A/N: Hey guys! I'm back. I finally convinced my mom to let me upload from her computer! And to make up to you guys for it I'm posting one of the longest chapters so far. It took me all summer to write! (Yeah I know. I'm posting it in November but I wrote it in June July and August) I hope you guys like it. In the words of one of my best friends, Zaina, it's "action-packed". Ok, enjoy!
Danielle lay stretched across the couch, leaning against Henry's body with his arm draped casually over her shoulder. Her hands were gently resting on her now enormous stomach holding open the book she was reading.
Suddenly there was a quiet knock on the door. "Come in." Henry said closing his book.
Danielle looked up to see Jacqueline and captain Laurent enter. "Curtsy and I shall have to kill you," Danielle said, slowly trying to get up. (Being pregnant had made her a little moodier than normal.)
"Very well. Oh, don't get up. Save your strength," Jacqueline said, leaning down to give Danielle a kiss on the cheek.
"Don't be foolish," she said sitting up. "Now, how have we deserved this so sudden surprise?"
Well," Jacqueline said sitting down next to the captain. "We have some exciting news. We're engaged to be married!"
At first the fact didn't sink into Danielle's mind. She turned her head to look at captain Laurent for a moment and then turned back to Jacqueline. And, snap, she was hit with a striking reality. "Congratulations!" she squealed, slowly trying to push herself off the couch as best she could to go over and give her sister a hug.
"No, no! Don't get up!" she said, standing so Danielle didn't have to.
"Nonsense. Let's go talk in the bedroom so the men can talk out here." And with that the two disappeared behind the door.
"Congratulations." Henry said, giving his guardian for so many years and pat on the shoulder as he got up.
"Thank you sire." Laurent said following him to the window.
Henry dismissed the title with a wave of his hand. Danielle's nonchalant-ness with Jacqueline was beginning to rub off on him. "Have you any idea of the date?"
"No. I believe it'll just be easier to let her plan most of the details."
"There's no doubt that Danielle will dive into help head first." Henry yawned.
"Tired sir?"
"Just remember that with marriage, comes children. Don't be discouraged, marriage is wonderful, and Danielle and I are very excited about the baby. But the past few nights she's been tossing and turning and lately if she even sighs I wake up." he said rubbing his eyes.
"When's the baby due?"
"Two weeks."
"It's hard to believe that just over a year ago I was chasing you all over the kingdom trying to get you to come home."
Henry turned his head from the window to the captain and began to laugh.
Meanwhile, in the bedchamber, Danielle and Jacqueline had plopped onto the bed like two 15-year-old girls reviewing each other's dates. "How did it happen? I want to know everything." If she weren't so pregnant at the moment Danielle would probably have been bouncing up and down.
"Well, last night he said that he wanted to go for a walk on the trail. When we got to the little waterfall he sank to one knee and pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket." Jacqueline beamed, offering Danielle her hand.
"Oh how romantic."
"Danielle, you must help me plan the wedding! Of course only when the baby will share you."
"Oh that would be wonderful! I can hardly wait to get started! Ok, we'll need..." Danielle started rattling off a huge list of items.
"Danielle, please, don't worry about this now. You have bigger things to worry about."
Danielle rolled her eyes. "Not for another two weeks I don't." she said and returned to her list, but she was interrupted by a quiet knock at the door. "Yes?" Danielle sighed, slightly annoyed that her list had been interrupted once again.
Laurent and Henry cautiously entered the room. The prince walked over and joined the girls on the bed, but the captain stood next to the door. "Jacqueline, perhaps we should go. It's getting dark."
"Very well," Jacqueline said and then turned to Danielle, "we'll start planning after the baby's born and settled in."
"Ok," she replied, watching her sister get off the bed, "good night." With that the couple slipped out the door.
Henry moved in behind his wife so she could rest against him. "They are a lovely couple, aren't they?" he whispered in her ear as he began to gently message her shoulders.
