How To Tame An Empress (BOOK I)

Chapter 21 - The Weight of Love

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The double doors leading to our chambers closed behind me with a quiet thud. Both Ria and our child were behind those doors, being cleaned up and tended to as I was forced to leave to go and spread the news to my Senate members.

My robes were still damp from when I had been in the bath with Ria, the feeling of her hands gripping onto me seemed to be engraved onto my skin along with the faint smell of lavender, blood, and something sweeter.

My stride remained steady, and my jaw set firm as I walked down the corridor to the private wing where the assembly of senate members impatiently waited. They stood straight the instance they noticed me approaching.

"Your empress has just delivered a strong and healthy boy." I spoke calmly yet my voice still held its command as a breath passed through the group of old men like a collective exhale filled with nothing but relief.

"The empire has been blessed today, congratulations are in order, dominus." One of the men spoke up, gleaming.

"Yes, because your emperor has just become a father... With that said, I will tell you now that I will raise this child under my eyes. I will teach him loyalty and strength just as my father taught me, and I will teach him the price of betrayal..." With my sharpened gaze, I made sure that they understood the deeper meaning beneath my civility.

"And I expect the same from the men who will one day advise him." They nodded quickly before bowing their heads low, and I finally let myself relax.

"Then send word to the temples; Once Ria is recovered, we will host a grand celebration, but for now, let it be known that the future of this Empire has drawn his first breath." With that having been said, I turned and left, returning not to my throne nor any duties, but to my wife and son who were waiting for me.

The chambers had been dimmed, the curtains drawn to hush the light. The chaos of what had transpired a few hours ago now faded into a quiet stillness which was interrupted only by the faint gurgle of the baby in Ria's arms.

I stood in the threshold of our chambers, simply gazing at the wondrous sight of her with our child in her arms like it was a scene out of a dream I didn't know I had. 

She had changed into a fresh set of clothes since I last saw her, hair tied into a braid as it was pulled over her shoulder, and the child in her arms was wrapped in a white blanket, all traces of blood long gone.

Silently, I went to go and sit beside her, watching the child just as she did. He was curled up against her chest, his tiny fingers balled into fists, soft wisps of light hair crowning his head as he breathed lightly, chest falling up and down.

"What are you thinking?" I gently asked, my fingers going to brush strands of her hair away.

"...He is so small." She breathed out a laugh, poking his small nose as she did.

"He will grow." I spoke, my eyes focused on the child, so small and defenseless, but he was ours nonetheless, a product of our love, and as I stared at him, I could already see that he would grow up to look like his mother. 

"But he will never be as strong as the woman who gave him life." Finally, she looked up at me, a smile on her face as I moved to rest my forehead against hers.

"Thank you, Ria... for staying strong, for remaining beside me, and for making me a father. In return, I promise I will protect both of you with my life." I whispered the truth. 

Her eyes opened, meeting mine, and she did not need to say anything for me to know, I saw it all in her eyes, the trust and love she had for me. I was silly to have thought the birth of this child could take that from me.