grace.."

The Head-maid said that while looking faintly sad knowing the traditions.

"It can't be..I am not abandoning my other child for the another..I can't do this!.."

The Duchess shouted as tears started to flow out of her darkish blue eyes,she faced down in despair,looking at the newborn twins especially the female twin.

She did not want to lose her daughter inorder to follow the traditions.

She had wanted a pair of son and daughter but not as twins.

Just then,one of the twins cried.

It was the cursed good for nothing female twin..It was the same one that was deemed as ' Thy Devil ' .

Seeing the female twin cry,the male baby cried along.

Witnessing this event, the mother,Catalina could not help but sob uncontrollably.

Now that this matter has happened , the sobbing mother could not help but make a decision that could change the lives of both babies.

"Head-maid..I am not the type of mother who kills her children just because of traditions..close the curtains now."

Said the Duchess as she looked up to the Head-maid from the bed.

"I gave birth to a pair of boys..didn't I?"

The Duchess said looking confident as if she didn't even cried earlier, leaving the head-maid knowing what was her job to do as a servant obeying the orders of her master.

Who could have thought that a mother's love was so strong that she could turn a blind eye to the traditional beliefs in order to save her child.

"Announce everyone- ..no inform every single man or woman alive in this land that the Vermill Family welcomed a pair healthy baby twin boys just as the house sigil said..."

Said the Duchess holding the newborns.

Just then wet footsteps could be heard outside the corridors as a sign of the Duke returning back to meet his newborn children.

The Duke,the worried husband opened the chamber door and rushed in.

"Am I late?-"

Said the worried Duke Joseph.

"You're not,Dear..."

Said the Duchess Catalina as she looked at her husband lovingly and smiling while holding the crying twins in her arms.

"Meet our boys..will you? Our papa.."

The Duchess smiled,it had looked like a joy that only new parents could experience as the Duke also smiled back at her. The Duke came close to the bed inorder to get a better view of his newborns.

"Now now..Papa..your all sweaty and muddy..I don't want the boys to catch all your stinking..go dress up properly.."

The Duchess said that looking jokingly at the Duke.

"Ah right...please excuse me then..my love..this Papa of the children was just too excited!.."

The Duke chuckled as he said that.

After the Duke left the room,the worried Duchess breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sasha...no one must know about this..you know what thy job is right?."

The Duchess said that as she pressed her lips with a slight frown while holding the newborn twins.

"This servant understands..Your grace.."

The head-maid bowed down her head as she said that.

Later on in the morning , news were heard that a local midwife had passed away due to an accident in the bridge of Locilke.

| A parade was held in the land of Locilke as the Duke Vermill,head of the Vermill house had made a big event of celebration as he and his wife welcomed a pair of twin boys. |

In the party,while other guests including the Duke himself was laughing and dancing happily,the Duchess who was holding the twins and sitting in the grand chair from afar was quite nervous.

She becomes quite nervous as her guilt consumes her.

Just then,the Duke came by and smiled at her.

"My love..would you mind if I hold them for a while..?"

His hands reached for the newborns as he said.

"Ah- Of course,you can hold them..-"

After getting permission from his wife,the Duke held the twins and yelled out to the crowd dancing in the room.

"Today! I Joseph Vermill is in great joy that my wife,Catalina has brought me two boys into our family..as they are the firstborns of the House Vermill..their names shall be known as future lords of this house by thy future!"

The crowd that was noisy with music and chatter suddenly went into a slient as the Duke began his speech.

"I name the one swaddled in a white blanket...Aeris! It is the name my dear beloved picked for him...and the other one swaddled in a grey blanket shall be named..Aeros! After thy great warrior of the Guvalon,which is picked by me..and both of them..shall be now known as... 'Aeris Vermill' and 'Aeros Vermill' !"

As the Duke finished his speech,the crowd cheered for the young newborn twins that were just named while the Duchess looked quite nervous for the future.

Will these twins make it?

Will the traditional beliefs come true?

Will the female twin try to destroy the whole house's lineage?

The Duchess's mind was full of these thoughts while her husband including all the people in the party looked happy.

Will the land of Locilke,owned by the house of Vermill go into chaos?What is the future that awaits for these newborn twins? What will happen to the house of Vermill?

- To be continued