"Hmmmm." she replied, letting her head roll back onto his shoulder as he progressed to her sore back, "Jacqueline seems so happy."
Henry tried to increase the pressure on the tighter muscles but was prevented by the many yards of fabric.
"I'm going to go change into something a little more comfortable." Danielle muttered as she gradually started to move off the bed.
"Let me help you." Henry said, taking her by the hands and easing her off the bed. Once she was up, he gazed into her eyes for a moment. "I love you." he whispered and kissed her forehead.
Danielle let out a gentle hum in reply. Her head naturally found her husband's shoulder and her hands, the base of his back. Henry gently rubbed his head against hers with one hand on her lower back and the other crossed around to her shoulder.
Suddenly Danielle doubled over and had to grab Henry's jacket to keep from collapsing on the floor. Oh god.
Henry stooped down to assist his ailing wife to a stable position, slightly confused. "What's wrong?" he asked (even though he was pretty sure what the answer was going to be.)
Danielle composed herself enough to speak. "I--I think--I think the baby's coming." she panted with one hand on her stomach and the other clutching Henry's arm for support.
This is what he'd expected but hearing it actually spoken still caught Henry off guard. "What? But you're not due for two more weeks!" he exclaimed trying to look into her eyes while still supporting her.
"Well, tell that to the baby." she gasped, clutching Henry's arm even harder to keep herself from collapsing from the contraction.
After it had passed Danielle straitened herself up as much as she could to see Henry's frantic eyes with tears in her own. "Henry, I'm scared."
Henry's eyes immediately changed from frantic to loving and protective. The eyes that, when Danielle looked into them, assured her that he would be a wonderful father. "Come, let's get you back to the bed." he said, delicately guiding her back across the room. Once during the trip they had to stop as Danielle was overcome with another contraction. "Shhh. It's ok. Shhh." Henry whispered as Danielle buried her face in his shoulder and fearfully clutched his arms. Even though I have no idea what I'm doing.
Once the contraction passed, Henry settled Danielle in the bed as best he could. "Are you alright? How are you feeling?" he asked, going back to a frantic state.
"Henry, please, go get the doctor." Danielle moaned, shifting uncomfortably on the bed and sending Henry bolting out the door.
Halfway down the corridor the prince nearly trampled a little servant girl. "Your Highness." she said, curtsying low.
"Don't curtsy." Henry panted, waving his hand. His appearance was quite shocking to the tiny girl. The royal family was normally very polite but still very protocol. They rarely EVER ran, ever, and here the prince was slumped over, hands on his knees, panting, "Don't curtsy"?
Henry looked up and the little girl and pointed down the hallway. "Run as fast as you can and fetch the royal doctor. Tell him he's needed in my chambers immediately. It's an emergency."
"Yes sire." she said while pushing back a foot to curtsy again.
"Don't curtsy, just go!" Henry protested, not trying to hide the urgency in his voice.
With that the little girl, not over 13, took off running down the corridor. I wonder why me getting the doctor is so important. Could the princess be having her baby? With that thought she began to run a little faster.
Henry burst through the door and half ran to the head of the bed where Danielle lay panting and sweaty from a prior contraction. Her water had broken while Henry was gone and her contractions were getting closer and closer together. "Shhhh. It's alright. He's coming." Henry whispered, kneeling beside the bed and brushing the hair off her sweaty forehead. "Shhhhh."
Danielle reached down and weakly took Henry's hand. "I love you." she whispered. Henry brought her hand to his lips and gave it a tender kiss, never taking his eyes off of hers. He'd often heard of women who'd died in childbirth. It was a statistic that had always bothered his mother and she'd become adamant about promoting medical studies to prevent this. The studies and statistics never really fazed Henry, but sitting her with the love of his life in such pain sincerely scared him. Where is that damned doctor?! he silently cursed, glancing over at the door.
