Delicate Oath

Thirty - One | Royal Ball Prt. 1

Odette Sinclair

"How are you hiding your belly? You're starting to show." Sliding his white dress shirt on, Augusto buttons the clothe material around his wrist.

Laying on the bed in only a pair of undergarments, my belly meets the vulnerability of the cold air, giving me short chills down my spine.

"I had Lilian switch out the dress from before. It's the same but different style. The tightness stops under my breasts and flows out, so it covers my belly. We already had this planned out my love." I smile, loving the way he gets worried about these small sort of things. I haven't seen him this worried about something so girly- so out of line for him that it makes me wonder what changed.

"What time is the ball again? I want to sleep more before then." I whine shyly, only to get a chuckle out of him.

"It starts around 4. You have time unless it takes you the normal two hours to get ready." He smirks.

"Hey!" I throw a pillow at him, "that was then! This might take 4 with 2 more inside me." I roll my eyes, annoyingly. "You did this to me you bastard! Be grateful." I add.

Laughing, he walks over and sits beside me. His hand caressing my stomach. His lips meet my stomach in small pecks.

One peck.

Two peck.

I was in such awe. I've never known Augusto to be delicate but when it came to me and the life of his own children, he was a different kind of man.

"My babies. Daddy loves you. He loves your mommy too, very much so too." He kisses my stomach again before meeting my eyes with a smile. Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve him. Yes, our beginning wasn't very happy but that doesn't mean our end meets the same fate. People change, when certain things make them. I believe this, the knowledge of his children within me, made him snap into someone completely anew.

"I must go and make sure everything is perfect for tonight. But, I will see you behind the doors 5 minutes before we are called. I love you my darling. Keep our babies safe, okay?" He kisses me gently, waiting a couple moments before pulling away.

Getting up, he walks out the door letting it shut behind him. I lay back down with a smile to my face. I couldn't imagine life any different. It feels like I've known him my whole life. The way he makes me feel is better than the stories told. Don't get me wrong, men in stories are different- the good kind of different but Augusto? Makes me feel like I'm living in a story. One that we can write ourselves.

"My babies." I murmur. My hands never tend to leave my stomach these days. After everything that happened I can't seem to fathom not knowing if they are still there. These days always worry me and I think Augusto is starting to notice. I don't mean to worry a lot- it just kind of happens. I think it's gotten worse since my pregnancy.

Oh it certainly has.

I chuckle at Maxi's remark before rolling over on a pregnant pillow comfortably. Closing my eyes I think of all the endless thoughts of my little growing family.

• • •

"Your Highness? It's time to get ready." Lilian's voice breaks the silence the room held. The bright light through the closed curtains made my eyes squint.