Happily Ever After.....Maybe

Chapter Twenty-Four

All the leaves slowly fell to the cold hard ground as fall turned into winter. Snow covered the ground and the surrounding oceans and lakes froze over making a perfect place for children to ice skate. In the palace Dolia decorated each elegant room for Christmas. Holly was woven around the staircases railing, mistletoe hung below a few walkways, there was a Christmas tree in almost every room decorated with fancy ornaments, and candles were lit in the windows.
My stomach got bigger and bigger with each passing winter day as I carried Hayden's baby. Before I knew it the snow had all melted and tiny buds played peekaboo on the trees' bare branches. It wouldn't be much longer now till my baby was born I thought as I sat in the  library. It was still cold for spring so a fire crackled in the fireplace as I sat in the comfy rocking chair. I laid my hand on my large baby bump, my baby kicked regularly now. I smiled as I felt a soft kick. Dylan was away on a business trip, but he was due to be back soon.
Elowen walked into the library carrying a silver tray with a china teapot, teacup, and a little plate with cookies. "Here's your after tea, M'lady."
She always surprised me when I saw her, she looked more like a child who should be having fun than a hand servant. "Thank you." I watched her carefully pour tea into my cup. She handed it to me, "How old are you Elowen?" I asked as I took the cup from her.
The young girl smiled at me, "I just had my thirteenth birthday when the first snow fell."
"Why didn't you say anything? We should have celebrated your birthday! It's not everyday you turn thirteen." I smiled.
Elowen flushed a light pink, "Servants don't celebrate birthdays Queen Amaya, only royalty do."
I frowned that didn't seem right. Everyone should celebrate birthdays, "What about with your parents?"
She shook her head, "I don't have parents, I live in the servants headquarters in the castle as long as I can remember. It'll be nice when your baby is born to have a little young thing running around."
My heart broke for this young girl who knew nothing except working for royalty. She was doing hard work meant for a grown women not for a child.  When was the last she played and had a day of fun? I thought to myself as Elowen turned to return to the kitchen, "Elowen wait, will you.... Do you want to sit with me by the fire for a little bit? You can feel the baby."
Elowen's face lit up like a Christmas tree that was lit with candles, but then it quickly faded as she looked towards the ground at her bare feet, "I really should be getting back. Dolia has things for me to do." She said slowly though I could tell she really wanted to stay.
"It'll just be for a little bit." I said patting the footstool beside me.
"Okay... Just for a little bit." She took a seat on the footstool beside me.
Smiling I took her hand and gently placed it on my large stomach I watched her eyes lit up and a smile broke across her small face. She giggled and for the first time I saw a servant girl become a child again.

***

I lost track of time in the library with Elowen. We talked a lot and I got to know the young girl who's been a servant in the kingdom of Kalopsia as long as she could remember. She didn't remember a life outside of the castle which reminded me of my past life in Rollick. Before Hayden kidnapped me and took me away from my home I didn't know what a life was like outside of the caste either, and now I was trapped right back in the life of luxury only this time Hayden wasn't there to rescue me.
The library doors flew open with a loud bang causing both me and Elowen to jump. Dylan strolled in looking weary from his travels. He quickly noticed Elowen sitting beside me, "What on earth do you think you're doing? Why aren't you helping the other servants!" He demanded.
Elowen jumped to her feet with shaking hands she grabbed the silver tray with the empty teacup and teapot. Her eyes avoided looking at King Dylan as she spoke, "I... I was giving Queen Amaya her tea."
"Well it looks like teatime was over a long time ago." Dylan replied.
She nodded and turned to leave, but I touched her shoulder gently as I stood up to defend her, "It was me, Dylan I asked Elowen to stay. She wanted to feel the baby."
He frowned, "A servant should be in the kitchen where she belongs." Then he turned and walked towards the library's large window to look out over the kingdom.
I watched Elowen leave the room, I wished she didn't have to go I didn't know why Dylan was so angry. This wasn't the first time he's been irritable after one of his trips. I walked up to Dylan my soft green gown brushing the floor as I walked. I stood behind him "You shouldn't have spoke so harshly to her, she's just a child."
He turned around, "I am the king I'll talk however I like to my servants. She should have been working, just like all the other servants."
"She's just a child! I don't even think she knows how to play and have fun." I argued.
"A child who works for us! Don't forget where you stand. You forget that you have a royal place in this Kingdom. You're not one of the servants Amaya, you are Queen. You shouldn't be spending time with the servants." Dylan turned his back to me as he looked out the window.
"Maybe I'm lonely." I said flatly, "You're gone so many times leaving me in this big quiet castle. I have to talk to someone before I go insane!"
"You're blaming me? I have to go on these trips to keep this Kingdom running smoothing. To keep peace with the neighboring kingdoms; so there's not an outbreak of war!" He yelled.
I sniffed fighting back tears I already lost my mother, Hayden, and Tallulah, I didn't want to fight with Dylan and lose him too.
With his back still towards me Dylan said, "I have to leave tomorrow to go visit a kingdom up in the north mountains." He spoke slowly. "I'll be gone for three days."
"You're leaving? You just got back!" I protested feeling a dark wave of loneliness push over me.
"I know," He turned to face me, "It's not easy for me either, the last thing I want to do is leave you and our unborn child." He took my hands in his.
"Then don't leave! Stay here!"
"Amaya, it's not that simple. I'm the King I have to travel to our fellow allies. Please don't make it harder than it already is."
"Dylan, whenever you go on these business trips you become angry and upset when you return. I don't like seeing you this way."
"It's not up for debate, I'm sorry but I leave first thing tomorrow." He paused and took some deep breaths, "Remember when I told you we could go to the spring castle just the two of us? How about once I get back we leave and go there?"
I placed my hands on my baby bump, "What about the baby? I'm due soon I can't leave Kalopsia. The baby would never make the trip alive." I thought of all the dangers that came with traveling, as much as I wanted to go with Dylan some place special I just couldn't risk loosing my baby.
He shook his head, "You're right, let's spend time together as much as we can then, before I leave. How would you like a walk in the royal garden?" He held his arm out for me.
Smiling I took his arm and he led me out of the library.