Selfless Love

Christmas Comes Early

Though it was bitter cold outside, the castle was warm and bright, bustling with activity as the staff not only prepared for the holiday season but also for the next addition to the Calypse family. Many of the knights had placed bets on whether it would be a boy or a girl. It was now two weeks before Christmas and Maxi was due any day now. Riftan wanted to insist that she rest more but Maxi wouldn't dare miss their annual family Christmas traditions.

They baked Christmas cookies together, and thanks to the children, left quite a mess for the servants to deal with, though Andrew and Victoria at least tried to clean up after themselves. They helped decorate the Christmas tree in the Great Hall. Maxi unpacked the ornaments, often reminiscing over the many homemade ones created by the children. Her favorite was the little reindeer they had fashioned out of small twigs. Riftan would lift the children up to help them reach the perfect branch way up high to hang their ornaments. There was a heavy snowfall the night before and the children begged to go out and build a snowman before dark.

Building a snowman quickly dissolved into a snowball war, full of joyous laughter, shrills, and shouts. Even some of the knights who were gathered near the training grounds joined in.

Victoria and Andrew were able to land a few on their mother after giving up throwing them at the knights who were far too fast.

"Mother isn't very good at dodging the snowballs," Victoria innocently pointed out, not intending to insult Maxi, simply making an observation.

Riftan waited for Maxi to respond, but grew concerned when she didn't reply, in fact she appeared to be frozen in place as though she were rooted to the ground.

"Maxi?" Riftan asked worriedly, hair rising on the back of his neck as each second of silence from his wife stretched on.

He placed a loving hand on her shoulder which seemed to bring her back to reality as she jumped slightly at his touch as though her mind had kept her far away.

When she turned to look at him, he saw shock, worry, and something he couldn't quite place, behind her eyes.

"What is it?" Riftan asked, his voice tight with concern and barely audible even to his own ears.

Maxi looked down and took a deep breath before holding Riftan's gaze once more. She was beaming now with a warmth he'd only seen once before.

"It looks like Christmas came a bit early," she said quietly, trying to keep the moment private for as long as she could.

Riftan simply scrunched his brows and tilted his head slightly in utter confusion.

Maxi gave a small huff of a sigh and pursed her lips, ultimately failing to hold back the bright smile that spread across her face.

"The baby's coming," Maxi said gently.

"Shit," Riftan cursed out of shock and worry for his wife.

"Shit," Andrew swore as he started to panic, remembering how painful it had been for his mother to give birth to his sister.

"Shit," Victoria echoed happily, not knowing what she's saying. A sharp look from her father and brother silently tell her that she shouldn't say it again.

Maxi was torn between laughing and crying at her current predicament. Here she stood in the snow utterly exhausted, now asked by fate or the gods whichever was to be believed, to undertake the most soul draining task to ever ask of a woman.

She began to turn back towards the castle, eager to be in the warmth of her bedchambers, when she felt a large hand gently grab her arm. She remained silent, offering her husband a soft, tired smile as he lifted her into his arms and carried her back home.