image
image
image

Chapter Fifty-two

image

The babe will be any day now.  Are you afraid, Mae?”

I nod my head yes, but I am uncertain when I am so overcome with fear.  Women and children die in childbirth-more often than not.  But my main fear is being a bad mother or losing my husband again.  He is up before dawn and does not return until after nightfall.  My body is bloated, and I have splotches on my face.  I tire easily, and my hair is usually a wild mess.  I fear he has taken a lover and he is avoiding me.  That hurts me more than I can explain.  Kings are expected to keep as many women as they please, but it does not make it easier.

When a king takes a lover, it is not because he has fallen out of love with his wife.  That is if he loves her to begin with as kings do not marry for love.  Kings take mistresses because they want more.  My husband is the most lusted-after man in the land.  Noble women flirt with him and offer themselves while I am present.  As queen, I am expected to pretend that I do not notice and remain polite to these women.  I do notice, and it makes me sad.  My sadness is the reason why my husband kisses me when he sees me in the halls.  And why he comes to bed and holds me through the night.  I doubt myself at every turn, when he gives me no reason to.  He loves me the same each day.  It has been this way since my belly poked out.  Christian caters to me whenever he can.  I heard the maids whispering that he has a pretty girl that he keeps in the village.  They heard him mention my ugliness when speaking of her looks.  He does not call me beautiful anymore which makes me believe what they say is true.  We have short, polite conversations, that do nothing to ease my worries.

“I received a letter from Marionna.”

It is the light in my darkened days.  I finally received word from my second half.

“How is she?”

“She was boarding a ship to visit some island with the Eriksons.  Elizabeth-Ann travelled to their homeland with Winn.  Marionna says that it is too far to write.  I will miss her.”

“How are you feeling?”

I hold my heavily rounded belly and smile.  “My sisters are well.  I have my baby and my husband.  I feel wonderful.”

“The entire palace is waiting on this child.  Are you having any pains?”

“Some.”  I admit.

“You should be resting with your feet up.  You look tired and I do not like it.”

I smile and pat his hand.  “Do not worry about me, I am fine.”

“I do worry.”  He says giving my fingers a squeeze.  “We all worry.”

“Ezra, leave us.”

Christian is dirty and dripping with sweat when he interrupts our walk.  His eyes stare into mine daring me to look away.  I cannot.  When I do, it is to admire his magnificent body.

“I will check in later, sister.”

“No, you will not.”  Christian tells him.  “My wife will be with me.”

“As you command, Highness.”  Ezra snorts with laughter.  His brother gives him a dirty look before turning back to me.

“There are no women, Maeve, and I could never think you ugly.”  He takes my hand.  “I will find whoever whispered those filthy lies and cut out her tongue.”

“I know how I look.”

“You are beautiful.”

Christian pulls me against his sweaty body, hugging me close.  He does not let me pull away, when I do not believe him.

“This is why I do not say it.  You get upset and it makes you cry.  I know I am not with you as much as I should be, but I am raising the palace walls and making it safer for you and our child.  I need to be there as they work to make sure it is being built to my specifications.  I am not hiding from you.  I love you.”

“I miss you when you are working.”

“Maeve, be reasonable.”  His hands hold my huge belly.  “There is no way I am lowering my guard with you so close to your time.  I will be prepared for an attack.”

“Forgive me my nagging.”

“There is nothing to forgive.”  Christian whispers softly.  “I want to make love to you so badly, Maeve, even as big as you are.  Do you think I can fit my cock in here with these two?  It was a tight squeeze the last time.  I put it in your mouth and between your breasts.  I put it in your hand.  But what I really want, is to put it inside you.”  His fingers latch on to my bountiful ass.

I am hot when he kisses me.  I want him to put it in my mouth.  I want to feel it between my oiled breasts.  I settle for reaching down and squeezing it in my hand.  Christian groans painfully.

“If you keep this up, I will say to hell with it and break your bag of water.  The midwife warned us that it will be any day.”  He threatens.  “Is that what you want?”

“Yes, please.”  I answer innocently.  “Can I have it now?”

“You my dear wife, will drive me insane one of these days.” 

He drags me by my hand across the field, past the gates, through the palace to our bedchamber.  My heart is racing with excitement and my breasts ache for his touch.  He undresses me first before we undress him.

“On your knees.”  He commands.  “Ass up high.”

I assume the position and throw a coy look over my shoulder where he is kneeling behind me.  I make a sound, when he rubs the head of his cock over my wet slit.

Jesus.”  He groans, easing inside me.  “You are so fucking wet.”

Christian starts slow and easy.  He fucks me like I am made of china and might break.  I push back harder, faster until he cannot control himself.

“Mae.”  My lover bites out.  “I am cumming already.”

I am right there with him and I scream when it happens again.  He cries out when, he releases his pent-up lust.  He is giving it his all.

“Oh fuck.”  I feel a small snap in my womb.  Christian is horrified when my bag of water spills all over him.  “Fuck, Maeve.  See what happens when I listen to you?  This!”

He climbs off the bed, going for his robe.  I am smiling like a mad woman.  I get cock and babies in the same day.  Christian helps me into the gown before dressing and going for the midwife.  I am the luckiest woman alive.