Tied to the Throne

chapter fifty seven

The next few months flew by in a whirlwind of excitement, joy, and, if I'm being honest, a little bit of hell. The early stages had been filled with a soft glow of happiness—talking about baby names, preparing the nursery, daydreaming about what life would be like with a child. But as my due date neared, things became more complicated. The pain, the anxiety, the worry that this time could end like the last—it all started to creep in. I could no longer ignore it.

I had been to the doctor so many times, making sure everything was progressing smoothly. Each visit left me feeling a mix of hope and dread—hope because everything seemed to be going well, dread because I was so terrified of losing this baby, too. But despite my nerves, I tried to keep my optimism up, especially for Nikolai's sake.

Speaking of Nikolai—my love, my partner, the father of my child—he was incredible. But I could tell, even with his usual calm demeanor, that he was terrified. The thought of me going into labor was enough to send him into a whirlwind of nervous energy. He hovered, always asking if I was okay, if I needed anything. And it wasn't just that. He'd found it nearly impossible to leave my side.

One evening, we decided to take a trip to Raeywell to tell my parents the big news. We had been planning it for weeks, and I was excited, but also a little anxious about how my parents would react. My mother, ever the warm and loving woman, was overjoyed when she heard. She cried, she hugged me, she kissed my cheeks, telling me how happy she was for me. I couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. She had always dreamed of being a grandmother, and now she was going to be one.

But my father's reaction was... less than enthusiastic. He didn't show much emotion, which wasn't surprising, really. He had always been more distant, more focused on his own matters than the feelings of others. But I didn't let it bother me. I had Nikolai by my side, and that was enough. We left Raeywell that afternoon, my heart a little lighter, knowing that my mother would be there for me when the time came.

Back at the castle, things settled into a rhythm. The nursery was ready—the crib, the changing table, the little clothes stacked neatly in drawers. It was a beautiful, cozy room, painted in soft, muted tones of lavender and cream. It was my childhood room, the one I had spent so many years in, and now it was transformed into a haven for my little one. We even had a little rocking chair, where I imagined myself sitting late at night, holding our baby close to my chest.

Nikolai spent every moment he could in the nursery with me. He would sit beside me, his large, calloused hands gently brushing over the baby clothes, his eyes soft with wonder. He was in awe of the tiny things, the bottles, the pacifiers, the soft little blankets. Every now and then, he'd get this faraway look in his eyes, and I knew what he was thinking: We're about to be parents. This is real.

But beneath the joy and excitement, there was a layer of unease in the air. The closer we got to the due date, the more I could feel Nikolai's anxiety seeping into everything he did. He tried to mask it, putting on a brave face, but I could see it in the way he moved, the way he hovered around me when I was too tired or when I felt unwell.

"You okay?" he would ask every time I winced or let out a sigh.

I always reassured him, though, even when I wasn't sure myself. "I'm fine, Nik. Just a little uncomfortable."

But the truth was, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had never been through this before. The thought of labor terrified me. The unknown, the pain, the fear—it was all a bit overwhelming. But I had to push through it. For the baby. For Nikolai.

And then it happened. I was sitting in the nursery one afternoon, rocking gently in the chair, when I felt it—a sharp, intense pain that made me gasp. It wasn't like anything I had felt before. My first instinct was to brush it off, but then the pain came again, more intense this time, and my breath caught in my throat.

"Nik!" I called, my voice trembling as I clutched the armrest.

He was by my side instantly, his eyes wide with concern. "What's wrong?" he asked, kneeling in front of me.

"I—I think it's time," I managed to say, my breath coming in short bursts.

The realization hit me all at once. The baby was coming. And everything I had been holding in, all the fear and uncertainty, suddenly came flooding out. I could see it in Nikolai's eyes, too. The terror. The worry. But also, a deep, steady resolve. He wasn't going to let anything happen to me or our baby.

"We need to get to the medic," he said quickly, his voice steady despite the panic creeping in. "Stay calm, Bell. Just breathe, alright? We'll get you there."

I nodded, but the pain was getting worse, coming in waves, each one harder to bear than the last. As Nikolai helped me to my feet, I could see the worry etched into his features, but there was also something else. He was ready. We were ready.

The castle medic was already expecting us, having been alerted by Nikolai's frantic messages. She was calm, professional, guiding us through the process with efficiency and care. But even so, the pain was growing, and I couldn't help but gasp and cry out as the contractions became more intense.

Nikolai stayed by my side the entire time, holding my hand and offering words of reassurance whenever I would look at him, eyes wide with fear. "You're doing amazing, Bell," he whispered over and over again, his voice like a balm against the chaos of the moment.

Hours passed in a blur of pain, sweat, and effort, but finally, with one last push, I heard the most beautiful sound in the world—the cry of our baby.

Tears filled my eyes as I looked down at the tiny bundle in my arms. A little girl. Our daughter. She had soft, dark hair, and the sweetest little face, her eyes scrunching up in that adorable newborn way. I couldn't believe she was finally here.

Nikolai stood by my side, his eyes filled with awe as he looked at her. His voice broke when he spoke. "She's perfect, Bell. Absolutely perfect."

I couldn't help but cry, too, the overwhelming emotions flooding my heart. "She's ours," I whispered, my voice shaky with joy. "Our baby."

The medic gave us a few moments to take it all in before she gently took our daughter to check her over. Everything was perfect. A healthy baby girl, just a little smaller than expected, but perfect in every way.

Once we were left alone, Nikolai and I sat together in the quiet room, our daughter sleeping peacefully in his arms. I rested my head on his shoulder, the exhaustion from labor finally catching up with me. But I didn't care. All that mattered was that we had made it through. We had our family now.

"We have a daughter, Nik," I whispered softly. "A little girl."

Nikolai's arm wrapped around me, pulling me close. "She's going to be so loved. We'll give her everything we have, Bell. I promise."

"Hello Mum and Dad, we just need a name for the birth certificate," The sweet, soft-voiced nurse tells us.

We share a knowing look, Nik's eyes glaze over slightly before we both speak, "Juliette."

And as we sat there, the three of us, in the soft quiet of the room, I couldn't help but smile. Life was full of uncertainty, but in this moment, with my husband and our beautiful baby girl, I knew one thing for sure: This was where I was meant to be. And there was nothing more I could ever want.

Our perfect little girl.

Juliette Annalise Aiden Witlock.

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that's a wrap!
it's took longer than expected, long enough for my writing style to change... anyway love you all if you stuck around this long.
thank you for reading :)
1426 words