Aspire - Kanthony's continuation story

Chapter 18 - O, Christmas Tree

"I counted that it was sixty." Kate added with a smug grin and kissed him eagerly, her body running wild from all the adrenaline.

"This is not a team sport!!" Benedict roared at them and tried to throw a snowball straight into their passionate kiss, but they ducked away just in time and hid behind the statue again.

"Colin said that there are no rules!" Kate laughed and started to mould up new ammunition.

"Colin! Eloise, Fran, Hyacinth and Gregory! Come, we have a viscount and a viscountess to slay!" Benedict's voice boomed out from behind the bush as he was marching away towards his siblings. Kate and Anthony were huddled up next to the statue with their backs against each other, frenetically rolling up snowballs for the inevitable upcoming fatal attack.

"I believe this is it, for us... Our time has come. It has truly been an honour to serve in this war with you, Viscountess Bridgerton." He smirked at her over his shoulder.

"No, you must save us, Lord Bridgerton!" Kate laughed and turned around to face him. "At least give me one more kiss, before we must perish!" She begged dramatically and collapsed into his arms. Anthony chuckled, but kissed her for as long as he dared while his siblings' voices were coming closer. He peeked over the bush and immediately hunkered back down as a snowball came hurling past his head. He catapulted one last ball towards Benedict, who seemed to be the leader of the troup, before squatting down again and turning back towards Kate.

"This is the end, my dear." He declared with his forehead against hers, pulled her tightly against him and wrapped his arms around her, trying to shield her body from the attack that would soon be upon them, as the others could be no further away than a few metres.

"Oh...!" Kate suddenly exclaimed and grasped her belly.

"What is it, is something wrong...?" Anthony gasped and stared at her in horror. Kate's face melted into a smile, she ripped up her jacket and placed his cold hand at the bottom of her belly. Anthony looked confused for a while, until his hand was met by an equally strong little kick Kate had felt a moment ago. "Oh! Oh, dear lord..." He breathed out, his eyes instantly tearing up.

"Haha! Now you are going to get it, you -" Benedict jumped out from behind the bush.

"No, stop! The baby is kicking!" Kate exclaimed and waved her arm at him, while holding her other hand firmly against Anthony's neck. She felt like he would need some support, or otherwise he might fall apart completely.

"If this is once again one of your evil schemes, I swear to God I will -" Benedict began, but stopped as he saw that a tear had just rolled down from his otherwise quite unemotional oldest brother's eyes. The other siblings had now gathered around Benedict and gawked at the scene in confusion.

"I... I can feel it, I can finally feel it...!" Anthony wheezed out and dried his eyes with his right hand, while his other hand was once again met by a tiny foot from the inside.

"I want to feel it too!" Hyacinth yelped and sat down on the ground next to Anthony.

"There, can you feel it...?" Anthony exhaled as he had placed her tiny hand where his hand had just been.

"No... Oh, yes, I can! How strange!" Hyacinth giggled.

"Let me in too!" Francesca complained and squeezed in between Anthony and Hyacinth.

"Oh no, what a cute little kick...!" She sighed as Hyacinth had guided her where to try and feel it. Kate smiled at them all happily, from where she sat propped against the statue.

"I do not want to feel it, it is too strange..." Eloise muttered with a disgusted face. "It is like you had swallowed some eel that was still alive and now it is slithering around in your stomach." She commented dryly.