Chapter 120
120 Chapter 120 : Humans!
When Aiden woke up the next morning he turned to look at his pretty little princess who was still fast asleep, looking as innocent and as beautiful as ever. He leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek good morning. When he pulled away, Estel flattered her eyes open and smiled at Aiden.
“Good morning kitty,” he whispered softly, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to wake you.”
The woman yawned and reached for the man’s cheek, “it’s alright, how did you sleep?”
“Amazing,” Aiden responded happily, “how could I not when my entire world is laying right next to me.”
Estel chuckled, her fiancé was quite the sweet talker indeed. She moved her body and tried to sit up but failed at her attempt. For some reason Estel felt incredibly tired and extra heavy that morning. The prince quickly took her hand and helped her to lean against some pillows on the headboard of the bed.
“What’s wrong kitty? Are you in pain?”
Estel shook her head and gently rubbed Aiden’s hand, “I’m alright, I’m just a bit lethargic this morning.”
The nosferatu prince brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, “forgive me my love, I tried my best to be gentle last night.”
“It’s not because of you you shameless man!” Estel exclaimed with a chuckle, “it was probably the banquet, must have worn me out more than I thought.”
.....
Aiden rubbed her tummy gently and planted a kiss on it before looking up at her beautiful face, “you two should stay in bed today, I’ll have someone make your breakfast and make sure you’re well tended to.”
As the prince slid off the bed Estel grabbed his arm and pouted, “where are you going? Why can’t YOU tend to us yourself?”
“I’d love nothing more than that kitty, but I have a meeting with my father today and he says it very important. I cannot miss it.”
“More important than your pregnant wife to be?” Estel spoke as she puckered her lips in a cute yet pitiful way.
Upon looking at her face, Aiden was on the verge of tossing all his plans aside and tending to her every need, but he couldn’t. His father had emphasized that what he wanted to discuss concerned the future of the kingdom and the safety of everyone from the humans, including Estel and his child.
He placed his lips against her pouting ones and lightly bit her lower lip. “Stop that before I pounce on you like a wild animal,” he whispered before kissing her dearly. As he devoured her soft lips Estel grabbed his bare shoulders and attempted to pull him in but Aiden had to resist. If he gave in into making love to her, who knows when he would stop, and he couldn’t afford to be late for this meeting.
Aiden grabbed Estel’s hands and gently pulled them off him much to her disappointment. “I have to go kitty I’ll be back-”
“No!” Estel shrieked and wrapped her arms around his neck, “I don’t want you leave me Aiden! Please not today, can’t you move this meeting to some other time?!”
Aiden’s heart melted, Estel had never been this clingy before, were the pregnancy hormones on overdrive today? That was most likely the case. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her lower back gently, “I’ll only be gone for an hour tops okay, not longer than that.”
“You promise?” Estel whimpered in the cutest way
“I promise kitty, and after that I’ll never leave your side ever again okay?”
The woman nodded slowly and loosened her grip, letting Aiden pull away, “I love you Estel, I’ll see you soon alright.” He planted one last kiss on her forehead and hopped of the bed to clean himself up and put on his clothes.
Estel sighed and held her tummy as she watched him prepare, she too didn’t understand why watching him leave today was so hard on her. I mean she had had no troubles being home without him before so why was she feeling this emptiness inside when he said he’d be gone for just one hour.
Aiden moved to Estel’s side of the bed, gave her a quick kiss on the lips and whispered “forever and always,” before leaving the bed chamber.
“Forever and always,” Estel whispered as the door closed. Forever and always, a phrase Aiden had used constantly from the first time he told her he loved her. He said it was a reassurance that he would love her and protect her forever and always without fail.
*
Aiden dismounted his horse and walked into his parent’s residence, he was greeted by his mother’s smiling face as she placed some freshly baked bread, fruit, some meat and wine on the table.
“Considering Estel’s condition I assume she hasn’t been able to spoile you with food like this for a little while now,” Marceline spoke as she gestured her son to sit down.
“You’re in no better condition yourself darling you should take it easy and let the maids-”
“Oh hush Stefan I’m not that bad, I can still move around the kitchen,” she interrupted her husband who was already sitting at the table. She gave her son’s shoulder a gentle pat and walked back to the kitchen, “enjoy!”
Aiden watched his mother disappear down the hallway and turned to look at his father, “condition? What condition are you talking about? Is mother ill?!”
“No of course not,” the Kaiser responded, “please dig in.”
“I don’t mean to be rude father but Estel is a bit uneasy today,” Aiden explained, “I promised her I’d go back home soon so could we skip the happy meal and talk about why you called for me. You said it was important.”
Kaiser Stefan put down his cup and pushed a cup of wine and a plate of roasted meat towards his son, “let’s eat and talk, I insist.”
*
Estel shifted uncomfortably in the bed as her hand maiden filled up the bath in the next room. She rubbed her tummy which was now feeling a little sore, she prayed to the gods nothing was wrong with her baby. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain that made her shriek causing the hand maiden to rush into the room in worry.
“Princess what happened?” She asked in a panicked voice, “are you in pain?”
Estel grabbed the maiden’s hand and groaned, “get Aiden!”
“Let me help princess!”
The maiden pulled off the blanket and was mortified to find that the spot where Estel was sitting was drenching wet. “Gods! You’re going into labor! Let me call the midwives immediately-”
“Call for Aiden first!” Estel screamed between strained breaths, “I am not having this baby without him here. Call for him now!”
*
Aiden had all but lost his appetite as he looked at his father. Kaiser Stefan had told him all about the meeting with the mages, their plan to infiltrate the humans and who they were going to use as pawns in this whole plot.
“Does mother know of this?” Aiden questioned the man sitting across from him who had also stopped eating.
“No..”
“Why in the world haven’t you told her?!”
“I don’t know how to!” Stefan spat back, “you think this is what I wanted?!”
“You are about to use my baby sister, your child, as a pawn for revenge father, and you don’t feel the need to tell the woman carrying that child of your plans?!”
“Look, if anything I didn’t want it to be this way, but what other choice do we have?” The Kaiser leaned his head into his hands and sighed heavily, “the people we left behind are being tortured and probably killed as we speak and we don’t have the military strength to go against the human race. Not now and not in a very long time. But we can’t just sit back when we have a chance Aiden. You will be king one day, and as king you have to understand that some sacrifices should be made. Those people we left behind, they have daughters too, some are daughters, sons, husband, uncles and wives!”
“Then let me go in her place!” Aiden yelled, “rather send me out there than an innocent child.”
“You think if I could take my daughter’s place I wouldn’t have done it in a heartbeat?! I was given no choice! Even her conception was aided by the mages’ magic, it is her destiny.” The Kaiser downed his wine and looked up at his son, “besides, you cannot leave Estel and your child, I cannot allow it.”
*
A few meters away from the town on the borders, a guard was downing a cup of ale. He placed it on the ground, burped and cooed happily. “Aye I really needed that, nothing like some ale to warm you up on a chilly day like this one.”
“I don’t think it’s wise for you to be drinking your ass off while you’re on guard duty,” another gaurd commented.
“Oh don’t be so uptight, nothing ever happens here,” the first gaurd responded as he poured himself more ale. “What are the odds that-”
The second gaurd scurried backwards when an arrow that seemed to have come out of nowhere lodged itself into his friend’s throat. He turned to the front and saw about three dozen men on horseback riding towards the Ervelon boarders.
“Fuck! Humans!”