Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I always enjoy reading them.
Francis groaned as he felt the sunlight hit his face, memories of the night before flooding back into his head causing him to groan once more. How can a child have such an effect him, she was Amelia's friend and child-no young lady who was turning into a woman as each week and month passed. He felt so protective of her it felt so wrong at times, he tried to compare it to the love he had for his sister but yet it was so completely different. He was eight hundred years old and he didn't even feel this way for any of the women he courted over the years. While it wasn't necessarily love he felt, but some sort of pull was there always making itself known. Patiently waiting for one day, the long game of waiting till the day was right.
Sighing Francis got up, dressing quickly to make his brunch date with his mother and father. He looked worse than wear, but decided he didn't care. He left the palace before anyone could catch him and materializing to his family home.
"Mama, Papa," He greeted them, kissing his mother on the cheek and hugging his father. " Sorry I am late."
"It is no consequence, Amelia isn't feeling well and staying in her room so it is just us today." Leonie told her son. "It seems you have your own stories to tell."
Francis nodded as he poured himself some coffee and adding a fair share of sugar into his cup. "I have some interesting things happening and I don't know what to do or make of it." He admitted.
"Eat well and then we can go to my studio and we can talk about things. " Regis his father spoke as he gathered a fair amount of food from the side board onto his plate.
Francis drank down a large gulp of brandy this his father handed him. "I think I am linked to the Kings Ward. "
"Linked as in soul link?"
Francis nodded grimly. "She has this crush on me and it's been getting more apparent as time goes by. I always feel this fierce need to protect her and whenever I am in the company of other women it seems she is always on my mind. Obviously not in that way, I care for her as I care for Amelia but at the same time it is entirely different, and it always changes whenever she grows and changes it grows and changes."
"You are a not the first to go through this, many have come across this phenomenon and have to walk the uncertain road. Have you ever considered that maybe The Goblin King chooses her to be his queen because it was destined to be that their souls connect from the first time they met when she wished away her brother?" Regis told his son. "You did nothing wrong, it can happen to anyone. They say it is to give you strength where you need it most. Perhaps you have sanctuary she craves, and in return she will be your support as you enter the clave. It will be years before you are both ready for any sort of real commitment due to her age. Continue as you are, be her teacher, a friend and confidante, then one day you can be lovers."
Francis nodded, still feeling strange over the discussion with his father. "I believe I owe her an apology. I came home quite drunk and may have said some harsh words to her when I came across her way to the library. The King overheard and told me she would get over it, then he said if she had been older and sixteen he would have looked the other way."
"It sounds like the King may know more than he lets on," Regis nodded. "I would not worry son, just apologize for your words last night and I'm sure everything will work out when the time comes."
Francis did apologize that next time he saw Anna, explaining he had too much to drink and that what he said shouldn't have been said. That he hoped she would give him a second chance and forgive him for his words. It took a few days for her to come around, but she eventually let it fade from her memory and their lesson resumed as before.
At first he felt he should inform the king of the link, but decided against it for the time being with the new child coming soon, Jareth must have enough on his mind. It was better left alone till he felt more comfortable with the new development of his life, but for now he wanted to keep it to himself.
The weeks wore on, he tried not to be too surprised when he found a Valentine day card on his seat written in neat cursive writing when he went in that morning. It simply said Happy Valentines Day- Anna. He smiled and placed it within his desk drawers as Sarah walked in, well it was more like a waddle not that anyone would tell her that.
"Good morning," Francis smiled as he pulled out her chair. "How are you feeling?"
"Large, very large." Sarah laughed half heartedly as she sank down slowly into the chair. "I am so ready for it to be over with. I'm looking forward to go to the villa and just relaxing next week."
"I'm sure it is well deserved." Francis agreed with her. "We'll keep it light today finish the chapter and do a review. That way, when you come back we can start fresh and new."
"Sounds good." Sarah nodded. "It will be an adjustment after this one is born for sure."
The visit to the Villa was something Sarah was looking forward to. Rosalea was picked up by Amira and Dmitri, who offered to look after their niece for a few days while her parents got some alone time.
They drove there in a covered carriage with Sarah bundled up in large furs to keep warm. Stopping frequently at rest stops so she could move around as well as go to the washroom. Upon arrival Jareth lit the fireplaces with a sweep of his hand, heating the place up quickly.
They ate a light dinner of sandwiches Sarah prepared with the provisions that they brought with them, bathing and retiring early or at least Sarah retired early while Jareth read by the lamp light for a few hours. The past few weeks had been quite dry, given Sarah's size and fatigue, and while Jareth missed those intimate moments and caresses he was not about to pressure her into anything she didn't feel like doing,
It was the third day, when Sarah felt the first contraction, not sure if they were Braxton ones that she felt on and off for the past few weeks. She got up off the bed, making her way to the kitchen for some water when she started staring out of the window as she felt another start. She grabbed a pencil and paper, looking at the clock on the wall. She marked it down and waited for another. Jareth was snoring in the bedroom, unaware of what was beginning she figured she would wake him later if they progressed to where she believed she was actually in labor.
