They stayed in hospital for a week, before both mom’s and babies were released. Retiring back to their estate in the Irish countryside, they were afforded another two weeks to themselves, while the news of their births was kept tightly under wraps. It was somewhat a struggle to adapt, with both of them insisting that they take care of the princesses themselves, but having no clue how to do so. Taehee, Jennie and Seungwan visited every day, and the three of them, along with Sooyoung and Yerim, would make suggestions as they watched the two royals fumble through learning how to change a diaper, how to bathe them and feed them - only Taehee and Sam were any help there - or swaddle them properly. On top of the baby, their own bodies were slowly returning back to how they’d been before, with a few days of uncomfortable bleeding, and the angry pink link across Chaeyoung’s stomach. Their stomachs slowly deflated too, and Joohyun smugly found herself back in some of her earlier pregnancy clothes, much to Chaeyoung’s disgruntlement, having been somewhat significantly more pregnant looking due to how she had been carrying.

Despite the exhaustive amount of books they’d managed to get through, and the few lessons they’d taken to prepare themselves, it was a rather daunting few weeks.

Still, even with the dark circles under their eyes from multiple sleepless nights, it was hard to complain. Every time they so much as looked at one of the babies, dressed in tiny crocheted cardigans and thin lace and cotton dresses, their dark lashes fluttering against round cheeks as they slept, their hearts swelled with love, and they couldn’t find a single thing to complain about. Things hadn’t gone according to plan, but it had all worked out rather perfectly, and their two weeks in Ireland were even more so perfect.

Late at night, after they’d both been fed, they’d pace up and down the dark hallways until they fell back asleep, the floorboards creaking and the house toasty and warm, a baby in the arms of each woman with a blanket swaddled around them. In the mornings, their assistants would have breakfast ready, and copious amounts of tea and coffee, and they’d take turns showering and dressing, while the other got the babies dressed and washed. They bickered as they stumbled through their new roles as mother’s, and they would sit in a living room with the fire crackling, classical music softly playing while Joohyun read one of her poetry books aloud and Chaeyoung dozed with a baby nestled in the crook of each elbow. Despite the amount of effort it took to look after two newborns, their days were lazy and slow, with little else to do but catch up on lost sleep and receive guests.

Their friends slowly trickled into the country, only permitted entrance into the house upon confirmation that they had all been immunised, bringing an abundance of gifts and flowers, and falling upon the babies with congratulations and compliments. At this point, they had no choice but to formally announce the birth of their two daughters, knowing that it would inevitably leak if they didn’t get ahead of it, especially with Hasun’s knowledge of the fact that Joohyun had gone into labour - although she’d been mysteriously silent since Chaeyoung had left her in Baltia - and there were dozens of messages and requests off royal dignitaries and all manner of state officials to visit them and pay their respects. It was at that point that they knew they needed to go back to Avalon and officially present their heir and daughter to the court. As much as they wished they could stay in Ireland, it was time for them to come home, and it was bittersweet to be leaving. Each of them had hoped for a couple of months there after they’d given birth, but they were content with three weeks.

It seemed that the two newborns didn’t want to leave either, and while their doctor flew with them, and both babies were placed in incubators again as a precaution against any bacteria on the plane, it seemed like a much longer flight than it was. They cried and fussed in their incubators, and were fed twice more than expected to keep them quiet, and Chaeyoung and Joohyun were both irritable. Chaeyoung more so because of the discomfort of her slowly healing cesarean incision site, and Joohyun, well … because of who Joohyun was as a person. Although, both women were feeling remarkably more like themselves, which was a huge relief for themselves, and to those who were close to them. It was an even greater relief when they landed back in Glaston City.

