Chapter 35: Too big a problem
The next day I awoke in my own chamber. I rolled over to glare at the stone wall on my side, and the light from outside reflecting on it. I drew back the sheets and stood up. I rubbed my eyes as I walked toward the wash chamber. On my way there I quickly glanced in the mirror of my vanity. I saw something that I was not expecting so I stopped and looked in it more attentively. And low and behold my belly was sticking out. Surly I found this strange considering that I have only been pregnant for about a month, and already I appeared to be about five months. I lifted my gown and poked at my belly, just to prove to myself that it was really. Once I realized that it was no joke, I sped into the wash chamber, and tried to get changed. But my gown ripped, down the sides. I tried on three gowns before I concluded that none of my gowns were going to fit me.
Sitting back on the bed nude and wrapped in my sheet, I cried. Finally I could hear someone coming towards my door. I quickly started to wipe away my tears, as Steph came into the chamber.
"Why Nicolle what ever is the matter?" And I just continued balling, the more I thought about my problem the more I cried.
"Oh Steph it is terrible. I…I…well look at me!" I took the corner of the sheet to my face and attempted to dry my tears.
"Oh Nicolle…" Steph smiled, closing the door and walking over to me. "What is the problem, that causes you such stress?"
"Look in the wash chamber." I told her. So she got up and walked in, returning with four torn gowns.
"What happened to your gowns Nicolle?"
"I can't fit!"
"What ever do you mean?" She laughed in confusion. I stood up and showed her my problem. "Nicolle is that?"
"Yes, and now I have nothing to wear." I whaled.
"Okay…okay." Steph stated in a calm voice, putting her hands on my shoulders and helping me to sit down. "You stay here and I will get Jareth for you."
"Oh no…I…" But I was cut off.
"Okay I will be right back." She smiled, before walking out of the room and closing the door. I sat there and waited.
Minutes later:
The door flew open, and the King barged in, to stand about a meter away from me. Steph was in the corner. She did not want to get in the way. The King did not say a word.
"Well are you just going to stare at me?!" I cried glaring up at him. His expression was completely blank. He puckered his lips, and hesitated for a minute, before slapping me across the face. I saw Steph step forward, as a mean to come to my defense.
"Stay where you are Steph!" He ordered. Steph stepped back. "So I see that you do not have anything to wear is that the problem here?" I just nodded my head in reply. "Well then we can fix this." He smiled, conjuring a crystal and twirling it around his fingers. And it turned into a gown. He tossed it at me. "Here try this on." He ordered. I looked down at it and did nothing more. "I said try this on!" And he grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. The sheet fell to the floor and I held the gown in my hands. "Fine if you are not going to do it then I will!" And he grabbed the gown from me and started forcing it over my head. Steph just stood there and watched. But when she could take no more she ran out of the room.
"You'll listen to me." The King whispered in my ear. Just as Steph returned with Shido.
"What seems to be the problem here?" Shido asked stepping into the room. The King turned to him and smirked.
"Well I can tell you what the problem is, gladly…Nicolle needs a gown to wear, because her belly is so big. And I came to help her but she is not responding to my gestures. That is what is going on." He finished, turning his grin into a wrinkled forehead, pissed off look. "And who are you to ask anyway Shido?"
"Well Steph came to me very upset and I just wanted to know the reasons for her distress." Shido replied.
"Well now that you know what is going on do you both mind leaving us alone?" The King inquired; but neither Steph nor Shido moved. "Out…Now!" The King yelled. They nodded their heads before leaving the room. Once the door was closed the King looked back at me.
"Now Nicolle, you are not being very fair. I am trying to help you. Now why are you acting like this?" He questioned in a soft tone, and rubbing my cheek.
"Why do you treat me this way?" I asked, I did not care if he was planning to hit me, I wanted to be blunt. And I wanted the true.
"Because I love you."
"You…love me?" I almost laughed. Suddenly I was about to vomit, so I ran to the wash chamber. He was still talking as he followed me in. I grabbed my hair and held it back for me, as I emptied my stomach into the basin. And again there was the pain in my side. The baby was moving very rapidly and I could even see my belly more a bit inside.
"You know I do not appreciate the way you treat me. I never have. And this is partly the reason why I said what I said last night." I declared when I had a break from regurgitating.
"Nicolle when are you going to realize that I am the King and you do not say things like that to me? Because if you have not noticed, when things like that come out of your mouth, you are punished. It is just the same as when you first came here Nicolle. So deal with it." He said, releasing my hair from his grasp and grabbing me a towel, to wipe my mouth.
"Thank you." I stated when he handed me the towel. And then he continued with what he was saying.
For the rest of the day he was surprisingly kind to me, waiting on my hand and foot; though I was never left out of his sight. I could go no where unless he was with me. It was sweet but at the same time I hated it, because I never knew when he was going to snap again. Basically I did nothing all day, but vomit and drink these potions that The King made for me, to help the pain. And even with all the grief and pain, inside I somewhat left happy, happy for the child that I was carrying. I tried to imagine what the child looked like, but I found it very difficult. I just wanted all of this to be over with. I know that I have not been pregnant long, but I have already begun to miss my own body. I was started to feel invaded. And technically I was.
And that night, the King insisted that I sleep in his chamber, incase anything was to happen. And he slept next to me, holding me in his arms.
