Chapter 7: Royal Apologies.
"Love and a cough cannot be hid." ~ George Herbert.
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"My Prince, i would like to apologise for lying on your name. You are an admirable man and I apologise for having done what I did." Lucia said gloomily, she couldn't look into his eyes, they held only bad memories such as when she was moaning his name beneath his chest as she looked at those sapphire blue eyes. She wished if only there was a way she could forget about their two weeks of nothing but lies.
"Son ?" The King questioned at the Prince who seemed lost at thought.
"Uh it's okay, you are forgiven." He said.
"Well then Khristian and Lucia, you have my blessings to get married." The King ruled. Khristian gave Lucia a smile, The Prince couldn't help but sneer.
Once the bestfriends had made it home, Lucia told Khristian she was going for a swim to clear her mind. She was only three months and a half. Her belly bumb was now visible. She walked alone there with her hair tied into a pony tail. The dress she wore outlined her pregnant tummy. She sat on the grass, watching as the water flowed. She wasn't expecting anyone as sge threw small stones into the water. She stopped expecting anything the day it finally dawned onto her that she meant nothing to the Prince and that more than anything he deserved better than her and that would be Princess Amelia of France. It finally dawned onto her when she finished reading the picture of Dorian Gray. He was wrong she wasn't Sybil Vane, she would not end her life because he refused to be in it.
"Baby, i don't know if you can hear me but this is mommy speaking; we are going to be alright. You have me, you will always have me and uncle Khris. You don't need a father that doesn't want you, okay ? Your Uncle Khris promised he would take us to Paris or do you wanna go to Berlin ? I don't know honestly anywhere far from here. We could start over just the three of us hopefully the King will allow us to leave. After he see's your sweet face he won't be able to say no." She said softly rubbing her little belly bumb. "Oh my goodness, kick it again ?" She gasped when she felt something kick on her left, at that moment she knew she loved her baby. "You kick like a girl ?" She smiled. "My little girl." She said focusing her attention on the sun that was now setting.
"It's a boy." a voice from behind the tree startled her. It was just like the day they met, him leaned against the tree.
"My Prince, i was just about to leave." She said softly looking away, she wanted to keep things as competent as possible. She would never call him Alexius again that was clearly a mistake. They should have never have been too comfortable with each other.
"Why ?" He questioned.
"Uh it's getting late." She said immediately walking away fast but he ran after her and when he caught her, he pressed her against a tree.
"Your highness, i don't think we should be this close. I don't think we should see each other, it was a mistake and I will deal with it." She tried pushing him away but he wouldn't budge, he missed her vanilla essence, her soft hair and soft smile. He held her softly against the tree, his strong chest pressed against her now bigger breasts, they had expanded in size due to her pregnancy.
"Lucia." said softly.
"Your highness, Please let me leave ?" She protested, her eyes were set on his chest considering his five o'clock shadow, she wouldn't look him in the eye not now not ever.
"Lucia ?" Kyra said right infront of them.
"It's not what it looks like-" Lucia tried to explain why she was in an awkward position with the Prince.
"Your highness, what are you doing in the woods with my pregnant cousin ?" She questioned suddenly Elias appeared. "My love ?" He called out until his eyes met with his cousin and Lucia.
"You really are the bastard that made her pregnant ?" Kyra yelled, everything seemed to make sense. She lost all her respect for him as a Prince and brother in law.
"No no no, it was Khris. The Prince and I don't have anything-" Lucia explained.
"It's true, I'm the father." Prince Alexius said shocking everyone, shocking Lucia, Elias and Kyra because they never thought he would admit it.
"No, don't believe him." Lucia abjured.
"Lucia, you deserve much better." Kyra scowled at the Prince. It really surprised Lucia seeing her cousin defend her like that.
"We are going home. Your highness, i would apreaciate if you left my cousin alone ! I think you have done enough damage. Please let her go-" Kyra said clearly hot blooded.
"Alexius you need to listen to my fiancée." Elias added.
"Can I just have two minutes with her then ?" Prince Alexius said zealously.
"Lucia, Elias and I are gonna leave ? don't hesitate to scream-" Kyra said softly, Lucia had never seen her cousin act like this towards her. When they were left all alone, Lucia didn't know what to say except. "I'm not Sibyl Vane." Silence followed. "I would never ever take my life because you used me, impregnated me, humiliated me... I think I'm far worse than Sibyl, atleast she didn't have to walk around with a piece of him. Atleast she never made the mistake of going to bed with him. I'm so cheap and shallow, i allowed you to take me on the grass where anyone could have walked in on us. I won't take my life, i just need you to leave me alone." Lucia said firmly.
"Lucia, I'm sorry." was all the Prince said.
"It's okay, may I leave now ?" She asked.
"I want to be in my child's life." He added looking directly at her but she refused to look at him.
"Why are you making things difficult for me ? Do you enjoy seeing me suffer ?" She wiped a tear away.
"I'm just-"
"I know but you are making this complicated. Your highness you need to marry someone of your class who will give you a heir." She said faintly. "I can't have my child questioning why they have visits from the Prince well practically the King when Khris is the father."
"What if my child knew I was the father, i can't stand to watch another man raise my child." He said breezily running his hand through his blonde hair.
"Everything would have been perfect if you had continued to deny this child. She doesn't need to know who you are.." Lucia said.
"You mean He' because it's a boy." He said lifting her chin so Lucia would look at him.
"Your-" she was interrupted.
"It's Alexius." He said his thumb rubbing her bottom lip. Her cheeks flashed.
"I won't allow us to ever be that comfortable around each other, there has to be boundaries. This is after all what led to this." Lucia gestured at her belly. "Your highness, let me go. This doesn't matter, no one has to know. Please just go back to your world and I will stay in mine. You don't have to pretend as if this is the last child you will have. Once you wed, you can have as many princes and princesses you want with your Queen."
"What if you are my Queen ?" He said in serious tone, Lucia couldn't help but laugh at how delusional he sounded.
"I'm to wed soon, that's not possible although it was hilarious." She said gingerly.
"I have to go prepare supper-" She pulled away from him.
"You can't be working in your position..." He said with genuine concern.
"I will manage, just go before the King sends all the soldiers to look for you."
"Lucia ?" She ignored him as she continued walking away.
"Lucia !" He yelled until it was all just an echo.
Lucia.