Six years later
"Mama! Papa!" James dashed into the library where Christine and Erik were playing chess. Evie was right on his heels. "I caught a bug."
Erik smiled. " You did? Let's see."
James held out his small fist, opening his hand to reveal a crushed beetle. His face fell. "Did I kill it?"
"I'm sorry son. I'm afraid you did." Erik cleaned off his son's hand.
Evie held a bunch of flowers in her hand. "These are for you mama." She gave them to Christine. "I know I'm not supposed to pick flowers from the gardens. So I got them from the field by the oak tree."
Christine held the flowers to her nose. "They're beautiful. Thank you my little princess." She took one from the bunch and tucked it behind Evie's ear.
Evie climbed up onto Christine's lap. "Mama, what are you and Papa playing?"
"We're playing chess." Erik answered. He picked James up when he held up his arms. James wasn't tall enough to climb onto Erik's chair yet. As Erik's chair was higher than Christine's due to his leg's being longer.
James was about to put his thumb in his mouth when Erik stopped him. "Son, that's the hand you were holding the bug in. You don't want bug guts in your mouth, do you?" He tickled James' sides.
James giggled. "Stop Papa."
Evie pouted. "Mama, why does James get all the love?" She looked up at Christine.
Erik stopped tickling his son. "Evie, your mother and I love both of you equally. We don't play favorites. Do you want me to tickle you too?" He set his son back on the floor and stood, walking over to kneel in front of his daughter and his wife.
Evie averted her eyes. "It's just that you moved me out of the room next to yours as soon as I was old enough to walk on my own. And I felt like you didn't love me anymore." Tears gathered in her gray-green eyes.
Christine and Erik saw the tears. James seemed oblivious, as he was playing with the model ship Alabaster had given to him on his fifth birthday.
"Evie, you are more than just our first born child and the heir to the throne of Britain. You were a miracle to us. We almost lost you a few times while you were growing in your mother's belly. Although that story is not to be told until you are older." Erik took his daughter's little hands and kissed them. "We love you just as much as we love your brother."
"Really?" Evie sniffled.
"Really really." Christine said.
Erik stood. "How about, we all go for a ride to the field by the oak tree? We can have a picnic."
James looked up from his model ship. "I want to go on a picnic."
Evie and Christine agreed as well.
Soon, the four of them were riding to the oak tree together. Erik and James were riding Diablo, and Evie and Christine were riding Ginger. A picnic lunch was divided between the saddle bags on both horses. The little family of four spent the afternoon in the summer sun playing in the grass and just enjoying themselves.
As Erik and Christine sat against the oak tree and watched their son and daughter chase each other through the tall grass, they spoke of having at least three more children. After all, this was just the beginning of their tale.
Fin