The Royal Academy

Chapter 23

The morning after we discovered I was pregnant, everything felt different. There was a warmth between Conrad and me that hadn’t been there before—something unspoken but strong, binding us in a way our marriage vows never could. It wasn’t just the joy of the baby; it was something deeper, a mutual understanding that we had crossed a threshold together.

After breakfast, Conrad took my hand and led me back to my chambers, his steps deliberate and his expression serious, but there was a gentleness in the way he held my hand. Once we were inside, he closed the door behind us and turned to me, his eyes searching my face.

"I’ve been thinking, Rosalie," he began, his voice soft yet firm. "Now that we’re going to be parents, I don’t think we should continue living the way we have been—separate lives, separate rooms. It’s not how I want us to move forward."

I blinked at him, my heart fluttering with uncertainty. "What are you saying?"

He took a breath, his grip on my hand tightening ever so slightly. "I want you to move into my chambers. Permanently."

I stared at him, unsure of how to respond. The thought of moving into his chambers felt like a huge step—something more intimate than what we had ever shared. But at the same time, it made sense. We were no longer just two people fulfilling a duty; we were going to be a family.

Conrad must have sensed my hesitation because he stepped closer, his other hand reaching up to gently cup my face. "Rosalie, I know this is sudden, but I want to be there for you. I want to support you, every step of the way. I don’t want to miss a moment of this pregnancy, and I don’t want you to feel alone again."

His words were so sincere, so filled with emotion, that I felt my heart begin to soften. This was what I had wanted all along—to feel connected to him, to feel like we were truly partners, not just in name but in life.

"I... I’d like that," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

His face broke into a relieved smile, and he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Good. We’ll have your things moved over immediately."

And just like that, the distance that had always seemed so insurmountable between us began to shrink. That same day, my belongings were transferred to his chambers. I watched as my things were neatly placed alongside his—a quiet but significant merging of our lives.

Conrad was nothing short of attentive from that moment on. He hovered around me constantly, making sure I had everything I needed, whether it was a comfortable seat, a warm blanket, or a glass of water. His presence was steady, always watching over me with a protective, caring energy that I had never seen in him before.

"How are you feeling?" he would ask every few hours, his voice full of concern. "Do you need anything? Are you comfortable?"

At first, I didn’t know how to handle his sudden attentiveness. It was overwhelming in the best possible way. I had grown so accustomed to his distant, cold demeanor that this side of him—a side so full of love and care—felt almost surreal.

One evening, as we sat in front of the fire in his chambers, I couldn’t help but smile to myself. He had insisted on bringing dinner to the room so we could eat privately, away from the formality of the grand dining hall. It was such a small gesture, but it meant everything to me.

"You’re smiling," Conrad observed from his seat across from me, his eyes flickering with curiosity. "What’s on your mind?"

I looked up at him, my heart swelling with warmth. "I’m just... happy," I admitted. "I didn’t expect any of this. I didn’t expect you to be so..." I trailed off, unsure of how to put my feelings into words.

"So what?" he prompted gently.

I shrugged, feeling a bit shy. "So kind. So thoughtful."

Conrad leaned forward, his gaze softening as he reached across the table to take my hand. "I may not have been the best husband before, Rosalie. I know that. But I want to make up for it. You deserve more than I’ve given you, and now that we’re having a child, I want to be better—for you, for our family."

His words stirred something deep inside me, a hope I hadn’t allowed myself to fully embrace until now. I squeezed his hand, feeling the sincerity in his touch. "You’re already better, Conrad," I whispered. "And I’m grateful for it."

From then on, every moment we spent together felt like another step toward something new, something real. We shared our meals, our thoughts, and our laughter. I learned things about him that I never knew before—like how he preferred to sleep with the windows open, even in the dead of winter, because he liked the fresh air. Or how he had always wanted to learn how to play the piano but never had the time.

In turn, I found myself opening up to him in ways I hadn’t thought possible. I told him about my childhood, about the years at the Academy, about the loneliness I had felt when I first arrived at the palace. And every time, he listened with such attentiveness, never interrupting, always making me feel heard.

As we lay in bed together, I looked over at him, feeling the weight of all the changes that had happened in such a short time. "Conrad," I whispered, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Hmm?" he murmured, his eyes half-closed as he turned to look at me.

"Thank you," I said softly. "For everything. For being here. For caring."

He smiled, a slow, lazy smile that made my heart skip a beat. "I’ll always be here, Rosalie. Always."

I reached out, lacing my fingers through his. "I know."

And for the first time in a long time, I truly believed it.