lunam et stellas

chapter fourteen

the year 1014...

The light April breeze blew gently through the royal's bedroom as they lay in tandem. Peter grinned up at his wife as he rubbed her feet. It was a simple act, but Alexandra could have taken him right there, and the only thing stopping her was, well, the fact that she didn't want to.

She felt disgusting, and Peter knew that. So to make up for his time away, he did all the small things for his wife that she could not do.

She sighed, content. "I missed you more than I care to admit, my love."

He laughed. "You missed my rubs, more like."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Do not put words into my mouth, dear husband." She murmured. "I can easily unforgive you."

"But you haven't." He let go of her feet, and crawled up the bed, laying beside her. "You missed me too much, remember?"

"Ah, yes that's right." She put a hand in his hair, leaning her head back. Peter sighed, knowing his wife was in pain. "Here my love, move forward for a moment."

Sitting behind her, he pulled her carefully back, and her body instantly relaxed. She looked up at him. "You amaze me."

He tilted his mouth down, gently kissing Alex's forehead. "I aim to please."

He put his hands on her stomach, rubbing lightly. "Did you think of names while I was away?"

Alex nodded, her face picking up. "I thought of a few."

He hummed, setting his chin on her shoulder. "Indulge me."

She grinned, leaning back. "Helen for a girl."

Peter felt melancholy at the name of his mother. He smiled softly. "A beautiful name."

"After a beautiful woman." Alex kissed her husband's cheek. "They all miss her too you know." She leaned her head on her husband's. "Especially Edmund."

Peter smiled, remembering back to before the war. "Ed always was attached to Mum's hip."

Alex nodded. "I was thinking if it's a boy..." She paused. "Maybe Christopher?"

She said it as a question, wary of her husband's reaction to the name. Peter's eyes welled. "Both wonderful choices my love." He cleared his throat. "I thought of some names myself."

She laughed. "Oh did you now?"

He nodded. "I have. What about-" He laughed. "What about Caspian?"

Alexandra laughed. "Is that not a Telmarine name?"

"Yes, yes, I liked the name, that's all." He murmured. "Now that I say it now, it does sound sort of ridiculous..."

"I never said that." She smiled. "I like it."

"I'm glad." He pulled her closer, murmuring into her neck. "For a girl, I was thinking Josephine."

Alex lost her breath for a moment, trying not to think too much about the subject. "Yes, that's a good choice."

He sighed. "I knew I shouldn't have said it. I- Your mother-"

She shook her head. "Please, let's not talk about her right now." She leaned back into him, fluttering her eyes shut.

He put his hands back on her stomach, rubbing gently. "Sleep, my love."

...

Alex's eyes shot open, and she looked over at her husband, shaking him lightly. He murmured. "Yes, love?"

"Peter?"