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LEAH RETURNED TO HER CHAMBERS and lay down. She found rest surprisingly quickly, and woke to a knock at her door.
“Yeah, um...” She brushed her hair out of her face, sitting up in bed, then raising her voice. “Yeah, you can come in.”
The door creaked open, and Robyn peeked her head in, her long red curls dangling over her shoulder. “Marcus is inquiring about you.”
Leah rubbed her face with her hands. “I’m fine.” Her stomach ached a bit from throwing up earlier.
“Is it alright if he comes in?” Robyn asked.
“Sure.” Leah pulled back the covers and stood while Robyn called to Marcus in the corridor.
Marcus entered and gave her a hug. He’d only ever been in here a handful of times before. They sat on a settee while Robyn busied herself with making the bed. It wasn’t Robyn’s job to do, and Leah was perfectly capable of making her own bed (though not nearly as neatly as the housekeeping staff did), but Robyn knew how to tactfully do her duty as a part-time chaperone.
Marcus wasn’t allowed in Leah’s chambers unchaperoned, and the reverse was true for Leah in Marcus’s chambers when he came for visits. With Marcus in her chambers now, Robyn would be there to babysit the entire time.
“What’s wrong?” Marcus asked.
Leah paused. ‘My body is creating your child, and I’m in the middle of freaking out about it and the rest of my life’ didn’t sound like the right thing to say at the moment, especially with a servant nearby, even if it was Robyn.
“Like I said, just tired.”
He eyed her. “When you didn’t show up for lunch... Well, Aunt Catrina had a tray made up for you. Do you want to eat in here?”
It’s past lunchtime already? “I’m fine, really. I’ll grab something to eat later.”
The words had no sooner rolled off her tongue than her stomach betrayed her with the loudest growl ever, and Marcus raised a skeptical eyebrow.
“Or maybe I’m more hungry than I thought.” She glanced at Robyn, who was fluffing a pillow. “How about I get changed into something more comfortable and meet you in the small study?”
“Okay. I’ll be waiting for you.” He kissed her forehead and left.
Robyn exited the room after him, taking her usual place outside Leah’s door while she changed.
Leah put on a pair of shorts and a comfy shirt, suitable attire for lounging around when it was just herself, Marcus, and the servants, with the possibility of running across the actual royal family. When she walked into the small study, Marcus sat at a table with her lunch tray. She crossed the room to join him, first sipping some water.
“Thanks for waking me. I love a good lunch date.” She smiled.
“Of course.” He pointed at the pastry on the tray. “That’s really good.”
She picked it up, tearing off a small chunk. “How was your time with the kids?”
He narrowed his eyes, bobbing his head. “I’d say pretty good. I became a duke today.”
Leah grinned. “Really? And how did that happen? I know my nap was long, but an entire ceremony and everything to make it official?”
He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. “Oh yeah. You’ll be sad you missed it. The whole kingdom showed up and everything.”
She choked back a laugh. Dukes and duchesses were only given their titles directly from the queen, as a special status symbol for services to the kingdom. “And what did you do to earn it?”
“I’m the best in all the realm at building blanket forts. Prince Leon made it official.”
Leah chortled. “Prince Leon? He has no right to issue that title, no matter how good you are at blanket forts.”
Marcus looked downright indignant. “How dare you!” He put a hand to his chest. “I am amazing at it. And no, a four-year-old nonheir to the throne does not hold that authority, but I believe him when he says he’ll convince Aunt Catrina to make it official.”
She hummed. “But you said I missed the entire ceremony while I napped?”
He winked, then his gaze traveled to her hands. “You gonna eat?”
She hadn’t yet taken a bite. After the quail egg that morning, she was nervous about eating anything at all, but starting with a pastry might be safe. She tried the portion she’d pulled off; it was slightly sweet with a hint of cinnamon. “You’re right. That is good.”
He smiled as she nibbled off another corner. “Are we still on for the boat ride tonight?”
With all her stressing, she’d almost forgotten about it. He’d arranged for them to have a special romantic boat ride on the palace lake. The thought of wobbling or rowing made her queasy all over again, but she tried to force a smile. “Yeah.”
He looked like he didn’t quite buy it. “Okay...”
She averted her gaze, taking another sip of her water. “The weather’s nice today, though, right?” That was a pretty weak attempt at small talk. This was the Green Lands, a realm in perpetual spring. It was almost always a nice day.
“Yeah. It’s beautiful. Like you.” His voice was soft, almost distant or concerned, his smile only half there. “You do know that, right? That I think you’re gorgeous? Inside and out. Clothed or ... not clothed.” He blushed a little. “And no matter what.”
He’d never once made her feel less than gorgeous. Not once. And he’d definitely made his sentiments clear the night they’d finally shared a bed.
“I think you’re rather handsome yourself.”
This time he gave her a more confident smile. He shifted on his chair, sitting straighter. “And you—are you happy with the way you look?”
