Strong Willed (Slave AU)

Chapter Nineteen: The Truth

(This is a nice long chapter, because you guys deserve it after such a long wait.)

"So.. I am pregnant..."

Time based by quicker than Nico preferred. He continued to wake to the feeling of his body rejecting whatever was left in it from the previous night. For the rest of the day he'd munch on little honey graham cracker covered in grape jelly he couldn't seem to get enough of. It would only be grape jelly though. If he wasn't the gentleman his mother raised him to be, he would have thrown the plate back in a fit of tears if he had been offered anything else.

Before he knew it, three more months had passed. Jason had been generous enough to give him one of the guest bedrooms. It was quite big, much better than his little cell. The room had a rather grey theme to it, almost as if reminding him his life still wasn't on such a great track. The bed was a quarter smaller than the bed he and Will shared back at home.

Home.

A word that connected to a place that Nico longed for dearly. Home. Home in the bustling kingdom always filled with life and happiness. Home in the large castle that he could wander around for hours, knowing all the servants and guards by name. And home in the arms of the one and only person he'll ever love.

The first four months of pregnancy were filled with fear. Apperently he had went through the official "first month" not even knowing he was pregnant. The second month was when the sickness began and suspicions grew.

During the third months, the sickness eased. By the forth, he had entered what was called the "Second Trimester". And that's when it became clear what Nico had feared. He was pregnant.

Mila had escorted him to a bathroom to shower. While removing his clothes, Nico couldn't help but glance at his own reflection in the mirror. His shirt slipped from his grip as it became painfully clear his stomach had began to swell. His eyes lowered to see for himself, running his hand over the bump that held an actual human being inside of it. Tears filled Nico's eyes as he felt the need to throw up again.

Mila had heard the sobbing from outside the door and quickly went to get another one of the servants. The servant was thought more to be a midwife, which was a second job she had when she wasn't working in the castle. She was a lovely, motherly woman who apperently had three children of her own. She had been there to deliver Thalia, Jason's older sister, but unfortunately couldn't be involved in the prince's because she was already quite a while into her first pregnancy. She went to have two boys and a daughter, the little girl being the youngest and most recent.

The woman was absolutely stunning despite having three children. Her brown hair was still fully and wavy, often down and falling past her shoulders. Her eyes were a lovely blue, but seemed to change to maybe a green when the light hit her just right. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a warm heart made from gold. Her voice was soft and gentle as she soothed Nico from his tense, shocked state. She couldn't do much but go by eyeing him, checking and gentle feeling his stomach, which made Nico feel terribly strange since he hasn't been able to take his clothes off in front of others since.. The incident. Thankfully she didn't force him to undress, just requested he lifted his shirt up a bit so she could get a clear view of his stomach.

"It seems you are," She sighed, her eyes glancing at Nico with something that felt like sympathy. Word spread quickly through the big castle, especially since Jason seemed to have no shame in what he did. "You know, Nico, this is your body. If you don't want his child, there are some action we can take-"

"What's the point?" Nico pulled his shirt back down, the bump making it's presence clear through it. "He wants a child. If I get rid of this one, he'll just give me another one."

The heartbroken looks the two women gave him were almost too much to bear. He quickly asked if he could return to his bedroom, which Mila responded to by gently taking his hand and giving the woman a soft "Thank you, Sally," before leading Nico out of the small servants' lounge that they had slipped into. Each room only fit two beds, just in case a servant needed to spend the night in the castle. It was quite a bit away from where Nico's "bedroom" was and where the bathroom was that he had discovered the bump in, but that was a purposeful action. They hadn't wanted any prying eyes sticking their noses where it didn't belong and telling the prince anything. Nico was thankful for that.

"You'll be alright if I leave you?" Mila squeezed the boy's hands, her normally warm smile not reaching her eyes. Nico had asked if he could be alone, but the servant clearly didn't like the idea. "You know if you want me to stay, I'll stay."

"Thank you, Mila," Nico's voice came out a tad dull. "But I think I'll be alright. I just.. Want to sleep."

Mila nodded, giving Nico's hands another tight squeeze and giving the boy another peck on the cheek before leaving. Nico stood there for a few moments after the door shut. He wasn't sure if it was to try and make sure Mila was truly gone, or if his body just wasn't ready to move yet.

It must have been some twisted, horrible fate that led none other than Prince Jason Grace strolling through the doors not a minute after Mila left. His eyes went directly to his stomach, an almost victorious grin spreading across his face. Nico shuddered.

"Well well well.." Jason strolled in, not bothering to shut the door behind him. "Look what we have here."

"Get out," despite the heavy emotions pressing down on him, hatred for the man standing in front of him managed to shine through the most. "Leave me alone."

"Is it so bad for one to wish to check up on the young man carrying my heir?" Jason's question almost sounded innocent. Like that's what he truly came here to do. Almost.

"You came here to taunt me," Nico growled, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away. "To try and show you've won. Well, as long as my will and spirit isn't broken, Grace, you've won nothing."

Jason took several long strides forward, almost completely closing the space between the two. His eyes stared directly at the swelling of Nico's abdomen, making the boy's stomach churn in disgust and hate for the way the prince looked at him. Before Nico could step away, Jason's hand came up and pressed firmly against the bump. Nico flinched, lashing out before his senses could stop him and slapping Jason across the face.

"Don't. Touch me," Nico spat, arms wrapping around the small swelling. He almost shuddered again when he realized what it looked like he was doing.

I'm protecting myself, Nico assured himself mentally, no matter how much of an excuse that sounded like. Not it.

Jason did seem fairly surprised. By both the slap and the protective gesture of the bump that held what Nico was meant to hate. But the prince quickly straightened himself, eyes narrowing at the carrier. Nico almost grinned. The man wouldn't dare physically harm the one carrying their heir. So Jason wouldn't hit him. Part of Nico wished he tried. To see if Nico could put the developing bump in the way of the blow.

"Fine then," Jason huffed. "I don't need it until it's born anyway." With that, she turned and left the room.

Nico stood there for another moment before he decided he didn't want to stand anymore and climbed into his bed. He collapsed into it, landing on his side and laying on top of the thick quilt meant to cover him while he slept. But Nico didn't feel like sleeping. No matter how much he wished he could close his eyes and tap his heels together and wake up in Caelum discover it had all been a horrible nightmare.

As his hand brushed against the place on his stomach that Jason's had been, another shudder went through him that was too real to be the product of a dream. This was reality. A sick, horrible reality. Tears gathered in his eyes again. This time, he didn't push them away.