Chapter 06
John was fed up with the dealings of some of the Royal Court. At least a dozen had showed up to tell him that they weren’t sure about his ideas and he had sent them all off, including their families, to do inventory on the villages in the Kingdom. That had been the only pleasure he had had all day, apart from treating his wife to a nice good morning earlier.
He groaned when Todd, one of his father’s trusted advisers, came to him with more books and papers. “Enough.” John sighed. “At least for today, please? I’m hungry, I’m tired and I just want to see my wife before she goes to bed.”
“But sire…”
“It took many months for this to pile up, I am sure that we have dealt with the more important things today and tomorrow is another day.” John rose from his chair and headed towards his chambers, ignoring Todd’s ‘buts’.
When John entered his chambers, he found Aracely reading a book while she was enjoying a glass of wine. “Good evening, my Queen,” John smiled. “How was your day?” He asked and kissed her tenderly.
“It was entertaining,” she smiled into his kiss, enjoying it greatly as she closed the writings. “You are much more late than I anticipated you to be. Have you not eaten?” Aracely questioned as she looked over his face.
“Since breakfast?” He asked with a smile on his face. “No, I have not. And I am sorry, my love, there was a lot of business to take care of, had I not walked away from Todd, I would still be sitting there.”
Frowning, she stood before giving him another kiss. “Please sit and rest. I will go have someone bring you a tray before you fall faint,” she said nudging him towards the chair she had sat in earlier. The thought of the turn of scenario put a smile on her face and filled her stomach with anticipation. “Have some of my wine and do not think.”
John frowned as he sat down and pulled off his boots. “What have you been doing today? Did Gabriella show you the thing you wanted her to show you?” He followed her with his eyes as she walked towards the door.
Aracely actually had forgotten about the needlework and shook her head. “No, I allowed her to rest from the events of yesterday. I spent most of the day in here reading or out in the gardens.”
He was happy that she had explored some of the castle on her own, and smiled as he took a sip of her wine. “That sounds so much better than the day I’ve had.”
“Is there anything that I can do to make it turn for the better?” she asked as she opened the door to request one of the waiting staff to fetch some food. Coming back, she returned to her chair and picked her book up again.
YES! John’s body screamed. Oh forget it. “I’d love to have your presence in my bath later.” He smiled.
“I do not know if I can do that,” she frowned, testing to see how he would react. If Hathora had been correct even though she was sure how he would be.
“Why not?” He pouted. “I promise I’ll behave!”
Aracely shrugged a shoulder. “I believe that you would be, but I do not know for how long…”
“Fine.” He sighed as he took another sip of the wine. “But you will share the bed with me then? Or do you want me to sleep somewhere else?”
It was turn for her to frown. “I had believed that we had settled that arrangement?” she said looking at him. “Have you changed your mind?”
“No, I haven’t… I was just checking.” He smiled.
“You truly have the mind of a devil,” Aracely remarked as she stole a slice of cheese from the meal tray the servant that had walked in to set on the table. “I do not wish for our agreement to change.”
“Me neither.” John said and eyed Amelia gratefully. “Thank you Amelia.” He took a piece of veal and started to eat it.
“Amelia? When you have a moment, could you or someone please draw the King a bath?” she asked sweetly, with a knowing smile exchanged between the two women.
“Of course, my Queen.” She smiled and walked into the washroom.
Aracely sat back and watched John eat his meal. “Perhaps you should come up for some air before you make yourself sick my King.”
He looked at her, grinning. “I’m fine. I’m famished, that’s all.”
“I am sure you are. I will go check on your bath while you finish. I am sure it won’t be long before it is ready,” she smiled and went to leave the room.
“But, I haven’t seen you all day! Can’t you just sit with me for a while?”
She shook her head, “No. Perhaps next time you will remember to force your staff to take a break so that you can tend to your hunger needs. Come to your bath when you are finished eating.”
John blinked at her. What was wrong with her? “What did I do? Why are you…” John got up and walked after Aracely. “What is wrong?”
She turned quickly, forbidding him to enter the washroom yet. “Nothing is wrong but if you do not do as I ask, which is to finish your meal, then something will be wrong,” she said looking up at him with a steady and firm gaze.
John swallowed hard. Whatever book she had been reading, he wanted to worship it. He nodded as he made his way back to his food, seeing the book on the table. Shakespeare… yeah right… he thought.