The question sounded much more baited this time. That’s ... an odd thing to ask... She’d always felt fairly comfortable in her own skin, even with weight fluctuations or most hairstyles. She still liked her green eyes and black hair, though not quite as much as she had before she’d found out who her parents were. “Yes...?”
He pursed his lips, not responding.
Now she did feel a little uncomfortable in her skin. Would he not see her the same way when she was big and pregnant? She furrowed her brow. “Why are you asking that?”
He bit his lip, then looked at her tray again. “You ... didn’t eat much last weekend when I came to visit. Or now...”
She breathed a sigh of relief. He thought she was on a diet? Why would she be? Because he’d seen her naked? “I’m not trying to lose weight. I don’t have any ... eating problems, either.” Maybe she should tell him here and now, but again it didn’t feel right.
“Just like my nap... I’ve been stressed, okay?”
He nodded. “Okay.”
She made a concerted effort to polish off most of her tray. There were some lovely herb-roasted chickpeas, a baked apple, and a colorful salad with poppyseed dressing. She finished half of a tropical chia seed pudding before she had to stop.
More than once, a servant entered the room to check on them and her status. Leah drained her glass of water as another servant entered and whisked away her tray.
Leah and Marcus shifted to a settee in the study and cuddled, chatting about their weeks some more.
As she shared her opinion on a topic she’d covered in her studies, he just stared at her lovingly, tickling the palms of her hands. “I think that’s great.” He glanced at a pendulum clock in the corner of the room. “Oh, are we still on for the boat ride? I was thinking of making a last-minute change to the picnic menu, and I should let the kitchen know.”
She tried to hide a frown. He was so excited to go out on the lake. But then again, he was excited for the rest of his life and career. All of a sudden, the richness of that chia seed pudding wasn’t settling right in her stomach. All she could imagine was upchucking repeatedly over the edge of the boat and then standing, bowing, and announcing that she’d ruined their date night, his reputation, and his future. At least they wouldn’t be teenage parents... They’d both be twenty by the time she delivered.
“I, uh... I’m still kinda wiped out. Could I take a rain check on that? And we could do something a little more low-key tonight?”
He smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Sure.”
Leah felt cruddy canceling their date plans, but she felt cruddy in every way possible already. Marcus was patient as always, and they chatted and cuddled, and even went for a short stroll on the grounds. She kept waiting for a ‘right moment’ to pop up, but it may never. He was visiting on a three-day weekend this time, but that didn’t mean she could handle another entire day of anxiety.
And she couldn’t keep the secret for long anyway. Green folk were blessed with great health. Something like a prolonged stomach bug was rare, and if Marcus had noticed she’d been acting off, it was only a matter of time before others would.
After dinner. No more putting it off.
Dinner was nice, and fairly quiet. One of the twins—the princesses—was fussy, but it was a casual evening anyway, with just the royal family and Leah and Marcus.
“I thought you two were going to the lake tonight,” King Stephan commented.
Leah’s stomach churned, this time with nerves.
“Um...” Marcus shrugged. “Leah’s tired. Maybe we’ll do it tomorrow.”
Catrina frowned. “Sorry to hear that. Make sure to head to bed early so you’re well rested.”
With her mouth full of food, Leah gave her a polite smile and nodded. It was a bit of a trek to the lake, and she doubted Marcus would be up to it even after a good night’s rest, what with the bombshell she’d be dropping on him that night.
“What time are you leaving for Capital City, darling?” Catrina asked Stephan.
He clicked his tongue. “Before daylight. There’s a lot to cover at that assembly.”
As dinner came to an end, Leah’s gut twisted tighter and tighter. She had to turn down dessert. Marcus threw a quick glance her way. If he still took that as a sign she was on some kind of crazy diet, she’d soon be dispelling that notion completely.
“Do you want to play billiards, and go to bed early?” Marcus asked Leah as servants cleared the table.
“How about another walk in the gardens?”
He smiled. “I’m down.”
***
They rarely stole kisses in the palace itself. Usually, they snuck out to the gardens for more alone time. Of course, a servant or guard was always nearby to act as chaperone, but being outdoors meant fewer eyes in general, and less chance of an accidental audience.
Leah’s hands became clammy as the couple strolled to their favorite bench. They walked in silence, their fingers intertwined.
She loved him. Irrevocably. She prayed he’d feel the same way after she told him they were going to be parents so young.
Once they got to their bench, he pulled her onto his lap. She carefully unwrapped his arms from around her and moved to the side.
He gave her a questioning glance. “Are you really okay?”
Her throat bobbed, her heart thumping against her ribs. “Not really.”
Frowning, he took her hands. “You can tell me anything.”
“I, um...” She pursed her lips, gathering her courage. “I’m ... pregnant.”
His eyes widened, his face paled, and his grip on her hands loosened.
