When he woke again, he knew immediately that Esther was gone, and not just because Raja was snuggled next to him. The dog never did that when Esther was still in bed.
“She’s soaking in the tub.”
The voice came from the chair on the other side of the room. Darius couldn’t immediately place who it was.
He managed to sit up and look over, shock setting in when he did. “Your Majesty, I didn’t expect you to come all this way.” He bowed his head as best he could.
King Edward inclined his head a bit. “When Ian called last night, he told me about the baby. Miriam and I had to come ourselves, at least for a day or two.”
“How’s Esther feeling?”
“Miserable and sore. Her mother helped her into the tub.”
“I’m glad.” Darius checked his phone. “As much as I’d love to have this conversation without any narcotics in my system, I think I need to take some more medication. It’s been long enough.”
“I understand. You probably need to get that foot elevated.”
He needed a pillow or something to manage that, and he didn’t have anything. “I will in a bit.” And ice it.
“I already spoke with Vesta and Louis.” Amusement colored the king’s voice. “Vesta told me, in no uncertain terms, that she was going to baby both of you for the next couple of weeks, whether I approved or not as part of the whole teaching you to be grownups plan.”
“I heard her tell Esther that last night. That if you had a problem with it, you could take it up with her.”
The king chuckled. “She has my approval to baby you some. This is a bit different than what we’ve talked about in general. But...”
Darius should have known that was coming.
“You’re not a complete invalid. You have to take it easy, sure, but you can get around on crutches. Your wife, on the other hand, has the flu, and rest is the only cure for that, and could, possibly, help prevent miscarriage.”
What exactly did that mean?
“So, you have two days of bed rest along with Esther. Someone will help you prop your foot up, help ice it, bring you both food when you’re feeling up to eating. Come Monday, I don’t expect you to be shouldering a full load again, but I do expect you to be taking care of your wife as much as you’re able.”
About what he expected. “Understood.” Darius managed to sit up. “Things are better between us, sir. I promise.”
King Edward gave him a half smile. “I figured they were, or I wouldn’t have another grandchild on the way.”
“Be nice, Papa!” Esther’s voice came from the bathroom. “Mother’s not here to make you.”
“I am,” her father called back then turned to Darius. “Would you like something to eat?”
Darius nodded, but he also needed to go to the bathroom again.
“I’ll get you something. I’m sure Vesta knows your favorites by now.” He left the room, but didn’t close the door behind him.
Darius stood with the aid of the crutch and started around the bed. First, he closed and locked the door, just for a few minutes, then went to the bathroom door. “I’m coming in, Star,” he called softly.
“Okay.”
Once inside, he leaned on the wall next to the garden tub and looked down at her. Only her head and neck were visible over the mountains of bubbles. “How’re you feeling?”
“Like I was in a car accident and have the flu, and I can’t even use the jets or make the water too warm.”
“So miserable.”
“Exactly.” He hobbled toward the water closet. “I’ll be out of here in just a minute. Your father went to get us something to eat.”
“I don’t think I can keep anything down right now.”
“Are you ready to get out?” Not that he should be the one helping her. He wasn’t steady enough.
“No. Not quite yet.”
After Darius washed his hands, he went into the closet and managed to change into a pair of pajama pants. Given that his father-in-law was hanging out in his room, he grabbed a shirt to put on, but a knock on the door stopped him.
“Just a second.” It took some maneuvering but he made it back to the door. “Sorry. I was changing,” he said as he opened it to let his father-in-law in.
“I don’t think you finished.” The king set the tray down on the table on Esther’s side of the bed.
Darius didn’t want to hobble all the way around, so he sat down as close as he could, then closed his eyes. He needed to ask a favor. “Sir?”
“Yes?”
“Could you find me some pillows or something to prop my foot up on? All we have in here are the ones we both use.”
“I’ll see what I can find.”
Darius looked up to see amusement twinkling in the king’s eyes. “Thanks.”
The king started for the door then turned. “When we’re not in public, you can call me Edward.”
18
Esther really was ready to get out of the tub, to put on comfortable clothes, and go back to sleep, but she didn’t want Darius helping her. He was clearly in pain and not steady enough.
As he left the bathroom, he’d pulled the door closed.
“Papa?” she called.
“He’ll be back in a minute.” Darius answered her instead.
“When he is, could you have him get my mother?”
“I just walked in, dear.” Her mother opened the bathroom door just enough to slip inside. “Ready to get out?”
“Yes.”
“I think we’re going to need to get you in the shower for a minute to get those bubbles off.”
She’d already thought of that. “I can manage for a minute.”
It took some maneuvering, but her mother helped Esther get into the shower while, mostly, preserving her modesty. At least the shower didn’t require her to take a step over the side.
Her mother went into the closet to get clothes for Esther to put on. It only took a couple minutes to rinse off. With the towel wrapped around her, she moved slowly into the closet, glad she’d had the foresight to put a chair in there.
