Elision

The lingering scent of herbs and stale air hung heavy in the opulent chamber. The Duke's manor, usually a bastion of quiet dignity, was punctuated by the shrill cries of a newborn and the hushed, urgent whispers of midwives.

"Push, Milady! Just a little more!" a voice urged, laced with a desperate hope. On the large, silk-draped bed, a woman's form thrashed, her face contorted in agony, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Then, a new cry joined the chorus, followed by another. "Twins! A girl and a boy, Milady! Both with crimson eyes!" The midwife's voice, though weary, held a note of triumph.

A faint, weak voice pierced the air, "Cristina..."

Cristina, the Duchess's most trusted aide, rushed forward, her heart seizing with a premonition of dread. "Yes, Mistress?"

"I don't have much time... Please promise me one thing... Look after my children... I'm afraid I would depart from this world not long after... Please treat them as if they're your real children... I beg you... Please grant my final wish..."

Tears streamed down Cristina's face as she cradled the two tiny infants, their crimson eyes closed in slumber. "Goodbye Lily... Goodbye Lilac... Never forget that I love both of you... So... so much..." The Duchess's voice faded, and with a final, shallow breath, she was gone. The manor, once filled with the sounds of new life, now held the heavy silence of death.