Hi everyone! Sorry I've not updated in a while but I've been busy :(
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
VII
When Kenny came into his boss' office with a grimace splashed across his face, Paul knew it was going to be a very long day.
"What now?" he asked.
"The King requests that the christening should take place in York," Kanny replied, handing the Lord Privy Seal a sealed letter from the King. Paul took it, ripping the letter open and reading it. A laugh rolled off his tongue then he placed the letter down on his desk.
"How is the Queen today?" Paul asked.
"She threw a vase at me," Kenny whined. "With flowers in it. Said that I smelt bad and to get away."
"Don't take it personally," Paul told him. "Certain smells can cause her to throw up."
"She's eating like a horse," Kenny went on. "She ate three apples while I was stood there. Just went chomp chomp chomp."
"She's eating for two now," Paul said.
"It's all very strange," Kenny said. "Why is her pregnancy causing her to ask so strange. Perhaps its the child taking over her body."
"I doubt that," Paul said.
"Has your wife told you that the Queen dismissed her out of her rooms?" Kenny asked. "I was surprised not to see her waiting on the Queen."
Paul paused to think, frowning because he couldn't remember Dawn telling him that the Queen had kicked her out. Perhaps she was sulking about it.
"No, when?" Paul asked.
"Yesterday. They had a massive argument and then the Queen told her to leave," Kenny explained. "The ladies thought it was ever so scary. Poor Lady Dawn."
"Dawn can take care of herself," Paul mumbled. "She's more than capable."
"You've been married for about two months now, haven't you?"
"Yes," Paul said with a nod, "just a little over two months."
"And things between you two are... good?" Kenny asked. He knew he was treading on thin ice here. Either the Lord Privy Seal would tell him to get out or kick him out. No one was allowed to as him about his personal life but Kenny supposed that he didn't use to have a personal life until he married the Lady Dawn. To his surprise, Paul nodded.
"She hasn't smothered me in my sleep yet," he said brightly. "I take that as a positive sign."
"I suppose so," Kenny said, not quite knowing how to respond. He was about to ask Paul another question about the Queen when Dawn burst through the door. Kenny and Paul stared at her blankly wondering why she was panting and looking quite put out.
"Don't tell me the Queen's arresting you," Paul snapped at her.
"Huh? Oh, no," Dawn replied quickly. She turned her gaze onto Kenny. "Out."
Kenny scurried out of the room, closing the door behind him. Dawn glanced at the door and banged her fist on it. There was a yelp on the other side of the door.
"Please do not abuse my staff," Paul told her. He meant to tell her off but the comment sounded quite amused. He was expecting her to tell him something but she began pacing up and down the room, playing with her fingers. Paul decided to ignore her, returning to his paperwork. He looked at the letter from the King once again wondering how they would be able to have a christening in York rather than Westminster. It wasn't like they could have a precession all the way north because the baby would be far too fragile. Likewise, the baby had to be born in London so that the Lords could see it was the Queen giving birth. Parliament had to be notified as soon as the baby cried its first cry.
Perhaps they could have a ceremony in York a few months after the birth. Paul raised a finger to his lips as he thought about this but a strangled cry from Dawn caused him to look around. She was now on her knees on the floor, rubbing her hands on her face.
"Are you sure no one is coming to arrest you?" he asked.
"No," she snapped.
"Then what is wrong with you?"
She fell silent, burying her head in her face. Paul shook his head, turning back to the letter. Perhaps he could talk the King into doing that, he resumed his train of thought. The baby would be able to get strong enough for the precession and the Queen too. That had to be it.
The door of the office opened.
"Privy Seal-" it sounded like Norfolk coming to tell him some news but he only managed to get those two words out before Dawn whipped round.
"OUT!" she yelled. Norfolk was no idiot. He quickly vanished from the doorway and closed the door behind him.
"What are they doing?" Paul heard the Duke ask his clerks on the other side of the door.
"You're trying my patience now," Paul told her. "I do have work to do. Tell me what is wrong or leave."
Dawn turned herself round again so that she was looking at him. She placed her hands in her lap, looking down at them.
"You need to tell the King something," she mumbled.
"What?" he asked. He automatically thought she had done something to upset the Queen. How much damage would she cause by getting into an argument with the Queen, he wondered.
