Morning Glory-Francis (Reign)

Chapter Ninety-Nine

"I didn't realize you were coming back so soon. I thought you wanted to stay in Scotland for a while, but it's only been a little more than a week." Francis's hand traced up my spine, and my neck, the tips of his fingers nestling in my hair.

The next morning, my caravan had immediately set out for the home stretch to Fontainebleau. I had insisted that Francis stay with me in my carriage.

"Something happened." My stomach flipped, nervous for his reaction.

"What happened?" Francis tensed, slightly. "Are you alright?" I quickly reached for his free hand, and squeezed it gently.

"Don't worry. Something good happened." I squeezed his hand again, this time to calm myself. "I fell ill in Scotland because I'm with child." I said quickly. Francis didn't speak for a moment.

"We're going to have a baby?" He asked quietly, his hand pulling away from mine to ghost over my belly. I nodded.

Without warning, Francis leaned down and kissed me. He kissed me in a fashion he had not kissed me in for a long time. Or maybe I just hadn't been feeling the passion and love he had been giving me for a long time. Either way, we stayed locked in each other's embrace, until we pulled away breathing hard.

"I take it your escort doesn't know."

"No." Francis's arms tightened around my waist.

"Who knows?"

"Mary. And the doctor who examined me." Francis nodded, ducking his nose in my hair. Though my stomach was still queasy, I felt the most relaxed I had felt in a long time. We sat in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company-company we had been denied for a while now.

"Do you think the baby is a boy or a girl?"

"A girl." I answered without hesitation, remembering Aleks who had come to me the night before. Though I knew it was just a dream, something about it had stuck with me. Though it was absolutely terrifying, I couldn't help but feel that there was some truth to it.

"You're so sure?" Francis asked.

"A mother's intuition." My heart skipped a beat and then soared as I said those words. Finally. I was going to be a mother. I could only wish that my own mother could have been here for this. For me.

"I love you." Francis whispered, pecking a kiss on my shoulder. We both looked out the window upon hearing the wheels of the carriage begin rolling over gravel. "Welcome back, Morning Glory."

Given that we were both still dressed in rumpled travel clothing, I was quickly escorted back to my chambers before I could be seen by any of the courtiers. There was already quite a stir going through the court, at the news of me falling ill.

Elisa was waiting for me, and helped me back into bed. A moment later, Francis rejoined me, and Elisa excused herself to get me some food.

"Francis?" I mumbled, cuddling into his side.

"Yes, Morning Glory?" He stroked my hair gently, as he read through a pile of letters and contracts he had brought with him from his study.

"Can we go back to Russia?" When he didn't answer right away, I continued. "We've been here for a while, and Russia needs to see its Tsar and Tsaritsa every now and then. I also kind of wanted our child to be born there. Especially since he or she will one day be the leader of Russia." I didn't need to voice the fact that the people of France would most likely reject a female heir. "Besides, in a few months, I won't be able to travel, and once the baby is born, it will be hard for both of us to go back and forth."

"Of course, Morning Glory." I felt him tenderly kiss my head. "You know how much I enjoyed our last trip to Russia. I'd be happy to go again. Especially if it will make you happy." Francis whispered, setting down his papers to turn my head and kiss me properly.

"Mhm." I smiled into his kiss.

"Also, I informed the necessary parties of your condition." He said. I could hear a slight smirk in his voice.

"What do you mean-?" My lazy voice was cut off by the door slamming open. Elisa and Catherine burst in, wide smiles on their faces.

"Oh happy day! Happy day!" Catherine shouted, embracing me on the bed. "I never thought this day would come!" Elisa took Catherine's spot as soon as she had stood back up.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so excited." Elisa babbled. "Just imagine. In a few months, a little baby Anya, or a little baby Francis will be crawling around, and oh my goodness, I'm so excited."

Wrapped up in their own elation, Catherine and Elisa spun out of the room still laughing and shouting.

I had to giggle.

"Don't worry, they'll be discreet." Francis's arm tightened around me as he let out his own snigger.

"I guess she's not to upset about you leaving last night."

"How could she be? She's getting everything she wants now. Children. Free of her husband. A lovely daughter in law. And now a grandchild." Francis picked up his letter again, and I went back to dozing.

Now back in the comfort of my home, with my husband at my side, I felt much more at ease. Waves of nausea still passed over me, but my emotional turmoil had been eased.

"Thank you."

"For what, darling?" Francis's hand had resumed stroking my hair.

"For not giving up on me."

"I had no reason to give up on you." Francis pushed my chin up to meet his eyes. "Anya, you are my entire reason for even existing. I could never give up on you." Leaning down to put his forehead against mine, he whispered, "There is nothing you could ever do or give me to make me love you more or less. Because I have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow.  Because I already love you to the last time the sun will rise on this earth. And I will love our child," his hand pressed comfortingly on my belly, "until every star in the sky burns out."