Mon amour, ma vie

21: Spring will come again

May 6th, 1821

The sun was out today, warm and bright. The sea was roaring below the hill you were sitting atop of, with both of your wonderful sons eating a picnic as they played down below.

"Boys! Come on back up! Your mother needs you." You yelled down to the boys, a smile on your face as you rubbed your belly.

"Coming mom!" Nicéphore yelled back, running up the hill with his younger brother. They came up and helped you get up and walk back to the home.

"Go play, I'm going to go speak with your father." You said gently, kissing each of their foreheads. They smiled and ran off.

You went into the room where your husband was sleeping peacefully. You smiled at his face, he was still sleeping as you crawled into bed.

"Hmm" He said, waking up.

"Hey." You replied, kissing his forehead as you laid beside him. He smiled, after so many years he still loved you.

"How's the baby doing?" He asked, sitting up, his breathing heavy. In more recent years he had been ill but he always said your love kept him going.

"He's well."

"It's a girl." He responded, making you chuckle. You two had often discussed if the baby would be a girl or boy. He wished for a little girl. "I can't wait to meet her. Only a few more days at the most."

"Me too." In truth you two had never expected to have another child. Even though you had tried for another baby shortly after the birth of the twins and you wanted him to have another heir but it simply hadn't happened until you were exiled here of all places.

"I have to go put the boys to sleep, I'll be back soon, mon amour." You said gently. He nodded as you waddled off.

~~~~~

You awoke in the middle of the night to a sharp pain and water between your legs. The baby was coming. You gently woke Napoléon to the news and he helped you to the empty room as a maid ran to get the midwife.

This time around, you were very calm since you'd done this three times already. Napoléon held your hand and whispered about how much he loved you.

The birth was relatively easy this time around. At 4 am on May 7th, 1821, you gave birth to a healthy, little baby girl.

"She's perfect. Do you have a name in mind?" He asked as you held your little one as Napoléon extended a finger to the little one.

"I will name her Séraphine Napoléona Étiennette." You smiled down at her little face. She was perfect.

"Mon amour, ma vie. I love you. I thank you for giving me such a wonderful family. You'll always be my Empress." He said.

You were no longer the Empress of France but you were no longer the same scared bashful girl from Normandy. You were a woman with a wonderful husband and family with much love in your heart. Little mattered anymore as long as you had them.

The end.

A/N: So this is the end. I know this took me almost a year to write and I apologize for that. I hope you all enjoyed this because I know I did. Thank you all for continuing to read this.