The Royal Heir - The Valtoria Diaries 2

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas

"Jen! Come and look at this! Quick!"

Jen opened her eyes and chuckled to herself. This was generally what happened whenever she relinquished their month-old baby daughter into her doting daddy's care so she could get a moment's rest. Still, she wouldn't change a thing. She slowly stood up from her nursing chair that had recently been installed in the main drawing room and wandered through to the main hallway.

The sight that met her eyes was ridiculous. A makeshift "stable" had been set up with chairs from the dining room and sheets. All four of their corgis were wearing little shepherd head-dresses and gathered around Annabelle, who was somehow sleeping while placed in some sort of hamper.

"Away in a manger, no crib for a bed," Maxwell was singing, his tune somewhat muffled by a massive fake white beard.

"Maxwell, I can't decide whether I should tell you off for treating Bella like a toy or whether I should just melt with awwww..."

"I'm thinking option B. That was my objective."

She shook her head as she approached him and pulled the beard off immediately, letting it drop to the floor. "Who are you meant to be anyway? Santa?"

"I'm Joseph, of course!"

"Did Joseph look like Santa? No."

"Does Mary not appreciate a bearded husband? You shock me! Oh!" He produced a blue headdress. "This is for you."

"Where did you get all these from anyway?" Jen giggled, as she put it on obediently.

"Amazon. They don't just sell festive elf costumes you know. Hey, about that, you've not worn that this year.." Sad face.

"It wouldn't fit me, babe," Jen sighed, looking down at her post-childbirth shape sadly.

"It would stretch!"

She glared at him by way of a warning, but then her attention was diverted by a gurgling. Bella was awake, and assessing her surroundings.

"Our little bean awaketh! Maxwell declared in delight. "Look at you, Bella!" He snapped a picture with his phone. "This is so going on the Valtoria gram."

Bella looked uncertain, and let out a series of escalating complaints, followed by a full on wail.

"Come here, Bella," Jen said, reaching down to pick her up. "There, there." The corgis all dispersed as Bella's cries grew louder. Jen walked her up and down the hallway a few times, trying to settle her. "I think she needs winding. Have you got a muslin there?"

"Er... no..." Maxwell went through his pockets. "I have some gold, frankincense and myrrh.. And a boiled sweet."

"No problem. I'll go get one."

Jen carried Bella upstairs and into her nursery, where she soon found a muslin cloth to place between her and Bella while she winded her. "There, Bella. All better, huh? Shall we get back to Daddy's little game? Yeah?"

Giggling, she made her way back down the stairs with a much calmer bundle in her arms. "There you go, Daddy. You can have baby Jesus back now."

But Maxwell looked despondently back at her. "I'm sorry, Jen."

"For what? Maxwell?"

He sighed. "It's been a whole month, and I still haven't got the hang of this parenting thing, have I? Huh, is it any surprise?"

Jen sighed, and placed Bella gently back down in the basket. Destiny at once went to sit protectively next to her. "Good girl, Destiny." She stood back up, and wrapped her arms around her husband.