Excitement and fear vie for top emotion to overwhelm me. Daniel holds my hand firmly, squeezing it encouragingly. The ultrasound machine is small. AnnaBelle has been waiting since Daniel arrived. Once Pat plugs the machine in and prepares the probe, Dr. Stevens adjusts the table and lifts my legs into the stirrups. This is embarrassing with Daniel sitting next to me. He looks at me, quirking his brow seductively when Dr. Stevens turns her back.
“I think I want one of these for our room.” He leans over whispering in my ear, sending a chill at the imagines he elicits.
I blush, pushing him away playfully.
“That’s kinky.”
Dr. Stevens turns around holding the probe.
“Ready?” She asks.
She explains the whole process then starts the exams. Initially, it is uncomfortable, but eventually it becomes tolerable. I can’t help but flinch uncomfortably with the probe’s movements. After a couple of minutes and more manipulation, Dr. Stevens sighs in relief.
“There, see that,” she points at the monitor to a white spot, “That’s your baby.”
Daniel squeezes my hand. I can’t pull my face away from the monitor that reveals our baby. The fear and excitement have been replaced by awe and love. Tears fill my eyes, overflowing down my cheeks. Daniel leans up kissing them away.
“Thank you.” He murmurs with love shining in his eyes.
Dr. Stevens pushes a few buttons and numbers appear on the screen.
“Now to figure out how far along you are.”
She types one handedly while making small adjustments with the mouse, all the time holding the probe still. Pat takes the probe from Dr. Stevens when it is removed. Daniel leans over hugging me. I start to shake in his arms, silently crying.
“Okay, here is a picture of the baby.” Dr. Stevens hands us a black and white photo. “You are nine weeks along. You need to start taking prenatal vitamins and make sure you eat healthy meals. One glass of alcohol occasionally is okay, but not more than occasionally.”
“Don’t worry about that, I won’t touch the stuff now.” I wipe my eyes, staring at the picture.
“Anything we need to be concerned about?” Daniel questions.
“Not really. I would tell you to try to avoid stress, but that isn’t realistic. Just try to make sure it isn’t too much. If you notice any bleeding or cramping, call me immediately.”
“I know there are probably many questions I-, sorry we have, but I can’t think right now. Can I call you if I have any?” I ask.
“Of course, I am always available to you. I will start referring the rest of my patients today.” She informs us. “Why don’t you get dressed and we’ll schedule your next visit.”
As the door closes and I stand up, Daniel picks me up jubilantly then swirls us around, laughing.
“A baby!” He yells happily.
This man, who commands armies, makes decisions about life and death, looks like he doesn’t have a care in the world. And I guess after hearing the wonderful news, he doesn’t. His eyes shine with unadulterated joy. He places me back on my feet gently. I grip his arms to stop the room from spinning.
“Sorry sweetheart.” He says sheepishly.
“It’s okay. I guess I have to be more careful. That’s all.” I reply. “I’m happy your happy.”
“Happy? This isn’t happy. There are no words to describe this.”
“Okay whatever it is, we need to contain it until later. We have hundreds of guests arriving shortly. I’m torn between telling Dante now or later. If I tell him later, he’ll be pissed, but if we tell him now, he won’t be able to concentrate.”
“You’re call sweetheart. You know how I feel.” Daniel offers no advice.
“Fine, let’s go find him.” I reply, already knowing there is no way I can get out of telling him.
҉
I left Dr. Stevens’ office feeling lighter. AnnaBelle located Dante in the royal ballroom. Dante has done wonderful job of transforming the space into a wonderland. The deep purples, greens, blacks and golds invite the guest to have fun while staying hidden behind their mask until midnight when the masks are removed.
We hoped that a masquerade ball would help the different political parties to except each other especially if they didn’t know who their dinner companions were. Daniel, Dante, AnnaBelle and I spent many hours behind closed doors interspersing and dividing the parties amongst all the tables. It should be interesting to watch the outcome.
Family and what little friends we have are also mixed in with the parties. I have yet to see Trish and Josh since they arrived. Daniel sent the jet for them yesterday. They still don’t know what has happened. I was hoping to carve out some with them today before the festivities, but this little one had other ideas. I place my hands over my belly protectively and lovingly as Daniel pulls me along the hallway. AnnaBelle stays behind to help direct the staff in Dante’s absence.
