Ever After (Unfinished Fairy Tales #3)(105)
Mabel grasps my arm. “Oh I just knew it would happen, but ain’t it grand hearing her say yes?”
“Definitely,” I smile. “All right, Mabel, time for us to go. We’ve been here long enough…”
Nausea sweeps over me, and I’ve barely enough time to move away from Mabel, before throwing up on Galen’s carefully maintained grassy lane.
* * *
“Congratulations, Your Highness.”
I sit on bed, while Mabel and Amelie hover in the doorway. Bertram’s in the sitting room; due to propriety, he can enter Edward’s bedroom but not mine. Dr. Jensen holds my hand in both of his and smiles. “You are about to become a mother.”
“The princess is with child!” Mabel shrieks, throwing her arms around Amelie.
Happiness, mingled with relief, floods through me. Edward and I have started sleeping together, but nothing has happened. I was beginning to worry if I can never beget children—not that I’m afraid of public opinion or family pressure, but this reassures me I’m normal. Even with the fairies’ magic, you can never be too certain what might happen in the future.
Footsteps pound outside, and Edward rushes in, anxiety written on his face.
“I heard you were violently sick in the gardens. What…”
Dr. Jensen rises. “There’s no need to be alarmed, Your Highness. Princess Katherine is pregnant.”
Edward looks like he is going to explode with joy. “She…she is going to have my child?”
“Our child,” I say, but the nausea starts again and I retch into a bucket that Mabel brought. Edward looks frantic, while the doctor assures him that my sickness is perfectly normal. Bertram leaves to inform the king and queen the good news. I’m picturing the headlines already: Princess Katherine Is Expecting.
Later that night, Edward and I snuggle in bed together, poring over a book of baby names.
“How about Charles, if it’s a boy? We can name him after my great-grandfather.”
“No way. That’ll make him sound like Charlie, and I’ll be reminded of Charlie Quinn.” I grimace. I can never think of Quinn without resentment; ironically, Edward doesn’t bear a grudge towards the man responsible for injuring him. “How about Raymond, after my adopted grandfather?”
Edward considers a moment. “That might do. As long as it’s not Liam.”
“And if it’s a girl?”
“Anything but Bianca.”
I laugh. “Sounds like we’ve made a lot of enemies.”
“You can name our daughter after your mother or sister. Or even both, if there are two girls.”
That makes me look up. “Even if their names aren’t common in Athelia?”
“It will remind the public the extraordinary character of their mother.” Edward draws his arm around my shoulders and drops a kiss on my hair. “Do not hesitate if you require anything, love. Any request you make will be fulfilled.”
“You’ll spoil me.”
“You deserve it.”
I laugh and nestle my head into his shoulder, blissfully content. After everything I’ve been through, from waking up in the body of Katriona, to marrying Edward as my own self, Katherine Wilson, I am finally where I want to be. Married to a man who is fairytale perfect, belonging to a tight-knit circle of wonderful friends, and undertaking a position that allows me do good work.
Now this is what I call happily ever after.
THE END