The midwife placed the two babies into my arms and I took them eagerly and expertly.
I could not believe that I had two live babies, a boy and a girl, they were perfectly healthy. A miracle as far as anyone else knows. The three of us are all perfect.
"Hello little angels," I cooed at them, kissing there unbelievably soft heads, that smelt so fresh. Honestly the smell was indescribable.
"Welcome to the world," Alice whispered in awe at the two infants in my arms, her niece and nephew.
"Rosalie fetch my husband please?" Rosalie nodded happily and glided out of the room and past Emmett and Jasper sharing the news with them as well.
Edward eagerly came into the room, his expression was disbelieving. Alice, Esme and Rosalie all left the room to give us privacy.
"Aren't they miracles?" I asked quietly as he came to the side of the bed to look at his children.
"When we do something, we really do something," he jested in wonder. I threw my head back and laughed though I was exhausted.
"One girl and one boy," I said lovingly while his eyes shone with love at the children.
Heavenly like he whispered, "I've never loved you more then I do at this moment."
"You've said that before," I grinned hugely at him.
"I'll most likely say it again," he offered happily, clearly itching to get closer to the baby.
Edward had to leave though, he needed to begin the actual festivities for the afternoon and so I had other visitors. Esme was in the corner of the room writing letters to announce the birth of the prince and princess of England to the lands around Europe and entire world.
Emmett came in with Jasper and the two of them each took a baby into their arms. I leaned back against the pillow and smiled a little as Alice and Rosalie ordered them on how to hold a baby.
I sent for the king after my family and ladies had visited the twins and I. We needed to select a name for them so I would have something to call him.
My little girl fell asleep after Emmett rocked her, and my boy was just now opening his eyes from his nap.
As I lay there quietly to thought to myself, this is heaven. And then I admired all of their tiny features. The girl did not have Edward or my hair; on the contrary she had what appeared to be Rosalie's hair. Her eyes were not as light as Rosalie's instead they were a stunning darker blue that had a sparkle to them when they were opened.
My boy had what appeared to be his father's eyes with some speckles of my own brown eyes in them. His hair was darker then his sisters and it appeared it may grow either Edward's bronze or my brown.
"There you are," I said quietly so not to wake my daughter up once Edward slipped in through the doors.
I smiled to myself as I thought of that, my daughter, my son. I was a mother; it was strange to me even though I had been thinking of it since November.
"Here I am," Edward smiled while pulling a chair to the side of the bed where I was and then sitting down.
"Thank you," we each said simultaneously after a few moments of silence.
"Thank you for letting me become a mother," I stated before he could explain.
"Thank you for giving me the two greatest gifts in the world." He stroked his daughter's rosy pink cheek with one of his fingers.
"These two little gifts need names," I said with raised eyebrows. I was too tired to move much but I did not want to sleep and miss a moment of their lives.
"Edward, just take your son," I sighed with a smile and eye roll. Edward eagerly, yet nervously placed his hand under our son's head and used his other hand to the lift the happy infant into his large arms.
I could see everything in his eyes then. The disbelieving the he finally had a son, the son he dreamed of was now right in front of him, in his arms and if seemed so magical to him and so humbling. I smiled softly, looking at him with all the care in the world.
"Let's start with him," Edward began, I waited expectantly.
"A name that is suited for a king," Edward thought. I kissed my daughter's sleeping head and looked at him.
"How about your father's name reversed," I suggested.
"Anthony Charles?"
"It has a nice ring. Long live King Anthony," I teased. My son was looking around the room, alert as ever and Edward was looking down in wonder.
"Anthony Charles Cullen," Edward said slowly. The child in his arms made a gurgling noise that we laughed and took as a yes.
"So little Anthony what should we name your sister?" I asked in a voice that I reserved for the children at the orphanage.
Edward suggested "Your middle name and Mary Alice's?"
"Marie Marcella," I did not even have to question the name, it rolled off my lips perfectly. And then if on cue my daughter let her light purple eyelids flutter open.
"I think someone wants to meet their father." Edward looked at Marie like he was looking at an angel, reverently and with awe.
I took Anthony back into my arms and he lifted Marie gently into his, as if she was more fragile then her brother. She nuzzled into his side and I grinned as he praised all of her beautiful face.
That Easter day was better then all Easter's previous to that. I became a mother that day and something changed in me, I was not sure what but it was there.
I waited a month in that birthing chamber, spending everyday playing with my children. Edward visited everyday and assured me that he could not even look at women anymore; Alice told me the same thing from what she saw.
Rosalie was beyond thrilled that Marie looked like her and was forever in the chambers, spoiling her precious little second cousin. Alice was no different, and she was even happier that Marie carried her name.