“Dante?” Daniel bellows into the cavernous room.
Everyone halts in their tasks to see what has the King bellowing. Dante comes out of a side door that leads to the servants’ corridors carrying flowers in each hand.
“Come on people, guests are going to be arriving any minute. What has you all stopping?” Dante asks oblivious to our presence.
“Dante.” Daniel motions to him.
“Oh, it figures.” Dante remarks.
Daniel pulls my arm not waiting for Dante, but knowing he will catch up. Daniel opens the first available door off the main hallway, which happens to be Donald’s office.
“Good, I’m glad you’re here too, Donald.” Daniel says then barks at Dante. “Close the damn door. We have something she needs to tell you both.”
Dante and Donald exchange looks of confusion.
“Do you want to tell them, or should I?” Daniel says excitedly, cutting me off before I even start.
I laugh at his excitement. “Why don’t you.”
“Daphne’s pregnant!” He exclaims. “I mean we’re pregnant!”
It takes them both a minute to understand what Daniel just yelled. Donald is the first to react. He walks to Daniel embracing him affectionately. Dante lifts me in a similar fashion to what Daniel had done moments ago.
“Congratulations, old friend.” Donald offers.
“Oh, baby girl is having a baby.” Dante croons. “How do you feel?”
Dante places me down, holding my hands in front of us. Donald walks over to a cabinet withdrawing a decanter and some glasses. He fills three glasses and hands them to the men. He withdraws a bottle of water handing it to me smiling sheepishly. I accept it graciously with a smile.
“A toast.” Donald offers. “To your growing royal blood lines.”
“Don’t you mean the growing royal waist line?” I joke.
“Here, here.” Everyone clinks their glasses.
“You two and AnnaBelle are the only ones who know. We are keeping it a secret as much as we can until the second trimester.” I explain.
“We’ll need to make sure she eats regularly and has time to rest between meetings.” Daniel enlightens them.
“Don’t worry between Belle and me we’ve got her covered.” Dante says, calling AnnaBelle by a name she doesn’t like.
“I know you have a lot you want to say, but are you going to be able to keep it secret tonight?” I ask him.
Dante pretends to lock his lips and throw away the key.
“Okay, enough celebrating. We all have things to do before the guests arrive.” Daniel states.
Daniel and I decide to play hooky the remainder of the day. We take a leisurely walk through the castle back to our rooms. We were going to go outside for a walk, but there were too many guests wandering the grounds. There are pressing matters awaiting us in our respective offices but neither of us want to deal with anything that will take this glorious feeing from us.
“Let’s stop by Trish and Josh’s rooms.” I say. “I haven’t had a chance to tell her anything since we were absconded from New York.”
“Of course, if that’s what you wish. I haven’t met them yet, right?” He asks.
“No, but you heard Josh’s band the night you rescued me from the Johnson brothers.” I remind him.
His hand involuntarily squeezes my hand as he remembers.
“That noise was a band?” He asks skeptically. “I thought they were tuning their instruments.”
He leads me down another new hallway towards a different section of the castle. Here the walls are lined with paintings of my ancestors all dressed in their finest. There are also replicas of the crown jewels in showcases along the walls. The furnishings are more elaborate and the brocade material more worn.
Hopefully, one day soon I will know my way around the vast castle. Daniel stops in front of a door that looks like the rest of doors we have passed this far. I knock a few times before someone swings the door inwardly.
“Hi.” I wave at Trish shyly.
Trish looks confused at first when she looks at me then to Daniel and then back to me again. She blinks a few times and steps into the hallway to make sure she is seeing me correctly.
“Oh. My. God. Josh come here.” Trish screams before jumping at me.
Daniel pulls me back slightly out of Trish’s reach before she is able to hurt me accidently. Josh swings the door open wider and does a double take as well.
“Oh! Shit.” He says.
I laugh and embrace them both in a hug that threatens to knocks us all down. The servants walking pass can’t help but gawk at our affectionate display. Daniel nods at the staff and places his hand on my lower back.
“Why don’t we take this happy reunion inside, love?” He murmurs on my ear.