"I think... Well..." she stuttered. "Ever since I was a girl, I kept track of when I... When I..."
Paul arched an eyebrow at her, utterly lost at what she was talking about. Sensing he didn't know, Dawn put her hands round her mouth and whispered one word.
"Bled."
"OK," Paul said slowly. He put down the letter, now intrigued.
"But... Erm..." she stumbled over words now. "I... I haven't bled yet."
"Sometimes its late," Paul told her. He returned to the letter, adding: "Don't worry yourself."
"For two months?" she asked. Paul paused, his eyes becoming unfocused on the letter. He slowly put the letter down onto the table.
"You think you're pregnant?" he asked.
"Do you?"
"Poor Kenny," Paul sighed. Dawn frowned at him, not quite understanding what he meant. Was he accusing her of cheating on him? Paul turned to her. "He doesn't like being round the Queen while she's pregnant. Now you may pregnant too."
"Poor Kenny? Poor me! Have you ever been at a birth? It's horrid. There's blood and poo and screaming... the screaming..." Dawn put her hands up to her face. Her shoulders shook as if she was weeping into her hands. Paul couldn't help but smile at her. He stomped over to where she was sat and slowly knelt in front of her. He rubbed one of her shoulders.
"There, there," he comforted her. "Don't worry about it. There could be a possibility that you're not pregnant."
"I threw up this morning," she sobbed. "Just before I came here."
"Is that the first time?"
"Yes."
"Then it could be anything," he said steadily. He hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. A few tears fell from her eyes but he wiped them away. "It's not the worst thing in the world if you are."
"Why?" Dawn sniffed.
"Because the Queen will make sure she has a healthy son the moment she knows you're pregnant too," Paul said. Dawn's eyes narrowed into a glare and she pulled her head away from his hand.
"Is that all you can think about?" she spat at him. Realising his mistake, he held his hands up to show her he meant no harm. "I am really freaking out here. There could be a... thing inside me. I could be having your devil spawn."
"How am I the devil?" he asked her.
"Because... Because I say so," she replied. With a sigh, he got to his feet and returned to his desk.
"Norfolk?" he called. There was a pause then the door opened again. Norfolk's green hair poked out behind the door, his eyes on Dawn. "What do you want?"
"The King wants to see you about the nursery," Norfolk said, eyes still on Dawn. "As soon as you can. He's waiting."
"I will be right there," Paul told him. Dawn glared at him again, pointing at the door to tell Norfolk to leave. The door clicked shut again.
"You're just going to leave me?" she asked.
"You're free to come with me if you want," he replied, reaching for his leather dossier.
"But... I just want to cry," she said.
"Dawn, do you know how many women I've had in here over the years telling me they're pregnant with the King's child?" he asked her. She shook her head. "More than I can count on my hands."
"But I'm different," she said. "I'm telling you I'm pregnant with your child. That has to ring some alarm bells for you."
"The chances are slim," he told her. "We were only together on our wedding night, never since."
"But it does happen," she mumbled.
"Let's just wait and see," he said. "It could be anything. Stay calm. What will happen will happen. You can not change it."
He walked over to her, offering her his free hand so that he could pull her to her feet. She accepted the help but when she was on her feet she did something Paul wasn't expecting. She leant into him and put her arms round his waist.
"I know I am pregnant," she muttered into his chest. "I know it."
He nodded, placing his hand round her shoulders and giving her a quick squeeze.
"Then go back to your room and rest," he told her. "I'll go to the King then I'll come to see you."
"OK," she muttered.
i
She waited for him to come back from his meeting but there was still no sign even after two hours. With a huff, she turned over the hour glass beside her bed and watched the sand trickle slowly from the top orb to the bottom one. Where could he be? Did he forget about her?
The sound of his heavy feet alerted her to his presence. She looked over her shoulder, about to give him a piece of her mind when she noticed there was a trickle of blood rolling down his head. She sat up.
"What happened?" she asked.
"There was a brawl," Paul replied. He walked over to her dressing table, looking at his wound with a grimace. "Somerset vs Richmond."
"Who won?"
"Not me," Paul said. He winced slightly as he pressed his finger against the injury. Fresh blood spouted out of it.
