Well, I am so sorry for the delay! Apparently, the food poisoning was not all out of my system and I did get a terrible fever after being caught in heavy showers which made me feel even more terrible than I did already. Was meant to post this up yesterday night, but fell asleep before I could. Apologies! :) This is short because I had ideas that were too long to fit into a chapter going off previous lengths of chapters. So I chopped this off to end the night and start the new day in the next chapter.

elder441 [chapter 10]: Thank you! Enjoy the next chapter :)

Guest (1) [chapter 10]: Thanks :)

Guest (2) [chapter 10]: I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

Guest (3) [chapter 10]: Thanks so much, glad you loved it! :)

Guest (4) [chapter 10]: Great ideas! I had them in mind because they definitely need some TLC from their parents after their little brother's arrival. Thanks so much! :)

Guest (5) [chapter 10]: Right here ;)

Kenna furrowed her brows as she woke up, rubbing the bleariness away. She almost screamed when she saw a child with blonde hair covering her face, dressed in all white.

Only almost because she then realised who the culprit was.

"Rose?"

Rose moaned. "I don't feel well, Auntie Kenna."

Kenna sighed, reaching over to hit Bash awake. She turned to see him digging his face deeper into his pillow, seemingly wanting to ignore her.

"Did she vomit?" His muffled voice asked.

She turned to Rose. "Did you vomit?"

"No," Rose replied, shaking her head shyly. "I don't feel well. I want my Mama and Papa!"

Then it dawned on Kenna. "You're missing your parents, aren't you, sweetling?"

Rose nodded sadly, hugging her stuffed teddy even tighter to her chest. She let out a disgruntled huff and swayed side to side.

"When I have the night terrors, Papa reads me back to sleep. I want Papa to read me to sleep!" Rose told her.

"Rosie, your parents aren't back yet. I am sure they would love to read you to sleep, but can you settle for Uncle Bash tonight?"

Bash looked up at her, sending her a light glare. "I read two other children to sleep. It's your turn, my love."

Kenna blushed. "Fine," she said, turning away and not making any effort to leave the bed. "I just wonder who is carrying a child inside them as-"

He groaned into his pillow, got out of the bed and put his night coat on as he was almost fully undressed. Tying the belt, he walked up to Rose and lifted her into his arms.

"Which book do you wish to have read to you?" He asked, brushing her hair from her eyes.

"The French one," Rose replied sweetly. "Papa does all the voices!"

Bash resisted the urge to roll his eyes. At least Robin never asked for different voices - his nieces were spoilt.

"Voices it is," he said, sighing.

...

As soon as the estate was in sight, Mary sighed in relief.

As much as she enjoyed her time with Francis, even if it was for a day, she missed her children.

She missed Anne's defiance and Rose's sweetness. She even missed James's scent of lavender and lemons from his baths each day. The baths she insisted on doing for her children herself.

"I miss them," she told Francis as the rode into the stables.

"I did, too," he replied. "Unfortunately, it is late for us to wake them although I am certain James will be awake for his nightly feed."

Mary's eyes lit up. "I want to do it myself. Would you mind sorting-"

Before she knew it, the stableboys were attending to their horses, even helping them with their belongings. A few handmaidens then arrived to help them.

"They work very fast here," Mary noted as they headed up the stairs to the bedchambers wing. "Faster than at the castle. Did we hire the slowest staff in the whole of France?"

Francis laughed softly, not wanting to wake anyone. "I believe they're just fine. You are too spoiled on our time away, Mary."

"Perhaps Bash should have accepted the duchy sooner," Mary quipped.

As they passed the girls' chambers, they heard a soft voice reading a book. Francis immediately recognised it and a smile grew on his face as he entered the chambers with his wife right behind him.

The couple stood there, Francis's arm around Mary's waist and her hand on his chest, both watching Bash read both girls to sleep now that Anne had discovered her sister's plot.

"You're terrible at the voices!" Anne told him, crossing her arms angrily. "The wolf doesn't sound like that.

"For the love of-Alright, Anne and Rose. Let's go to sleep now, your aunt needs me, and it's late," Bash replied calmly.

He planted a kiss on each child's head as Mary and Francis quickly ran out before any of them caught them.

"One more night?" Mary asked quietly, grinning.

"I think we need that. I am not looking forward to an hour of scraggly voices for two impatient little girls," Francis teased, leading his wife to the nursery.

They found the governess just about to feed James and Mary quickly took over as Francis paid her for her troubles.

"Look at him, Francis. Look at our son," Mary breathed out.

She was still in disbelief some days, wondering how on Earth she gave birth to such a handsome, little boy. To such a beautiful creature who rarely cried the castle down as his sisters had done. Who rarely needed to be held.

"He's independent already," she continued. "Our little prince."

One of the doors opened and they both turned to see Kenna staring at them in surprise. She had a hand on her bump and gave them a warm smile.

"The governess told me you had returned. Am I correct when I say that your time away was much needed?" She asked them knowingly. "Should we expect another little prince-"

"No," Mary cut her off, giggling. "We took precautions. Let a woman rest her hips."

Kenna nodded, a smirk still on her face. "Well, you did have Anne right after Rose. They gave us grief, your little angels."

"Did they now?" Francis asked, biting a smile back.

He shared a look with his wife. They already knew the mischief their girls got up to. If what had occurred between them and their frustrated uncle had shown them anything, it was that they put the couple through their paces.

"If you could refrain from leaving any time soon so your little girls do not creep into my bedchambers looking like ghosts..." Kenna trailed off. "By the way, I saved a dress of yours from being torn apart."

Mary gasped. "They didn't!"

"They did," Kenna confirmed. "It seems like my necklace isn't the only thing Anne likes. When she marries in the future, her husband better has enough to cater to all of her expensive tastes."

They shared a laugh before Kenna finally bid them 'goodnight' and left for her own husband's comfort.

James cooed and Mary looked down at him, studying his wide eyes as he fed from her chest.

"Hello, my love," she said softly, kissing his head. "Why don't we go horseriding tomorrow morning with the girls? We will leave James with the governess."

Francis replied with a nod, getting onto the chaise and laying down. "Splendid idea. As he feeds, I am going to sleep..." He yawned. "Goodnight, Mary. I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied, looking down at her son when he cooed again. "And I love you, James," she whispered into his ear. "Mama's special little blessing."