One day near the end of my stay in the dark chambers Anthony was sleeping and I had Marie next to me, giggling and laughing with her papa next to her.
"Sweetheart you need to sleep, papa is getting you too excited," I said goofily to her while Edward frowned sadly.
"Perhaps your father will sing you to sleep if you just keep your adorable face," I whispered to Marie, loud enough so Edward could hear and roll his eyes while silently chuckling.
Marie seemed to almost understand for her eyes twinkled and she giggled more and looked at her father, melting his heart with that glance.
"How about your mother's favorite," he cooed to her. I discovered Edward had his own child's voice, reserved for his children.
"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are!"
"When the blazing sun is gone, when there's nothing He shines upon, then you show your little light; twinkle twinkle through the night." Edward then finished singing softly the words to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
His voice was a lullaby; I could compare it to velvet. It was safe and comforting, with a silent vow of protection. I almost fell asleep myself. I looked down at Marie when he was finished to see her drifting to sleep with a smile on her little pink lips.
"Like mother like daughter," Edward whispered in adoration. I smiled down at her and looked over at Anthony in his oak cradle, right next to his sister's cherry wood one.
There was a knock on the door, a Swan knock that belonged to Alice, Emmett and me. I called for them to come in and so Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice all walked in through the door.
My brother was ecstatic while walking in through the doors, complimenting the newest high couple of court perfectly. Emmett was appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Geneva Castle.
"You sent for us?" Rosalie curtsied. I had no energy to tell her not to. Edward nodded and rose to shake their hands.
"We would like to bestow upon you the honor or being our children's Godparents," The king said with a crocked grin.
"All of us would be honored," Alice said brightly, beaming at me. The other three nodded.
"Mary Alice, Jasper; would the two of you be Marie Marcella's Godmother and father?" I asked them. It made sense for the Duke of Norfolk and the future Duchess to be a princess's protectors.
They nodded happily and then we looked at Rosalie and Emmett.
"Anthony's Godparents?" I asked with a little smirk. Rosalie rolled her eyes and nodded, Emmett grinned and said yes. Of course they wanted to his protectors, firstly they loved my son, and secondly Anthony is the next king of England.
And their christening was beautiful. It seemed things were spinning around me too fast, as if yesterday they had just been born.
My duties as queen were back in full affect as soon as my children were churched. Everyday I had to take a calming breath and stop to think of my duties, a mother, wife, sister, queen and cousin. It was overwhelming but Anthony and Marie kept me sane.
Their royal nursery was in the empty room next to mine though their two cradles were in my bedroom during the day. Each of them had one wet nurse and one dry nurse though I made my best efforts to raise them myself.
At the beginning of June a little after I was able to leave the birthing chambers I had established a routine.
I was taking it easy, for my body was not fully healed from the pregnancy and birth. This meant the court came to me.
Today was a typical, warm day, one of the first of summer in my chambers.
All my ladies were lounging around, just chattering or playing with my daughter.
All my son ever seemed to do was sleep and eat; I rolled my eyes at the thought. So Marie was the one who was all being fussed over by everyone.
"You are such a precious little princess," Alyssa cooed to her, making her giggle and smile. Alyssa laughed at the baby on her lap and took her little hands.
"Alyssa you are more then welcome to have Henry in here if you wish," I told her. We were seated on the sofa together both playing with my gay baby.
She smiled brightly at me, "I think he should like that once in awhile."
Marie started to fuss; I took her expertly into my arms and rocked her until she was smiling again.
"Rosalie, will you fetch your Godson I hear him," Rose got up from her seat by Jessica and glided into the babies' room.
"Your Grace would you like me to sing her asleep?" Rachel offered from across the room. My daughter was more spoiled then her brother oddly enough.
Since Anthony was always asleep or with his dry nurse Marie was the one to be played with, and sung to, and always amused, like her father.
"I'm expecting His Majesty soon, he will want to see his children I am assuming, after, then yes I would like that." She nodded and engaged in a conversation with Angela.
After Edward sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to Marie, the entire court discovered it was the song that would either put her to sleep or make her smile and giggle.
I do mean the entire court, Carlisle has sung it to her at our breakfasts, the duke, Archbishop Lawrence, Lord Walter, even the Chancellor of England had visited to meet the prince and princess, and he wanted to see her famous smile and therefore voluntarily sung it to her.
Edward or I sang it to her every night and she never once woke up during the evening or so the nurses have told me.
That song will calm her when the physician needed to check their growing, when it was raining her tiny body would tense and she would whimper, all my ladies sung it to her in perfect harmony to relax her and it never failed to work.
