Chapter 12:
(Hugo POV)
Sofia brought me outside, it was one of the few months that we didn't have snow, and she brought me out to the garden. I then saw it, the gazebo in the center of the garden was covered in lights and in the center was a picnic basket, "What is- How did you-" "Amber." She said and I nodded. It made sense. Sofia guided me to our picnic, "Why the gazebo?" I asked she turned to look at me and cocked her eyebrow, "Hugo do you remember when we got engaged?" I nodded, "Yeah it was the most nerve racking moment of my life. I took you for a walk in your family gardens and we went to the... Ohhh." She really was something else. I smiled. "I know I have been a little all over the place recently and I know that we still have a long way to go but, I don't want us to forget to actually live our lives right now," Sofia said as she pulled food out of the basket. It was mostly deserts and we sat together.
"Sof," I said after taking a bite of a cupcake. She turned to look at me, "Do you ever think about starting a family?" I asked. I didn't want to scare her or do something too soon but, I remembered the look on her face when she saw the nursery and how she was worried about our future kids with Lady Eliza. "Sometimes, although it hasn't been the greatest thought recently." I frowned at that, "Why is that?" "Well up until today I was under the watchful eye of Countess Laurianne and whenever a thought about our future would enter my head, I would see our future daughter going through what I am or our future son miserable and alone. I don't want that for my kids, I don't want them to feel the way we have so far." I nodded in agreement, I didn't want that either. Sofia didn't deserve it and our kids definitely wouldn't either. "I am thinking about amending some of the laws when we take the crown," she looked at me confused, "How are you going to amend them?" "I'm going to take some power away from the advisory board. They will still exist but, they will be in a more advisor position, they have too much power. They shouldn't be able to pick who trains us if the King and Queen cannot, they shouldn't be able to tell anyone when or whom to marry and they shouldn't have the power to determine who is on and removed from the advisory board." She nodded in agreement, "I agree, but we have to be careful. People in power don't like it when that power is taken away." We sat together and I pulled her closer wrapping one arm around her and she cuddled further into my chest.
"Hugo?" She began to ask. "Hmmm" "Do you ever think about starting a family?" I smiled as I saw her look at me, "Yeah, I think about it all the time. I wonder what they are going to look like, what personalty traits they are going to get, how many we are going to have..." "Well tell me more," Sofia said.
(Sofia POV)
I could see a sparkle in Hugo's eyes as he thought about our future family I wanted to know what was running though his head, "Well our oldest would be Princess Clara, she has your eyes and smile but, she got my hair color and height shorty," I playfully hit his arm and he laughed, "she isn't going to be Queen not because she isn't able to but, because she wants to travel the world and help people, she was inspired about you being a Protector but, she will respond to all of our worried letters and come home for the holidays." "You say that now," I teased. He glared down at me, "My little girl will write me back or I will drag her back to the castle kicking and screaming." I couldn't help but, laugh, "Ok so if Clara doesn't take the throne, which of our kids do?" "Patience Sofia, I'll tell you who takes the throne at the end now Miss Impatient" He joked. I rolled my eyes but gently pushed him to lay down.
As I laid on his chest I began to drag my fingers along his chest, "Fine, who is our next child?" "That is our first son Prince Ethan, he ended up being a carbon copy of me but, his hair does have a wave to it thanks to your curls and we argue about it all the time but, I swear he has your smile. He is just as athletic as you and me, better than we ever were at derby and ice dancing. However, unlike with us he is able to do whatever he wants with full support from all of his family. He is also a total Momma's boy. I don't know what you did but, he is." I laughed as he complained, "Is someone jealous?" "Yeah when he wins the Ice Dancing Championship and he thanks his family, especially his Mom, I will be jealous as is my full right to be." "Hugo you know he loves and looks up to you as well," "I know it is just different."
I listened to the sound of his heartbeat as I brought myself closer, "Any more?" "You thought we were done at two, please. I love Axel but, having more siblings would have been better. Next is our second son Prince Alden, he is the lucky one he got your looks. He has your chestnut hair, your crystal blue eyes, your smile I swear if I hadn't been there I would think someone just cloned you. He is a quiet one. He enjoys learning and reading, gets along great with his Uncle Des," I giggled when he said that, "but at the end of the day he loves us. He cares about our people just as much as we do and is always the first to join you when you go to the villages. He doesn't always get along with Clara and Ethan but, he enjoys reading to his younger siblings." "Younger siblings?" I asked, "Exactly how many kids are we having?" The only response I got was Shhh
"Now the twins," "You know Amber and James are the twins not me, I don't have that genetic history," I added. "It will happen trust me, now where was I? Right the twins two girls Princesses Emma and Mia. They are fraternal, thank God, Emma has green eyes with straight chestnut hair whereas Mia has blue eyes and curly black hair. Clara was happy when they were born because finally the boys no longer outnumbered her. The twins are so sweet and kind. They complete our happy little family." "You call five kids a little family?" I asked. We both laughed.
"It sounds like a nice family," I said calming down and settling into his chest. "Yeah," Hugo said settling down as well. "But, Sofia what is the family that you envisioned?" I shrugged into his side, "I never really though about the specifics I just knew that I didn't want to have only one child and I wanted to know that they would grow up in a place that allowed them to be themselves. Also you dodged the question if Clara doesn't take the throne which of our kids does?" "Alden," He said with a smirk. "I can imagine that." I said. We stayed in the quiet for a bit longer before I looked over at Hugo, "When do you see our family getting started?" He looked down at me and smiled, "Sometime after we are crowned King and Queen. Whenever it does happen the timing will be perfect." I looked up at him, "I love you." "I love you too." He leaned down and kissed me. We stayed wrapped within one another for the rest of the night.
I woke up as the sun began to rise and I looked up at Hugo. He was still asleep, it was rare that I ever woke up before him. "Hugo," I whispered, "Hugo wake up, Clara needs you, wake up." His eyes immediately shot open, "Clara, what is it? Dad is here." He then looked at me and settled back down, "I tell you about our future family and this is how you repay me," He groaned. We laid back down, "You know we have to go back to our room soon and then bid my family farewell." He nodded as we wrapped ourselves in the blanket that had been laid out for our picnic.
We eventually went back to our suite and then we went to say bye to my family. After we left and we came back inside, "Hugo with everything that happened I think we forgot about something?" He turned toward me, "What did we forget Sof?" I stopped walking and turned towards him, "Who is my new trainer going to be?"