In the washroom, the girls had shared a small laugh at the reactions that Aracely had been able to draw so far. “Thank you Amelia,” she whispered. “When you leave, be sure that no one enters the chambers for the rest of the night.” Allowing her to finish filling the bath with hot water, Aracely disrobed herself and got in, wincing as it had not yet cooled enough for those of fair skin. Settling down, she sighed before leaning to the side of the bath and watched for her beloved as Amelia walked out.
After finishing his meal, he’d hate to see what Aracely would do to him if he hadn’t eaten it, he got up and walked towards the washroom only to find his wife in the bath. “Aracely?”
“Won’t you join me? It is quite warm,” she smiled as she looked up at him through hooded eyes.
“You just said…” John swallowed hard, she looked absolutely gorgeous in the water.
“I said what?” she asked as she shifted in the water.
“I don’t remember…” he chuckled as he got out of his clothes. “I’ll be more than happy to join you.”
Aracely smiled as she watched him, her breath catching at the sight of his clear excitement. She moved back in the water, allowing room for him to join her as he approached. It took a great deal of strength to keep her eyes on him, and at the same time she was unable to pull them away.
He lowered himself into the water and smiled. “What are you up to?”
She moved over to him, and unlike the last time they shared a bath, she had faced him now. “Nothing,” she said lightly as her eyes focused on his lips and her knees nudging his legs where she could settle over him comfortably.
He frowned and pulled her on his lap, with his knees up so she could sit comfortably. He wasn’t sure if he was going to keep his hands off of her, sitting like that. “Hmm… okay, I’ll give you the benefit of doubt.” He smiled and softly kissed her.
She accepted and returned his kiss, her hands coming out of the water to explore his arms, shoulders, and further, she could feel his arousal pressing against her bottom. Parting from his lips, she kissed along his jaw as she pressed her self into his lap.
John groaned and grabbed the edges of the bath to brace himself. “Aracely…”
“Yes my Lord?” she asked looking back up at him with large eyes. “Have I done something wrong?”
“No…” John said with a small voice and swallowed hard, tightening his grip on the bath as she shifted in his lap. Did she even know what she was doing?
Dropping her hands to his chest, she frowned as she drew odd shapes across the wide area. “Then why do you behave as if I pain you?”
“I am trying to restrain myself…” John looked at her and smiled. “Because right now, I just want to ravage you and I don’t want to scare you.”
“Then how about you love me instead of ravaging me,” she whispered before pressing her lips and body against him. Her hips rocked out of pure instinct that elicited a mixture of a moan and growl from her.
John groaned and started to caress her back. “I do love you…” he said huskily.
“And I love you,” she said as she raised herself up just enough so that she could guide his hand to her center. “And I wish to love you as a wife should…”
He smiled up to her. He couldn’t believe she was doing this! “My God… you’re so sexy right now.” He said as he gently started to caress her center.
Aracely bit on her lip as she looked up in his eyes. Parting her lips she let out a few pants of breath as her face reddened more from her body’s heat, the pleasure of his fingers on her sex, and the water. “Please my love,” she said, pressing against his hand more. “I desire more.”
John moaned and inserted one finger inside of her. He wasn’t picky, if she wanted to have him in the bathtub… that… oh god that would be so good! he thought. She looked as if she was a cat in heat. What has she been doing all day? Oh god! He pressed the palm of his hand harder against her heat.
She moaned as she let her head fall to his shoulder. Kissing the skin there, she looked out at nothing as she considered her next move. Choosing to get on with the inevitable, she sat back up and began to kiss him more forcefully as she pulled away from his hand but closer to his own sex.
Feeling his hand trying to follow her body, she reached down as she bit lightly on his lip. Placing her hand between herself and his, she sought out his hardened member in the water, stroking it nervously with her fingers at first. When he started to speak out she penetrated his mouth with her tongue as she wrapped her hand firmly around him.
John groaned as she started to stroke his cock. She had definitely wised up today. How she learned of these methods he did not know but it was certainly promising. He started to answer her kiss hungrily and wrapped his arms around her.
Breathing heavily, she raised herself as she looked down into his eyes as she repositioned herself over him and pressed herself onto him. Aracely clearly had fear and discomfort in her face, but also determination as she felt him filling her painfully slow, at her own pace.
