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"You're right, I did, and you're eating for two now, so I better not deny you."
"You better not."
They walked back to the festival, and Aelwen grabbed herself a plate of food, plucking roast vegetables and a few slices of roast wild boar. Everything was delicious, seasoned to perfection, and so filling that even after eating more than she normally would, she was full so quickly.
Vinir suggested they sit down for a moment to enjoy the music while they ate, and Aelwen happily agreed. As the music drifted through the air, Aelwen began to feel a strange sense of confidence emanating from Vinir. He seemed more sure of himself now, and his gaze was brighter, more alive than before. Then he stood up and made his way to the middle of the courtyard where everyone had gathered, clearing his throat as he prepared to address them.
Naturally, everyone seeing that their king was out in the open, flocked to listen to what he had to say.
"Friends," he began in a loud voice so everyone could hear him clearly. "We have been blessed beyond measure with bountiful crops, friendship between our families, and true love in our hearts." He paused for a moment as the crowd roared in approval. "Tonight, we honor those who fought against impossible odds to keep us safe. It is our duty to remember the courage and resilience of those we lost so that we may carry on their legacy even if they are no longer here with us anymore.
"But this is also a time to celebrate and honor new obligations and new life," Vinir said. "This year, I married my beautiful wife, Queen Aelwen." He gestured to her, eagerly signaling for her to join him.
With a shy smile, she did as she was bid, leaving her plate on the table to come and cozy up to his side. He kissed her on the forehead, to various awws from the audience.
"I am now more pleased than ever to announce that we are expecting our first child," Vinir said proudly. "By this time next year, we will have a little prince or princess running around to join the festival with us."
Aelwen's smile could not have been wider; she was elated to finally have this secret off her back in the open. She was shy about telling everyone at first, but when the crowd erupted into a flurry of cheers and hearty laughter, she understood why Vinir made the announcement.
A baby wasn't just good news for them but for the whole kingdom.
Vinir pulled her into his arms and held her close, spinning her around in circles before planting a passionate kiss on her lips. They embraced for what felt like an eternity, almostforgetting that there were people around them, watching their every move.
As their embrace ended and the music began to rise again, Vinir spun Aelwen around one last time before they joined hands and resumed their part in the festivities together. People crowded around them to congratulate them on their news, but Aelwen barely noticed. All that mattered now was that she had finally found balance with her husband.
Everything felt perfect, and Aelwen swore that, even though she wasn't sure if what she felt was love just yet, Vinir looked at her like he adored her to no end.
Chapter 12 - Vinir
His hands sailed over Aelwen's chest, noticing how her breasts had begun to swell ever so slightly. The bump on her stomach was so tiny you wouldn't notice if you didn't know she was pregnant.
But now that she was far enough along to see evidence of their child growing inside of her, something was different.
It wasn't that he didn't believe that Aelwen was pregnant before—he did. It was just that her pregnancy seemed so far away from him, like something so intangible he could hardly comprehend what it meant. But this tiny bump was something tangible he could understand.
See. Feel.
And suddenly, the prospect of being a father became that much more real to him. A wave of emotion overcame him, and Vinir had to sit beside Aelwen on the bed, or else he would fall over.
Tears prickled in his eyes.
Aelwen laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right? What's with you?"
Vinir looked up into her eyes and smiled. "I never expected to be a father," he said, voice breaking a little. "I wasn't even sure I wanted children until you said you were pregnant." He paused and wiped away the tears that had welled in his eyes. "But now... now that it's happening, I couldn't be happier."
Aelwen smiled then and kissed him softly on the lips. Vinir closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment they shared together, free of any worries, curses, or doubts. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close as he deepened thekiss between them. When they finally pulled away, Aelwen gave him one last look before snuggling back into his embrace with a content smile on her face.
"I'm happy too," she sighed. "So very happy."
The two of them stayed like that for what seemed like hours before they eventually drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.
Every day with Aelwen became a precious treasure. It took some time to adjust to his new life with her, finally integrating her into his daily routines. Especially difficult for him was to treat her like a queen in more than title. She wanted to be involved with state affairs, to help him rule the kingdom and take some of that burden away from him.
At first, he hesitated because it wasn't a job he would wish on anyone, it was stressful with difficult obligations, and he worried that it could be hard on her and the baby. But as the weeks passed, Aelwen became more insistent, and as he got to know her better and truly understood what she needed and what drove her, he decided she was a natural queen.
She was confident and knew when to assert herself, and she wasn't embarrassed about not knowing everything or afraid to ask questions. So by the time Aelwen was four months along, they were spending many hours together in Vinir's personal study, debating the state of the slave trade in Zacorith, or updating outdated policies, or renewing trade negotiations with other countries.
He was surprised by her intellect and wit, and how well she took to the task of running the kingdom with him. Deep down, there was a part of him that still feared that her attempts to get close to him were rooted in King Sinnegard's schemes to influence Vinir into doing his bidding. Still, the more time hespent with Aelwen, he saw her passion for equity and equality among the people.
