The Royal Deal

Chapter 34

The first week of motherhood was the hardest week I had ever had in my life. Sleepless nights, multiple unanswered questions, the aftermaths of giving birth and one stupid test. One stupid result that had him marching into the castle again with one of the biggest, goofiest smiles he could muster. I had slammed the door on his face when he had the nerve to knock, and then locked myself in my daughters room.

He was still sitting outside the door, waiting for me to open it. Or at least that is what Frankie —the nanny— had told me when she would go out to get me my food.

"I don't know what's going on, your highness, but I don't think he is going to leave. He might be your ex husband, but he is the father of the princess."

I sighed at her words. "If only you knew the truth. You would understand why I'm doing this."

It was only when I got tired of being locked and surrounded by four walls did I step outside. As soon as I did, he stood up and closed the distance between us.

"We need to talk."

"No we don't."

"Charlotte." His band went around my bicep, halting me from walking away and I paused. He dropped his hand, but I could feel him extremely close to me. "Please."

"There's nothing you need to say." I gulped and closed my eyes, remembering both the good and the bad times we had. "You said everything when you left without any word. Just when I thought we were heading somewhere, you ran. I can't trust that you won't do the same to my daughter."

"Our daughter, Char. She's my child too." I shook my head. "You didn't want kids. Why don't you let me see her? Why won't you let me hold her?"

I turned around on my heel. "You didn't want kids as well, so don't just play that card on me. And to answer your question, the second she was in my arms, every thought of never having kids left my mind. I fell in love with her."

I saw his face soften at my words. "Let me fall in love with her as well..." he whispered extra words underneath his breath and I rose an eyebrow.

I closed my eyes and sighed again, before they slowly opened and I nodded once. "Fine. Under supervision... for now. You cannot take her out of the grounds however."

He looked shocked. "And why not? My parents want to see her too!"

"I don't want the world to know about her yet..." I whispered. "Imagine her being bombarded by paparazzi at a few weeks old. Her life won't ever be normal."

His face hardened. "Well she's a princess, heir to two kingdoms, so she will be in the spotlight for the rest of her life. But I understand. No worries Charlotte. She will not leave until you are ready to show her to the world."

I gave him a small smile. "Thank you. She's sleeping right now, but you can go see her if you want. I need to stretch my legs."

He didn't say a word. He turned around, and sprinted towards the door, knocking twice. Frankie slowly opened the door, saw him, and hesitated. Her eyes flickered over to me, I nodded, and she opened her door even wider, letting him in. He walked in immediately, and with his back to me, I caught Frankie's eyes again and gave her the 'keep an eye on him' signal. She gave me a grin and nodded, before closing the door, finally leaving me alone.

Him visiting lessened the time I got to spend with her, which I didn't like at the beginning. I missed my child —something I didn't think I would ever say— but there was nothing I could do now that I gave him privileges. He's fed her three times in the two weeks he has been here, and still looks surprised when I hand him the warm bottle of milk.

His visit also meant I had to go out there in the world, and pretend I didn't have a daughter at the house. My breasts ached whenever a child would cry, and my eyes would flicker to Arlene or my mom —whoever was with me— and they would give me a sheepish grin. Arlene had smartly given me an outfit with a loose top, or a sweater, which hid the increased size of my chest, each time we went out and I blessed her every day.

At a little over a month old, my baby was spoiled and loved by everyone who knew about her. Even the guards took sneak peeks at her, and relaxed their stance when she was near. I would be pissed that they weren't watching and doing their jobs, but with security being extra tight outside, I knew no stranger could sneeze inside the property without an escort.

When Ian wasn't spending time with her, or doing his supposedly last minute duties around the kingdom, he was trying to woo me. I didn't realize his actions until one night, when we were placing our daughter on her bed, did he wrap his arms around my waist and held me as we stared at her. I froze automatically of course, and disentangled myself, but that didn't stop the lazy grin from spreading across his face and then the words, "Have dinner with me." Tumbling out of his mouth.

"Never going to happen." Frankie entered the nursery to relieve me and I walked away, leaving him without giving him a chance to say something else. But that didn't stop him from trying again, even after he left the property to go back to his country.

"Why is he doing this to me?" I questioned my mom one night as I rolled my eyes as Margaret slowly walked into the dining room with another patch of flowers. I clutched my child tighter to me as she fed, and arranged the sheet when it began to flutter down my shoulder. I didn't care if my mom saw my breast —she had helped me feed her granddaughter for the first time— it was just my dad. It just seemed awkward thinking about your dad seeing your boob out in the open.

"That boy needs to make up his mind," my dad spoke up as he cleared his throat. "First be breaks your heart, and then he wants it back. Prince or no prince, he will have to go through me first before he goes anywhere near my girls."

I smiled at his words and continued eating, shuffling the tiny human when she was done eating herself.

"Speaking of girls, when do you plan on showing So' to the world? You can't keep her locked up forever you know. It's been over a month since she was born."

I sighed as she burped and then spewed a bit of what she ate down my back. My dad laughed at my face, and one of the maids immediately headed towards me with a napkin.

"As long as I can. But I don't think it will last if Ian keeps on coming over every other week. We can't keep lying to our people about his visits, especially when he is not supposed to have anything to do with me."

"Well make it soon, as we are making an announcement to our country here soon as well."

I blinked. "About what?"

She grinned. "Your ascension, of course. You will become queen the day you turn twenty-one."

My jaw dropped. "That's less than two years!"

"You earned it fair and square. It is time for us to put our part of the deal in, husband or not. You've shown us that you are ready for the responsibilities that come with the throne, and that you will lead our people the same way we have." She gave me a smile, and continued eating, as if she hadn't just told me she was stepping down as queen and giving me the role.

"Thank you... I didn't expect this so soon though. So' will legally become heir to the throne at the mere age of one..." I whispered, looking down at her sleeping form.

"And the public will need to know about that, that's why I'm saying her reveal should be soon."

I gulped and nodded, my appetite diminished at the conversation we had just had. I was excited, but mostly terrified. The thing I had been fighting for the past few years had finally come true, but now, I wasn't sure I was ready for it.

But was I?

Looking around at my parents, my daughter, and the staff who enjoyed working, I knew I was ready for the job, but could I handle knowing So' would be in danger for literally all her life?

Only time could tell me my answer right now, and time was the one thing that kept me away from everything.