She looked so hot, and at the same time in pain. “You should have let me continued what I was doing, my love, you wouldn’t be in so much pain right now.” John looked at her and smiled, he was so proud of her. “But…” he took a deep breath. “You are so…”
“Shhh,” she hushed him as she waited for the feeling to pass before moving over him. Blinking as she slowly found herself, she gave a gentle rock of her hips which forced her mouth open wider from the feeling it had given her.
“Aracely!” He cried out in surprise and then moaned. “God!”
Still keeping herself rather slow as she ached from his size within her, she did find herself enjoying the new experience. “Does this please you?” she asked between dropping light kisses on his lips.
“Very very much.” He smiled and softly caressed her breasts.
“I have noticed you have a strange fascination with them,” she said curiously as she leaned back some so that he had more access.
“It’s not a strange fascination…” He grinned as he brushed her erect nipples with his thumbs. “They are gorgeous, they need to be worshipped.”
A wave of pleasure coursed through her body causing her to spasm briefly from the inside out. “Ohh…” she sighed as she raised her head lazily.
“Do you still think it’s a strange fascination?” He smiled as he licked across the vein in her neck.
“No.” Aracely groaned as she bucked her hips again and moved her body closer to his again to stop him from touching her. Shewas in control now, not her love. She reached for his hands to remove them from her body to the sides of the bath, “Leave them there. I do not wish for you to touch me. It is my turn to touch you.”
“Please?” John looked at her as if he were a beaten puppy. “I’d love to touch you, and…” He shut up as Aracely kissed him passionately. Okay, he thought.
Aracely softly whimpered and moaned as she continued to lower herself onto him and was glad that she finally reached the point where he had completely sunk into her. Smiling proudly she started to slowly grind her hips, the way Hathora had shown her, and caressed her husband’s chest.
“Oh…” John moaned as he grabbed the sides of the tub. He didn’t know what to do with his hands, he wanted to touch his wife, to feel her skin on his own and drive her mad, but he was sure he could lose both of his hands if he didn’t listen to her. “You… are you sure you…” he wasn’t able to make sense.
She braced her hands over his defined chest, the edges of her fingers just brushing over his own nipples before she worked to move a bit harder on his length. “What am I sure of?” she asked.
“Ah!” he cried out in surprise. “Are you sure you want to do this… in here?”
“Do you not wish to be here?” she ask settling back down where he was buried deep in her. “I had thought – that maybe the water might help make it hurt less…”
“Oh no I am comfortable, I’m just… pleasantly surprised, that’s all.”
Aracely could not help but to grin as she watched his face when she shifted so that her legs straddled his more comfortably but still remaining with him inside her. The movement somehow, if it was possible, felt as if he could have slipped inside further. Her jaw fell open in her own surprise as she looked at him. “Surprised like that?”
“Yes!” John moaned. “God… Aracely…”
“I do not know if I am doing this correctly. Am I supposed to do this…” she said moving in one way, before changing it to something a bit different. “Or this…?”
“Both!” John tried not to cry out but whatever she was doing, she was doing it right. “You’re not as innocent as you look!”
She frowned as she stopped all movement. “You know very well that I have not done something like this before. Why would you say such a thing…”
“Please please please… continue… please!” John begged her. “Please don’t stop… I take it back… I didn’t mean it but please, don’t stop!”
“Well, I must admit I was not expecting such a reaction,” she said. “I did not think you would like this as much as you seem to be. Perhaps I should do this again?”
“Yes please… oh please…” John tried to catch his breath. “You’re… please… I need…”
Aracely still had not begun to move as she watched him. “What is it that you wish me to do now?”
He placed his hands on her hips and started to press her further down and held her there as he bucked his hips. “Move.”
She smiled as she went to move in any way that she could but he continued to hold her down. “Does that satisfy you my Lord?” Moving again, she lost her balance briefly but her hands fell back to brace herself as they met with John’s thighs to hold her up some but the angle was enough to make her head fall back with a sensuous moan.
“Stop asking me…” John moaned as he started to try to move his hips faster, the angle making it difficult for him to move his hips. “You’ll always…” he took a deep breath. “Satisfy me.” He decided to take charge of the situation, despite her doing the best she could, he was almost exploding and at the rate it was going now, he wasn’t getting anywhere. He wrapped her legs around his waist and put her arms around his neck as he rose from the water with his cock still inside of her. Knowing that they were both too wet to finish each other off in bed, not to mention too much of a walk, he walked towards the nearest wall and gently placed her back against it.