When the private jet touched down, both babies were quickly changed into the pristine, expensive clothes they’d be photographed in for the first time, and Chaeyoung and Joohyun changed into their own pressed dresses, having had their hair and makeup done on the flight. They made a striking couple when they stepped out onto the steps of the ladder connected to the door of the jet, Chaeyoung dressed in pale blue and Joohyun in a dove grey, with a white bundle in the arms of each woman. Photographers and news reporters were held at bay by security guards and railings, and camera flashes and questions were hurled at them as they posed for a few moments, before descending. Four cars were waiting for them, and they parted ways, a baby and a mom in each car, as a precaution, while guards piled in with them, and the doctors, family and staff were ushered into the other ones. As they filed out of the airport, a military and police accompanied them, lights flashing on the police motorcycles, and soldiers cradling rifles hidden by the dark windows of the military issued Humvees.

Once they arrived at the palace, they were driven in through the front, the heavily guarded wrought iron gates parting before their cars, the sprawling elegant palace a warm, buttery yellow in the mild mid-March weather. The flag atop the centre of the palace flapped in the breeze, the bold colours of the Avalon flag and the coat of arms of the House of Park making Chaeyoung feel even prouder as she brought home her daughters. There was a sense of satisfaction, knowing that she had done her duty and secured her line, and the smile that spread across her face as she carried the tiny bundle up the steps was genuine. Joohyun was right there beside her, and they paused for a few moments to face out at the photographers, reporters and citizens pressing in on the gates to get a glimpse of the royal family. Giving gentle waves and proud smiles, they played their part, posing for the people, before they were swept inside.

Immediately, the babies were taken away to the fully renovated nursery, with Chaeyoung and Joohyun hurrying after their assistants, waving away footmen’s attempts to take their coats, and the multitude of staff members bowing politely and offering refreshments. They didn’t relax until they’d seen the babies settled down into woven wicker bassinets with white hoods, finely knitted blankets pulled over them, and both of them fast asleep with pacifiers looking comically big on their small faces.

Looking around at the room, they admired the effort Jennie had put into decorating, and Chaeyoung smiled as she took in the sight of it in person. They’d been shown around over Facetime, but it was something else to be stood in the nursery, with its eggshell white walls, the expensive Spanish palomino rocking-horse that had been custom made, the large wingback armchair, perfect for nursing, and the hand carved whitewashed furniture. There were touches of pastel colours, hints of pale pink blankets, lavender cushions on the white velvet loveseat, and the lightest shade of blue on the ceiling, a visage of a sky with puffy white clouds painted on it, amongst rich crown molding, and the large chandelier that made it look like the sun, radiating in the middle of the vast room. Everything they could want or need had been thought of, and Chaeyoung sighed as Joohyun wound her arms around her waist, resting her chin on her shoulder as they watched their daughters sleep in their home.

They hosted their family and closest friends for lunch, but for dinner that night, it was just the two of them, and a spread of every food they’d been craving for the better part of a year. Both of them ate until they could barely move, so happy and giddy with love that they almost pitied the guards that trailed them back up to their suite, as they walked hand in hand, whispering and giggling together on their way. Two bassinets were waiting for them inside their bedroom, Sooyoung and a newly hired nanny lingering about as they watched over them, and they were dismissed as soon as the royals entered their suite. After months away from the palace, Chaeyoung had to admit it felt good to be home, and after a quick shower to wash off the flight, she changed into freshly laundered pyjamas and climbed into bed, the mattress familiarly sinking beneath her weight, and she groaned in relief as she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face into the pillows. Her wife joined her not too long later, and with a content sigh, Chaeyoung wrapped an arm around her and fell asleep in her own bed, her two daughters sleeping for the time being, and everything felt right.

Of course, it wasn’t. The threat of her mother still hung heavily over her head, and it was like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Chaeyoung had gone into more detail, recounting the entirety her conversation with Eunhye for Joohyun, as well as Jennie, Taehee and Seungwan, and while none of them could offer her any insight into what she should do, it didn’t stop Chaeyoung from thinking about, almost to the point of obsession. With no choice but to keep her composure, she spend the next week sitting on the red velvet throne in the throne room, while Joohyun sat beside her on her own smaller throne, and they received guest after guest, allowing them to greet the newborn princesses and pay their respects and offer congratulations. At a month old, both babies were doing extremely well, putting on a healthy amount of weight onto their small, preterm frames, happily gurgling and waving around tiny clenched fists as strangers cooed over them.

