Ok, so I was going to put this at the bottom, but something strange is going on with fanfiction i think. Anyway, I am extremely sorry this is late, but I think I might have misplaced my beta, so I think I may be looking for a new one. This story is going to be ending very soon and I need a beta to read my next one so if anyone is interested that would be great. Please review, they are beginning to wane and I am starting to worry that people are leaving this story, I know I haven't updated but I am trying to. Sorry about the mistakes. Thank you to anyone who does review!
EV
Christine sat there with her head in her hands as the men argued over the same land deal again. This was indeed tiring and she could not understand how just a few men could turn a simple thing of a treaty into another war. The battle had gone on for two hours today and yesterday straight and she wondered how much longer she was going to have to deal with this. With the past two days being hell, she was feeling even more exhausted than she should have.
She understood that the child took up much of her energy but this was ridiculous! When she had gotten sleep that she had been used to all these years, she was extremely tired and had to lie down after the meetings and sleep. Then there was yesterday when an ambassador came and she could barely keep from falling asleep. Everything she did was tiring, getting up, and lying down, even reading a paper. Most of all her thoughts kept going towards Erik and the impending rebellion.
"Majesty!" Madame Giry came into the house, giving a quick curtsy, she announced, quietly to the queen. "It is about, His Majesty."
"What about His Majesty?" Christine looked at her.
"I must speak with you." She looked around the room. "Privately."
"This meeting is over gentlemen." Her eyes crossed the men in the room as she stood.
"But, Your Majesty." Benedict raised a brow. "We have not finished the negotiations with…"
"Lord Benedict." She turned to him. "We have not finished the negotiations in two days. I am positive another day will not ruin it. Besides a day of rest is the best medicine for undeceived minds."
Standing tall and regal, Christine left the room full of men, who were silent and in hopes of news of their king, others kept their silence in thought. She followed Madame Giry to a room, which Madame pulled her inside, and closed the doors making sure no one had followed them.
"He is going die." The statement hung in the air, with another heavy silence.
Madame Giry turned to the pessimistic queen and saw Christine's back facing her looking out towards the grounds of the castle. "He was awaken this morning, right after you left. The king asked for you, Majesty." The other woman still did not answer. "Majesty?"
Madame noticed the shaking frame, and the silent sobs that were coming out of the woman's small body. Quietly she went over to her queen and touched her shoulder, Christine shifted her head so Madame Giry could see fully her tears and red eyes.
"I know this is not a bad thing." Madame Giry looked her over.
"Is he still up?" She asked her voice raw from the fresh tears.
"Yes," Nodding she continued. "But he is weaker, than usual. Although he states that by tomorrow, he will be standing and walking around."
"May I see him?"
"You may." Those were the only words she needed, when she suddenly turned and ran towards her husband's quarters. She did not even bother to wait for the older woman, who was smiling in the room she had left her in. Christine entered the room, and tried very hard to not make any noise, in case he had fallen back asleep, just knowing that he would be better would be enough for her.
"You do not have to do that." A voice, that was horse called out to her.
"Erik!" Christine rushed over to him, wanting very badly to touch him, make sure that she was not dreaming. He was sitting up in bed, backed by pillows. "You are…"
"Going to be fine." His brow lifted, "The gracious Doctor Mitchell insist that I get at least another day's rest before I even try to get out of bed."
"You just woke up, of course you need rest." She cocked her head him.
"Have you been crying?" He questioned, she did not answer. "Whatever for?"
"Erik," Her tone was one that one would have used to explain to a child, slow and steady. "I thought you were going to die. Madame Giry interrupted me in the House and…."
"You were in the House?" Erik looked at her.
"Well," She was not sure if he was going to be angry or not. "Yes."
"I will guess the Lords did not take it well."
"Some did, some did not." Her shoulders moved.
"How…"
"Let us not speak of tedious state politics. You need to rest and not worry over things like that." She finally sat besides his torso on the bed, and reached out and touched his healthier looking cheek. "Is there anything I can get you?"
"You are enough." A small smile came to his face. "Unless…"
"No," She returned the smile, thankful. "I will not get you any reports."
"Then," He sighed. "How do you fair, my lady?"
"As well as I can." Her reply was honest, she could not hide her feelings from him, she knew better by now.
"You have been run ragged." Erik looked over her outwards appearance of being fine, but could tell she was tired. "It seems you also need much rest." He attempted to pull her down towards the bed to rest besides him.
"There is no resting for a queen." She smiled faintly, resisting his tug at her arm. "I am not allowed to rest."
"Then I command you to rest." He said seriously, beginning to worry that stress would once again take over. "I command that you think of nothing, for the while that you are in here."
"For once," Finally she lay down and enjoyed the heat that radiated off his body from the sheets as she lay next to him. "I will obey my king."