Aracely could not help but to laugh as he carried her from the water. While she had expected him to bring her to their bed, she was pleasantly surprised at this choice. Supported by the wall, she let herself loosen her grip on his body where she held on to him with her legs. Falling slightly, and his sex buried so deeply inside her, her voice cried out with the pleasure as she tried to raise herself back up for him but slipping each time back onto him. Unable to continue Aracely leaned back to the wall and looked at her husband as he took over his thrusts into her body. Each one, harder than the last stirring up a cry that left the King with the scars of her nails over his shoulders and the look of satisfied delirium in her darkened eyes.
John buried his face into her breasts as he reached his climax and it took everything in his power not to cause them to fall over as he rode his orgasm to completion. He leaned into her as he fought to catch his breath.
She ran her fingers through his hair and down his neck. “Take your time,” she said softly with a smile as she lowered her face to kiss along his neck. “I am all yours. We will not be disturbed this evening.”
“That was…” he looked up to her, smiling and carefully lifted her off of him. He caught her when she nearly fell over when he set her down on the floor and lifted her in his arms. “Let’s get you in bed, my love.” he kissed her and walked out of the washroom to set her gently down on the bed.
“Oh!” Aracely exclaimed as he lifted her into his arms. “That gives a new meaning to being weak in the legs, doesn’t it?” she asked, holding onto him. She did not let go of him either when he set her down, pulling him down with her.
John laughed as he fell down on top of her. “I suppose we both are.” He scrambled to his knees and then crawled up to lay down and take her in his arms.
As he rolled to his back, with her at his side, she only grinned before pushing his arms down so that she could rise to sit over him again. Her much smaller frame made straddling his hips to reach his lips near impossible so she had her legs hugging at his waist. Leaning in, she started to kiss along his lips lightly, her palms pinning him down at his shoulders.
John looked at his wife in surprise and put his hands on her hips as he answered her kiss. He didn’t know whether to be shocked or surprised by his wife’s actions and wondered who she had talked to, no way did she find her new found confidence in a book. Who ever it was, he should give that person a raise. “For some reason I don’t believe you have been reading all day…” he said huskily.
“Hmm?” she smiled as she laid over his body. She started to trace his lips with her finger, “If you must know, I sought out the advice of a new friend on marriage. If I had Vala in the castle to speak to, I could very well assure you that she would be sitting just outside the chamber doors listening, the nosy woman she can be.”
He caressed her hair and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Who is this new friend?”
“She is my secret. I do not wish to share her guidance as we had – made an agreement,” Aracely explained softly. “I was not the only one to benefit from her words however…” Her grin grew as the light from the candles around the bed glittered her eyes as she looked at him.
“She?” John smiled. “I am relieved you talked to a woman, and not to a man… but my love, you’d grow to discover things on your own, you do not need someone’s stories to help you.”
She sat up frowning down at him. “I am perfectly aware of that. Which is why the bath was from my own thoughts. If I were to use my friend’s suggestion, I could have had you where you sat as you ate your dinner.”
Missing her skin on his, he tugged on her hair until she laid down again. “I love you,” John kissed the top of her head. “And I am lucky to have you as my wife…”
“And I you,” she replied before laying her head down on his chest with a sigh. “I did not ever see myself in this position when we only met within the last fortnight.”
“Me neither.” John chuckled. “My Aracely… how you’ve grown.” He smiled as he caressed her hair.
She could not resist rolling her eyes. “That is not quite what I meant. Before learning of you being the Prince, I did not even consider – and don’t think that dear Vala had not tried to sell me the idea of my trying to court you. And then after? Well, it was certainly a surprise and then you asked of me…you know very well what I had thought of the arrangement would mean for you and I then. This is one time that I may be happy to be proven wrong for my misguided beliefs.”
“I was just very lucky that someone else didn’t get to you first.” He smiled.
“Then I should not share with you the number of suitors other than Sir Lorne that I had turned away over the years,” she teased as she circled her finger idly around his exposed nipple. “Had you not come when you had, I was sure that Halling would have surely tried to convince me to begin considering saying yes one that may have come after. However of all the men that had come and gone through the village, you were the one stranger that could have left but did not simply to help those you did not know.”
“Your village needed my help, and I did the best I could by myself. Any idiot could have done the same thing.”
Aracely raised her head to smile at him. “Any fool could have but it was you who did,” she said before kissing his chest in a thankful affection.