"Ow!" Danielle gasped and squeezed Henry's hand. He immediately jerked his eyes off the door and to his wife's pain twisted face. Instinctively he got of his knees and sat of the bed. "Don't," Danielle moaned between breaths, "You'll get wet."
"It's ok, I don't care." he whispered, allowing her to squeeze the circulation out of his fingers. He could feel his wedding ring become dramatically looser. The contraction should have been dying down by now, but it wasn't letting up; in fact, it was getting worse. Henry leaned down and laid one hand of the pillow to support Danielle's head.
"Oh god." she tried to suppress a scream.
"Shhhh. Everything's going to be alright. Shhhh." He whispered, trying to convince herself as much as her.
Then, as quickly as it began, the contraction subsided and Danielle collapsed back onto the pillow. "Oh, Henry, I don't know how much longer I can do this." she panted.
"The doctor should be here soon." he said brushing the hair back off her forehead. Where is he?!
Suddenly the same tiny, rotund man that treated Danielle's lash marks over a year earlier burst, panting, through the door. For a doctor, he was extremely unfit. "Your Highnesses. Princess, how are you feeling?" the doctor asked a little too bubbly. All her got in return was the evil eye. "Alright, how close are your contractions?"
"About a minute apart, but they keep getting closer." Danielle said, shifting uncomfortably.
The doctor's eyes grew big and he walked urgently to the foot of the bed. He then turned to the prince. "I'll have to examine her." Henry meekly nodded his head, giving the go ahead.
The doctor's white little head disappeared under the sheet. Henry's protective nature began to kick in, but he had to remember that this was a doctor and these were, undoubtedly, adverse circumstances. Nevertheless, he squeezed Danielle hand just a little harder. Danielle looked up and Henry's strained face and let out a quiet chuckle and slowly shook her head.
"What?" Henry asked, changing his line of focus from the new lump under the sheet to his wife.
"You're jealous." Danielle couldn't help but gleam.
"I am not. I'm just trying to protect you." Henry protested. Danielle just let the incident drop with an inward laugh. They both knew the truth and there was no point in arguing it here. He's jealous.
Without warning the little white head popped back out from the sheet. "Princess, next contraction, I want you to push as hard as you can. Ok?"
Danielle nodded meekly in reply and glanced nervously up at Henry. Ok, this might be the last one. I hope I can do this.
"It's ok; just do as he says." Henry murmured reassuringly, reaching out to brush a few stray hairs that refused to stay off her face. "I'm right here. It's alright." Ok, this contraction should be starting soon.
After some time Danielle let herself relax and closed her eyes, exhausted from the strains of labor. Having a doctor here was a huge relief to both of them. Danielle shifted her hips uncomfortably. Henry tore his eyes away from her face only long enough to glance over at the doctor who was seemingly waiting expectantly at the foot of the bed. Why is this lull between contractions so long? Could something possibly--
A painful scream from Danielle abruptly interrupted Henry's thoughts. The doctor, who'd ironically been drifting off to sleep, snapped back to attention. "Ok, you highness, push...push...push..."
Anything else that was said didn't comprehend in Henry's mind. The only thing he could see was his wife's pained face, and the only thing he could feel was the familiar urge to take her is his arms and squeeze all her pain into him. All sense of time was lost.
One sound brought the prince back to reality: a crying baby. Danielle let out a long sigh and collapsed back onto the pillow, totally spent. The doctor then gave Henry a tiny, crying, white bundle. "It's a girl." he said, gently setting the baby in her father's arms. Henry stared down at the miniature, innocent face. Wow. I'm a father. I helped create this wonder. Then, he felt Danielle's loving hand rub his knee. Henry carefully placed their daughter in Danielle's arms.
"Ohhhh. Shhhhh. Mother's here. Shhhh." she cooed, taking one finger and outlining her tiny face. "Shhhh." To Henry's amazement, the little bundle's cries stopped, and it stared mesmerized up at her parents.