She sat on the chaise next to the fire, breathing through her contractions this was definitely the real thing as they kept getting stronger and stronger and closer together as the sun came up over the horizon over the ocean.
She heard a stumbling Jareth come from the bedroom shaking his head as he awakened, "Hmm, what are doing up precious?"
"I'm in labor," Sarah told him as his eyes shot open "They are about 3-4 minutes apart, it started off slow but it's progressing much faster than last time." She told him as she felt another wrack through her body as she grabbed the arm rest letting out a frustrated grunt.
"How long have you experienced this?" He asked, seeing her sheet of times.
"A few hours I didn't want to wake you. " Sarah said softly as she breathed through her pains. "They keep coming faster and faster."
"I'm going to get Matilda."
"No, don't leave,' Sarah shook her head. "You can't leave, seriously Jareth-" she stopped point blank as another pain ripped through her midsection. "I don't think I have that much longer."
"I'll go make up the bed." Jareth told her, as he stripped the bed, moving around pillows and finding clean towels and other things that would come in handy, sending off a quick note to someone in the castle to get the midwife to the Villa as soon as possible. He quickly set a pot of water on to boil and washed his hands, which seemed like a good idea to do. "Ok, come on, let's get you to bed." He helped her walk back to the bedroom, all the while he was trying to figure out what he was supposed to do, sure he was there when Rosalea was born and but Sarah had been pretty adamant that he stayed far away from the area. They made it the bed as Jareth pulled off the wet pajama bottoms from her legs and pushing up her nightshirt he could see her stomach going through the motions as she let out a cry from the pain as she tried to breathe through it.
Her cries rang out through the house, she wasn't joking when she said this child was well on it's way. He was barely counting two minutes between contractions.
"Sarah what can I do?." Jareth asked her not sure how to proceed, but he can run a kingdom he can surely help deliver his child.
Jareth never believed he would deliver his own child, not like this at 6:30 am. He heard the back door open as Sarah was in the middle of pushing. He turned hoping to see Matlida or someone who knew what they were doing, instead he saw Valerie, Sarah's grandmother standing thing. She didn't say a word, but jumped into help mode, instructing him what to do and check for, and to make sure the cord wasn't wrapped around the child's neck. She guided him through the process, as she helped young mothers in the surrounding area over the years.
"It's a boy Sarah, we have a son!" Jareth exclaimed as he placed the child on her chest as Valerie tied of the chord and told him where to cut it.
Sarah said something incoherently as she stroked her son's hair with tears in her eyes.
Valerie looked at Jareth as she delivered the afterbirth, wrapping into up and putting in a bucket near the bed. Slightly worried about the amount of blood Sarah was losing
"He's so perfect," Sarah said after a moment, as Jareth took his son and gave him a quick wash and wrapped him up in warming blanket. He sat on the edge of the bed with Sarah who seemed to be getting more and more incoherent as time passed.
"Sarah?" As he moved blankets over her legs, noticing a large pool of blood.
"She's bleeding out, I need your help," Valerie spoke up. "Lay the child down in the bassinet." She told him, Jareth nodded laying his son into his sister cot.
"She will cry out, she will scream, but you need to press hard." Valerie told him to show him how to push down on the womb forcing it to contract and she was right as Sarah cried out. They continued till she felt they made progress and the bleeding slowed down.
It was almost eight in the morning after things were cleaned up and linens were thrown in the fire to dispose of when Matlda came knocking. "I just got the note, they didn't see it till a few minutes ago."
"I have a son!" Jareth grinned obviously over the moon. "Valerie heard Sarah's cries in the early morning when out checking the fences near the villa. She helped save Sarah's life." Jareth explained leading her into the room where Sarah, who was quite pale was resting with the child in her arms.
Matilda checked over the Sarah first giving her a blood replenishing tonic after ensuring that any tears and bleeding were taken care of. She complimented Valerie on her quick thinking and knowledge of how to stop postpartum bleeding. She looked over the boy deeming him perfectly healthy despite his quick entrance into the world.
Jareth sat on the bed, holding his son, with the shock of downy blonde hair and dark grey eyes. They arrived back at the Palace much to the surprised of the others.
"So have we decided on a name?"
"I think Aiden suits him," Sarah said looking at her son. " Aiden Einri Robert, for your father and my father." She added, as Einri was her father in laws middle name.
"Welcome to the world Aiden, you're going to have a bunch of ladies falling at your feet tomorrow." Jareth chuckled as he passed him over to Sarah who in turn cuddled the infant to her chest. Jareth went and got Rosalea lifting her up on the bed.
"Meet your little brother Rosie,"
"Baby?"
"Yes, baby, his name is Aiden," Jareth smiled as she kissed her brother before cuddling into her father and mother.
"Jareth, Thank you for being there." Sarah said softly.
"I wouldn't change it for the world," Jareth kissed her lightly.
Well it's done. I hope it wasn't to dramatic! fun fact one of my friends had her second baby at home when they knew they couldn't make it to the hospital. The paramedic got there ten minutes before the baby was born! She has him right in her bed!
I also hope I righted a few things from last chapter and explained a few things from Francis's point of view. Next chapter will be an epilogue and then I will start my one shot stories.
Tina!