“And soon, your village will be as prosperous as it had been… I will have to ask our resident Chulakkan as to why he thinks his people, or maybe a radical movement of his people, are focused on your village.” John sighed. “He’ll have to return first from the duties I gave him.”
“You have one of their people here? In the castle?!” she asked as she quickly crawled off of her husband’s naked body.
John grabbed Aracely’s wrist. “I told you, I don’t know why the Chulakkan’s would attack villages for their women, my Father never had problems with them. I will do anything in my power to stop them from attacking San Franciskus and going to another village instead, they will be dealt with.”
She looked at him for a moment and nodded. “I am sorry. I just cannot help but to feel…” Aracely trailed off but the expression on her face was clear. She appeared ill and full of fear.
“The Chulakkan’s are warriors, yes, but they’re good people. Like I said, they will be dealt with I just need to wait for my friend to return from the duties I sent him off to do for your village.” He sighed. “You have nothing to fear, my love, you are safe.”
Slowly Aracely laid back down beside John. “I may be safe now, but it is still the others I think of. It seems as though they have no intentions of stopping until all of us are gone or taken.”
“I know, which is one of the reasons why I left Lorne in your village and why Ronon is on his way now with a handful of soldiers. He will also talk to the soldiers in the outpost and he will get to the bottom of this.”
“I find myself forgetting at times since coming here and I do not like it. They are my friends, my family even,” she murmured as she fought her own emotions.
John nodded and caressed her hair. “If it would please you, I’ll pack up the castle and make San Franciskus the capital of Atlantica… I doubt I could convince them to live at our village at the Castle.”
“No, there are already many changes on the horizon and I fear that your support will fall greatly with a decision such as that,” she smiled as she curled up against his warmth. “Tomorrow,” she sighed. “Tomorrow is a new day.”
John groaned. “Filled with more paperwork.”
Aracely smiled. “It is hard work to be King, but I have confidence that you will manage it well. It all will not last forever.”
“I just want to know the state of everything… and it’s gruelling. Father should have let me do more for him.”
“Perhaps he wished for you to have your freedom before it was time for you to take over? The life of the King is not so much to yourself anymore as you have many to speak for and while you do have the final say, there is still the need to speak to the people for your choices and actions.”
It wasn’t until nearly two months later when John was finally caught up with the state of the Kingdom and decided to have the doors of the castle opened for the villagers and other subjects to come into the main hall and ask him questions, or if they simply wished to entertain him.
“Will you sit with me today?” John asked Aracely once they were both awake.
It was in the last two days that she had begun to feel ill. Aracely had not said anything but smiled as she dressed with the help of Amelia. “I would be delighted to,” she said after she was sure that speaking words so early in the day would not give her the desire to empty the contents of her stomach.
“My Father used to sit in the main hall for a few days a week, if not all days. When I was a little boy I often joined him until I fell asleep half way through and Teyla had to take me to my chambers. It’s a really good way to find out who your subjects are.”
She nodded as the corset was tightened. Letting out a breath she motioned for the woman to loosen it. “Please not so tight,” she said painfully. “And yes, I will join you. I cannot remain your secret forever,” she added as John and her had yet to make their joining more public other than the formal announcements that he had indeed wedded.
“Aww… can’t you?” John teased as he took a bite out of an apple. “You look gorgeous today.” he smiled widely.
Even the sound of the an apple being eaten was getting to her and she forced her eyes closed. “Thank you my love but would you please not be so loud when you eat?”
“I just…” he looked at the apple and then at his wife. “Are you alright?”
“I am fine. I wish everyone would stop asking me that,” she growled irritably. “I just – food has not agreed well with me the last couple days is all. It will pass.”
He put the apple back down on the tray and softly kissed his wife. “I’m sorry my love.”
She smiled up at him and sighed. “I did not mean for you to end your breakfast. The sounds…my mind cannot tolerate it today it seems. I can go take a short walk in the gardens while you enjoy the meal that the staff so kindly prepared.”
“You should eat something… but I’d rather have you seen by Carson.”
“There is no need to call on him. Please, I will eat. Gabriella will be in the hall with us, she can hold some bread on the side should I desire something,” she said. “But please do not call on him.”
John sighed. “Fine, but if you feel like this tomorrow, you will have no choice but to see Carson.” He pointed out. “I’ll be forced not to treat you as my equal because I worry.”
“If I was truly worried then I would go to speak to him,” Aracely smiled as she took his face in her hands. “It will pass. Have you not had times where you were ill as a child? This feels no different. Will it appease you if I have some toast now?”