"I think a certain little boy wants his mum," Rosalie said gleefully while walking out of the room with a sleepy Anthony on her hip.
"Hand me my Goddaughter," Alice ordered with a fond smile as she swooped down to pick up Marie from my lap. Rosalie placed my ever growing son in my lap.
My mother and Esme decided that he was a mix of Emmett and Edward as children. Personally I only saw Edward but it appeared he would be getting Emmett's darkened curls like mine.
"Hello my little pumpkin," I nuzzled his soft little nose against mine happy his mouth open and a lower laugh then Marie's come out.
Alyssa and I begin talking to Sarah whose pregnancy was starting to show. It seemed the entire court was now ruled by infants and it is the only thing the women discussed. Angela had announced she was expecting right after I left the chambers.
A little later my husband entered the room with some of his friends, all whom had a connection to the ladies or me.
"My wife," he greeted me as Alyssa rose from the couch so he could sit down.
"Husband," I grinned at him while he sat down and Anthony started to fuss.
"Yes I am aware, your father is better then myself," I said playfully, frowning sadly at Anthony. This made his eyes start to water before he wailed as if pain.
"Perhaps not," Edward chuckled as I placed the child at my shoulder and rubbed his back soothingly.
Edward took his son into his arms after he calmed and cooed quietly at him. I grinned over at the two of them; thankful to God I was able to have a husband who wants a relationship with his children.
"Where's my sweetheart?" He asked me after some time. I glanced around the room to see Jasper and Alice sitting closely in a different couch with my daughter on his lap.
I laughed silently thinking of how the men at court all melted at Marie's feet as if she was already a queen. They would do anything for the child who is not yet a month old and a girl with that.
"Right here," I teased him, though I was forever doing that.
"So true," he allowed while kissing my lips lightly, "Where is my princess then?" He rephrased. I giggled and pointed over at his daughter laughing with Jasper as he made amusing faces at her.
I was not sure who was laughing more, his finance Alice or the little baby on his lap.
"Jasper," Edward called with a chuckle making Jasper and Alice look up, "Are you trying to steal my daughter away?"
"I could only dream," he joked with a roll of his eyes before Alice picked the baby up and brought her over to Edward. Anthony looked around the room from my arms until he stopped his uncle.
"Emmett," I called getting his attention and then silently counting down from three then right on cue Anthony started to cry hold out his little hand for my brother.
"I told you he likes me better," Emmett smirked at Rosalie while he walked over to take his nephew play with him a little.
I did not fail to notice that Rachel and Emmett were standing near each other. Rachel looked truly impressed as to how he handled children and I could pick up on their flirting, telling me that Rachel was growing comfortable with him and Emmett starting to like her.
I smiled again before turning my attention back to Marie on Edward's lap. Anyone could make my girl laugh, but it took her papa to make her downright silly.
"How are you today my dear?" He asked, not looking up from the baby but a smile was in his voice.
"We really must secure who you call what because it has proven to be confusing," I sighed with a smirk while crossing my arms.
"You will always be my dear, and my queen, my darling and my one and only true love," Edward looked over at me with a crocked grin. I ran my hands through his hair and moved closer to him.
Marie's dark blue with a hint of very subtle purple eye's looked at me then Edward. Her lips formed into a little loop sided grin just like Edward had done. I burst out laughing and then covered my mouth so muffle the giggles.
She was the most adorable baby in the entire world and it was still strange that she will be looking up to me during life, when she needed help, just like Esme was for me.
Edward was shaking with quieter laughter as some of the courtiers looked over at Marie who looked proud she could make that grin like her father. They laughed along with us until everyone was amused.
"I think some will princess needs to rest," I said sternly to the baby. She looked at me with a pout on her lips as if she could always understand every word I said.
Then her small lips formed a circle and she yawned angelically. For some reason that noise came me chills, Edward had said I looked beautiful when I yawned and she got it from me but I was unsure.
"Papa will sing for you," Edward cooed at her before rising from his seat and walking to the open door of their nursery. He would be out by the time it took for him to sing all of the verses to her song.
I had everything I wanted in my life. It felt as if anything would never be complicated again.
Marie Marcella, My grandma's name and angel's middle name and
Marie is my mom's middle name; it fit. Anthony, that one's for my uncle up there:)
Anywho; thought I would answer that because I DO NOT like Renesmee and
I knew there would be questions, there still will be because half of you won't read this.
This story is NOT over...can you think of a couple people who haven't gotten their ending yet?;)
~Carmen
Seriously guys! IT'S NOT THE END!