Though it was bitter cold outside, the castle was warm and bright, bustling with activity as the staff not only prepared for the holiday season but also for the next addition to the Calypse family. Many of the knights had placed bets on whether it would be a boy or a girl. It was now two weeks before Christmas and Maxi was due any day now. Riftan wanted to insist that she rest more but Maxi wouldn't dare miss their annual family Christmas traditions.
They baked Christmas cookies together, and thanks to the children, left quite a mess for the servants to deal with, though Andrew and Victoria at least tried to clean up after themselves. They helped decorate the Christmas tree in the Great Hall. Maxi unpacked the ornaments, often reminiscing over the many homemade ones created by the children. Her favorite was the little reindeer they had fashioned out of small twigs. Riftan would lift the children up to help them reach the perfect branch way up high to hang their ornaments. There was a heavy snowfall the night before and the children begged to go out and build a snowman before dark.
Building a snowman quickly dissolved into a snowball war, full of joyous laughter, shrills, and shouts. Even some of the knights who were gathered near the training grounds joined in.
Victoria and Andrew were able to land a few on their mother after giving up throwing them at the knights who were far too fast.
"Mother isn't very good at dodging the snowballs," Victoria innocently pointed out, not intending to insult Maxi, simply making an observation.
Riftan waited for Maxi to respond, but grew concerned when she didn't reply, in fact she appeared to be frozen in place as though she were rooted to the ground.
"Maxi?" Riftan asked worriedly, hair rising on the back of his neck as each second of silence from his wife stretched on.
He placed a loving hand on her shoulder which seemed to bring her back to reality as she jumped slightly at his touch as though her mind had kept her far away.
When she turned to look at him, he saw shock, worry, and something he couldn't quite place, behind her eyes.
"What is it?" Riftan asked, his voice tight with concern and barely audible even to his own ears.
Maxi looked down and took a deep breath before holding Riftan's gaze once more. She was beaming now with a warmth he'd only seen once before.
"It looks like Christmas came a bit early," she said quietly, trying to keep the moment private for as long as she could.
Riftan simply scrunched his brows and tilted his head slightly in utter confusion.
Maxi gave a small huff of a sigh and pursed her lips, ultimately failing to hold back the bright smile that spread across her face.
"The baby's coming," Maxi said gently.
"Shit," Riftan cursed out of shock and worry for his wife.
"Shit," Andrew swore as he started to panic, remembering how painful it had been for his mother to give birth to his sister.
"Shit," Victoria echoed happily, not knowing what she's saying. A sharp look from her father and brother silently tell her that she shouldn't say it again.
Maxi was torn between laughing and crying at her current predicament. Here she stood in the snow utterly exhausted, now asked by fate or the gods whichever was to be believed, to undertake the most soul draining task to ever ask of a woman.
She began to turn back towards the castle, eager to be in the warmth of her bedchambers, when she felt a large hand gently grab her arm. She remained silent, offering her husband a soft, tired smile as he lifted her into his arms and carried her back home.
The delivery of Maximilian and Riftan's third child was a bit of a whirlwind event. The servants and midwives moved quickly to prepare everything needed for the labor. No one dared suggest that Lord Calypse leave the room, remembering all too well his reaction when someone had done so during the birth of his daughter.
Maxi screamed until her throat was sore and she squeezed Riftan's hand with such force that she saw him wince.
"One more big push my lady!" the midwife shouted encouragingly.
"I-I can't-t," Maxi gasped, her face slick with sweat and a few of her curls stuck to her skin.
"Yes, you can," Riftan said quietly. "You are stronger than you realize. I know you can do this Maxi."
Despite her exhaustion, she beamed at her husband's sweet words.
She took a few short breaths and then put everything she had into this last push.
The room went completely silent, holding its breath in anticipation. The silence was quickly broken by a small but sharp cry piercing the air.
"It's a boy!" the midwife exclaimed joyously.
The midwife and servants quickly cleaned up the baby and handed him to his mother.
Tears of joy fell from her eyes as she held her son in her arms. She glanced over at her husband who had also shed a few tears and had a wide proud smile upon his face. He leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on the baby's forehead and then did the same to his beloved wife.
Maxi looked down at her son, bundled warmly in a soft blanket staring up at her with big dark brown eyes, just like his father and sister. But unlike his father, the boy had inherited her fiery red hair, a color she had once hated on herself but now she adored the dark shade of crimson curls atop her son's head. He was unlike either of his siblings, who looked like mirror images of their parents. The boy had his father's nose and his mother's ears. Her freckles and Riftan's smile. Her third born child was a beautiful blend of features inherited from his mother and father.
"Hello, my sweet son." Maxi cooed softly.
After the couple spent a few moments bonding with their son, Maxi asked Rudis to help her change into a clean comfortable dress before bringing the children in.
Their small feet pattered against the stone floor as they raced towards their parent's bed.
The children fell in love with their brother as quickly as their parents had. They took turns holding him and beamed proudly at their parents whenever their baby brother smiled at them.
The knights, along with a few scribes present to document the birth, met the newest addition to the Calypse family a few hours later.
"What's his name, my lady?" Ulyseon asked politely.
"Hadrian," Maxi said as a bright, proud smile stretched across her face.
One of the scribes had the audacity to scoff at her reply.
"Is there a problem, Sir...?" Maxi trailed off, unfamiliar with the young scribe. The others standing in the room had quickly parted so she could see who dared laugh at her newborn son.
"Pardon me my Lady," the scribe said, sounding anything but sincere as he continued to chuckle to himself, "it's just that his name is so different from that of his siblings."
"He has an old soul," Maxi said plainly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"He's only two hours old," the scribe muttered under his breath.
Maxi heard him and her loving blue eyes quickly became like ice as they settled on the scrawny man standing before her.
The scribe nearly took a step back. The tiny woman before him had just given birth and yet there was no doubt in his mind that if he didn't shut his mouth she would be his reckoning.
"Forgive me my Lady, my Lord," he said quickly, almost scared, "I was out of line."
Behind her cold facade, Maxi desperately held back a cruel smile as she witnessed the man before her nearly start to sweat with nervousness as he began to realize the gravity and consequences of his unkept tongue.
"You carried him for nine long months and have every right to choose whatever name you desire. I-I should never question a mother's wisdom," he added nervously as he clumsily dropped his writing utensils. He bowed his head, unable to continue holding her fierce gaze.
"Get out," Riftan snapped darkly. He had nearly interceded but his wife had held her own and nearly had the man cowering in a corner with just a look. Riftan knew that look all too well and suppressed a shudder at the mere memory of the intense fury in her typically bright and cheerful face.
The young man tripped, thanks to Hebaron's boot that had miraculously been placed in just the right spot, as he had turned and practically fled from the room.
...
Two weeks later the family gathered together by the Christmas tree as a light snowfall began just beyond the window. Maxi sang an old Roem lullaby to sooth her fussy newborn. It was the same song she had sung to Andrew and Victoria who soon began to sing along upon hearing the familiar tune.
"Merry Christmas Maxi," Riftan said as his wife finished the song as he embraced her from the side.
"Merry Christmas Riftan," Maxi replied as she leaned against him.
"Merry Christmas Victoria," Andrew said happily.
"Merry Christmas Andrew," Victoria echoed cheerily.
"And a Merry Christmas to you too," Maxi said sweetly looking down at the precious baby in her arms, "Hadrian Roem Calypse."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Happy holidays everyone!