The two moms were completely enamoured with them, spending hours cuddling them and babbling nonsense - more so Chaeyoung, as Joohyun preferred to speak to them in multiple languages, reciting facts about Imperial Russia or talking about art styles, much to Chaeyoung’s amusement - laughing as they tickled them and watched as they babies gave them toothless smiles. It was like a dream come true for Chaeyoung, and the impending doom that had seemed to be closing in on her, closer and closer, over the past few months, had been swept away like an angry storm cloud blown away to reveal the sunshine and blue skies. She didn’t worry for their safety anymore, and it was partly because she knew who was behind it all now, and knew her mom didn’t bear her or her family any ill will, and because she was no longer hormonal to the point of paranoia from carrying her baby. Things were much more relaxed around the palace.

And then Hasun arrived, her presence announced to Chaeyoung and causing a bitter argument as she had her aunt dragged from the premises as inconspicuously as possible, despite her protests that she needed to talk to her. Urgently. Chaeyoung was almost tempted to let her speak, plead her case or whatever it was she had to say, but Hasun had lied to her one too many times, and she wasn’t eager to let her do it again.

She’d been about to have afternoon tea when Hasun had turned up, and feeling irritable, she decided to go up to the nursery for a few minutes and calm down, before joining Joohyun in the parlour. They’d already been fed, and they’d been left with their nanny as soon as they settled down, and as Chaeyoung quietly pushed open the doors she realised that the nanny wasn’t in the room. But someone else was.

“Put her down. Now,” Chaeyoung flatly commanded, trying to keep her voice from trembling as she moved further into the room.

She didn’t have to ask who it was. Even in the dim light of the curtained nursery, she could see the dark hair curling past the shoulders, and the familiar set of shoulders, the height that had seemed so tall as a child, but was now equal to her own. Although she knew that her mother wouldn’t hurt her daughter, the sight of her cradling one of them in the dark sent chills down Chaeyoung’s spine. Moving with cautious unease, she warily crossed the room, careful not to create a fuss that would wake the babies, or rouse the palace guards. Anger burned within her as she moved towards her mom, but even Chaeyoung knew that she couldn’t have her mom arrested in her palace. It would be breaking news before morning, even if she was only thought to have been a staff member apprehended. It wouldn’t take long for people to figure out the truth from there on.

“She’s like you,” Eunhye said with an almost smug pride in her voice. “In fact, with all that dark hair, she looks like me . You took after me, but you had your father’s fairness.”

Bristling slightly, Chaeyoung ground her teeth together. “She’s not like you. Give her to me. Now.”

“I won’t hurt her, my dear. I just wanted a few moments with my granddaughter’s. I wanted to see what my sacrifices bought me.”

Her voice was almost regretful, but not quite, and the casualness at which Eunhye spoke of her plotted murder made Chaeyoung’s stomach sharply twist. It was quiet inside the palace, and even more so inside the nursery, which made Chaeyoung feel even more on edge as the stifling silence weighed down heavily on her. All it would take was one quick shout and the room would be flooded with guards.

As she neared Eunhye, the other woman turned around, her face a shadow in the dimness of the room, but Chaeyoung had the vague sensation of her smiling, and she paused for a moment, waiting for her mom to make the next move. One of the little bundles was swaddled comfortably in her arms, no doubt asleep and unaware of what kind of monster was holding her.

“Call your guards if you must,” Eunhye said, and Chaeyoung knew from her mother’s tone that she knew that Chaeyoung wouldn’t.

“I don’t care if you go free,” Chaeyoung bitingly replied, “just give her to me. That’s all I want. I don’t care about you .”

Eunhye let out a quiet l