The Cruel King and The Captured Queen

Chapter 15 - Part 1 - Attention

Waking with fright, I look around the dark, icy room, blackened from the evening light. Another sharp kick stills me, and I grasp my belly groaning. My skin smooth and tight, then a lump pushes into my hand, and I squint my eyes, gritting my teeth in pain. With each breath, I take the pain stills along with my rambunctious child.

Helena wipes open the door in haste as she scans the room. She takes a breath when she realizes I am unharmed. So long as I am unmarried, Helena will view me as loyal to Chadwick. With this thought, she dares not wish me to suffer, but I still must keep my wits about me. She rushes to my side and blots the sweat from my face with the edge of my sheet.

She looks into my eyes with obvious concern, "Claire?"

I smile, taking her hand and lowering it to my lap, "No need for worry. It was just the baby waking me."

She smiles, stepping away over towards my hanging robe. Standing up, I make my way to the end of the bed where I have since placed a body length standing mirror. My white gown thin and beneath it is my visibly swollen belly. The child now protrudes proudly passed my aching breast. Helena comes into view behind me and slips the robe onto me.

"King Thaddeus has returned home," she announces.

I sinch the string, securing the robe around me and turn to her, "Why wasn't I awoken?"

"You were asleep, we didn't want to disturb you," she explains as I march past her towards my door.

It has been months since he left to finish his tour of Alexandria. He left me alone in the castle while I was bombarded with preparations for the wedding and coronation in his absence. I had grown strong anger towards his departure. I understand he was delayed from his tour due to my pregnancy, though I still felt abandoned.

The doors are still open from when Helena changed through them herself. Storming through the castle halls, I ignore all of the looks of servants and calls behind me from Helena. Consistently, I was badgered, and the only one who could end this was Thaddeus. If it wasn't regarding wedding preparations, then it focused around the nursery. There is no time for me, and I'm finished with this. Thaddeus spends most of his time away, and it like I'm on my own. He can't honestly expect me to live in a life like this.

As I stomp towards Thaddeus's office, I hear the cries behind me, begging me not to disturb him. Ignoring her warnings, I turn my back on my past and choose my future. I choose to be with Thaddeus. I open the door with one forceful push, and shout, "Get your bottom off that chair immediately."

Thaddeus looks up from his desk startled, "Claire? What's wrong?"

Storming over towards his desk, I lean over it for added intensity, "I have had enough. I'm tired of the questions about this coronation. If it's not the coronation, it is the nursery. You left me alone in all of this!"

This is the last straw, I just need some time to get to know the man I am to marry.

"Do you not like the nursery?" he casually questions once her realizes, I've become a crazed woman.

"I do, but I'm tired of all this, come with me," I whine.

He sighs, flipping through papers, "Claire, I am on the brink of war. I need to tour and rally troops."

I groan leaning over the papers and covering them with my hands as if at will make them disappear.

Looking towards his extremely close, and casually seated position, I glare, "Enough plotting against my brother, he isn't going anywhere. Come and take a walk with me."

"Are you feeling deprived of me?" he chuckles lightly.

"Yes, I am," I hiss at him.

"Sit with me," he leans back in his chair, extending his hand over towards the couch.

"No!" I stand up straight and pout.

I think back to my constant time, silently spent knitting quilts for our child. Never once did we speak, or acknowledge each other.

"You are stubborn," he chuckles.

"Than just come with me," I whine.

He sighs, standing up, "Only for a small walk, you shouldn't be on your feet."

"I have been on my feet all day, these servants never give me a break. I'll be fine." I groan from his constant overprotectiveness.

"Give me a moment, and I will deal with that dilemma," he glares towards the open door.

"No, no. I just want more time with you," I stutter outputting my hands up to get Thaddeus' attention back to me.

"Between you, and the people when will I have time for our child?" he chuckles.

"I will make time," I roll my eyes at him.

"Promise?" he steps around the table towards me.

"Always," I hum stepping into his embrace.