"Don't do that," Dawn squeaked. She scrambled off the bed, pausing to get a clean handkerchief out of her top drawer then hurried over to him. She pressed the cotton against his head, shooing his hands away. "If you play with it, it will get infected."
"Then would you have to cut it off?" he asked, smirking at her.
"I'm always tempted," she replied. "However, your head's far to big for a normal block. We'd have to have one custom made."
"I'm honoured."
Dawn smiled at him as he fell silent. It was nice to see him letting her take care of him just like a wife should do. She dabbed his wound, biting her lip as more blood poured out of it. It came out slower this time.
"Why were Somerset and Richmond fighting?" she asked.
"I have no idea," Paul replied blankly. "The King and I were talking when a commotion broke out in the next room. We went to investigate and Somerset threw something at me."
"What did he throw?"
"I have no idea," Paul let out a sigh. "It was metallic and hard, that's all I can tell you."
"Luckily your head is harder," Dawn teased. Paul grunted at that, amused.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, attempting to make other conversation other than his injury. The pain drummed in his head dully in a steady rhythm. He needed something else to think about other than the pain.
"Queasy," she replied. "Why did it take you so long to deal with the fight?"
"Because the Queen showed up just we'd got Somerset and Richmond settled," Paul explained. "She had a hissy fit at me about you then had a go at the King for making me marry you. You need to apologise to her."
"Fine, fine," Dawn said.
"Between the two of you, you will drive me insane," Paul mumbled. Dawn pressed the handkerchief into his head a little bit harder. Pain exploded in his head and the next moment he had pushed her away from him and turned his back to her. It was an automatic reaction to the pain, he decided. "Sorry."
"Stop putting your fingers up to it!" Dawn yelled at him. She hurried around him, gently pressing the handkerchief against his wound. She put his hand on top of the material then stepped backwards. "Seriously. You've got ink all over your hands."
"Fine," he grunted. "Thank you nurse, now may I go?"
"No!" she shouted. He winced at her volume. "I've waited two hours for you to get here. I want to talk to you about all this."
Paul checked the handkerchief to see what state his head was in. Upon seeing the puddle of blood on the white material, he decided he wasn't going to be able to do any work. He ushered Dawn into the parlour and settled himself by the fire. Dawn sat down opposite him.
"Page?" Paul called. He grimaced, his voice coming out a lot louder than he'd have liked. A young boy ran into the room and bowed.
"Please go to the Privy Seal's office and tell them he will be taking the rest of the afternoon off," Dawn told the page with a smile.
"Yes, my lady." After another bow, he was off.
"We shouldn't tell the King," he told her. "Not yet, not until we're sure."
"OK," Dawn said with a nod.
"And then we should down play it," Paul went on. "The Queen is carrying the next heir. Nothing should out shine that."
"I guess so..." Dawn said but she was still a little annoyed that the Queen would get all the glory. Didn't Paul care at all that he would soon be a father?
"The spare room," Paul said, nodding through to their bedroom. "We can use that as a nursery. Do you want to sort it out?"
"I can do that?" Dawn asked, her annoyance forgotten.
"Sure," Paul replied with a lofty shrug.
"The Queen wasn't allowed to plan her nursery," Dawn said triumphantly. "Can I name the baby too?"
Paul thought about this then shook his head: "I think we'd enjoy it more if we argued over names."
"Hmm," Dawn said. "I think you're right. I'll draw up a list."
"Great," Paul muttered. Dawn stuck her tongue out at him. "Remember that you're not the Queen."
Dawn looked at him oddly. Of course she knew she wasn't the Queen.
"You do have a lot more freedom with your baby than she will. You'll be able to nurse it, care for it and see it on a daily basis. She won't be so lucky," Paul explained. Dawn nodded slowly. "In the mean time, I want you to take care of yourself. That means no getting into trouble."
"Tell no one but May and Misty," he went on. "Tell them if they breathe a word of your condition to anyone else, they will have to deal with me."
"Yes," Dawn agreed. She seemed to think about something for a few moments, the cogs turning in her head. Paul watched her, a small smile appearing on his lips. After being alone for so long, he couldn't quite keep up with his growing family. He'd barely had a wife for a few months and now he was getting a child too. Dawn looked into his gaze, a wide grin on her face. "You should get me a present."