She insisted to her mother that she could get dressed all by herself. Her mother seemed skeptical, but left the closet. It took every bit of energy Esther had, but she managed to finish drying off and get her pajamas on.
“Mama?” she called, hating how weak she sounded.
With her mother’s help, she made it back to the bed. Someone had brought Darius pillows to prop his foot up on, though he was seated so it wasn’t actually above the level of his heart. It did have ice packed around it.
“Could I get something super light?” Esther asked as she sat down. “Maybe some broth?”
“Already on the tray,” her father answered.
She positioned herself next to Darius as her mother pulled the covers up over Esther’s legs.
Her parents worked together to put a lap desk over her legs and set the broth on it. Rather than a bowl with a spoon, that Esther was likely to spill, whoever made it had put it in a disposable coffee cup with a lid.
“This is good,” she told them after the first sip.
“Vesta had it made and waiting for you.” Her mother sat on the small couch next to her father. “She seems to like you.”
Esther managed a small smile before taking another sip. “She and Louis take good care of us, while still making sure we’re learning the things we need to.”
“That’s their jobs.”
“It’s more than that,” Darius answered for her as she raised the cup to her lips again. “I think they see it as an extension of their service to my family years ago.”
“They probably do. That ended under unusual circumstances, right?”
Darius explained, though Esther was sure she’d told her father before. Either he’d forgotten the details or was asking for her mother’s benefit or wanted to hear Darius tell the story.
By the time he finished, Esther had sipped as much broth as she could handle. She set it on her side
table and folded the legs of the lap desk before sliding it onto the floor next to the bed.
“I don’t mean to be rude, Mother, Papa, but I’m going back to sleep.”
Her mother’s laugh and father’s chuckle made her smile as she tried to get comfortable. At least a high-quality mattress made it easier.
It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep. When she woke, she took more medicine, then slept more. She continued the cycle, interspersing her nap times with more broth.
Darius was next to her almost every time she woke up, though once he was soaking in the tub in an effort to relieve his own aches and pains.
She managed to email her teachers. They all responded with a variation on “get well, we’ll work it out.” Darius’s teachers were the same way.
Her parents left Sunday afternoon, saying they would be back for Christmas with the rest of the family.
Vesta and Louis mothered both of them, but Darius insisted on getting out of bed on Monday. It took a lot of effort on his part, but he brought her broth and helped her to the bathroom a couple of times. Vesta helped more there because Darius couldn’t support her as much as she needed.
As she started to doze before dinnertime Monday, the doorbell rang. She heard Darius answer it. The voices sounded familiar but weren’t quite clear enough through the door to place them.
Curious, she managed to stand, grab a robe and wrap it around her, then walk slowly down the stairs, though she leaned heavily on the railing. The voices now came from the kitchen and were more distinct.
She smiled as she walked slowly toward them.
Darius straightened from his spot against a counter. “Esther, what are you doing up?”
“I heard the doorbell. Hi, Samantha. Vince.” She gave a weak smile. “Thank you for coming by.”
“They brought dinner.” Darius wrapped an arm around her waist. “But you need to sit down.”
“We didn’t know you had help.” The grin on Samantha’s face softened her words as Esther sat in one of the recliners.
“Vesta and Louis are just here to help when we need it. More like supervisors than help. We still do most of our own cooking and cleaning and stuff.” Darius hobbled back to the kitchen. “But thank you for bringing it.”
“It’s nothing big. Just baked spaghetti, garlic bread, and brownies.” Samantha opened the fridge to put the tinfoil pan inside. “It would have been something better if Vince had time to cook, but he had a meeting after school today.”
The dog jumped up next to Esther, settling down carefully next to her. “Brownies sound amazing. I haven’t had real food in days.”
Darius had seated himself on one of the bar stools. “Would you like to join us for dinner? You did make it.”
Samantha and Vince shared a glance before he grinned as she reopened the refrigerator to pull the spaghetti back out. “Sounds like a plan.”
Samantha took the tin foil off the pan. “Those brownies have been taunting me all afternoon.”
Esther reached to the side and slowly eased the footrest out. This night was looking up.
After taking a plate of spaghetti and some garlic bread to Esther, Darius dished up his own and took a seat in a chair near the coffee table. He wished they had another recliner so he could get his ankle at least kind of propped up, but he could wait until after dinner, despite the ache. Both Samantha and Vince sat on the sofa.
Vince said a quick prayer over their meal before they all started eating.
“This is delicious.” Esther took a sip of her drink. “The first thing I ever tried to make was spaghetti. It didn’t go well.”
Darius swallowed his own bite. “It would have been fine if you weren’t distracted and forget the timer.”
“I burned everything.”
“But you wouldn’t have if you’d remembered one step.”
Vince pointed his fork at them. “You two fight like an old married couple.”
“We’re not old.” They spoke in unison.
Samantha and Vince just smiled.
“How long have you lived here?” Samantha asked looking around.
