The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

I barely had time to inform Tobin about my intentions, that the request was rejected by the big boss. With no motivation because that moron doesn't want to write.

It takes the whole afternoon to finally get a real response, and it is not quite what I was expecting.

Ignis storms into my sitting room without any announcement, and he crouches in front of me with the most desperate expression I've seen today.

«How are you feeling, my dear?» he asks.

Ah, here he is. I was poisoned yesterday: he could check for himself that I was just all right. Maybe with a couple of crazy ideas, but overall healthy.

«I rushed to finish and visit you today,» he continues, ignoring my rolling eyes. He's acting too overprotective all of a sudden, which is weird. Maybe, there's a reason.

«I'd like to visit the town and do some charity,» I attempt, showing my gentle and innocent side. «Can I be allowed, my King?»

«No, you can't,» he says. Not even a second of thought.

«Am I your prisoner, your Majesty?» I moan, curling my lips downwards and feigning even more sadness than I actually feel.

«No, Veronica, but I can't allow you out of the Palace in your condition. Even more after a poisoning attempt!»

«Oh, come on, it's normal being targeted. That's how royals live, isn't it?»

«Royals have duties, and those include taking care of their persona. And of their descendants as well.»

«What are you talking about?» I murmur, confused and incredulous. With wide eyes and a frown, I must look like an angry wet chicken.

What does it have to do with my outing? I won't be as tired as not to be able to work on enlarging our family.

Ignis seems to realise, and he gets up. He walks in the room, ordering my maids as if they were here to assist him and not serve me.

«Call the doctor and all the personnel present at the time of the diagnosis. I have something to tell them,» he says. He then sits next to me, and his hands hold mine. «Veronica...»

His tone is weird, full of emotions. He has something to tell me, and now he doesn't know how to proceed. What in the world could make my husband speechless? Oh, but last time he had something to tell me, he failed and couldn't talk until I discovered it by myself.

I hope he doesn't repeat the same mistake, for I would be very disappointed. It's not like I would get angry just because he doesn't let me go out. Even though it is a little annoying.

But his expression, his voice, the hold of his hands... It must be something very important, vital.

«Tell me,» I order, getting tired from all the tension.

«Veronica, we're going to become parents.»

«Are we?»

«Yes.»

I nod, wondering about how long in the future he's looking at. We will become parents, sooner or later, hopefully. But now it's early.

I bled last month, a sign that I'm not carrying any child. As for now, if I was pregnant, Aida would have told me. She can feel such a big change, and she would have informed me first.

Ignis sighs, taken back by the simple way I replied.

«I mean, we are pregnant, Veronica.»

We? What is he talking about?

«I think you misunderstood the doctor, Ignis. I am all right after the poisoning attempt because I didn't drink the tea, and that's all. There's nothing else going on.»

«Oh, no. I couldn't misunderstand the doctor about something this relevant. The whole reign will rejoice if we have a successor: it's more a political matter for the court, so the doctor would have never said it if he wasn't sure.»

«He just looked at my face and decided I was all right,» I reply. «There was no visit whatsoever.»

«The maids serving you confirmed it.»

«How in the world can they know if I don't?» Are they even more powerful than Aida?

«They just reported the changes in your body when they were asked. Everything points in that direction. We are having a child.»

The doctor arrives and bows down, just like the maids. Ignis lets go of me and gets up.

«Why haven't you told your Queen about the news?» he inquires, taking a couple of steps. He glares at the servants, making it clear who they need to inform about my own body status.

In the end, it is a political matter. I am not strictly required to know as much as Ignis is. He was notified, and then the news was kept under control for security matters.

But doing the right thing doesn't save them from the scolding. Not one of them will be punished, but they have to withstand the King's furious words.

«Why did you assume the Queen didn't have the right to know? Why did you even tell me before talking with her?» he continues, at some point returning calm enough to think,

«It's the protocol, your Majesty,» the doctor explains. «The news can be leaked, and her Majesty would be in danger.»

«I already am in danger,» I point out. «Moreover, talking with me would have prevented this misunderstanding. I am not with a child.»

«Your Majesty, with all due respect, all the signs...»

«What signs? I bled two months ago. A couple of weeks after his Majesty left. It means this child was conceived during the last few days... Isn't it early to tell, in this case?»

«Your Majesty, you are two months pregnant. Your bleeding... How was it, if I may ask?»

«Red.»

What kind of question is this?

«I mean... Was it heavy or light? Dark or light coloured?»

«I didn't pay attention to the colour, but it didn't last long.» Oh, but that is because of that little incident with Ignis. I thought I didn't bleed much because I had already done it when I got hurt and... Hmm, does it even make sense?

«Sometimes, the first month of pregnancy doesn't prevent bleeding. It could be the case, your Majesty.»

«How do you know that I am two months pregnant, though? You didn't even visit me for real.»

«I did visit you, your Majesty. And I confirmed with the maids and his Majesty. Collecting the details altogether, I could estimate that you've been with a child all this time. Just, your body didn't let you notice. It's still early, but soon you will feel it as well. An early sign is the... ehm, the wish to share the bed with his Majesty more often.»

No, that is because I'm a pervert. Not because I am pregnant. Does it even make any sense at all? Pregnant women do not engage in bed activities: why is this doctor saying I'm more willing than usual? Other than that, there is no usual... How does he know it? He asked Ignis how often do I assault him? Who has the guts to ask something so personal?

«Don't be angry, Veronica. It won't happen again,» the King says, sitting back next to me.

«So, you think I am pregnant,» I sigh. «Aida should be the first to notice, though. She's been next to me since I was a child, and she knows me well. She would have noticed the changes better than the Palace maids.»

Ignis nods, accepting my argument. We turn to her and wait, for both of us are expecting Aida to say what we like to hear.

«I couldn't be sure, your Majesty. I didn't want to bring false hope,» she replies, her head bowed.

Uh, so she hid it. But... why?

There's no way she can't be sure. Not only does she spend a lot of time with me, but she also touches me from time to time to check if everything is right. She did it so often these last few days...

Oh, and her reaction to the poison? Ridiculously over-worried!

She knew it, but she didn't want to tell me. For what reason? I had to wait for a strange doctor to hear it; from a person who never once touched me and just inquired about weird things to ensure I wasn't poisoned!

At the same time, my handmaid didn't tell me anything. She kept the secret, even though she continued to protect me.

«Why?» I murmur, my tone low.

She bows her head as if ashamed, but her warm energy wraps me in a cocoon. No one else can feel it, except maybe for Ignis since he is very close. It's a message: just like now, she's always protecting me. Her job is not to inform me about things but to keep me safe.

Knowing that I was with a child wouldn't have been safe. It would have endangered me... and my baby...

In the end, this is what I should have focused on, right from the start: danger. Now that I'm carrying Ignis's successor, my life will be at risk even more than before.

I didn't even have time to adapt to the Palace. This kid is just so impatient.. Like their father, I guess.