Rebirth (A Remington Leith AU)

Chapter 27

A few weeks passed since Remington brought my mother here to stay with me, and it truly felt like I was complete. The maids seemed to be impressed with my mother's skills as a caretaker and organization skills. She told them without revealing anything that it was from years of being a nurse maid and it strengthened when she was taking care of me as a child. My mother had told me that before she was brought to our castle, she had been spending time with my father after the wedding, and how it made her believe she was to blame for me and Lillian's separation. I told her that I wasn't blaming her for anything that happened in the past because however it happened, it brought me here where I least expected: to be a princess married to a beautiful and wonderful prince. She was pleased to know I ended up happy and cared for when she was afraid she wouldn't be able to anymore. I reassured her that I would always be grateful for the love she filled my youth with and that I was never neglected or ignored.

I walked with Remington during an afternoon and noticed my mother as she picked some vegetables from the gardens, and it made me think back on an old memory of the very first thing I cared for by myself: a baby bunny. When he noticed I was lost in thought, I told him about the time when I was a little girl and I found a lost bunny in the woods near our home and I decided to care for it so it wouldn't be left all alone. I named her Opal and learned how to feed her vegetables and bathe her and even played with her in my bedroom and outside. Over a few months, I loved Opal like she was my best friend and she loved me back as she never left my side. When Opal grew up to be a full-size rabbit, complicated were starting to arise for me and my mother as we didn't have enough money to buy seeds for crops. Wanting to help my mother, I made a sacrifice by selling my rabbit to a local animal farm and we had just enough for the crops. I was happy to have helped my mother, but I cried over losing Opal for several weeks.

Remington felt my sorrow and held me close as he told me, "Hearing that story, it just makes me love you more, Lulu." I turned to him in surprise and asked him, "Really? How so?" He pressed his lips to my temple before explaining to me, "Because your heart is great enough to love and care for someone or something, and that's a rare trait in this world. I apologize if it sounds awkward, but knowing you held so much love and responsibility for even a small creature makes me believe you have just as much potential to be a good mother to your own child." His statement made me blush harder than I expected as I imagined it. Me raising and caring for my own child? I had thought about the idea of one day being a mother to my own kids who'd I love tremendously and they'd love me back. It made me smile as I brushed some hair behind my ear, "That's very kind of you to say, Remington. You really think I'd be a good mother, even if I'm not familiar with raising a child?" He held my hand securely and placed his palm on my cheek as he smiled at me, "After meeting your mother and knowing your heart, it's impossible to think you wouldn't be."

The rest of that day went by normally and at night before falling asleep, I lay in bed next to a sleeping Remington and thought back to my obligation as Remington's bride to the kingdoms about giving an heir to Remington. I'm not sure how they could demand it so easily when there's so much to consider and think about. I have no doubt Remington would be a great father and caretaker for his kids, but it's the part of having a baby that slightly frightens me. I love Remington but I don't know if I'm quite ready for that step with him, though I do appreciate him for being patient until I am. And then there's the part about carrying the baby all the way to birth and if it'll be okay when it's born. However it turns out, I hope the kingdoms find it worthy to be a good heir to Remington's line. These doubts and insecurities made me worry if I'm capable of raising a child and if Remington will still love me as much without anything changing in a bad way. Weariness interrupted my plaguing thoughts and I finally fell asleep in Remington's arms.

The following morning, I woke up to find I was alone in the bed, but there was a note on the side where Remington had laid. I picked it up and it read:

‐-----------------------------‐------------------

Needed to run a small errand this morning so I left early and didn't want to wake you. I promise to make up for my absence when I return. I love you more than I can comprehend, my sweet princess.

~ Remington ~
‐------------------------------------------------------

I missed Remington here to wake up with me, but the note he left saying he loves me touched my heart and I smiled as u held it close to my heart. After getting dressed for the day, I went downstairs to partake in some breakfast and decided to pick some flowers from the gardens as a gesture of appreciation to Remington.

He came back not too long after and I noticed he brought some packages with him. As he was walking in, I approached him and hugged him tightly, he hugged me back and I felt joy to feel his touch. He pulled away to kiss my lips sweetly and state, "Happy to see you, my love. I apologize for not being there when you woke up." I shook my head and told him, "It's okay, Remington. I forgive you for such a small inconvenience, but at least you still managed to remind me how much you love me." He smiled as he kissed my cheek, "I'll never stop telling you how much I love you because I think about it all the time." I blushed at his sweet words and then proceeded to hand him the flowers I picked out, he took them and commented, "Just lovely, Lulu, much like yourself", he then took one of the packages and handed it to me, "I also have a special gift for you." I wondered what it was and as I opened it, I gasped at the sight of an adorable and precious baby bunny sitting inside of the box with some half-eaten carrots and tiny stacks of hay.

"I picked him up at a local pet shop and adopted it as my own", Remington explained to me as he picked up the small creature in his hands, "Now I'm giving him to you to take care of and make you believe you can be a good caretaker." I put the box down as Remington gently handed me the bunny and as I held him in my hands, just his cute nose twitches were enough to make me smile and tear up. I looked up at Remington and struggled to speak through being so overwhelmed by the sweet surprise, "Remington...this is just so...I don't even know what to say! I love him so much already, isn't that crazy?" He shook his head and stepped closer to hold my face in his hands and kiss me so affectionately. When he pulled away, he expressed to me, "It's not crazy at all, my love. That's just who you are as a person. Your first response is love and I admire that about you." I looked up at him with wide eyes, and then smiled before going back to the bunny to cuddle with him and scratch its tiny head. "What will you call him?", Remington asked, after staring at my precious pet, I responded to his question, "Magnus, after my father."