The doctor regretfully interrupted the tender moment. "Pardon me, your highnesses, I'll have to take her and examine her."
"Of course." Danielle said, gingerly handing him the bundle.
He quickly disappeared, and within seconds two maids came in with a clean pair of sheets. "Princess." they said in unison, sinking to the ground.
Before Danielle had a chance to even try to get herself off the bed, Henry stood and scooped her up in his arms. "Let's get you into something a little more comfortable." he whispered in her ear. Before walking to the closet, he turned to the maids and said, "After you are finished here please go and tell the queen that her grand-daughter Genevieve Juliet de Rousseau has been born."
"Yes sire." the plump maid answered and went about her business.
Henry walked over and pushed the closet door open with his foot. Danielle was practically asleep with her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder, but she woke up when Henry say her on the tiny bench in the closet and virtually ran to get her nightgown.
He ever-so-delicately unlaced her dress and slid it off as well as her undergarments, replacing both with the light nightgown. He then un-did the hair that miraculously remained up and carefully ran a brush through it. "Henry, are you going to be this romantic when I'm able to take care of myself?" Danielle asked sleepily, but with a playful tone in her voice.
In return, the prince let out a short chuckle. "Of course, my dear." he sighed.
Henry then took her back in his arms and carried his wife back to the bed. The maids has left one corner folded down so all Henry had to do was lay Danielle on the sheet and pull the blankets over her. Afterwards, he leaned down and gently kissed Danielle's lips.
"Why are you so troubled?" She may have been exhausted, but she could still read Henry's eyes like a book. No hiding emotion from her.
Henry let out a long sigh and sat next to her on the bed. "I know nothing about being a father, and I have no one to teach me how." he said, gently stroking her face. He could feel tears begin to sting his eyes.
Danielle brought her hand up and intertwined her fingers in his. "You'll be a wonderful father. It's in your eyes. You have so much love to give. I have trust in you."
Henry had no words to respond to the extraordinary compliment he'd just received. All he could do was lean down, once again, and give her a short, but passionate, French kiss. "Je t'aime. Now, please, you need to get some sleep." Henry whispered.
Danielle managed to roll over on her side, closed her eyes and was immediately asleep.
Henry got up and weakly walked over and sat in the bay window. As he gazed over the stable yard, he heard a quiet knock on the door. "Come in." he said, careful not to wake up his slumbering wife.
His mother quietly let herself through the door. Seeing that Danielle was sleeping she suppressed the urge to scream, "Congratulations!" Instead she walked over and gave Henry a kiss one the cheek. "Congratulations, my son." she half whispered.
"Merci, mother." he said watching her sit down. "Genevieve's having a routine examination; she should be back soon." he said, answering his mother's unspoken question.
"How's Danielle?" she asked in a concerned tone, keeping in mind the mothers-who-die-in-childbirth statistic.
"She's doing well. Obviously she's exhausted, but the doctor said it was an ideal delivery." Henry yawned. The adrenalin rush was wearing off and fatigue was taking over.
"Oh, darling, you look exhausted too. Maybe you should lie down."
"No, no. Genevieve should be here--" another knock interrupted Henry. He got up and slowly shuffled to the door. Just as he suspected, on the other side was the doctor and his daughter.
"Congratulations sire, she's perfectly healthy. She's a little hungry. So, seeing that the princess is sleeping, just feed her this." He handed Henry a bottle and the baby, gave a quick bow, and scurried out of the sitting room.
Genevieve greedily took the bottle as Henry walked back to his mother. "Genevieve, meet your grandmother." he said, laying his daughter in the queen's arms.
"Oh Henry, she's darling!" Marie whispered, stroking the baby's cheek with the back of her fingers.
Henry yawned again. "Darling, why don't you get some sleep? I'll watch the baby and put her to bed."
