The Darke King

Company

Rosemary had a stack of laundry in her arms when she left the nursery, and she wouldn't even have noticed it if she hadn't turned back to get the little sock that dropped to the floor. But when she caught the aura surrounding her in the mirror, she dropped every other thing in her hands to match the lonely stocking.

"Haldir! Can you come here for a moment?" Rosemary cupped her shaking hands over her mouth and stepped back from the mirror.

She hiccuped a sound into her hands that was half a sob and half a laugh. When Haldir peeked around the corner of her bedroom door, he wasn't sure which it was until he saw the silver and orange colors melting into her skin. "Is everything alright, Your Majesty?"

Her eyes checked over her reflection one more time before her blank expression met his eyes, and she nodded. "Yes, everything's fine." She rubbed her fingertips over her forehead and rushed past him. "Please stay with Sigrid until I return."

He tipped his head to her and smiled. "Of course."

While Sigrid bounced and tossed toys across her bed, Haldir pulled the rocking chair closer and wiggled his finger between the slats as he pressed his forehead against them. "By the looks of it, I think you're going to be getting some company soon." She grasped his finger, and a deep laugh sprang from her belly. "But I suppose you already knew that. Didn't you?"

It wasn't easy to concentrate on blocking Daniel from her thoughts, and Rosemary almost ran into the linen cart as it crossed the hall. "Oh, goodness." Rosemary waved the worker through and blew out through her mouth. "Calm down."

She peeked into the throne room as she passed by, then nodded to the man standing at the Dining Hall doors. "Have you seen Daniel?" Rosemary's eyes darted around the room, and Agamori shook his head as he leaned against the doorway with his arms folded.

"He's in the courtyard practicing, I believe." His eyes narrowed at her as they moved around her face. "Is something wrong?"

She backed away and shrugged to hide her excitement. "No, not at all. Thank you." Her moist palms tugged at her skirt as she lifted it and rushed across the foyer.

To keep herself from falling, she had to grasp the doorway as she rounded the corner of the balcony. When she saw Daniel on the green grass, twisting and spinning like the most graceful dancer as he practiced his sword skills, her knees nearly gave way to his beauty.

It was that part of the year when the chilly nights gave way to warm days, and she had the privilege of seeing him half-dressed with his sweaty, rippling muscles glowing in the sun's warmth.

A toothy grin with a secret to tell rose on her face, and she raced down the stairs to set it free. "Daniel!"

When he heard her little feet pounding against the stairs, Daniel stopped his movements and sheathed his sword to catch a peek of her fiery hair trailing behind her in the wind.

The panicked excitement she'd been hiding from him suddenly unleashed itself and washed over his whole body. His hands trembled to the tune of his racing heart as he reached out to her. "What's wrong? What is it?" He dropped the sword and caught her in his arms. She panted against his bare chest, and her entire body shivered against him as he dipped his knees and his eyes darted between hers. "Rosemary, what's wrong? Where's Siggy?"

"I've been looking for you everywhere." She shook her head and wrapped her hands around his cheeks. "Siggy's with Haldir; she's fine." Tears spilled over onto her round, pink cheeks, and she pressed her nose to his. "I'm pregnant, Daniel. We did it."

His arms closed around her and her feet left the ground as he kissed her cheek over and over again. "Thank you." His hand met the back of her head, and his eyes blinked up at the sky. "Thank you. "

He set her back on the ground, and she poked her finger into his hard abdomen. "I believe I should thank you. You've been working so hard for me these past few months."

A laugh snort left his nose as he dropped to his knees and placed his trembling fingers over her belly. With his eyes closed, he called out to the life inside her and waited for an answer. She fingered his wet hair and smiled. "It's too early still, Daniel. I only saw the light on me this morning."

He sucked back a breath of air, and his teary eyes blinked up at hers. "I hear him." The vibration in his fingertips sent a wave of tiny bumps over his bare back as the faint pulse beat against them.

Daniel rose and pressed his hand to Rosemary's. "I felt him." He wrapped them around hers, then brought her hand to his lips. "It's our Damien."

***

Daniel's hand rubbed Rosemary's thigh under the table as he leaned into her and pressed his lips to her cheek. "How are you feeling?"

The heat of his breath made her shrug him away when the shiver crept down her neck. "Wonderful. As I was the last ten times you asked me."

The slaps of boots against the stone floor came closer, and Agamori plopped down on the bench across from Rosemary. A server placed his food and cup in front of him, and he glanced up as she backed away. "Thank you." He ripped at the meat on the bone, and his pointy white eyebrow lifted as his eyes shot over at Daniel. "There's an encampment just over our border to the South. Travelers from Earth, it appears. I've stationed a patrol there to keep watch until they move on."

A prickly sensation rose on Daniel's arms, and he leaned forward across the table. "Did anyone make contact with them?"

"No." Agamori ripped off a piece of meat and tossed it into his mouth. "The Captain reported they seemed harmless enough, but I'll ride out in the morning."

"Harmless?" Daniel's hand left Rosemary's leg and pointed at Agamori. "There is no such thing. I'll go with you." His fingers slid back across the table and crawled up Rosemary's hand as he turned his attention back to her. "You can have your clinic inside tomorrow. I don't want you outside the castle walls when I'm away."

Her nose wrinkled in disappointment, but he kissed her forehead, then lowered himself to be eye to eye. "Not now. Not with all that is at stake." His hand tugged at hers until she slid into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck as his eyes studied his family sitting at the table.

Rosemary was a shameful mess when she was pregnant last, and he meant to make this time the happiest of her life, and for all they loved to experience it with them. "It makes me exceedingly happy to tell you all that Rosemary and I are expecting."

The rhythmic slamming of hands on the table and whistles and sounds of good wishes were suddenly silenced as Daniel lifted his cup to Rosemary. "To my beautiful wife and our son."