Without love no man is a king

38.

The prince and king nervously prepared for a formal Dreconton visit, their messenger had returned to say that Cedmond was beyond angry that the agreement to return his daughter once a year was not being upheld. The prince had become inseparable from his wife on news of her condition. He doted on her even more than before.

"You are beginning to show" Roland smiled palming Inara's stomach "it suits you, you look even more beautiful."
"No tell father" she shook her head as they lay in bed together the morning Cedmond was due to arrive
"I think he will notice my love" Roland palmed her stomach again "there is no denying your condition. It is obvious. Even if you cover over, as soon as he feels this beautiful mound growing here he will know. He always manhandles you to check the fullness of your belly, despite me telling him not to." The prince looked up from her expanding stomach to her eyes "do not cry. I will take very good care of you. I will keep you both safe. You will not leave my side."
"Promises"
"Promises" he laughed, kissing her hungrily
"Ooo" she gasped, holding her belly "my Roland? Hand" she placed his hand on her small belly
"I do not feel anything. You can feel them moving?" He smiled at her enthusiastic nodding "well that is a good sign."
"Apricoots" she nodded
"You will look like an apricot." he chuckled gleefully "I will fetch you some. Let us get dressed for the day. Prepare for your fathers arrival......before I get carried away again." He smirked kissing her.

The prince dressed presentable helping his wife dress, hoping her new attire would not upset Cedmond too much.
"You look beautiful" he stood behind her, looking in the mirror "Erathern royal gowns hide this better." He smiled placing both hands on her stomach. "My little Erathern Prince is growing strong. Do not bite the midwife when she visits later" he laughed into her neck "my feisty Drecontonian wife."
"No touch. Only my Roland."
"I know but she is permitted. I have explained this to you. She is here to care for you and the babe growing in here. So that they arrive safe and well and you survive the process"
"Roland Mother" she nodded in understanding, reaching up to hold his face to comfort him

"Dreconton no...midwife."
"You do not have midwives?"
"No" she shook her head, turning it to kiss him "child grow, come when ready."
"Aye. That is true" he sniggered kissing her back "the midwife will deliver the babe. Understand? Like I showed you in the book." He turned her around to kiss her more hungrily, she shook her head "I know you do not wish it but your Roland insists that it is safer."
"No safer. Mother many child no live. Midwife there. No safe. Dreconton, child born....mother god"
"Out in the wild? In nature?"
"Yes." She smiled jumping up, wrapping her legs around his waist
"I know what you want, but we do not have time" he laughed "swive later. Inara!" He laughed when she huffed at him, trying to persuade him otherwise "later. Believe me I am restraining myself. I want it too....you are hard to resist" he flopped her backwards on to the bed.

"Son" the king walked in "sweet lord Roland! How many times lock the ruddy door! Come away with you, there is no time."
Roland laughed standing up, adjusting his clothes "later my love" he held out his hand "father you did not interrupt anything"
"Hmmm. I have eyes boy"
"Then stop looking" he teased, pulling Inara's gown over her legs, adjusting her appearance "do you think Cedmond will approve?" He asked, presenting his wife.
"I doubt it but you look ravishing my darling girl. You will turn heads. It hides your heir nicely. He will feel it though I am sure."
"I have told her this. She can feel them moving father! We were just discussing the birth. It differs in Dreconton."

"You need to speak to Beric, he has finally located the right book." The king laughed "it is very different."
"How so?"
"For one they birth in the dirt. On the ground of the Mother Earth or I believe in water is preferred. A river or lake.....into the child's fathers hands. Both as naked as the day you were born.....the child's cord connecting it to its mother is severed by the fathers teeth and tied off with the mother hair. I believe they feast on the after birth."
"After birth?"
"Read the book. Have to say turned my stomach." The king scrunched his nose up "they cook it. As the first meal after your child is born. Only you and her mother are permitted at the birth son."
"Very different then." He thought back to the days of pacing outside the room with his father when his mother birthed his sisters who were all born sleeping. The last time the king bursting through the doors at the pained cries that differed from before. The sight the prince saw that night haunted him still.

"I am not sure what she will want to do Roland." The king smiled sympathetically. "You have time to discuss with her. Form a plan. Right now we have to please her father. She looks pale again. Hopefully he will believe she is unwell."
"Then you are agreed. Yourself and your advisors that we should not tell him of my son yet."
"We are agreed, unless he figures it out. Which I am sure he will. Especially with your fussing over her, remove your hand Roland!" The king laughed "it is a giveaway."
"It just finds its way there" the prince laughed, looking down at his hand on the princess' belly "make sure there is no garlic in the meal. It turns her stomach."
"Apricoots" the princess nodded keenly
"Yes, I promised did I not, let us stop on the way and fetch you some Apricoots, I mean apricots, you have me at it now. Easy now. Take my arm. Good girl."