Darius twirled some spaghetti around his fork. “Since March. We moved right after we were married.”
“And you eloped, right?” Vince picked up his garlic bread. “Do you mind if I ask why?”
Darius stared at his plate, glancing at Esther out of the corner of his eye.
She sighed. “I was pregnant and that was the appropriate response as defined by my father, Darius’s brother, and the Trea...” She clamped her mouth closed.
“By the tree?” Samantha asked.
Darius glanced at Esther to see her watching him. He shrugged. He’d been told security had done a thorough background check and even talked to Prince Charlemagne about the other couple.
Esther closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “By the Treaty of 1702. If Darius didn’t marry me, my father could unseat Darius’s brother from the Eyjanian throne and place a person of his choosing, likely me, on it instead.”
He glanced at their guests who seemed more confused than anything. “My brother is King Benjamin of Eyjania. Esther’s father is King Edward of San Majoria. When we met last February, we hadn’t seen each other in years and were both rather circumspect about our identities. Esther realized who I was before she told her father she was pregnant. Getting married was the right decision, regardless of the international politics at play, though they did force my brother’s hand.”
Vince put his fork down. “You’re telling us you’re royalty?” He looked at Esther. “You’re a princess from San Majoria?”
Esther nodded.
Turning to Darius, he leaned forward. “And you’re a prince from Eyjenny?”
“Eyjania,” Darius corrected. “But yes. My father was King Alfred the Second. My brother is King Benjamin the First.”
Samantha blinked a couple of times. “I guess the right word would be wow. I get why you wouldn’t tell new friends right away, but why now?”
“Why not?” Darius leaned back. “No particular reason, but we know you can be trusted not to blab it everywhere.”
“How do you know that? Background checks?” Vince picked his fork back up.
Darius nodded. “I’m told security also talked with Prince Charlemagne, who vouched for you.”
“Prince Charlemagne?” Samantha asked.
“Charlie,” Vince reminded her quietly.
“Right. I never knew that was his name until the wedding announcement came out. I still don’t think of him as anything but Charlie.”
“I doubt anyone around here does.” Vince went back to eating.
“Do you know Charlie?” Samantha picked up her drink. “I miss him, but I miss his daughter more.”
Esther shook her head. “No, I’ve never met him. I think I met Queen Adeline in passing as a child, but I’m not even sure of that. I’m certain my father knows her.”
Darius took a sip of his drink. “I know my brother does, but I’ve never met either one of them.”
Samantha, more than Vince, peppered both of them with questions about growing up royal. Darius could sense Esther’s increasing reluctance to answer them, though she did graciously.
Esther set aside her plate after eating only a few bites. “I am not quite ready for a big meal, but it was delicious. I am certain we will be eating leftovers all week.”
The lack of contractions in her speech meant Esther was no longer comfortable with the conversation, though Darius knew she hadn’t been since it took a turn into royal life.
He changed the subject. “Vince, do you help with any of the other teams at the high school? Or just football?”
“Just football. Sometimes I coach baseball with the little kids in the summer, just depends on if there’s a team or two without a coach.”
“That is very kind of you.” Esther reached to the side of her chair and slowly lowered her feet. “I do apologize, not only for not eating much dinner, but for retiring early.
I find myself quite unable to keep my eyes open.”
Darius and Vince both stood, though Darius went to Esther’s side. “Let me help you upstairs. I’ll be right back down,” he told them, glancing over his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around Esther’s waist, and struggled not to limp or put too much of his weight on her.
He helped her to the stairs before she turned to him. “I can make it from here, but thank you.”
“Get some rest. I’ll check on you in a little while.” He kissed her temple. “Be careful going upstairs.”
“I will.”
Darius returned to the living room and took Esther’s spot in the recliner. Discussion continued, revolving around American high school sports. Vince explained how it worked to be the best in the state. The Serenity Landing Varsity Boys Basketball team had won back-to-back championships a few years earlier.
Samantha insisted on cleaning up in the kitchen while Vince and Darius talked. Darius’s ankle appreciated being propped up so he didn’t protest too much.
Once the kitchen was cleaned up, Vince and Samantha said good-bye. Darius made it back upstairs and sank to the bed before flopping back onto his pillow.
“What is it?” Esther, clearly only half-awake, asked.
“I left my phone, meds, and ice pack on the counter.” He couldn’t believe he did that, after he’d reminded himself over and over as he said goodbye to Vince and Samantha.
“Your ankle is bothering you?” She pushed into a seated position.
“It’s throbbing and aches like you wouldn’t believe.” But some things were suddenly more urgent. He levered himself out of bed. “I’ll go get it, but first things first.” To the bathroom he went.
When he made it back to their room, the bed was empty.
19
The trip to the kitchen for Darius’s medicine, ice pack, and phone took far longer than it should have, but Esther wasn’t going to let him go. She might be weak, but she could walk without pain.
Crowns & Courtships Compilation Volume 1 Page 65