For some time, the young prince screamed and kicked his tiny little feet as he laid beside his mother. Mary, Catherine, and Alaina's ladies stood around the bed waiting patiently for either the prince to go quiet or Alaina to wake.
As time ticked on, Anne removed herself to sit by the fire, Natalie joining her to keep her company.
Mary began to grow worried as she sat down beside the wailing baby and tried her best to quiet him, but nothing worked.
Eventually, after an hour of his screaming, Mary felt it was best to give up their plan and had summoned for the nurse when she noticed something different about Alaina.
"Did any of you move her?" She asked as she reached over to feel Alaina's forehead. It was no longer burning up, but slightly cool to the touch and damp.
"No, has she moved?" Anne quickly stood up and reached the bedside in a few strides. "Oh dear, she'a burning up again!"
"No," Mary narrowed her eyes as she looked at the sweat glistening on Alaina's pale skin. "It must be the fur, she felt cool to the touch. Perhaps we should remove it."
Just as Anne and Mary went to remove the fur, Mary noticed Alaina's facial features had changed. She now had a look of pain on her face, as if she was struggling with something in her sleep. Beneath Mary, since she was not leaning over to pick up the fur throw, the prince wailed even louder.
"Oh!" She gasped when she suddenly realized what Alaina was struggling with. She was struggling with getting to her son to quiet him. "Alaina, he's right here!" Mary said as the empress turned her head this way and that.
"It's working," Catherine came closer to the bed. "It's actually working!"
Mary reached out to her friend, taking her hand in her own and calling for her. "Alaina, listen to me," she said. "Following voice and it will lead you to your son."
"M-my son?" Tears filled Mary's eyes as Alaina's lips moved, and a raspy voice escaped them.
"Yes, you've had a boy," replied Mary as she squeezed Alaina's hand. On the other side stood Anne, tears in her eyes as well. "He has been waiting for you."
Alaina's brows furrowed together as she turned her head in Mary's direction. Shortly after she moved her body and soon opened her eyes. It took a moment for Alaina to adjust to the sim candle lighting, but once her eyes adjusted, they landed on a beautiful baby boy wailing beside her.
It was a struggle at first, to move her arm, but once she was used to using her limbs again, she reached over to place her finger into the fussy baby boy's hand.
At first, he refused his mother's hand, but when she spoke, her voice still quite hoarse from lack of use, the infant ceased crying and looked over at her with tear filled dark blue eyes.
Everyone watched, with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces, as mother and son met for the very first time. Alaina moved to pick up her son but realized it was not wise since she was far too weak to even pick up herself.
"Relax," Mary quickly said as she placed a hand in Alaina. "You must be thirsty, would you like a drink?"
Alaina turned her attention to Mary. She hadn't realized just how dry her throat felt until now. "Yes," she managed to get out before turning her gaze back to the boy she had longed to meet.
"I have sent word for Bash," Mary said as she rejoined Alaina.
After a much-needed meal, Alaina's ladies had set to work in assisting their empress. They helped her get up from the bed, bathed her, and even cleaned her bedding before placing her back in bed where they sat her up and placed her son in her arms. She was still weak, but much more confident than before about holding her baby boy.
"What shall you call him?" Mary asked as she watched the two, a hand on her own growing belly.
"Sebastian has not named him?" Alaina looked up at Mary.
"No, in truth, we were all too worried about either one of you to think of a name."
Her blue eyes drifted back to her handsome little boy. She smiled down at him as she stared and thought about the perfect name for her little prince.
"Alexander," she said softly as she tilted her head to the side. "Little Alexander."
"Alexander." Both Mary and Alaina looked up at the sound of Sebastian's voice. He stood at the foot of the bed, tears rolling down his cheeks and a smile on his face as he stared at his wife in disbelief. "It's a miracle."
"Indeed," Mary stood up from the bed. "I shall take my leave now, go share the new with my husband. By the way, where is this healer you were supposed to find?"
Bash turned to Mary, "I couldn't track her," he said.
"Hmm," Mary's gaze dropped to the floor. "First Nostradamus couldn't make it and then you couldn't find your healer, I dare say, a miracle indeed."
Mary glanced up at Alaina and smiled one last time before taking her leave.
Once the heavy wooden door closed behind her, Sebastian made her way around the bed over to his wife and son.
"I have missed you," he said as he sat down beside them, one arm wrapping around Alaina as he reached out to place his finger in the hands of their son. "We both have."
"I am truly sorry," she whispered as she leaned against her husband. "I had only meant to sleep a little, to rest a bit, you know? I suppose I was just really tired."
"Three days," he chuckled softly. "You slept for three days. At least the fever broke within those three days."
"I came down with a fever?" She looked up at him. "Hmm, must have done it then. I was never one to handle fevers well. Always why I tried to avoid them."
"You mean to tell me this is common for you?" He lifted his head up from his wife's head so that he could look at her.
"Yes," she replied as she stared back at him as if he should know this. "Do you not remember the time I disappeared from court? I had fallen ill and slept for nearly a week."
"But the physicians said there was not much time."
"Perhaps you need new physicians. Did you not send word to my mother?"
"I did, she simply called for Elizabeth."
Alaina shook her head and smiled. "That woman, I tell ya. She could have prevented a great deal had she simply came and told you all I would be fine."
"Or if she wrote to me explaining it," muttered Bash.
"It doesn't matter now," she leaned back against him as she turned her attention back to her giggling son. "All that matters if that I have finally met my little boy."
"Yes, it is good that he has stopped crying. He cried nonstop while you were unconscious."
"So I heard."
"Shall we send for our daughter?" Bash then asked as he combed his fingers through her hair.
"I suspect they shall be arriving soon. Mother will more than likely want to meet her newest grandson. Oh, and Sebastian?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you," she said as she looked up at him.
"And I you."
Not the best ending, but this is it. I would like to thank all the amazing readers for reading this and being there through my journey of writing this. A major shout out to bellamy89 for being this book's biggest supporter 💕
I literally dedicate this whole book to you.
And with this, I will just say one more thing and that is I will see you reader again soon ❤️
Thank you for being awesome!
- GhostlyWonder