Erik smiled at this and stroked her hair gently, taking a curl and playing with then moving to the next. He closed his eyes in accepting the peacefulness that had finally come upon them. After knowing that she had fallen asleep, he caressed her cheek and then moved downward, until he moved to her breast and then to her stomach, enjoying her round, voluptuous body, that he had missed so dearly in the last few days of delirium.
He moved to embrace her fully and lay down beside her, his hand still resting on her stomach. Lazily he drew circles on her abdomen and when he pressed down, he noticed it was hardened. His brow furrowed, thinking that perhaps Christine had somehow found the time to get out and move about, but knowing that was impossible. She may have gotten thinner. Perhaps she was not eating, as she should, he felt panic rise in him.
What if she was not taking care of herself because of him? Well obviously, she was not taking care of herself because she was currently fast asleep and it was the middle of the day. He knew that Christine barely took naps during day hours. In addition, she had listened to a command of his. She did not take commands very easily as she did today, which caused him to worry over her laid back attitude.
Debating whether to wake her to discuss the issue, Erik heard the doors open and lifted his head to see Madame Giry and Dr. Mitchell walk into his room. He looked down at Christine and noticed she was still asleep, he wished to keep it that way. They did not have to discuss her habits at the present time.
"Sire." Dr. Mitchell said quietly, noting that his king probably wanted his wife to stay asleep. "The queen should not be in here, let alone sleeping in your bed!"
"She was tired and I am fine now." Erik answered in the same voice, calmly. "I am recovering and it will be a quick recovery. I see no danger in her being here."
"You could still carry the plague!" The doctor seemed slightly panicked. "That would be horrible for the health of…"
"The health of what doctor?" He questioned.
"The queen." He finished, so it was true, the queen had yet to tell her husband of the child. "I insist that she moves to her apartments."
"I do not think that harm could come to her, doctor, I have burned the plagued sheets." Madame Giry interrupted the rant between the two men. "Besides that would mean waking her and she has been through much and sleeping little."
"Has she been eating?" The doctor turned to Madame, and Erik perked up, also.
"Enough." She nodded, but then gave a look to the doctor. "But she needs to eat a better selection."
"Madame." Mitchell understood. "Perhaps you and I should talk about this somewhere…"
"What is wrong with her diet?" Erik did not want them going anywhere if they were discussing his wife. "Do the cooks not feed her well?"
"She needs to eat a little bit of a better selection." Madame Giry shrugged, "But I think we should just let the Majesties rest, doctor."
"Indeed." He nodded and they left.
Erik began to worry again, and he looked down at the seemingly serene face of his wife and noticed that their fingers had become intertwined that lay on her stomach and she was rubbing their thumbs on her abdomen.
--------
Christine opened her eyes and noticed that the sun was just setting over the horizon. She felt warm and extremely comfortable. A tired yawn erupted on to her face and she snuggled closer to the warm body next to her.
"You are up." Erik mumbled as he looked down at her, placing the papers on the nightstand.
"What time is it?" She questioned, meeting his gaze.
"Around seven." He guessed. "Are you hungry?"
"Famished." Her eyes sparkled at the mention of food; she sat up and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Did I rest too long?"
"No," His arm went around her. "Just enough, five hours, I think."
"Five hours!" She sat up. "I slept the whole day! I should get up and not be…"
"You are allowed to be idle for a night." A small smirk appeared on his face.
"Erik." Her tongue wetted her dry lips. "I have to speak with the professors."
"They are probably at their houses right now," He shrugged, feeling in the playful mood. "Resting."
"No," She shook her head. "I doubt they are."
"Why?" Erik looked at her. "What is the matter?"
"Something is happening." Christine did not let her voice quaver. "Something dreadful."
"Dreadful?" His eyes narrowed. "How dreadful?"
"There are many who are planning a rebellion." She let it out. "They no longer support us and I cannot…"
"Who are these men?" He questioned.
"Lord Benedict and Davison." Her eyes pleaded with him, "We must do something, and fast. I need to speak with the professors to find a way to stop this from happening."
"Set spies on them."
"I cannot do that." A brow lifted. "I am a queen, no one will listen to my orders, even in the House they were reluctant to listen or comprehend."
"Bring them here." Erik nodded. "We will all speak together."
"They are not the problem, in fact they were one of the only ones that were willing to help!" She sighed. "Besides you are still weak, you should be resting more than I, and not looking at reports."
"We will meet with them tomorrow." He decided. "I will be fine tomorrow."
"But…"
"I will be fine." He nodded.
"Erik…" She gave him a look.
"Christine." His lips touched her forehead. "Do not worry. Everything will be fine. We have time."
