The Jewel of the Five Kingdoms

Epilogue- six years later...

I woke with a smile on my face.

Arthur had his arm around my waist, his breathing steady as he slept. I loved having him next to me every night and every morning.

Even after two years of marriage I felt giddy having him be mine and mine alone and every morning I wake with a smile knowing he is there.

He yawned softly and his blue-green eyes fluttered open and met mine.

He smiled groggily, running his fingers through his messy hair. "Good morning, Your Majesty," he said in a voice slightly hoarse from sleep.

I giggled and snuggled closer to him. "Good morning to you as well, Your Majesty." I reply with a smile, kissing him softly on the nose, then add, "and happy birthday."

He laughs, the sound as calm as a summer breeze. "Why thank you. As my first birthday wish, I decree we lay in bed all day." He says as I roll onto my back to get into a more comfortable position.

I sigh, the thought was very pleasant. "But what about the party? I have been planing it for weeks." I say, looking at him with a small playful smile.

Arthur shrugs. "I suppose we can show up, considering it is at our house." He said with a crooked grin. "But until then we will stay right here." He propped himself up on his elbow and carefully brushed a strand of my dark hair out of my face.

Arthur gently put his hand on my belly and I leaned in so our heads would touch.

Arthur has done this every morning for weeks now and I loved every second of it. He wants to feel the baby kick and made an announcement that he would be the first besides myself to feel it.

I have been pregnant for nearly five months now and am yet to feel the kick of a tiny foot.

Arthur frowns and leans in closely to my belly as if our baby was waiting intently for his or her Daddy to talk.

"Don't you want to kick for your Daddy?" He asks softly, a smile on his face as he glanced from me to my belly.

I grin and kiss him on the cheek. "He or she will kick eventually," I say with a small giggle. He seemed quiet distraught at not having felt anything yet and gave me a hopeful look that made my heart melt.

Arthur nodded with a small determined smile on his face. "When will you tell me the gender of our baby?" He asked, playing with one of my ringlets and rubbing my belly gingerly.

I sigh, a smile on my face. "I suppose I can tonight, but only because it is your birthday," I say mischievously.

I have been waiting to save the special news for his birthday and would be discovering the gender myself later today.

Arthur's eyes light up with excitement. "I will look forward to it all night," he said kissing my forehead softly.

"I have a bet with James that it will be a boy," Arthur adds, sitting up with a groan and running his fingers through his messy golden hair.

I smile, refusing to let any hints slip and shrug innocently as Arthur hands me my slippers. "I don't know. . ." I give him a brisk kiss on the cheek and hurry out the door connecting to my neighboring Queen Suite as Arthur calls after me wondering aloud if he has placed his money wrongly.

***

The party turned out even more amazing then I had expected.