Maid In Royalty

♛ 40 ♛

Aiden's POV

"Aiden! Get up!"

I sat up with pain running through my entire body. Why did I go back down to the grand hall and sleep there?

I looked up and saw Ingrid holding a baby wrapped in soft cloth. She gleamed at me and sat down cross-legged so I can see the baby.

"Is it a girl?" I asked as she hands me the child. Her eyes were closed, but the essence was innocent. To be born into such a cruel world, I felt the urge to protect her.

"Yeah. A pretty hefty one at that. I don't know what Claire was fed, but that baby was challenging," Ingrid said with a laugh. I smiled down at the sleeping child and gave her my index finger to hold. In a quick second, she grabbed it and held on to it tightly. "Oh, well look at that. She likes you already." We laugh together softly.

"How's Claire?" I asked looking back up at a very tired looking Ingrid. She needed her rest, and she deserved it.

"She's asleep for now. Thanks to the doctors and the servants the delivery was very successful. She took good care of the baby."

"Yeah," I looked down at the child in my arms and thought about Iris, "she did."

"If you don't mind, can I take the rest of the day off? I really need some sleep," Ingrid requested.

"No, of course not! Please use my room as a thank you for doing this," I said as we both looked at the baby.

"Thank you," she said softly and brushed her hand against the baby's head before standing up and wiping the dust off of her hands. "Claire wants to name her Anna."

"Is that so?" I was still looking down at the baby. She opened her big blue eyes slightly and continued playing with my fingers.

"You should go and see her," Ingrid said gaining my attention. "Iris. You should go and see her if you truly love her." With a melancholy smile, she made her way upstairs to my room.

The baby-- I mean Anna, cooed in my arms as if answering the question.

"I should?"

Anna tightened her grip on my finger and moved around. I smiled knowing what I had to do next and what was to come.

"Beautiful, isn't she?"

I looked next to me and saw Iris squatting down and watching Anna.

"Yeah, she is. You wanna hold her?" I said, but then we both burst out laughing.

"I'm not real Aiden. I can't hold her." She sounded sorry.

"I know. But you will be when I come and get you," I said looking into her troubled eyes.

"You have to help me. Somethings wrong and I know you can feel it."

I shift closer and look at her face. I use my free hand and carefully put it on her cheek. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I've made many mistakes Aiden, and I have gotten out of them. But this time, something's wrong, and I'm not as far as you think I am," she spoke quietly with tears forming in her eyes. I caress her cheek with my thumb.

"I'll leave tonight, and I'll come looking for you, don't you worry!" I said.

Anna started to cry which made me break my gaze and look down at her.

"I love you," Iris said before vanishing right as I looked up. I heard footsteps coming from the room which made me stand up carefully.

"Your Highness, let me take the baby to Claire," Mary said taking Anna from me and cradling her in her arms.