"Thank you, mother." Henry said, getting up and kissing her cheek before going to the closet to change. A minute later he came out in his nightgown. "Are you sure?" he asked his mother before climbing into the bed.
"Just go to sleep, Henry." she commanded.
Henry obeyed and climbed in next to his wife, assuming his normal position, both arms around her body, holding it close to his.
About fifteen minutes later, Marie gently set sleeping Genevieve in her circular crib, closed the curtains around the opening, and silently let herself out the door.
Henry awoke at dawn to hungry cries coming form across the room. He carefully got out of bed, keeping in mind that Danielle would be sore, and walked to the crib. "Shhhh." he murmured quietly, lifting Genevieve out of her crib. Henry walked back over and sat on the bed. "Danielle," he whispered, gently shaking her awake, "she's hungry." he said, handing her the baby once she was sitting.
"Oh sweetheart," she cooed, taking the baby, "we'll never let you go hungry. I promise." she whispered, remembering all the nights she was sent to bed on an empty stomach.
Henry paused for a moment before brushing the hair off of Danielle's neck and unlacing her nightgown for her. She'd often told him of the horrible things she'd endured while living with her step-mother, all of which disgusted him.
Danielle pulled one arm out of its sleeve and let her daughter eat A/N: drink?. She's so adorable. she thought as she let herself lean back against Henry's body.
She looks so helpless. Henry thought. He carefully pulled back and kissed the top of Danielle's head. She, in turn, turned her head to see his eyes. Henry planted a warm gentle kiss on her lips.
Genevieve let out a tiny burp. "Oh darling! Are you full?" she couldn't help but laugh. Danielle delicately laid the new princess on the bed and pull her sleeve back over her arm. Genevieve began to wave her arms in the air and make baby cooing noises. "Oh-ho!" Danielle laughed. "You want to play, don't you?" she said, uncomfortably sitting up. "Ow." she muttered under her breath and placed one hand over her stomach.
Even though she tried to hide her pain, Henry wasn't fooled. "Are you alright? Do I need to call the doctor? Don't stress yourself." The frantic side of her husband was beginning to show out.
"Henry, I'm fine. I'm just sore." Danielle said, finally sitting up. She leaned forward as far as she could without tremendous pain and began to tickle her daughter. Henry maneuvered himself around Danielle and lay on his stomach on Genevieve's other side. This was the first time he'd really been able to study her out of her bundle. She'd inherited Danielle's soft face line and Henry's brown eyes, which stared up, wide open, at him.
"Ahhhh!" Genevieve squealed, reaching for her father's hair. One thing was for sure, she'd defiantly inherited Henry's curiosity. He moved a little closer and shook his hair in his daughter's face causing her to giggle uncontrollably.
Suddenly there was a quiet rasp at the door. "Who is it?" Danielle said, laughing.
"It's Jacqueline." her sister said in a sing-song voice.
"Hold on." Henry mouthed, getting off the bed and scurrying into the closet to change.
Danielle rolled her eyes. Royal appearance... "Come in."
Jacqueline pushed open the door. "Where is she? Oh my goodness! Danielle, she's adorable!" she exclaimed sitting on the bed at Danielle's feet. As she sat down, Jacqueline's hair fell across her shoulder and into Genevieve's grasping range, which she immediately did.
"She likes hair." Danielle warned just a little too late.
"So I've noticed." she said, trying to pry the tiny grasping fingers from her silky black hair. Then she noticed something was missing. "Where's Henry?" she asked, giving up on her hair.
Danielle rolled her eyes. "In the closet, changing. He has this odd idea that only a blood relative can see him in his nightgown."
"You're not a blood relative." Jacqueline pointed out, trying to start one of their friendly sister arguments.
"Jacqueline, we're married! We share a bed! And, trust me; I've seen him in a lot less than his nightgown." Danielle clasped her hand over her mouth, realizing what she'd just said. "Why are we even having this conversation?!"
