Page 102 of Dead Crown
She blinked at him. “Can we keep the baby?”
Jaki chuckled. “Yes, we can keep him.”
He read to her, and she was asleep in minutes. Even though it was late, she’d likely still be up at the crack of dawn. He’d get up with her so Lumi could try to get as much rest as possible. He’d have to ask Elswere if he could do some of the most basic office work for a couple of days.
Lumi wasn’t going to be running around a day after birth or doing all of the childcare by himself, that was for sure.
Jaki made sure the blankets were tucked around Jacqueline, kissed her forehead, and tapped out the crystal lantern. In the hallway, he leaned against her closed door and thought.
The letter said her body had been near the road and mentioned the hold. Jaki had checked a map and estimated that Aisi had made it a couple of hours away from the home they’d been hiding in. Tivar had said her horse had thrown her. It was more likely the guards he’d sent with her had snapped her neck themselves and hastily buried her to get her out of the way.
What neither of them had been able to figure out in the past three weeks was who had originally found her. A letter had been sent to a lord, and he’d gone himself with guards to dig where the note said. The necklace had proved the identity.
It didn’t look like anyone had been digging or poking around the area recently. Perhaps an old guard of Tivar’s had been consumed with guilt and sent the letter anonymously.
He supposed it was one of those things they’d never know.
Since she’d been buried in the tomb last week, and a dove had brought a letter saying so, Lumi had finally broken down and wept. He’d wanted to be there to put her to rest. He couldn’t, being too heavily pregnant to make the trip. Even in a carriage, he would have been quite uncomfortable.
Perhaps stress from the guilt and old wounds revealed had sent him into labor early, despite Jaki doing his best to comfort and assure Lumi they’d visit her tomb in the future.
Thank Elira their son was all right.
***
Jaki lounged on his side in the remade bed and observed little Armas who was sleeping with his little belly full of milk. Just like Jacqueline, he had little white ears and a tiny, fluffy tail.
Lumi had told him he preferred being husband and Dad more than anything else, despite being coronated alongside his husband. No words seemed able to describe what he was to Jaki. Husband and Dad were so inadequate.
He smiled when Jaki looked up at him. Even tired and with his hair messed up, he was beautiful. People could say what they wanted. He’d never love anyone else like he did Lumi.
“Are you comfortable?” asked Jaki. “Do you need more pillows or anything?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Do you want something to eat now?”
“Maybe in a bit. I’m still not very hungry.” Lumi smiled at him. “When you put Jacqueline to bed, I was thinking this could be a thing to talk about.”
“Hm?”
“You said you still weren’t sure what to put in your letter to your Mother. If you decide to write to her, you could say we’ve just had our second child. If she’s interested in writing to you, I’m sure she’d love to hear about Jacqueline and how we’ve just had baby Armas. I mean, she’ll eventually hear the news. Everyone will know we’ve got a Crown Prince now. I’m sure she’d like to hear it from you.”
Lumi was right. Jaki had almost decided that he would finally write to the Mother he’d never known. Preti wouldn’t see it as abetrayal if she were alive, and while so many years had passed, it didn’t mean they couldn’t create a relationship.
But he hadn’t been able to figure out what to say to a woman he didn’t remember. Normally, he didn’t feel awkward speaking to new people. It wasn’t the same when the other had birthed him in secret.
Perhaps she’d like to hear about her grandchildren from him. It would break the ice, and if she wanted to write back, she could.
“I think I will,” Jaki finally said. He reached over to grasp Lumi’s hand. “For now, let’s just enjoy our family.”
March, 1660
“The lord said to give this to you. I suppose the writer wasn’t entirely sure if you were here, and that’s why it was sent to him. If you need to write back, you can use his doves.”
“But why?” If the lord would allow one of his people to borrow his doves, it had to be important. “Who sent it?”
“I don’t know,” said the guard. “I suppose your letter came with a note to him. I’m just saying what I was told.”
