~By the Lion's Mane: See You Again~

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The next five months passed peacefully, if a little uncomfortable for me. My belly grew rounder and protruded more, and I could no longer fit into most of my dresses, so I constantly had to have new ones fitted for my changing body. My morning sickness continued, but Caspian was put at ease by the new physician we hired to live at the castle, who told him again that it was normal.

The sickness finally stopped when I was about five months along, which was a great relief. But I was also easily tired, and going up and down the many stairs of the castle left me winded and my heart pounding.

One night, Caspian and I were in our chamber, sitting by the fire and reading and answering letters. I got up to go use the chamber pot in the bathroom, as I had to do frequently. When I was done, I picked up the ceramic pitcher of water to wash my hands, but before I could pour any, I dropped it on the marble floor where it shattered loudly upon impact, sending water and shards of clay across the ground.

Caspian was next to me in an instant, where I stood, my mouth open, my hands resting on my belly as I leaned against the wall.

“Rose, what’s wrong? Should I fetch the doctor?” he asked, fear and worry plain in his voice. I only shook my head wordlessly, my brow beginning to furrow as I waited.

Ah! There it was again! That tiny flutter within my body, like butterfly wings. My face broke into a smile.

Caspian looked at me in confusion. “Rose? Rose, what is it?” he asked urgently as tears began to run down my cheeks.

I took his hand and placed it on top of the round form of my belly and waited. When it came again, a tiny little nudge, I saw his face break into an expression of wonder and joy. He looked back up at me, his dark eyes glittering, as we both stood, waiting again for that amazing little bump, proof that there was a life growing inside of me.

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Although it seemed like it should be impossible, I continued to grow. And grow. And grow larger still. My back ached; I had strange cravings, mood swings, and slept a lot. Although, being so large and cumbersome, it was hard to get comfortable enough to sleep.

Sometimes Caspian would talk to my belly, murmuring quietly about ponies and hunting and Narnian lore. When he did so, it would make my heart squeeze in guilt and longing. I didn’t deserve him. He was far too kind and loving, when all I could do is lie to our country and wish the whole time that it was Edmund talking to my stomach, and not Caspian.

I didn’t deserve him; I repeated it to myself over and over.

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The ninth month finally came, and I was huge. Or at least felt like it. The maids assured me that I was very small compared to some women they had seen, but I still did not believe it.

I had deep bruise-like circles under my eyes from the lack of sleep, although I tried to nap almost constantly. I still tried to make it down to the stables to see Anduril at least once a week, but getting all the way back up the stairs left me breathless and exhausted afterwards, so mostly I stayed in my chamber, knitting little baby clothes and blankets and reading books and doing other domestic things that nearly drove me mad with boredom.

And of course I thought of Edmund, although the passing of nearly a year had numbed the pain of our separation to a dull ache. I thought sadly of what he would have wanted to name his son or daughter, and what kind of father he would have been. Would he talk to my belly like Caspian? Would he cry when it was born and he cradled it in his arms for the first time? Unfortunately, these were questions that I could never answer.

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I woke in the middle of the night, wide awake immediately. An intense flash of pain coursed through my body, and I sucked in a breath.

“Caspian,” I woke him in a shaky voice. “I—I think it’s time,” I told him and winced as another contraction hit me, this one less severe.

He was immediately up and throwing on clothes, calling for the midwife and doctor and for a room to be prepared. I changed out of my nightgown, which had grown uncomfortable since my water had broken, and dressed slowly, stopping every now and then to wait for a contraction to pass.

Several maids prepared a room down the hall from our chamber where I would give birth. They cleaned it a last time and made sure that the midwife would have everything she needed.

I spent the next hour growing more and more uncomfortable and more and more nervous. My contractions grew more intense and closer together, and I became anxious about what was to come.

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A/N: Another chapter for you! I have been writing like a mad thing X)