"For what?" he asked. The smile was gone, now he frowned.
"For getting a child first time," she replied happily.
"Yes, because that's what ever man wants," Paul quipped. Dawn pouted at him.
"Can I get a new dress?" she asked.
"Why?"
"For being with child."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because... you're not the first woman to get pregnant."
"But... I'm the first woman you've got pregnant... right?"
"Of course you are," Paul stood up. Honestly, he thought, could his wife get any crazier than she was before? Dawn got to her feet too, stomping towards him until she was an inch from touching him. She sized him up while he glared down at her, challenging her to demand anything else.
When Misty entered the room at that moment, she gathered the pair were just having one of their arguments. She didn't bother to ask while the Lord Privy Seal was bleeding. Perhaps Dawn had already taken a swing for him – she'd been threatening for days. Misty wouldn't usually pay attention to their escapades but this one suddenly took a turn for the weird when Dawn put both of her hands on Paul's jerkin and pulled him in for a kiss.
Misty blanched. Had she just really seen that?
Paul seemed dazed by the sudden turn of events too, his entire frame going rigid as Dawn's lips attacked his own. His eyes drifted over to Misty. Later, she knew she would laugh at his expression but at the moment, it wasn't funny at all. He had no clue what had gotten into Dawn and neither had Misty.
Eventually, Paul wrapped his arms round his young wife and kissed her back, the bewildered expression not leaving his face. They stood like that for a few moments, Paul pulling Dawn tighter to him and her pulling him closer into the kiss. Suddenly, Dawn pulled away from him, stepping backwards so she was an arm's length away from him. Paul folded his arms across his chest, expecting an explanation. Misty expected her to swing for him now but again she did something unexpected. Her hands drifted to his hands. She clasped them tightly.
"I think some thing's very wrong with me," Dawn said. "Because I really, really want to go to bed now."
Misty looked between them, utterly confused now. Paul's face was twisted with fright rather than confusion.
"OK," he said. "Go to bed then."
"Are you going to join me?" Dawn asked, biting her lip in a rather seductive manner. Misty choked, clamping her hand over her mouth when Paul half glanced at her. Paul seemed torn. One part of him seemed to want to run away but the other was far too frightened to make a break for it.
"Do I have a choice?" he asked her. Dawn shook her head slowly. She began walking backwards slowly, dragging Paul with her. He attempted to dig his heels into the floor but that only made Dawn tug on his hands harder.
"Misty, if we're not present later, please make excuses for us," Dawn told her friend without looking over at the red head. "My Lord Privy Seal is not feeling well."
"Yes, my Lady," Misty said awkwardly with a bow.
"And take the rest of the afternoon off," Dawn added, flashing a smile at her this time. "Tell the pages not to let anyone in."
"Yes, my Lady," Misty repeated, again with a bow. Paul threw her a worried look as if he wanted her to help him but she was completely powerless. Instead she turned on the spot and hurried out of the room.
ii
"Do you think anyone missed us at dinner?" Dawn asked him a little later on as they lay tucked under the fur lined blankets. She stared up at the canopy of their four poster bed. Paul shrugged next to her.
"Probably," he replied, "more you than me."
"Hmm," she agreed with a hum. She pulled the covers further up herself, trying to hide from Paul. She felt dirty like every fibre of her being was caked with mud and grease. Her hair was damp and her throat hurt. She was a complete mess.
She turned her head to look at Paul finding that he was laid with one arm under his head. His lips were parted and his eyes darted this way and that as if he was deep in thought. His eyebrows creased, a problem forming in his mind.
"Are you thinking about work?" she asked him.
"No," he replied.
"You are, aren't you?" she said with a sigh. Here she was wondering how much of a whore she was while he pondered the state of the kingdom. He tilted his head slightly so she could see all of his face.
"No," he repeated. "I was just wondering how I got to here."
"I dragged you, don't you remember?" Dawn said. He smirked at her comment, ignoring the note of self loathing in her tone.
"Not that," he told her softly. "How I ended up being married to you, how you came into my life and when I started falling in love with you."
"You're in love with me?" Dawn gasped. Paul turned his head so that he was looking at the canopy once again then nodded slowly.
"I think so," he said.
"Oh... Thank you, I guess," she mumbled. "I didn't think you did."
