Again, this is another piece of work inspired by the beautiful and wonderful Brittani Louise Taylor. Go check out her vlogs because they always make me happy :)
Photo #45: The Stork Came Early
Eadlyn knows the stories of her parents during their youth, how they grew up, and how the were raised (with some details left out for the better). Her mother and father grew up incredibly different from each other but ultimately the same - neither of them having a typical childhood. Her mother was a Five, scraping for money for the family as a musician. Her father had all the money he needed as a One and the Prince of Illéa but he was being sharpened into being the perfect king.
Then they met, fell in love, got married, became the king and queen, and were now the parents of four.
They both grew up fast, needing to take on big roles at such a young age. Despite the arduous tasks, they always found time to poke fun at one another.
The next photo on the wall has her mother pregnant but holding a baby wrapped in swaddles Eadlyn doesn't recognize at first. The first guess that comes to her mind as the identity of the baby is Kile but as she looks closer, she knows that isn't him. Eadlyn tilts her head a little, putting her fingers on the photo and pressing down on it to eliminate the glares and get a better look. Her head pops back when she sees that the baby is not theirs at all but -
-o-
"How was your trip to Spain, your Highness?" A butler asks, taking Maxon's suitcases.
Maxon just arrived from a two-week trip with the Spanish monarchy and government involving their trading affairs involving their international relationship. As of their status in the past, Illéa and Spain were on good terms with each other. In fact, Maxon adored King Carlos, his wife Queen Magdalene, and their two sons. And in return, they loved them as well.
"Wonderful," Maxon replies relaxingly, "thank you for asking. How is my Mrs?"
America was unable to join Maxon on the trip, despite everyone wanting her to go, because she was in the middle of the second trimester of her first pregnancy. She was always tired and going through episodes of morning sickness so a trip overseas wasn't recommended. Maxon didn't want to leave America alone (even though she wouldn't technically be alone because of the palace staff) during her pregnancy in the case that something urgent or even exciting were to happen. In the case that something was to happen, the King and Queen would understand why Maxon would suddenly have to leave since they have two boys themselves and understand pregnancy firsthand.
"She is upstairs in your bedroom," the butler replies. "Should I tell her about your arrival?"
Maxon shakes his head. "I will do that myself."
Maxon begins walking up the stairs towards his bedroom. The idea of seeing his wife for the first time after fourteen days is what energizes him to walk faster, almost run to embrace her and their expectant baby. The hallway is silent and he hears America's singing slowly getting louder with every step he took, swaying slowly to the rhythm of her melodious voice. Oh, how he missed his wife and her singing. He stops at the sudden sound of a baby crying that quickly gets shushed with her song that turns out to be a lullaby the more he listens to the lyrics.
For a moment, he knows that it can't be his baby because America was still pregnant. That means that the baby was Kile...but then Maxon realizes that Carter took Kile outside of Angeles to visit family, he begins sprinting.
There were no other babies in the palace and he knew that.
Without knocking, Maxon bursts through the bedroom door. He sees America standing in front of the window with her back facing him as she sings a soft lullaby to the baby in her arms. Marlee, sitting on the bed, sees a surprised Maxon and waves at him with her bright smile. Maxon looks at Marlee while pointing at America with the most shocked expression on his face, wondering if he is actually seeing this.
Could it be possible that his missed the birth of his firstborn child? He was already off to a bad start as a father...
America turns only her head around and gives Maxon the calmest and joyous smile ever. Maxon slowly approaches her, cautious of every step he took.
"America..." He's almost nervous to say.
"Hi, Maxon," she greets, almost on the verge of tears. "Want to meet our daughter?"
"Daughter?" Maxon's voice cracks.
America nods her head as she passes him the baby wrapped in pastel yellow swaddles. Maxon carefully takes the baby in his arms, holding it like a fragile vase, and realizes that she's really light - which ultimately makes sense to him since the baby was most likely born premature. America turns around to face him and that's when he notices her baby bump still present. Maxon's eyes alternate back and forth between the baby in his arms and the one that is apparently still in his wife's stomach.
"She has your eyes," America comments, pulling back a bit of the swaddles and showing Maxon what actually turned out to be a baby doll.
Maxon blinks, processing what's really going on. America begins laughing and Marlee joins in. A bit of him is peeved that they just played a practical joke on him but more relieved that he can still witness the birth of his firstborn child.
"I didn't make this baby," Maxon says, tossing it back to America.
"Maxon!" Marlee exclaims in a scolding yet joking tone. "Hold the baby properly."
America hugs Maxon over his shoulders and kisses him on the cheeks as both an apology for the joke and as a welcome back from Spain. He furrows his brows at her and she mockingly pouts her lips before breaking into a goofy grin. She taps his cheek.
"Maxon, I'm sorry," America says to him, "it was just a fun little prank Marlee and I thought of because I was so bored without you. It was even more convenient that Carter came home early with Kile and started crying right when you came in. It just made it all more believable."
Maxon looks at America and hugs her as tight as he could without hurting the baby bump. He puts a hand on the back of her head and she rests in the crook of his neck, loving the feeling of being back in his arms and for him, it was the smell of her perfume he missed so much.
"Oh, by the way, Maxon," America says, "I had a doctors appointment yesterday and as it turns out, we're not going to be having a plastic baby but real twins."
All that stuff about the Spanish monarchy was made up by me, by the way. I didn't use the real current Spanish royals because I was paranoid that they would hunt me down or something.
Stay Tuned - a wise being always says to never open Pandora's Box
