Page 21 of The Princess and The Warrior

At least he cracked half of a smile. “My lady, there have been murmurs that a few of the elders were displeased with our ceremony, and didn’t think it was real. Rack was extremely angry, feeling that he had a right to your hand, and the general crossed him by choosing me. Now there are rumors that if you aren’t pregnant yet, there must be something wrong with me.”

“How could they think that? You are the most strong, virile man I’ve ever met.”

He shrugged. “Still, you’re not yet with child. They will see that as my fault. It would be completely within the King’s right to have me beheaded, and give you to a more suitable man. A more potent man.”

Reaching up, my hands cupped his rugged face as I stared into his eyes. They were so dark that the blue was nearly black, and there was a sliver of genuine fear, which chilled my blood.

“Trax, I love you,” I said gently. “I would never allow anything bad to happen to you.”

“I adore you,

Althea. You are my heart. But even though you’re a Princess, you don’t have nearly as much power as your father. It’s his job to make the kingdom look strong. The execution of his fiercest warrior for not providing a child immediately would display that quite well. The stories of this act would travel swiftly, travel to the far edges of the realm and beyond.”

A shudder ran through me as I realized he was right. I still didn’t think it would come to that. Before we could speak further, the massive doors swung open, and I took his hand as we walked up the aisle to stop before the King and Queen.

“Mother, Father,” I smiled warmly. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You’re looking well,” my mother said, her sharp eye riveted on my stomach. “Isn’t that the dress that was made for you a few months before your wedding?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“It still fits,” she said, shooting my father a glance.

He looked at her blankly, then slowly nodded, growing stern. “Explain yourselves,” the King demanded. “The Princess should be ripe with a child by now. It’s been five months. Shouldn’t she be a bit plumper?”

I glanced to Trax, who looked absolutely ashen. Still holding his hand, I took a slight step forward.

“I didn’t realize that you were in such a rush for yet another heir,” I said, smiling gently. “But I wondered the same thing myself when I didn’t fall pregnant the first two months we were together.”

My parents stared at me intently, and I could sense that every guard, page, and servant was hanging on my every word.

“Mother, you’ve noticed that I am always drinking herbal tea?”

She nodded. “I tried a few of them. One of them was actually quite good.”

“While we were in Seaside, I made some new herbal blends with the local women, and had been drinking them constantly. When I hadn’t become pregnant after a few months, I asked the local wise woman. She pointed out that my favorite tea contained both rue and stoneseed, two powerful herbs that can prevent pregnancy.”

Looking up to Trax, I squeezed his hand. “I’m so sorry, my love. I had no idea. But I stopped drinking it as soon as I found out.”

The King sat back on his throne, steepling his fingers as he pondered. “That was very foolish of you, Althea.”

“Father, I didn’t know. And I didn’t realize that it was a rush for me to have children. I didn’t think about it.”

“And you expect us to just wait around for my heir?” he asked. “If your sister’s third child is yet another girl, and you don’t give me a grandson soon, I will be extremely displeased.”

I hated the way he was glaring at my husband as if it could possibly be his fault, even after I had just explained that it was mine. “I’m sorry, your majesty,” Trax began, but I turned to him, taking his hand and placing it on my stomach.

“My moon time is three weeks late,” I said quietly. “I think those herbs are out of my system.”

His mouth fell open, then snapped shut again, followed by his eyes. My huge, tough husband was trembling slightly. “Althea, are you serious?”

I nodded.

“You’re giving me a baby?”

“Yes. That’s why I was drinking ginger tea before the carriage ride, to calm my fussy stomach.”

Trax fell to his knees, kissing a large circle around my belly while I giggled. Glancing over his head, I saw the ladies in waiting whispering to each other with tears in their eyes, while my mother clutched my father’s hand.

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