“Please have some, even if it’s just a bite.” John nodded before picking up a banana, at least that wouldn’t give any sound when he’d eat it.
She rolled her eyes as she took a slice of toast and broke off small pieces to slowly eat. Her stomach did not turn immediately so she was able to finish it off with little effort. “Happy?”
“Thank you, my love.”
“Go tend to what you need to. I will meet you in the hall shortly,” she smiled up at him. “I just have to select something else to wear. This is not as comfortable as it once had been.”
He took the discarded apple from the platter and walked out of the room, taking another bite out of it before handing the banana over to Katie, who was following him.
Aracely cringed at the sound and fought to keep the single slice of toast down. “He shall pay for that,” she muttered. “Amelia! Please, something that is not so tight around my chest?” she asked making her way over to the closet.
“You will have to wear one of your old dresses, my Queen.” Amelia replied as she quickly walked towards the closet, the two had become quite familiar with each other ever since Hathora started to come by. “And forgive my boldness, but maybe stop indulging yourself so much. Cadman is already working on five of the dresses you discarded last week so you can fit them again.”
“How can they not fit when I have been unable to hold anything down?” she asked as she browsed the options of garments. She had to do something because for entertaining in the hall, her own were not entirely appropriate for a Queen to wear for such a public event. “And my indulgences? All I have truly eaten other than the breads, is that odd fruit that comes from the village market. It is quite sweet and very delicious. Have you not tried it?”
“No, my Queen, I have not.” Amelia replied. “Maybe I could fetch Teyla for you? I know she passed most of her duties as head of house to Gabriella, but Teyla is older and wiser.”
While they have tentatively resolved their issues, Aracely still was not fully trusting of the woman. Still, she nodded. “Very well. You may explain everything to her on your way to me. I will figure out something to wear in the meanwhile.”
“Yes, my Queen, I shall return shortly.” Amelia nodded and walked off to find Teyla.
“Are you nauseous?” Teyla’s voice sounded as she entered the chambers. “How often are you nauseous? And do you long for other foods than your regular foods?”
Aracely turned at the sudden inquisition of questions as she held a dress she believed might be tolerable enough. “Um, hello, good morning,” she said first. “The last few days have been heavier than others. All I really wish for is the sweet fruits I’ve previously eaten, and Miss Janet’s eggs most certainly do not settle well as they had when I first arrived. Do you know of what I am ill with?”
Teyla took the dress from Aracely’s hands and started to caress her stomach, and then even her breasts while the woman looked deep in thought. “You are not ill.” Teyla said absentmindedly.
She winced at how tender her breasts felt at her touch. She had dismissed the sensation as her over sensitized body when in bed with John. “Then what is wrong with me?” she asked as she pulled Teyla’s hands away from her bosom, trying to remain calm through the discomfort.
Teyla smiled brightly as she handed Aracely her dress. “You are carrying the heir to the throne, my Queen.”
“No – I can’t be…Are you sure?” she asked as she looked down to her stomach where her hands immediately went to, dropping the garment. “But it is so soon…”
“That it is, my Queen,” Teyla couldn’t stop smiling. “Congratulations.”
“Are you positive?” she asked, still trying to get over her own surprise. Looking up, she could not help but to smile weakly at the anxious expression on the faces of the two women. “I am with child?”
“Yes, Aracely, you are with child.”
Amelia couldn’t contain her excitement any longer and started to bounce around. “This is joyful news, my Queen!”
Aracely nodded but was unable to find any more words for it. All she could think of was how she would tell John. “Um, I think this dress would be enough for today,” she said as she picked up the forgotten thing. “Please, do not speak of this to anyone. Especially to the King. I will tell him myself,” she ordered as she struggled to begin removing her clothing for the second time that morning.
Amelia quickly jumped up and started to help Aracely with getting dressed. “I will not say anything, my Queen.”
“As will I,” Teyla replied. “But please do share this joyous news with John fast.”
“Leave that off. It will not fit with it on and I wish to breathe.” she said to the girl as she caught her reaching for the corset. “I will tell him as soon as I can think of how. For now, I simply wish to get through the day without having to run off to empty my stomach.”
“Very well.” Teyla nodded. “Do you wish me to do anything for you?”
She was not sure as she was still lost in her thoughts. “What do I do?” she found herself saying in a small voice.
