Choosing Home

Chapter Thirty Eight

Aurora sighed as she sat in the waiting room of Auroria General. Unlike Asclepius General over in Auradon City, Auroria General was kind enough to give them a private room to wait in. It wasn't something Aurora had insisted on or even asked for.

However the staff had insisted on it. They said it didn't make sense for the King and Queen of Auroria to wait and potentially get mobbed by the public.

Of course, over in Asclepius General, they got to be in their daughter's room rather than have to wait outside. Though with Audrey's second birth being a cesarian, the doctors probably figured that Aurora and Phillip didn't want to see that.

"They'll be alright," Phillip said, gently taking Aurora's hand and giving it a small squeeze. "Both Audrey and the baby, and then we'll set up a room for Audrey."

Aurora nodded. Mal had come to them and offered to speed up the pregnancy, saying that it was cruel to have them have to stare at Audrey's almost lifeless body. The Lady Eileithyia apparently taught Mal a way to speed up the pregnancy without speeding up time itself, and Mal extended the offer to Aurora and Phillip.

It would be a one time use, as Mal didn't feel exactly comfortable speeding up someone's pregnancy without their consent. Even someone who had tried to kill her and threatened the safety of her brother.

"It won't be much longer," Phillip spoke again, trying to break the silence. "The doctors here are the same ones who delivered Audrey, and they handled your caesarean without any trouble."

"It's a good thing Phil's not here," Aurora whispered. "I...I wouldn't want him dealing with this."

"I think he'd rather be here than taking Henry to get fitted for his suit for his wedding," Phillip said, trying to force a small chuckle but it fell flat on his lips. "At least Claudine's watching Arabella."

"More like Claudine's spoiling Ari before her birthday," Aurora corrected, a small smile pulling at her lips as the image of her granddaughter surrounded by all the presents that had been arriving over the past month danced in her head.

Mal had gifted her a purple and blue plush dragon that had felt flames that could be attached through velcro, while Ben had created a small miniature library out of a plastic playhouse—as well as stocked it with as many picture books for a one year old he could find.

Aurora and Phillip had told him it wasn't necessary but Ben had insisted on it.

Jay and Harry had each given her a small wooden sword, each one painted green and red appropriately for the color scheme in her nursery. Jay apparently had been very put out that Harry had snatched the option for red from him, according to Mal.

Evie had worked her magic on the sewing machine and made a collection of dresses that would still work as 'casual' clothing, keeping with the green and red color choices. Something Aurora had been thankful for—as Arabella's hair grew in and it was obvious that she'd inherited Audrey's brown with Audrey's brown eyes...seeing Ari in pink the way Audrey used to wear as Leah tried to make her into a clone of Aurora...

It would have hurt too much. The green was a nod to the forest where Aurora had grown up and the red was a nod to Phillip's cloak. But other than that they were just two regular colors Ari could make her own.

Uma gave her a small tri-coronered hat that she'd dyed a light red, while Henry had given her a small floatie that looked almost like a ship that she used constantly.

Of course, he was often in the pool with her; the two of them spending hours swimming away with Claudine and Phil by their sides.

"We really should look into a christening," Phillip said.