"Because I love to annoy you." Jacqueline gloated. She'd clearly accomplished her mission. "Ow!" Genevieve had jerked on her hair and now had the ends in her mouth.
"Oh, sweetie, don't do that." Danielle said, reaching out and freeing Jacqueline's hair from her niece's tiny fist.
At that moment Henry emerged in his normal ivory riding pants and tan jacket. "Hello, Henry." both mother and aunt said simultaneously.
"Oh dear, I can handle one but not two." he said, sliding in beside Danielle and slipping one hand to her opposite hip. "How's she doing?"
As if to answer for herself, Genevieve stretched out as much as she could and let out a baby yawn. "She's tired." Danielle reconfirmed, turning only her head to see Henry, a smirk on her face.
"Let me put her to bed." Jacqueline said, gently scooping up her niece.
"How are you feeling?" Henry whispered, tightening his arm around Danielle's body.
"Henry, I'm fine. I told you, I'm just sore. It's perfectly normal."
"Fine," Henry said skeptically, "but if you need anything just tell me. Don't hesitate to ask."
"Darling," Danielle sighed rotating herself around to completely face Henry, "there is one this you could do for me."
"Yes? What do you need?" Henry seemed excited to be able to be put to some use.
Danielle grabbed the front of his jacket and pulled him closer to her. "You can calm down." she demanded.
"Ha ha, very funny." Henry faked a laugh, leaning in and giving her a tender kiss.
"Do you need me to leave?" Jacqueline said playfully. The only thing she got in return was a pillow in the face. Before the three could get into a pillow fight there was a sharp knock on the door. "Come in." they all said, unsuccessfully trying to suppress laughs.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." a voice said, pushing open the door.
"Gustave" Danielle squealed. "How nice to see you!"
"It's nice to see you too. It's been a long time. Where's the little stranger?" he asked, leaning down and giving Danielle a kiss on the cheek.
"Genevieve's taking a nap. Sit down; join us."
Gustave sat down on the window bench. "So how are you doing?"
"Good lord!" Danielle exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "I'm fine. I'm just sore." Gustave let out a small laugh. "Mother or not, I can still whip you." Danielle warned, pointing a finger at him.
"No argument here." Gustave said, standing back up.
"Where are you going? You just got here."
"I know, but I was actually running an errand for my master and stopped by. I really should be going."
Danielle nodded understandingly. She remembered the times she'd endured screaming fits when she came home late from the market.
Gustave kissed Danielle's cheek once more and walked back out the door.
"Well," Jacqueline sighed, "I should be going too. You need your rest." Danielle nodded in agreement. For once she wasn't going to argue with her step-sister.
After the door closed behind Jacqueline, Danielle gently laid herself back onto the pillow. "Henry, if you don't mind, I'm going to go back to sleep."
"That's fine. I'll be...right...here." he said, turning around and seeing that Danielle was already asleep. Henry gently pulled back the covers, laid his head on Danielle's shoulder with one arm around her body and fell asleep.
The rest of the day went pretty much the same. There were visits from Paulette, Maurice and Louise, Leonardo, Danielle's courtier friends, and Jacqueline, this time accompanied by her fiancé. Periodically Genevieve would interrupt with cries that she wanted to be fed, changed, or play.
It wasn't until dark that Henry and Danielle had the chance to talk alone. "Who do you think we should have tutor her?" Henry asked, stretched out on the bed with his elbow propped on the pillow and his head resting on his fist.
"I was hoping, possible, Leonardo." Henry gave his wife a weird look. "I don't want her to grow up thinking that class in everything." The puzzled looks continued. "Alright. If that old man hadn't of stumbled into your life the five days before you proposed and discovered who I really was, who would you have chosen? Me or Margarite?"
Henry gazed into her eyes. She's right. If Leonardo hadn't of opened up my eyes to the world, I would probably be lying miserably next to Margarite now. he thought to himself. He leaned down and gave his wife a delicate kiss.
