How To Tame An Empress (BOOK I)

Chapter 20- A Mother's Love

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After the birth of our son, the palace did not see a day where the melodious sound of Ria's lullabies weren't heard, her voice always humming, face basking in laughter while she cradled the infant in her arms.

Evander Gaius Aurelius Caesar, that was the name of our child. Given to him 9 days after his birth, followed by a large celebration in which he was showered with gifts and prayers.

No one was happier on that day than his mother.

I watched as she cradled him in her arms, patting his bottom as his head lay on her shoulder, eyes closed as he slept peacefully. She hummed a quiet tune, walking in circles around the room, unaware of my presence.

"He's asleep, you can put him down, flower," I said and she jumped, turning to look at me, an innocent glare climbing onto her face while I laughed, moving to go and kiss her forehead.

"If you are trying to make me jealous of my own child then it is working," She laughed at my words, unaware of the truth that lay behind them and as if feeling the presence of his father, I caught the child blinking awake.

"Would you like to hold him?" Ria surprised me by asking.

"Now?" She nodded her head and I felt myself growing unsure.

I do not want to grow attached to this child in the way that Ria has. The mortality rate for newborns is low and even though he has been born without any problems, there is still a risk that he may not survive for long. That is why parents do not let themselves grow attached to their child until a few months after birth, the same could not be said about Ria.

"But-"

"Come on," She cut me off, placing a hand on the back of Evander's head and tilting him towards me. Not wanting to hurt her, I gave in and outstretched my arms.

Carefully, she placed the fragile being in my arms and I raised a brow at its sleeping face which was awake just a second ago, how is it even possible for something to be so damn defenceless? I feel as though it may break if I hold it too hard or too lightly.

And this thing will one day rule this empire?

"Stop looking at him as though he is a foreign being," She slapped my shoulder and this time I was the one that jokingly glared at her.

"I can't help it, darling," I mumbled before turning back to look at the child that I cradled in my arms, its head getting comfortable against my chest. "Why does he look so fragile?" I mumbled.

"Because he is. The way you raise him will outline the way in which he lives... So, let's raise him well," I looked away from the child and to my wife who was too busy stroking his chubby cheeks to notice my gaze but nonetheless, I leaned down and kissed her temple.

"Flower, you look tired," I mumbled.

"I am a bit tired but that is the same with every new mother," She smiled lightly, leaning down to kiss the child in my arms.

"I'm going to call a wet nurse, and then you and I will return to our chambers for some much-needed rest... And you will not fight me on this," I raised a brow at her, daring her to speak against what I just said.

"I do not want another person raising my child," She mumbled.

"You are the only mother that Evander will have in his life. Just in times where you need rest will a wet nurse look after him, I'll make sure of it," Reluctantly, she gave in after that and I pecked her lips before doing as I had just said.

Half an hour later, we both sat in the large bath covered in rose petals with her sat between my legs, playing with a few of the petals while I rested my chin on her head, arms wrapped around her bare waist.

Pouring some oil onto my hands, I massaged it onto her shoulders and she released a loud, satisfied sigh, leaning her head back to rest on my shoulders and I chuckled, kissing her nose.

Slowly, I trailed my kisses down her nose and to her throat and one of her arms moved to rest on the back of my head, her body shifting to sit on my lap sideways as her other hand rested against my chest.

My hands continued to trail over her body, massaging the oil into her caramel skin along with my light kisses which seemed to leave a hot trail along her skin. Ria's breathing slowly began to deepen and I smirked into her skin when I noticed.

Moving away, I climbed back up and caught her lips. Squeezing her eyes shut, she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, kissing me back while I moved her to straddle me, my hands going to rest on her bottom before climbing up along her spine and moving back down.

She broke the kiss, breathing heavily with a red face and moved to hide the said face in the crook of my neck while I laughed at her cute self, showering her shoulder with kisses.

After we finished cleaning up, I sat on a long couch in our chambers, reading through a few parchments with Ria sat beside me. Eventually, I bit back a yawn when I noticed the tiredness beginning to make its way to my mind.

As if hearing my thoughts, my body momentarily tensed up when I felt a weight fall onto my shoulder and, turning my head, I smiled at the sight of Ria's sleeping self and kissed her forehead, moving back and enjoying the beautiful sight of her sleeping face for a few seconds.

The sun setting in the background cast a warm glow into the room, landing perfectly on my wife and highlighting her beauty. From the structure of her face to the shadows of her eyelashes and pout on her lips.

"You should have just gone to bed," I whispered, setting my parchments aside before carefully picking her up in my arms and leading us to the bed, goosebumps erupting on my skin as her breath fanned my neck.

Groaning, she shifted a little bit before her eyes fluttered open for a few seconds and in that time, she got comfortable in my arms, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and nuzzling her head into my chest.

"I'm not tired yet," She obviously lied, releasing a yawn.

"That's nice, darling," She hummed, trying to glare at me through her eyes which kept fluttering open and then closed and not being able to hold back a laugh, I leaned down, catching her lips in mine and she kissed back without a moment of hesitation.

Gently, I placed her on the mattress and pulled the cover-up to keep her warm before getting comfortable on my side of the bed and pulling her closer to me.

"What about Evander?" She mumbled.

"He will be fine," I reassured and she yawned, her head placed perfectly under my chin as she closed her eyes and gave in to the tiredness. A small smile crept onto my face when I felt the softness of her lips kissing my throat while she was still half-asleep.

And with that small smile, I too followed her into the land of dreams.

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KEYWORDS:

Wet Nurse- A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, or if she is unable or elects not to nurse the child herself.