𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑 ▸ Rose and Lissa have been best friends since kindergarten. Their friendship has grown and changed but they still have each other's backs - even as Queen and Head of the Queen's Guardians. Rose has always said she do '...
"You don't want Lara anymore," Eddie concluded flatly.
"Of course, we want Lara," Dimitri growled, absolutely furious at Eddie's suggestion.
"Why? You're having one of your own, now" Eddie challenged, picking Lara out of the bath and cuddling her against him. "Why do you need Lara?" Cold and disoriented in Eddie's embrace, Lara started to wail.
"Lara is everything to us," Rose growled, plucking Lara from Eddie's arms and swaddling her in the heated towel Dimitri held ready. It didn't escape anyone's attention that as soon as Lara was in her mother's arms, she calmed down immediately. "Being pregnant with another baby makes no difference to how we feel about Lara," Rose announced stiffly. "As far as we're concerned, she's still our baby girl. We adore Lara, and can't wait to give her a playmate."
"What if you love your own more? I won't have Lara loved less." Eddie looked at Rose and Dimitri angrily.
Dimitri snorted. "You don't need to worry about that. Roza has been fretting ever since we found out. She loves Lara so much, she's worried she won't care for the new baby as much!"
"Really?" Eddie asked, his acrimony displaced by surprise.
"I love Lara like she is my own," Rose spelled out. "I love her absolutely. I can't imagine being able to care for another child as much as I do her." Rose started sniffling, clutching Lara to her as she turned to Dimitri and then the floodgates opened, and she sobbed against his chest. Eddie looked at Rose in astonishment as she blubbered. While Dimitri was becoming familiar with a pregnant, hormonal and over-emotional Rose, it was a complete surprise to Eddie.
"I'm one of four, and Mama says it's common when a mother prepares to welcome a second child. She's assured me with each new child, the love expands," Dimitri murmured to Eddie in explanation. "My sister was worried about loving her second child as much as her first. Apparently, it's very normal." Dimitri wrapped his arms around Rose and Lara, whispering soothing things to them both. Finally calming down, Rose dried her eyes, not meeting Eddie's as she took Lara through to the bedroom she shared with Dimitri, quickly putting a fresh diaper on Lara before dressing her in a clean sleepsuit. One of the ones he'd sent for Lara, Eddie noticed.
"I'm sorry. I just don't want her to ever feel second best or not as good," Eddie explained apologetically after he'd followed Rose through to where she was clothing Lara.
"It won't be that way," Dimitri promised solemnly. "As far as we're concerned, we're welcoming baby number two into our family. We love Lara completely, and we'll feel the same way about the new baby, too."
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Her Majesty sat at the head of the smaller formal dining table in the palace. Usually set to accommodate between twenty and twenty-four, today, Christmas Day, the table was set for one. It would have been easier to eat at the smaller breakfast table closer to her apartment, but tradition dictated Christmas was always in the smaller formal Royal dining room, so here was where she'd eat.
