Against the Rules

Chapter 2

The sound of Toby whimpering through the video monitor woke me up. I blinked a couple times as I reached for the device on my nightstand, and squinted at the feed of my four-year-old tossing every few seconds below his spaceship comforter. Despite the fact that it had been a month, he still wasn't quite used to the new, significantly better quality mattress. We'd left Pressia in a hurry, which meant leaving behind anything that couldn't be packed in our bags and stowed on a plane, including all of our old furniture.

I'd gone into his room a few times over the last few weeks and rocked him back to sleep, eventually ending up curled around him in the twin sized bed, but I did want him to learn to self soothe, so I'd promised myself that was a last resort.

Pressing the button that allowed me to speak to him, I spoke softly as to not startle my baby. "Toby? Honey, take a deep breath in."

He turned to face the monitor, but kept his eyes closed and did as I asked.

"There you go. Now let it out slowly."

His breath released and I noticed his body relax slightly, sinking slightly deeper into the mattress. I stayed quiet as I watched him attempt to fall back asleep, holding my own breath for what felt like hours until I heard his breathing even out.

Sighing, I placed the monitor back on the nightstand and closed my eyes, astonished to find that I fell asleep as well, waking again to the sound of my alarm three hours later. Blinking to adjust my eyes to the slivers of light poking through the thick silver curtains, I pushed myself out of bed easily, knowing that the kids would be invading the kitchen for breakfast soon and I should intercede before it looked like a warzone.

Sure enough, Toby and Megan were already seated at the breakfast bar, munching quietly on bowls of cereal when I left my bedroom a few minutes later.

"Good morning," I greeted them warmly, feeling my energy picking up at the sight of them. I pressed quick kisses to the tops of their heads as I walked around the counter and into the kitchen, opening the fridge to take out the sandwich ingredients for their lunches.

"Morning, Mama," they said in unison before eagerly spooning more whole grain cereal into their mouths.

Caroline skipped into the kitchen as I was putting the finishing touches on three ham sandwiches, breaking off bananas from a bunch on the counter and handing them to her siblings before rounding the counter to make her own breakfast. I winked at her in thanks, knowing she was responsible for the fact that milk had ended up in bowls and not all over the counter. As much as I appreciated how much she helped me with Megan and Toby, it also scared me how fast she was growing up.

I kissed her cheek when she passed by me with her cereal bowl, whispering, "Thanks, sweetie."

She grinned and nodded and took her place beside her siblings at the breakfast bar as I finished packing their lunch boxes and listened to their morning ramblings as they all talked over as well as to each other.

Toby was excited about a new set of rocketship toys they'd gotten at daycare, Caroline was gushing about a new writing project being started in one of her classes, and Megan was recalling a joke that Nate had told her on the bus to school last week.

It still astounded me that Megan referred to Prince Nathaniel so casually. The six year old prince was a late gift to King Marcus and Queen Marissa, his birth being announced when the Crown Prince was already eighteen. He was a surprise, but a welcome one nonetheless.

Although the prince went to an elite private school and Megan went to a nearby public school, they took the same security enhanced bus from the palace that was provided for all children who lived within the grounds. Apparently being raised in completely different circumstances couldn't stop two six year olds from becoming immediate best friends.