Page 91 of Royally Drawn

“Poor Alex,” Keir chuckled.

“Sorry about that.”

“Well, if he didn’t personally know my arse before, he does now,” Keir said.

“I was more worried it might be bothersome toyou.”

“I live in a barracks with dozens of men half the year,” Keir said. “It takes a lot to embarrass me.”

“Sorry for the interruption as well.”

“Oh, I think it’s time we get dressed and wait for the good news. We can resume this later.”

“Well, you have to be back in the UK?—”

“I can delay my flight back a few hours. I know this is important to you, Ingrid.”

I beamed at him. “I am so happy to hear you say that.”

Keir raced over and shut the door.

“I just… I know this stuff is tenuous. Alexandra has to be nervous. I know you are.”

I hadn’t thought about it like that, but he was right.

“Alex goes into a zen place,” I explained. “And… I try not to think about losing any one of us. I refuse to live in fear. Every day, I get on a horse and put myself in danger. I cannot think about it too much.”

“You and I are very alike in that,” Keir said. “But I’d like to be here for you—and your family.”

Worrying

KEIR

The pacing began around one. News came from Astrid that Alexandra had hit “a wall” with pushing, and she was probably heading for a c-section. Alexandra wanted to avoid it, but they may not have another option. Odette and Ingrid stayed busy watching Linnea, Karolina, and Christophe. It seemed the children distracted them from their worries about Alexandra’s health.

We listened as the press gathered outside the hospital only a few blocks away. People gathered outside the gates in hopes they might see a woman who had just given birth pass through in a matter of hours. The city was initially excited—loud and expecting the Queen and her consort to emerge with a new baby any minute. Then, about the time Parker asked if we’d like to have tea for the evening, everything fell quiet. The eerie stillness made me uneasy,

The nanny took the children as Parker sat down with us, heart heavy. By the look on his face, Astrid rang him to tell him something, and now he was the unlucky victim to communicate it. I worried something happened to the baby. It had been too long since we’d heard anything.

“Astrid called,” Parker said. “And… there’s been an issue.”

Ingrid and Odette stared at one another across the dining table, nervous. My stomach turned. Something was wrong. I felt like I was falling—as if I’d dropped backwards, but there was nothing to grip onto.

“Alexandra had complications. Astrid said she eventually gave in to the c-section, but… that was complicated too.”

Parker wavered, confused.

“Just say it,” Ingrid said. “Say what you need to say.”

“Alexandra lost a lot of blood. She had a major haemorrhage, and… she’s still under sedation as they try to control the bleeding. Astrid is in charge, and everything is fine.”

“So, she will be alright?” Odette asked.

If Astrid was in charge, the chain of command would be top of mind. I couldn’t speak for Neandia’s specific constitutional monarchy, but I knew if Duncan took over for Aunt Natalie, it was due to her complete incapacitation. The Prime Minister would have already been involved, and things would be in disaster mode.

“She’s in hospital. The hospital will keep her safe,” Parker said.

His words were confident, but his voice was shaky, and his face frightened.

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