The Cruel King and The Captured Queen

Chapter 15 - Part 2 -Preparations

Casually, he guides me out the door, and down the hall, "Tell me, what have you decided regarding the nursery."

I had planned the nursery in efforts to protect my child from Helena herself. Not that I can tell Thaddeus this of course.

Forcing a bright smile spreads across my face, I explain, "I asked for a bassinet in my chambers, I want to have our child close until he is ready to part with me."

"A boy?" he scrunches his face together in question.

Looking up at his bright, hopeful eyes, I smile, "I hope."

"Oh Claire, you would make me a happy man," he wraps his arms around me hugging me with excitement.

We continue down the hallway, and I ponder, "What would you like to name him?"

"Edgar, after my father," his immediate response has me believing he has been thinking about this for a while now.

"Prince Edgar, the second of Alexandria," I test the name.

"The third," he corrects with the sly smile.

I gap at him, "Are you serious?"

He lifts his eyebrow in a taunting manner, "Have you not reached the history section in the library?"

"No," I pout.

"After all this time? I thought you finished every book inside there," he chuckles.

"If someone wouldn't keep interrupting me at night, I might have finished," I glare at him referring to him bothering me in the library to teach me to dance.

He leans into my ear, and whispers, "You're far too tempting, I can't resist."

I chuckle, and push him lightly on the chest, "Oh Thaddeus, you are too much."

Stepping back, he smiles lightly, "Take a break from your work this week, spend it in my office. I could use the company."

"You mean it?" my eyes widen once again, this time with excitement.

"Please, my lady," he bows at me dramatically, and I giggle.

After our walk, I sat down on his couch, while again he busies himself with reports. I took my time writing a letter:

Dear Margaret,

    You are my most beloved friend and advisor. You have guided me towards a crucial decision, and I wish to share in the blessing of the outcome. It would bring me great joy to personally invite you to my coronation before any invitations are sent. Without my family to attend, I would be blessed to welcome you to my chosen family. I want us to become a family, I would be a great honour to unite our families after the birth of my child. Let us arrange with our husbands for one of your children to wed my future child.

Sincerely,

Claire.

I saunter over towards his desk, resting my hands on top to support myself, "Thaddeus?"

"Hm?" he asks glancing up from his paperwork.

I hold out the paper towards him, "Could you get this letter to Margaret for me?"

"What is it about?" he lifts his eyebrow with curiosity.

"I really want to unit our families," I admit bravely.

"She's more cunning than I thought," Thaddeus darkly comments to himself.

"What do you mean?"

Thaddeus shrugs his shoulders, "She married into this kingdom for an alliance. As I was freshly wed, and my sister had just passed. I united her with my brother in law."