Samoan God

Chapter twelve

As Roman and I entered the banquet hall, his hand on the small of my back, he whispered to me, "You're beautiful, and you're mine, remember that."
We walked to the table that sat up on the dais, the people eyeing me, whispering amongst themselves. He pulled out the chair for me, motioning for me to sit. He sat down beside me, lacing his fingers with mine. Bringing my hand to his mouth, kissing it. His father stood, taking his glass and raising it, "To my son, your future king, and his soon to be wife, Princess Livia. May you both share love, happiness, and be blessed with many children."
Roman nodded to his father, as I smiled. I saw in the crowd sitting down a few tables from us, Lord Owens, Lord Styles, and Lord Rollins. Lord Rollins stood, "Your Majesties, Your Highness, and Princess, from all of us we honor you tonight, and Princess may you give birth to a healthy heir for our great country."
"Thank you Lord Rollins," I said.
The food began coming out, making my mouth water, my stomach growled. I saw Romans eyebrow raise, chuckling slightly. I bit my lip, stifling a moan, as his hand touched my stomach. "Didn't they feed you there?"
"Yes, but I couldn't keep anything down."
"No one tried to poison you did they?" He asked, his eyes narrowing.
"No."
"You're not to be out of my sight now or ever again." I felt my cheeks heat up, as he continued saying, "you will share my bed with me everyday for the rest of our days."
I started eating, ignoring him and his comments, savoring the taste of the food. No sign of nausea anywhere. His mother leaned over and said, "I swear you are to have a boy the way you are carrying this child."
I glanced towards Roman who nodded in agreement. An heir, that's why he was marrying me, it wasn't because he loved me. I looked down, pushing my plate away, refusing to eat another bite, even though I was starving. I saw the look pass between roman and his mother, turning away from both to start a conversation with Lord Rollins. "So this child will be here soon, have you thought of any names yet Princess?" He asked.
"Yes, Lord Rollins, in fact, I thought the name Fergal for a boy, and Stephanie for a girl," I said smiling, knowing Roman was fuming behind me.
"I'd say our dear Highness would object to those names."
"That's his choice to object, but I have final say in the names, considering I am the one carrying the child, not him."
"Oh my dear Princess, you are a perfect match for his Highness."
"No, just merely the one woman who actually was unfortunate enough to carry his child. Considering I didn't even know until moments before this banquet that I was to marry him. Imagine my surprise, being told mere moments before coming down here. No time to prepare like a proper princess should have been given time. Days or weeks perhaps, but not mere moments."
"Livia that's enough," my father said. "Don't embarrass his Highness like this."
I rounded on my father quickly, "Don't embarrass him, what about what he's done to me and to you father over the last year. How can you even look at him after what he's done to us both? How can you expect me to marry him after everything he's put me through, degraded me like some whore that frequents his bed?" I stood, pushing away from the table, and rushing out of the room, Bayley hot on my heels.
"Princess, please wait. It's not good for the baby to be this way right now."
Hot tears stung at my eyes, as Bayley pulled me into her arms, "It's ok Princess, you'll be ok. I promise we won't let him hurt you."
"Princess," Dean said, "let's get you to your room."
"I refuse to stay in his room. I am a Princess, not some common whore."
They walked with me to the opposite end of the castle, this room far away from Romans. As Bayley helped me get ready for bed, the door opened slightly. "Leave us," I heard her Majesty say. As the door shut, she said, "Oh Livia, my dear, I didn't realize he hurt you this badly."
"I love him, but yet, he treated me like a whore, when I am a princess, how could he do that to me? Would he do that to his own child? His own family? These people who serve and protect all of us, don't they matter more than all of us combined? They go years without seeing their families, their own children taken from them to work for us."
"You're right, but Roman needs to hear this from you, you are the only one who can make him change this stuff. With you by his side to rule, this country will flourish. Speak with him after you've rested, and ate. You need your strength, I know you believe that he just wants you as his wife because you carry his heir, but Livia, he loves you deeply. He would do anything to keep you, and I know in his heart, he will do what's right by you."