When we got back the night was cool and the palace was quiet. A few guards lined the hallway and a few maids were finishing up late night chores, but other than that, it was empty. Maxon and I made our way upstairs. The trip had exhausted us. Between the sun, surf, and sand we were too tired to do anything but climb right into bed.
It wasn't until breakfast the next morning when we noticed the maids and guards giving us quick glances when we weren't looking. "Why do you think they keep looking at us," I whisper to Maxon. "I think they want to know what happened on our honeymoon," he whispered back.
I look up and catch the eye of a maid. "The honeymoon was, in a word, amazing," I say, glancing at Maxon and not wanting to give anything away. I had already begun to miss the beach and the warm sand and cool water. But I also missed the castle and everyone else in it, too. Maxon was visibly tanner than before we left, but I looked slightly red, my fair skin being easily burned in the sunlight. Lucy must have sent word to some,of the dress makers about my skin because when I got back, half of my wardrobe was filled with dresses that helped compliment my new skin tone.
I was wearing a light, cream colored shirt and tight, dark jeans and my new crown when Maxon and I received news that our friend, Nicoletta, the princess of Italy, would be coming to visit in a month. "Why do you think she wants to visit?" I ask Maxon, who was holding the letter we had just received.
"She says to talk politics but I know she wants to do more than that," he said. He then handed me a separate letter addressed specifically to me. I hastily open the letter and quickly read through it. I can't help but smile a bit.
Maxon notices and he asks, "What is it?"
"Oh, nothing. Just that she is sending her congratulations, again, and wondering how our king and queenly duties are going... and when she is going to see little Schreave babies crawling around the castle." Maxon blushes at this. He's always wanted children.
We left the dining hall shortly after and it wasn't until about three weeks later that I received some... Good news. I walk out of the bathroom and run over to the bed and hold up the pregnancy stick with a plus sign on it in front of Maxon's face. He looks at me as if he can't believe it, "Are you...?"
I nod.