The General's Daughter & His Majesty Book #1

Chapter Thirty Five: The Cost Of A Smile

Lokefar
Nesrin's POV
The evening is quiet.

Only the clinking of the silverware against the white plates with beautiful blue flowers can be heard. The Duke and Duchess of Lokefar invited us into their home. We have had a lovely evening. I'm trying my best to behave. I'm trying my best not to show Dargan any resentment. I have to smile and remind myself that I promised to comply and surrender. Deep down, I'm shattered. It's one thing for someone to die suddenly. It's another to carry the knowledge that they will die. The imminence of it is crashing. It's causing a storm inside me.

"Nesrin? Can you please help me with something?" The duchess requested. "Your majesty, my grace, excuse us."

I followed her. She placed her hand on my back just as we reached the empty hallway. "What do you need help with?"

"I felt you needed saving." She smiled tenderly. She's beautiful. I can feel her warmth. She's one of the few people I have met who are genuinely nice.

"From what?"

"From the suffocation of high society." She began to go up the steps.

"Am I under the assumption that you married up?"

"No. I'm high born. So I am well versed with 35 years of suffocation." She laughed. We wound up in a nursery. "I want you to meet my son, Adan."

I reached into the crib to receive the little outstretched arm. "Hello Adan. My nam is Nesrin."

"Adan you may not understand this just yet but this is the future queen of Chea Niva. Hmmm? In only a day." He smiled at us. "Would you like to give it a test drive?"

"What?"

"Motherhood silly! I believe this is something the king is going into with haste."

That part...

Damn it!

"Well..."

She picked up her son and brought him to my arms. I took the little boy.

"He lost everyone. I'm sure he would like to start over, a new bloodline. You're a key part of it Nesrin. It's an honour, isn't it?"

I looked at the little boy. My grandmother -my father's mother- was fond of saying that a child is a beautiful beginning because it's the merging of two bloodlines to make one. If Dargan and I are to make a child, that child will be half mine and half his, merged into one. It feels beautiful just thinking about it but the reality, not so much. But I can't speak negatively. It will go Against my promise to comply.

"It is an honour to bear the king's offspring." I returned her smile.

"I understand it's not easy. But take it from someone who has known Dargan his whole life. He is not the monster they are making him out to be. He became the blood king because it was necessary. It takes courage to di what he does. Be proud of him but most importantly, be the pillar he can lean on. He won't admit it but he's lost so much if himself. I expected a jovial man to walk through that door but instead I saw hollowness. He lost everything. Let him lean on you. Now, enough of the sadness." She dabbed the corners of her eyes. "Please introduce my son to the king."

"Okay." I carried him away. He's a little heavy and I'm scared I'll drop him. She's close by and my ladies in waiting are at the bottom of the staircase where I urged them to stay. Paula stepped forward.

"Do you need assistance my lady?"

"No. I think I'm okay. How often do babies slip and fall?"

"Not often. You have to be quite clumsy to pull that off." Paula assured me.