"You are almost there, You're Highness." the doctor announced to the laboring woman.
"You said that an hour ago." Maria cried.
Currently, Emperor Alberto and Empress Maria were in their private chambers. Maria was in the final stage of delivering their fourth child. The country and themselves were all hoping that she would give birth to Alberto's heir. But Alberto and Maria swore that if they did have another girl, she was a blessing, just like her three older sisters, and would be loved dearly by her parents.
"One more push my love." Alberto told his wife.
With one more push, a baby's cry filled the room. Alberto and Maria looked up to see their new baby daughter. Dark hair sat on top of her head, matching her mother and sisters. The doctor placed the baby in Maria's arms. Despite adding their fourth daughter, and not their heir, Maria and Alberto had proud smiles on their faces.
"What will the Grand Dutchess be called?" the doctor asked.
"Gabriella Tatiana Anastasia Victoria Montez." Alberto announced proudly.
In the nursery of the palace, Isabelle, Elizabeth and Josephine were waiting for word on their mother. Their nanny sat with them, offering them comfort whenever they heard their mother's painful cries echo through the palace. The youngest one, Josephine at age two, sobbed at hearing her mother in pain. Elizabeth tried to comfort her, their eldest sister, Isabelle, had a different idea.
"Stop your crying, Josephine." Isabelle snapped. "Mamma will be fine."
"Now, Isabelle." the nanny, Charlotte, chided the young dutchess. "Your sister is too young to know what's going on. All she knows is that her mother is in pain."
The nannies, just like the rest of the staff, called the young dutchesses by their first name. Alberto and Maria thought it would keep the children humble and feel more friendlier towards their staff. Josephine and Elizabeth enjoyed the thought of being friends with the staff while Isabelle only agreed to it because her parents told her to. She felt that since they were royalty that they should be shown respect like their parents. Only five, Isabelle was the handful of the family.
Just then, Alberto entered the room with a smile on his face. Josephine got up and toddled over to him. Her father saw her distress and swooped her up into his arms.
"What is the matter, my little one?" he questioned gently.
"Mamma." Josephine sobbed.
"She's been hearing the Empress screaming and she's been worried that something was wrong." Charlotte explained.
"Your mother is just fine, Cub." Alberto told her using his pet name for her. "She has just had your new baby sister."
"A sister!" Isabelle and Elizabeth asked together, but in completely different tones.
"Gabriella." Alberto confirmed.
"Another sister?" Isabelle asked again disappointedly. "There are already three of us."
"Well, now there are four of you." Alberto told his oldest. "Do you all want to meet Gabriella?"
The proud father led his three oldest daughters out of the nursery. Maria was in her bed with the newest addition to their family nestled safely in her arms. A small, blissful smile appeared on her face as her husband led in their three daughters.
"Mamma!" Josephine exclaimed happily trying to get out of Alberto's arms.
"Be careful Josephine." Alberto told the two year old as he sat her on the large bed. "Your mother's been through alot."
"Come meet your sister, girls." Maria beckoned Isabelle and Elizabeth.
The two girls climbed onto the bed gently and crawled over to their mother and Josephine. Alberto stood next to the bed, smiling proudly down at his family. Gabriella opened her eyes and let out a quiet yawn just as there was a knock at the door.
"Jack!" Alberto announced happily. "Lucielle, come in."
Jack and Lucielle Bolton entered the room. Jack and Alberto had been best friends since they were boys and Lucielle and Maria had been longtime friends as well. In Lucielle's arms was Troy Alexander Bolton, the thrid addition and first boy to the Bolton family. Mary and Emma were four and three years old. Troy was the last baby to be born in the palace, eighteen months ago. Maria had assisted in Troy's birth just as Lucielle had assisted with Gabriella's.
"Congratulations on you new addition, Al." Jack stated to his friend.
"Thank you." Alberto replied. "And how is our little General doing today?"
"Just fine. Already a master at his toy sword."
"Jack has already proclaimed that Troy will your youngest protector." Lucielle stated.
"And closes ally."
"Well, let's introduce them." Alberto stated.
Lucielle carried her son over to Maria who was adjusting her daughter so she could meet her new friend. Troy was busy looking around the room to notice the newborn. The way her mother had placed her, Gabriella had a perfect view of her two new visitors.
"Troy." Lucielle said getting her son's attention. "Say hello to Gabriella."
"Hi." Troy greeted as he tried to lean forward towards the baby.
"Do you want to kiss her hello?" Maria asked.
Lucielle helped Troy lean forward more and he gently placed a soft kiss on Gabriella's forehead. Gabriella's tiny hand reached out and latched onto Troy's slightly larger one. The four adults watched as the two babies held onto each other's hands.
"It seems that Gabriella already has her first suitor." Maria announced. "And I do not think that either one minds or cares that they are just babies."
The thought was not ignored by the fathers. They looked at one another and both silently agreed to a promise. The promise being that if their children did fall in love with one another in the future, nothing or nobody would stand in their way. True love is the people you love, not their status.