“When I was pregnant with Torren, and later with Elizabeth, I found the experience quite remarkable.” Teyla smiled. “To be aware that someone was growing inside me was quite mind boggling, but the warm baths and some foods made it all worth while. Also, Kanaan could not stop pampering me.”
Thinking of John trying to wait on her as such was not all that pleasant of a thought. “I don’t believe that I could tolerate John’s attentions. He is already over attentive and frustrating. Learning of his child would make him worse,” she pointed out.
Teyla chuckled. “You should tell him off if he frustrates you.”
“Trust that I will tell him where he can go if he does,” Aracely mumbled as she finished dressing. “Finally. This is acceptable for the grand hall, yes?” she asked turning to face the two.
Amelia bit her lip. “I will tell Cadman to hurry up with the revisions to the dresses we’ve already given her.”
“For now, it will do, Aracely.”
“I have the feeling that I won’t be in the seamstress favor the coming weeks,” she frowned. “I will only continue to grow larger.”
“Which will be fine, being with child lets you get away with almost anything.” Teyla smiled widely.
To that, Aracely felt herself smile. “We should make our way to the gathering now. Before John sends his men to come find me. Lord knows what he would do after he learns of this.”
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By the time that she had made her way to the hall, Aracely could see that it had begun to fill. There were some merchants presenting something to John as she entered from the side corridor. Taking a deep breath, she walked the rest of the way in, coming up to the throne from behind her love.
John had been somewhat bored but hid it as much as he could. While his mind had been lost on his wife’s clear illness, he considered about having Carson come to check on her while she slept. When his ears picked up on the murmuring of the people, he looked up from where he stared at the floor in front of the latest gift bringer to find that Aracely was stepping up to her own throne seat beside his.
Smiling as if it were the first sun after many days of rain, he reached out for her hand. “You have some colour back in your face my love,” he whispered.
“I feel better now,” she nodded.
John rose to his feet and smiled. “I would like to introduce to you my wife, your Queen, Aracely.” He said as he spoke towards the people into the room.
She looked out and smiled at the people as the congregation bowed or knelt to a knee. “Please, continue with your offerings,” she said simply before moving to sit beside her husband. Looking out among the crowd, she found herself searching for familiar faces, but was relieved she had seen none that stood out to her.
John was glad that he didn’t have to be bored all by himself anymore, feeling more comfortable with Aracely at his side. There were a lot of people who sought advice from him, issues ranging from trying to boost their crops to husbands freaking out because their wives were with child.
Larrin, the songstress with her band of travelers, sang them a song nearing dinner time, and John decided that she was going to be the last. He was tired and he could see on Aracely’s face that she was weary as well.
“Thank you, Larrin.” John said and got up from his seat, rolling his eyes at everyone who fell to their knees. He held out his hand for Aracely and helped her out of her chair once she accepted it. “That will be all for today; I want to thank you for coming and we will accept everyone again in two days.”
“Thank you,” Aracely whispered gratefully. Her hand ran over the fabric of the dress that was snug over her belly and it made her uncomfortable. “What business do you believe I should tend to in the coming days?”
“Getting better,” John said as they walked into the corridor, leaving the hall behind them. As soon as they were out of sight of the townspeople, he lifted her in his arms and smiled at her. “Because you’re not feeling well.”
“It will pass,” she insisted. “Trust me in that. Many has experienced – the same as I do before, and many will in the future.”
“Still, I want you to rest up and get better.” He said as he turned a corridor to take her to their room. “All I could think of today was you, have you eaten anything?”
“Yes,” she sighed. “However, we do need to speak. It was insistent by Teyla that I inform you of her suspicions as to why I have been ill.”
John huffed as he kicked open the door of their quarters. “I’d rather you allow me to call Carson.”
“She believes I am with child,” Aracely said bluntly with her eyes closed. It was easier for her to just let it out than to dance around the subject as it was not something that could ever be spoken easily.
He nearly dropped her in surprise. “What?” He managed to set her down on the bed and looked at her in shock. “What?”
“None of the clothing that had fit when I came to the castle does anymore, or just barely. The desire for the fruits from the market, the irritating smell of eggs – it makes sense,” she frowned as she looked at him. “You are not happy to have a child?”
