Love to Hate, Hate to Love (A Cruel Prince Fanfic)

Born of Me

(Cardan's POV)

I can't believe what I'm hearing. I know I must have an heir someday, but now? Now is too early. Jude is going to give birth. To my baby. This can't be happening.

~~~Skipping to Birth~~~

This can't be happening. Jude is giving birth in the other room. I'm trying to remember the night it happened. I can't, all I can think of are Jude's screams. They stop abruptly, and I hear a baby crying. All I can do is sit and wait, so I do. After a few more minutes of waiting, a nurse comes out of the room.

"You're Highness, you may see them now. It's a little Princess." she says calmly, as though she didn't just help give birth.

My heart is racing and I can barely breath as I stand and walk through the door.  Jude is lying on the bed, holding a baby in her arms. She looks up at me, a look of pure joy on her face. We hold eye contact for a while, before she looks back at the baby. I study Jude for a moment longer and then look at my new daughter. My breath is instantly taken away at the beauty of the small pink thing in Jude's arms. She has a tuft of curly black hair on her head, and her ears are pointed and slightly furred. She has a small button nose and tiny mouth. Her skin is rapidly fading from pink to pale, and her tiny hands opened and closed around the air, like she is trying to catch a flying beetle. But most beautiful about her, is her eyes. They shine like emeralds, gleaming green. Never have I seen such beautiful eyes, like jewels.

"I want to name her Aurora." Jude finally speaks in the silence.

"Let me hold her." I held out my arms for her. Jude set her gently into them, and the little girl stared up into my eyes. 

"She's wonderful isn't she?" Jude prompted me to speak.

"Yes. Yes she is, her name shall be Aurora. Like you want." Jude smiles at that but when she see's my expression, she frowns.

"What is it?"

"It's too early. I can't have an heir already. I've only been King for a year! And what about Oak?"

"You're doing just fine as King, and he doesn't want to come back." she told me sadly.

I sighed and rubbed my face, careful not to drop Aurora. I thought for a moment,  thinking of all the possible ways I could keep her away from the Court.

"What if we kept her secret, you raised her away from all this mess?"

"We can't do that, she looks too much like you. She'll probably get even more of your physical traits."

"You're right, of course. Though the only way I can keep her, is if we marry." a look of surprise washes over her.

"You can't be serious."

"I also can't lie. Only one of us is right." she sighs and looks at Aurora.

"We have to think of what's best for her. I'll do it if you will."

"I have no choice. I will. We keep her secret until it's done."

"Agreed." she held out her arms and I gave her back the baby.

I walked out of the room and went to my chambers. I lay on my bed until I hear knocking. I jump up and go to my desk, so I seem to have been doing something other than pitying myself.

"Come in."

"Your Highness, have you finished planning the Anniversary banquet?"

Right, the Anniversary banquet, marking one year of my rule, that I am supposed to plan myself, and have completely neglected. I must use every lying tactic I've observed in Jude to make this lie believable.

"Yes, of course. I must finish writing it down and then I will send it down."

"Alright, Your Highness." I must have pulled it off, because the servant left.

Maybe Jude can be more helpful in my rule than I thought. Almost every banquet is the same, with only a few differences. I write down everything I've heard about Anniversary banquets, and guess the rest. Then I send it downstairs to the kitchens. I think about Jude and Aurora, how soon we will all be a family, of sorts. Then it hits me. We can announce everything at the banquet. I will have her at my right side, Jude, Daughter of clay, The Queen. She will sit in the now empty Queen's Throne.

I look across the room to the Queen's closet, already prepared with gowns and dresses. I know what I have to do.