“Yes, I’m sorry.” I pull back from them and ask, “Can we come in?”
“Of course.” Trish tugs my arm forcefully behind her, leaving Daniel and Josh in our wake. “What’s going on? We have seen your name splashed all over the place here. Where is here anyway? The news reports say you’re a Queen?”
“Well, first let me introduce you to my husband.” I say haughtily. “Daniel, this is Trish and Josh. Trish, Josh, this is Daniel, King of Farquadt.”
Josh, being the level headed of the two and not fazed by status, offers his hand to Daniel who in turn shakes it. Trish on the other hand stares bewildered at him, like he has grown an extra head. When she looks at me, I laugh and she shakes her confusion away.
“So, if he is the King, then you’re the Queen?” She guesses.
“Actually, she’s the Queen and that makes me her King.” Daniel explains smiling.
“Wait what?” She asks confused, volleying her head back and forth between Daniel and me.
“Sit down.” I say to her. “It’s a long story.”
I give them the abridged version and that still takes a while to tell. Trish made little noises of surprise throughout the story. I kept the details about our wedding night and my father’s murder to myself. By the time I finish explaining, an hour has passed and it is getting seriously late in the evening. Daniel and I stand to leave promising we would have breakfast tomorrow with Dante, alone the five of us.
“Well, that went better than expected.” I said to Daniel as the door closes behind us.
“What were you expecting?” He asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know. The whole story sounds too much like a movie to be real. I mean think about it, car chases, kidnapping and,” I pause because the words hurt more than I realize, “murder.”
“Sweetheart, you’re safe and the baby is safe. Stop worrying yourself about it. No one can hurt you now.” He says the words but they don’t sound convincing.
I turn to look at him. His eyes briefly reflect what I heard in his voice before he shut it down. Worry lines that were across his forehead minutes ago are now smoothed out. I know that after everything that happened with the Baron and Elizabeth, Daniel is constantly on guard. He fears I will meet the same end as his parents.
“Daniel, what’s going on?” I ask. “You’ve been acting off for the last week.”
“Nothing. I’m just concerned about security tonight.”
“Why did something happen?”
“Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Don’t push me out. Remember what happened the last time you didn’t tell me?” I remind him.
He looks lost in his memories, remembering our flight out of Paris. How close we came to being shot. We never did find out who was after me.
“Daniel, who was after me in Paris?” I ask breaking into his thoughts. “I mean we always assumed it was the Purists, but was it ever proven?”
He sighs then says, “It’s uncanny how you read my mind. I was just thinking that we don’t know who it was that hired those guys. I assume it was Baron Farfall, but he hasn’t said anything about it.”
That’s what I was thinking.
“Is that what has you worried?” I ask, hugging his waist trying to comfort him.
“Yes and no. There is a reason why we haven’t had any masquerades in Farquadt for a while.”
I quirk my brow, intrigued by my ancestral history.
“There was an attempted murder during the last one.”
“Wait, what?” I question.
“It happened many generations ago, before your father was King. A masked person tried to kill the Queen. Thankfully, they didn’t succeed. She was injured though.” He explains.
“Oh, my God.” I whisper, shocked.
“She was pregnant at the time. The knife wound was to the abdomen. She lost the baby and could no longer have children. Fortunately, it was her third child. The royal couple was devastated. They were never the same after that.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner? I wouldn’t have suggested a masquerade. We could have had a ball,” I sigh, “but instead you let me have what I wanted. God, I love you.”
“I would give you the world, Daphne if I could. Just please stay near me and don’t venture off without your security detail. They are going to be sticking to you like glue. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I promise I won’t lose them tonight.”
Daniel leans down gently kissing me. The love and worry he conveys with this kiss is my undoing. I want to feel his hard body pressed up against me. I need to hear his sweet words whispered in my ear. To feel his strong arms safely protecting me and the baby from any harm.
“That’s not fair. You start something we don’t have time to finish.”
I pout, feeling butterflies in my stomach and my panties starting to moisten. He chuckles and pushes me away by the shoulders.
“Anticipation, baby. Anticipation.” He gives me a quick peck on the forehead, turns me around to face our suite door and smacks my butt tenderly. “Now, let’s go get ready.”