Sighing she gave in and they settled down for bedtime. Amazingly, she still felt tired, especially when she felt Erik slide her body against his.
"Erik…" She said softly, after sometime, hoping he was still awake.
"Yes?" His breath hot on her neck.
"I…I'm…"A pause, she still could not say it. "I love you."
--------
"Christine, I am fine!" Erik sat on the side of the bed as he watched her get herself ready for another day. "You are the one that needs to rest!" She faltered for a moment, did he know? "You have been working extremely hard lately and you have been under much stress!"
"You are recovering from the plague." Her mind repeated the phrase do not yell at him, Christine. "Everything is fine, and when you are better we shall speak of many things." She kissed him, quickly and headed for the door.
"Many things?" Erik called out after her, damning his weak voice. "What can I do that does not require much, because obviously you have something against…"
"Rest." She called back and with a sigh, turned to face him. "Look over reports from Liren, and I am expecting Jake to come, if you would not mind…"
"As long as the deed requires me to leave this room." He finally smirked a bit and stood.
"But," Her hand went up. "I want you to rest for a while, before. Besides I am not expecting Jake until mid-afternoon."
"Are you honestly going to be that long in the House?" He sat back down on the bed.
"We have many things to discuss." Christine shrugged.
"It seems that you have much to discuss." His brow lifted.
"I will see you when we meet with Jake."
"Is he bringing more reports?"
"Yes." She nodded, needing to leave she opened the door. "He wishes to speak about something else. I will be there." She left.
Erik sighed heavily, and hoisted himself back into the bed in a comfortable position. He was halfway dressed, with his pants and a clean shirt on, and had no intention of sleeping. In all honesty, he did feel a little weaker but he noticed that his leg had healed in miraculous time, in which he walked with only a small amount of a limp, without a cane.
Deciding that he was sick of his bed, Erik stood and walked over to the great window, in his room and looked out over the grounds. From here, he could see the gardens that Cecile had once played in and observed the tiny creatures living amongst the arrangement of flowers. Then the beach was farther out but still visible. He remembered the outing of the three of them. He remembered how Cecile would smile up at Christine with all the love, which she shared with him. He remembered how he missed her.
Erik knew that nothing would replace Cecile, and the ache would never go away but maybe it could lesson a bit. Within time, perhaps, he and Christine would have child or children, however many she pleased, but now it would probably be too hard on her. Christine had much to deal with at the moment; a child would most likely leave her in a mess.
Deciding he had enough rest, Erik left the room and went to the report room, which held some of the Liren papers and reports and where Christine would meet with the delegates from Liren. The room was plain enough and there were only a few papers lying about. He looked at them noticing nothing out of the normal. Everything seemed to be running smoothly, and in an upward progression. Then he looked at another report….
"Your Majesty." Lord Jake walked into the room and quickly shut the door behind him. "I must inform you about Borgia, we finally…"
"Lord Jake." Erik acknowledged the man without even looking up, still engrossed in the document in front of his face. "Your daughter…"
"Sire?" He asked. "Which one?"
"Amilia." Erik finally looked up at him. "You said there was no child?"
"She had children but none lived, sire."
"Did any of them live to the full three trimesters?"
"The first one did." Jake nodded, feeling very confused as to why the king was asking him this, and feeling anxious as to what he had to tell him and the queen. "It was born as any normal child, but then died."
"Was there a burial?" The king stood urgently.
"No." Furrowing his brow, why did the king need to know this?
"What was the sex of the child?" His questions were coming quick and fast, he knew but this had to be said and he prayed he was wrong in his thoughts.
"A girl." He shrugged. "She had her mother's eyes, a honey golden brown, but she was tan." A small smile lit his face. "She must have gotten that from myself."
"Did they name her?" His heart raced.
"Amilia did," Jake nodded and his smiled faded. "And I do not know of Borgia."
"What was the name?" Erik's stomach leapt to his throat, this was not what he needed right after he recovered.
"Arabella, Majesty." A spell fell over the king as he contemplated this thought. "Majesty." Lord Jake called to his king, hoping to pull him out of his trance. "Majesty!" When Erik finally looked at him, he asked. "Are you alright?"
"Lord Jake." Erik straightened. "Did Borgia, go on a trip anywhere after the death of the child?"
"He came here." He came out of his confused stated and became aggressive. "Majesty, I must inform you about Borgia, it was my reason for coming here!"
"What about Borgia?" Erik asked, steadily. He was numb now, after reading the report, well more like a note, he knew something was wrong in the kingdom. More importantly, something was wrong in his castle. Now he was worried about letting Christine go into the House.
"We found him." Jake answered, gravely. "Majesty, Borgia is in Borswan."
"Thank you, Lord Jake." Erik looked at him a smile that was meant to be for a laugh. "But I already knew that."