And he said nothing. Absolutely nothing.
It may have been only thirty seconds before he responded, but it certainly felt more like thirty minutes. She’d kinda hoped that initial look of shock would melt into an adoring smile. He was great with his young cousins, after all. But there was no smile. Only shock, possibly horror. And each second of his silence chipped at something in her heart, at her hope that things in her life could still work out.
Marcus’s expression wasn’t one of acceptance, or of satisfaction, as though he’d sabotaged his girlfriend’s birth control tonic, or had understood she’d taken it wrong. It was the undeniable look of someone who was watching their reputation and dreams being ripped from them.
Marcus was the golden child of the realm. Leah was the black eye, the stain, Soren’s heir.
“You’re sure...” He gazed at her stomach. “I...”
Heat rose in her cheeks. “You better not finish that sentence the way I think you’re going to.” She’d slept with more than a couple of guys before him, but none since she’d met him, and she would never cheat on him.
Marcus furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about?”
She cocked her head, taking her hands back. “Am I sure you’re the father?”
He scrunched his face. “I wasn’t going to say that!”
“Then what were you going to say?”
“Just ... asking that you’re sure...”
She huffed. “Yes. I know. And before you ask how far along I am, I’m going to take a wild guess that it’s about two weeks.”
Shaking his head, he covered his mouth. “But it was only once. Well, you know... And we were careful.”
She gritted her teeth, her frustration growing. “It only takes once, and obviously not careful enough.”
He gestured at her, exasperated. “Why are you mad at me? I didn’t do it on purpose.”
The implication hurt more than he could ever realize. “Are you saying I did?”
He bolted upright, pacing. “I didn’t say that. Why are you mad at me?”
Nothing about this exchange had gone well, and she didn’t really have an answer for him. “I... I just... Sorry.”
A whistle came from over the hedge, a thoughtful advance warning. Piot was often assigned as the evening chaperone to patrol the gardens when Marcus visited, and had the kindness to alert them before he’d appear from behind a hedge to catch them making out.
Both Leah and Marcus looked toward the opening of the hedge in anticipation. Piot rounded the corner, and gave them a smile and a polite nod. “Marcus. Leah.”
They both politely nodded back.
“Hi,” she said weakly.
After another nod, Piot left again.
Marcus sat back down next to Leah, his voice calmer and quieter. “So, what are you thinking?”
“I don’t know.” Her tone was nearly as panicked as she was.
His mouth hung open a moment, and his eyes once again drifted to her stomach. “Are you going to keep it?”
“I don’t know,” she repeated. Despite all the time she’d had to think about it, she didn’t have a single answer for any other questions he might ask, either.
Silence filled the space between them. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again. “Well, if you decide not to keep it... You know, Tobias and Cam have talked about adopting, and—”
“No!” She spat out the word before she’d even acknowledged to herself why. Marcus was suggesting she give their baby to his brother and sister-in-law?! “No. I’m not giving it up. I’m keeping it.”
“Okay. Okay.” His tone was soothing. The tiniest of smiles tugged at his lips. “We’ll do the right thing.”
Something in her knew what he’d meant by that, and it didn’t sit well with her at all. What was the right thing? The wrong thing? Leah had ... changed ... since her arrival in the Green Lands. Her moral compass had adjusted a bit. Was her shoplifting habit in the human world bad? Yes. Had she always thought so? No. Was her habit of lying, sometimes just for fun, wrong? Yes. Had she always thought so? Not exactly.
But Marcus, he was a different breed. His moral compass had always pointed due north. And the ‘right’ thing here meant preserving the impeccable image of the royal family they were both tied to.
“And what is the ‘right’ thing to do, Marcus?”
His smile widened. “We’ll get married.”
“No.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
“Really? You have no idea how flattering that is to hear, do you? Every girl dreams of the guy that knocked her up saying, ‘Well, I guess we’re just gonna have to do the right thing.’”
He was unamused. “So now I’m only the guy that got you pregnant? As if we haven’t dated for over two years? As if we haven’t talked plenty about marriage and having kids someday.”
“Yeah, someday. Down the road. Way down the road. When you had your career sorted, and I’d figured out what the heck I was going to do.”
“Well, those plans are out the window now, aren’t they?”
“I’m not going to be some stupid hillbilly shotgun bride!”
His confusion was understandable, despite how thoroughly he’d been prepared for his foreign exchange year in the human world.
“I’m not being forced to marry just because I’m pregnant.”
He studied her face. “You’re not exactly flattered by my proposal. I’m sorry I didn’t spout off the engagement ballad. But how do you think I feel when my girlfriend, who supposedly loves me, shoots me down without even a second of consideration?”
“Supposedly?” Her voice broke, and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. “Yeah, because two weeks ago meant nothing to me, right? I’ll be in the study if you decide you want to stop being a jackass.” She stood and stalked off, wiping at her eyes.