"Okay," Abby said as her brother and her wife sat down. "So...there's a law. A kind of important law."
"Most are," Cliff replied. "But continue."
She gnawed her lip and looked at the sheet. "As a Jack, I am required to inform you that Spades law states that by three years time of marriage, the King and Queen must have an heir to the throne."
Caroline's eyes widened and she looked at Abby. "Y-You mean...I have to have kids...now?!"
"No, no, not now," Abby answered. "In about nine months...okay, look, you'll have to be pregnant by June of next year, and I know how difficult it is to conceive..."
Caroline buried her face in her hands, her emotions a burning disaster. The King noticed his Queen's distress and wrapped an arm around her. "Is there anyway we can change the law?"
"No, sorry," Abby answered. "It was put in place by all Four Kingdoms after a couple waited so long that the Queen had become too fragile for birth and died."
Caroline squeaked and buried her face in her husband's shoulder. "Abby, give us a moment alone, will you?"
The Jack nodded and left. "It's gonna be alright sweetheart," Cliff soothed, trying to comfort his bride. "We only have to have one."
"Cliff...what if I die?" She looked up at him with terrified green eyes. "What if I miscarriage? What if the babies get hurt? What if I'm just a terrible mother like I am a terrible Queen?"
He blinked, taken aback by all these worries. "Caroline, you're not a terrible Queen," he whispered. He kissed her forehead and pulled her into his lap, holding her to his chest. "And you're not going to die. You're strong and healthy, so unless you get very, very sick, you won't die. If it makes you feel any better, we can have a royal doctor give you a physical to make sure you're healthy."
She nodded, giving her consent but not saying a word.
"If you miscarriage, I'll still love you. The Kingdom will still love you. It's okay, okay?"
Another silent nod.
"If the babies are hurt or sick, we'll do everything we can to help them, and if they die, that's okay. We can be sad, and we can mourn, but it's nobody's fault. Especially not yours."
The Queen nodded and suppressed a sob into his jacket.
The King resisted the urge to cry himself and simply held her closer. "And you're not a terrible Queen. You're a wonderful Queen, and the public adores you. You're kind, clever, and responsible. All the things a Queen should be. What's more, the qualities of a good Queen are also the qualities of a good mother. You're going to be an amazing mother, okay?"
She nodded and hugged him tightly. "I love you."
"I love you too."
