The Belle of St. Petersburg •The Tudors

chapter •baby bump

...

One month has passed and Anastasia was already showing. Courtiers congratulated her and Henry and sent their prayers to them. Everyone hopes it will be a boy or Henry will surely lose it with anger.

Well almost everyone. The Seymours prayed for another useless daughter or a dead child. Caroline had secretly prayed for a son to be born and for her soul to be saved.

Anastasia seemed to find herself big than normal. That's why she had sent for the physician to come see her.

"My Queen, the physician and Miss Rose are here." Maria announced. Anastasia looked at her and nods.

"Let them in." Anastasia says. Maria bows and steps aside. The physician and his daughter entered.

"Your Majesty." They bow.

"Please sit." Anastasia instructed. Maria and Sarah pulled up chairs for them.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The physician says. "Is everything going well with your pregnancy, Your Majesty?"

"I believe so, but I am having a bit of a concern with my baby." Anastasia says with her hand on her stomach.

"What can I do to ease your mind, my Queen?" The physician asked.

"I noticed that I'm a bit larger for one month. When I was pregnant with my daughter I was barely showing during that same time."

"Well, my Queen, perhaps it had been something you ate. Most women believe it to be that, but it can also be..." The physician trails off and looks at Rose.

"What?" Anastasia says in curiosity.

"You may be having twins, Your Majesty." Rose spoke up. Anastasia's hand lands on her stomach as a reflex.

"It is possible it could be twins, Your Majesty. Would you like me to examine and find out?" The physician asks. Anastasia was still in shock but managed to nod. The physician and Rose got to work.

"It is twins, my Queen. Shall I inform his Majesty?"

"No, No, I would like to do it myself. You may leave now...Sarah." Sarah steps up and hands the physician a pouch of gold. The physician smiles and takes it.

"God bless you and all your children, Your Majesty." They left. Anastasia couldn't stop smiling. Now she had a chance to have a son. She sent all her ladies out so she may be alone.

Anastasia quickly stood in front of the mirror and caresses her baby bump. Two babies in her womb, one of them was bound to be a boy. Anastasia smiles with glee.

"Moy syn. Yesli vy tam, to dolzhny priyti bystro. YA khochu derzhat' tebya i tvoyego brata v moikh rukakh." (My son. If you are in there, then must come quickly. I long to hold you and your sibling in my arms.) Anastasia says. She didn't hear her door open and Henry enter the room. He watched her from the corner of the room. He had come to spend his time with her, when he saw her standing in front of the large mirror.

"Your father wants to see you too. If I fail once more, who knows what will become of me. Never the less, I hope you, your twin and your elder sisters shall be happy all your lives."Anastasia says with a smile.

It did hurt Henry to hear such words. He has grown to love his wife, not in the way he loved Katherine or Anne or even Jane. His love for Anastasia seemed... unconditional.

Then the word Anastasia had said stopped him.

Twin?