"Hmmmm... what was that for?" Danielle whispered, slowly opening her eyes.
"For a million different things. You are right. Leonardo would make a wonderful tutor. I must learn to never doubt you."
"Danielle let out a very small chuckle. "Oh, I need to be doubted at times."
"That's a lie."
"Well, if you didn't, with whom would I argue?" she asked matter-of-factly.
"Oh, I think you'd find plenty of people to argue with." he said, leaning in for dramatic effect.
Before Henry had a chance to roll back onto his side, Danielle pulled him down by his jacket collar and gave him a passionate kiss.
"Where did that come from?" Henry asked, carefully balanced over Danielle's body.
"I thought you said you wouldn't doubt me?" She was purely trying to annoy him.
All Henry did was shake his head and kiss Danielle again, only this time with the same amount of passion that he has the first time they kissed. As he felt her tongue touch his lips, he gently let his upper body rest on hers, careful not to touch her lower abdomen, and placed one hand on the small of her back.
Danielle wrapped her arms around Henry's midriff, letting herself melt. I love this man.
Henry tightened his arms around her and deepened the kiss even more.
Suddenly there was a sharp rasp on the door giving Henry only enough time to jerk back up on his side, trapping Danielle's arm under his body. before the intruder let itself in.
"Mother?" Henry asked, trying to make out the silhouette.
The queen walked over to the sitting bench. "You two should be getting some rest, not staying up talking." she said as she sat down.
Henry could feel Danielle slowly begin to twirl her fingers on his back. She obviously didn't want company at the moment so that they could continue their "conversation" in private, but she would never be so rude as to ask anyone to leave.
"I going to be blunt. I know you're both going to be very busy with the baby and I truly feel horrid for doing this now..."
Henry ran his fingers impatiently through his hair.
"But with Francis gone I just don't think I'm serving France adequately."
The twirling intensifies.
"I am so sorry for telling you this now. But, if for any reason, you feel overwhelmed, or stressed, or overworked please tell me..."
The twirling was now accompanied with a drumming.
"If this doesn't work out you can go back to devoting all your attentions to Genevieve."
Finally Henry couldn't take anymore. "Mother, what is it that you want to tell us?"
Marie looked up from her hands. "In a few months I will be resigning as queen and I wanted to use this time as an adjusting period before you take over."
The twirling/drumming stops. Henry couldn't believe his ears. Could she have picked a more incontinent time for this?! "Mother! Why do you tell us this now?! We just had a baby!"
Danielle could sense his frustration and did her best to calm him down. She couldn't blame him though. He'd had very little sleep the past few days. "With all due respect, Marie," she said in a soft murmur, "we can't accept this at this point in time."
"Of course! I didn't expect you to!" the queen interrupted. "I know you're going to want to be with Genevieve. I was only letting you know so you might have some time to think about it. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"It's no bother. We just weren't expecting anything like this. Perhaps we can talk about this some other time."
"Of course. Now please," she said, getting of the bench, "get some rest." Marie leaned down and gave each new parent a soft kiss on the forehead. "Good night."
"Good night." they both echoed.
"King and Queen!" Henry exclaimed letting himself lay on Danielle's body once his mother was out of earshot.
Danielle hissed in pain. "Henry, ouch, off." she said, pushing him off of her.
"I'm sorry."
"Why don't you get some sleep before Genevieve wakes up." she said, freeing her arm and rolling onto her side.
Henry gazed admiringly down at her. She can handle anything. he thought as he curled up next to her and fell asleep.
Did you like? I had fun writing this one if you couldn't tell that's why it took me so long. Ok, I just realized that I've been using a lot of French and not telling you guys the translations. "Je t'aime" means "I love you" "Je t'aims aussie" means "I love you too" there's a bit more French in the chapters to come but I'll give you those translations when we get to them. Ok I'll update soon! I promise!