Wildflower (King!SteveRogers AU)

Chapter 18

Yelena hurried down the hallway, almost colliding with Bucky as she did.

"Woah! Where's the fire Mistress Belova?" He smirked.

"It's started..." she looked at Bucky whose face now changed on realising what she meant.

"You get back to the Queen, I'm heading to the King now so I'll tell him!" He called as he now sprinted down the palace hallways. "Out of my way!" He yelled until he burst through the door of the council chambers.

Steve looked up from his meeting with the other members of the council and frowned. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Bucky caught his breath, "The Queen's in labour..."

Steve was silent for a moment before finally turning and giving his calm instructions. "Everyone out, except you Buck".

He knew if anything, his best friend would calm his nerves. It was down to Amberley now to deliver their son safely.

Once the council had left, he gestured to the chess set that was behind him. "Guess we're gonna be playing a few rounds of this".

Bucky smirked, "she'll be ok pal, they both will - she's a strong one".

It was dangerous. There was always the risk of losing the mother or the child or even both in the worst case scenario. Steve didn't want to think about the possibility of the last. To lose his wife and child? It would break him for sure.
He'd grown fond of his wife over the months they'd spent together, so much so that he couldn't imagine her not being by his side. His feelings for her were stronger than they had been, and as of late he did realise that perhaps this was what true love felt like.

Setting themselves down at the chess set, they knew now that all they could do was to wait. And it would feel like the longest wait that Steve had even been through.

**

She wasn't sure how many hours had passed but Amberley grasped onto the bed frame and panted her way through another wave of pain. Natasha rubbing her back as she did. They had become stronger and more frequent. The midwife and her assistants talked amongst themselves in the corner and then passed her a drink.

"Ale, it shall help to ease the pain your majesty".

Amberley groaned and drank it down. "How long until it kicks in?"

"The birth? Your majesty?" The midwife asked

"No the damn ale!" She snapped back.

Natasha helped her to stand upright and eased her onto the bed. "Another cup I think" she shot a look at the midwife and then wiped her mistresses brow. "Keep breathing, just like they're telling you, I doubt it will be long now".

"I...I don't think I can do this". She moaned.

"You can! You're the High Queen of Brooklyn - you can do anything" Nat grinned as Wanda now took Amberley's free hand.

Another pain hit and she began to sob through it. "I want my mother..."

Her mother wouldn't come. She'd been gone for years. Right now though? She was all that Amberley wanted.

"Drink this". Nat said, helping to sit Amberley up some more. It had been a good couple of hours since the first pains had started and she was drenched in sweat.

"Lady Romanoff..." Amberley grabbed her hand, "if I do not make it through this? Ensure that Steve and our son are taken care of. I know that you and Bucky will do all you can".

Natasha nodded solemnly, keeping a firm hold of her mistresses hand as she began to cry out in pain again.

"I can feel him!"