miracles

{four}

three weeks later

"Congratulations, Your Royal Highnesses," the physician says. "You are pregnant."

I look to Tobias who is beaming with pride. I, for one, am more nervous than anything. After all, I'm only a mere eighteen years old. What could this mean for my future, and just how many children am I expected to give birth to? "Thank you, Doctor Jamison," Tobias remarks. "My wife and I are very pleased to hear that." He turns to me and smiles, forcing me to return one. The situation is uncomfortable, but in the end, it is a duty. And duty must be fulfilled.

Later that day, Tobias and I are wandering through fields of wildflowers just beyond the edges of the palace gardens. "What shall we name the baby if it is a girl or a boy?" Tobias asks.

"I thought about possibly naming a girl after my aunt Cecilia," I say. "And for a boy, Xavier."

"Xavier is a wonderful name. The name of my great grandfather, in fact"

"However, if it is a girl, I know that I will be expected to try and try again until I give birth to a male heir." I bite my bottom lip in hopes that maybe Tobias will let me pass on that.

"Yes, that much is true. But I'm sure that it won't be long." He plants a kiss on my cheek. "And besides, we will be very careful with our children so that none will pass on from any disease. And I'll make sure of it."

I take a seat in the soft light green grass and pick a few wildflowers from the bunch. The sun shines down, and I feel the heat through my cream-colored dress. I study the view of the Grand Palace and the surrounding gardens, imagining my father and I when I was younger running around in them and having a great time. It brings tears to my eyes.

"What's the matter?" Tobias asks, wiping my tears away with his handkerchief.

"My father is ill," I mutter, my voice quaking as I do so. "I don't know how long he has left. I just...need to see him. It's been a few years."

He rubs his head, thinking over the matter intensely. "Well, there are a few options. We could house your father in one of my family's estates closer to the palace. Or, you could go visit him alone."

"Alone?" I raise an eyebrow. "You wouldn't want to meet my father?"

"Of course I do. But because of the risk he imposes of illness, it isn't best to infect more than one member of the royal family. Trust me, Francoise. I would love to go with you, but-"

"The palace would rather have me become ill than yourself." I nod my head. "I understand. I'll have the staff prepare a carriage for me to leave tonight." I stand and walk towards the palace again, listening as Tobias calls after me. And for once, I don't turn around.

________________________________________________________________________________

early the next morning (about 4:00 am)

I jolt awake as the carriage runs over a bump in the road. As my heart beat slows, I carefully pull back the silk curtains covering the windows, peeking outside at the dark woods surrounding us. No one else is in sight other than a guard in front of us and behind us for extra protection. You'd think there would be more just in case of any incidents, but apparently not nowadays.

When my great-grandparents were alive in the late seventeenth century, they had passed down stories of the great king Rupert XVII, who I am supposedly a direct descendant of. They talked of how he made sure that every road that nobility traveled on was perfectly secure; that no threat whatsoever would be able to make it past the gunfire of the guards surrounding a carriage.

The carriage comes to a stop and a guard knocks on the door. A lady in waiting named Angelica opens it. "Your Royal Highness," he says to me. "We have arrived at your father's country estate."

I slowly rise as he helps me out of the carriage and up to the front door of my father's estate. I'm dressed more casually than normal so that no one would recognize me. As the guard knocks on the door, my heart skips a few beats. It's been so long.

A butler comes to the door. "May I help you?" he asks.

"May I present Her Royal Highness, Francoise Antoinette Marietta Daigneault de Polinteau, Crown Princess of Eclaran," the guard says. "We have come to visit the lady's father. He should be expecting us-"

And there he is. My father walks over holding a cane in his right hand, desperately gripping onto it for balance. "Let them in, Joshua," he says. The butler steps aside and my father allows us into the estate. "Welcome to my humble abode." He turns and plants a kiss on my cheek. "I'm so glad you're here darling."

"Thank you, Father," I say. 

We're lead into a dark parlor and take a seat. Dust swirls around in the air as if the place hasn't been cleaned in ages. I cough a bit, the dust feeling like it's attached to my lungs. Joshua lights candles on the walls to brighten up the space. "Joshua, fetch us some tea, and my pipe, please."

"Of course, Your Excellency," Joshua replies.

"So, I'm assuming your life at the palace has gone quite well?"

"Indeed," I reply. "I find it very difficult to settle into my new life, though. I've become so accustomed to the informal lifestyle at the manor that palace life simply feels overwhelming." Joshua returns with the tea, and I take a sip from my cup. "Have you seen your physician lately? You look rather sickly."

"Dear, of course, I do." He takes a puff from his pipe. "But I'm fine. No need to see a physician. Last time I saw him, he said that I may be able to travel starting next week."

"That's excellent news."

He nods, his facial expressions becoming incredibly serious all of a sudden. "Leave us," he tells Joshua and the guard, and they promptly obey. "Francoise, I must warn you about life at the Grand Palace right now."

I tilt my head. "Oh? What's the matter, Father?"

He leans in. "I have had pamphlets delivered to this estate ever since I left home five years ago. Recent ones have cited that there have been repeated attempts on the king and queen's life, and that it's just a matter of time before security is breached and they are brutally murdered."

I blink. I never heard about this back home. "Why haven't I been alerted?"

"You know how men are, dear. They believe a woman doesn't need to worry about politics and such. Of course, now that you are Crown Princess, I suggest you start paying more attention to those things, for they can be vital to your survival at the Grand Palace." He takes a sip of his tea. "It's a miracle to me that you were able to make it here safely."

"Yes, to me as well."