The General's Daughter & His Majesty Book #1

Chapter Forty Eight: Dear Sister!

Queen Nesrin's POV
"The size of a poppy seed."Dargan frowned. "Is it because she's small?"

My brother burst out laughing. Odell had an infectious laughter. It's hard not to laugh with him. He accepted the job to be part of the panel of doctors working for the monarchy. He's a general practitioner. After the obstetrician confirmed my pregnancy, he said it's the size of a poppy seed. I'm 4 weeks along and Dargan is over the moon with excitement. He's been carrying me around, saying I shouldn't even walk.

"No. It has nothing to do with her size." Odell finally responded.

"You better not give me tiny children. I'm not tiny so don't you dare taint my bloodline." He rested the side of his head on my stomach, with his ear against my stomach. It rumbled and he looked at me strangely. "You just ate."

"Biggest appetite in our family. We have no idea where the food goes!" Odell noted.

"I use it!" I defended myself.

"To antagonize poor mother." Odell accused me.

"Mary from Daa Haan is anything but defenseless." I noted.

"I'll let you two siblings squabble without me."

I laced our fingers tightly. "Where are you going?"

"A meeting in the War Council. I'm close by if you need anything."

"Who will carry me around the palace?"

"Odell." He patted my brother's shoulder. "Your responsibility till I get back."

He winked at me. A light blush covered my face. Odell started making funny noises after my husband left. "Stop it!" I sat up from the bed. He immediately came to my aid. "I'm not fragile!" I pushed him away.

"You are carrying the heir to the throne! If you are not fragile, then he is."

"Why would you assume it's a boy? What if it's a girl?"

"I don't mean to favor the patriarchy but make children carry the family name forward. The only Vanden after our father is me. You are Nesrin Kaelan. For the Kaelan name to move forward, you need a son. So it better be a bit because child birth is ugly. It's not beautiful. It is ugly."

"Stop scaring me."

"I'm not scaring you." He frowned. "Babies are almost the size of a small melon when they are born. You can already imagine what that will feel like. Get it right the first time and maybe he won't ask for another."

"But mom had four! Surely it can't be that bad, right?"

"I passed out when I saw a baby  being delivered." He cringed. "The second time, I threw up. I swore off obstetrics."

"How many more weeks?" I asked with a bitter taste in my mouth. I think I'll throw up.

"36 weeks to go. I don't envy you." He helped me down to my feet. "Baby talk aside, how are you? Because I'm not all right."

"Did you just a find a way for me to ask you how you are?" I chuckled. He complains that I don't pay attention to people's feelings.

"Yeah." He scratched the back of his head and got closer to me. "Do you remember what it was like when the CNAF was still occupying the Chrystal Isles?"

Fifty seven years ago, a newly bestowed king invaded a peaceful icy island. I wasn't born then but I was a child who  remembers soldiers in our streets. I remember how the indisciplined ones would loot homes and assault women. How people were scared and angry. I was just a child when they left the Chrystal Isles. For 15 years, the Chrystal Isles had been unoccupied. King Rehan saw no need for the soldiers to stay. They liked him back at home. They never liked Adryan.