"I think I do," he said, a little more sure this time. He nodded. "Seventy-five percent sure I do. Maybe eighty."
Dawn smiled, turning to look at the canopy too.
"When did you realise that?" she asked.
"Hmmm," he thought about this whilst humming to himself. "I'm not sure. Our past hasn't been the best setting for a love affair, has it?"
"No," Dawn almost laughed. "No, it hasn't. I think you're better than Somerset."
"That's good," Paul said. A smile fluttered onto his lips. At least she could admit to that even if she didn't love him. His stomach flipped nervously. What if she never loved him? The smile faded into a frown, his jaw became set as he ground his teeth together.
Beside him, Dawn turned over so that her body was now facing him. She looked him up and down, noting the annoyed expression on his face.
"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I don't know what came over me."
All the emotions on Paul's face vanished as he turned his head back to her.
"Hmm? Oh, it is nothing," he said. "Women do silly things when they're with child."
"But I feel like I've used you," Dawn moaned. "I feel gross. I'm all sweaty and I'm so embarrassed. Honestly, I don't know why I did any of it."
Paul chuckled to himself.
"Stop laughing," she went on. "I'm serious! You know that I didn't like it the first time so why would I suddenly want to spend an entire afternoon in bed with you?"
"An afternoon and an evening," Paul corrected her.
"You should have stopped me," she told him.
"I daren't," Paul said, looking directly into her eyes. "I was scared. You were very frightening, I assure you. You could have made me do anything, I was completely under your control."
"Really?" Dawn asked. He nodded.
"It may surprise you that I don't like intimacy," he admitted. "Not like this."
"Is that why you never pressured me into my 'wifely duties'?" she asked, using her fingers to quote the last two words. Paul nodded. "But you do things all the time that are... intimate. Like whispering in my ear, that time you gave me your coat and when you held me on our wedding night."
"Hmm," Paul thought for a second. "I've told you before, you bring it out of me. It's like you draw me in but when your... nudity is involved, I'm just not very good at dealing with it."
"Don't you think I'm good looking without my clothes?" Dawn asked.
"I think you're the most beautiful creature on this planet with or without clothes," Paul replied. "I just think that, considering our age difference and your modesty, I'm much more uncomfortable with you."
"There's twelve years between us," Dawn stated. Paul nodded. "I never thought about it that way before. I mean I know you're way older than me but sometimes you don't act it."
"When?" he snapped.
"Like that!" Dawn said, smiling. She sat up and pointed at him. "Just like that. When we argue you turn into a right child."
"I do not," Paul retorted.
"Ha, just like that!" Dawn said. Paul realised he'd walked right into one of her traps. He let out a laugh, rubbing his eyes with his hand. "See what I mean?"
"Yes," he replied, nodding. "I do."
Dawn seemed pleased with herself, smiling ever so smugly that she'd managed to get him to agree with her for a change. He watched her smile to herself, celebrating her little victory. With her hair cascading down her bare shoulders and the blanket tucked underneath her armpit, she looked irresistible. The sweat on her skin made it glow healthily. Before he knew what he was doing, he had slid across the mattress and caught her lips with his. He kissed her gently, pulling away slightly when he was done.
Dawn didn't seem shocked that he would do such a thing. She smiled shyly at him, her gaze focusing on the pillow beside his head. He watched her blush, smiling to himself. He reached upwards, cupping her face with his hand. His thumb ran across her cheek gently, caressing the soft skin. She felt so warm. He kissed her again then again then once more, the last kiss lingering as she placed her hand on his cheek to keep him there.
"I really do love you," Paul said when they broke apart, the words rolling off his tongue so naturally.
"I love you too," Dawn muttered. She paused, looking across the room. "I'm about twenty percent sure."
"Twenty percent?" Paul asked, eyebrow arching. "I think I can live with that."
Dawn beamed at him. She wriggled closer to him so that she could curl up beside him. She placed her head on his chest, her hand resting next to her forehead. Paul cupped her shoulders, allowing himself to relax for once.
I have no idea when I will update again (I'm only half way through the chapter!).
On another note, and this is a long shot, but I'm looking for a pen pal to write to. If you're over 20, from the US or UK and fancy writing to me, let me know :)
RSx