John was pacing around the room as she spoke. “Of course I am,” he ran a hand through his messy hair and almost seemed to tear out his hair at times. “Of course I am, are you? You’re probably not, because I remember you saying something along the lines of ‘hopefully not soon’ and there isn’t anything to do about it now but…”
Aracely smiled at him and his nervous behaviour. “No, there isn’t anything that either of us can do and while it is certainly a shock, I am happy. It will just be another thing that I must adjust to and hopefully Miss Cadman can work on some other clothing soon.”
He looked at her for a moment and started to pace again. “What if I’m a rotten father? I’m already trying to be a good husband and Lord knows, I might screw up as a King and I’m just… I don’t want to… I don’t believe I can juggle all three roles…”
“What do you mean by trying John? As far as I could see you have been nothing but a good husband and good King for the short time that you have been,” she said. “I believe that you would be even more as a father if you don’t let yourself fall into your fears. Could you please stop your pacing? You are making me nervous now!”
He sat down on the bed with her, looking at her with puppy dog eyes. “I… I think it’s great news, my love… please let Carson confirm Teyla and your suspicions?”
“If it will make you happy, then yes,” she smiled as she turned to lay her head on his shoulder. “I really should change from this hideous thing. It’s rather – snug and very uncomfortable. I feel as if my bosom is ready to break the fabric.”
John kissed her tenderly. “Get changed into something comfortable.”
Aracely found that her smile grew on her face as she turned her face up to him. “Something more comfortable you say,” she teased. “I can think of something that consists of a great deal less fabric that would be more pleasing.”
“My Queen, such the minx you’ve become!” John chuckled as he caressed her hair.
“I learned from you,” she smirked and leaned up to drop a kiss on his lips before pushing herself off the bed to make her way into the washroom to fight her way out of the dress and into a night robe. “We should send someone to inform Miss Cadman to work with some larger dresses before bothering with the usual. It would simply be easier I think.”
“Whatever pleases you.” John said, kicking off his shoes and laying across the bed on his stomach faced towards the washroom, only looking towards the chamber’s door when Amelia snuck in. “What would you like to have for dinner?”
That was something much harder to think of at that moment for Aracely. “Uh -” she let out as she worked on getting the dress off. “I will be happy with fruits and greens. I don’t think I can handle any meats right now.”
He nodded at Amelia who was out of the door within a second, closing the door without any sound. “Done,” John said and waited for Aracely to get out of the washroom. “Want me to help?”
She grunted a few times as she struggled then sighed. “Please,” she called out, feeling weak.
John scrambled off the bed and chuckled at the sight of Aracely in the washroom. “You look defeated, has the dress won?” he teased.
“If you do not help me now, I will be sure it loses for good. Give me a blade and I will cut it off if I have to!” she growled.
“Don’t worry,” he replied as he took hold of the zipper line at the back of her dress and just tore it wide open without much effort. “I win too, and I think the servants will love to use this dress as a cleaning rag.”
“Good,” Aracely nodded with relief as she found herself able to breathe again. Pushing the clothing off, her hands found their way to her belly that clearly had rounded slightly. “I think I may just choose to live in my nightgown or nothing at all. At least I won’t be in torture.”
Thinking about that for a second, he had to chuckle. “As long as you won’t leave this room I wouldn’t mind, not at all!” John then put his arms around his wife and kissed her tenderly. “Stop thinking that you should think on how you need to spend money, you don’t have to do that anymore, remember that. Cadman may be a little bit grumpy but she’s grateful for the work you give her.” He kissed Aracely again. “I know you can draw, why don’t you design your own clothing and let her make them?”
She turned and glared at him suspiciously. “How do you know that?” she asked as she pulled away from his lips.
“I saw the drawings on the wall of your home in San Franciskus. If you want to stay anonymous, you shouldn’t sign them.”
“Those are landscape sketches. I can’t do clothing,” she frowned. “Best I can design on parchment is a basket of fruit.”
“You don’t give yourself enough worth, then again, if you don’t want to design your own clothes, tell Cadman what you’d like to have and she’ll make them.” He smiled at her and caressed Aracely’s hair. “If you want anything, get it.”
She let out a sigh and shrugged her shoulder. “I will consider it, nothing more,” she insisted. “Now, pass me my robe so that I don’t stand here all night to bare the cold.”
Reaching for her robe, he thought of something else. “And the same goes for inside the castle! If you see something you don’t like, get rid of it… uhh…. after asking me first.”
Aracely grinned. “I have no complaints other than being waited on the way the staff does. It is something I know I should accept in some way but it will take time, such as everything else. Now where is our supper?”
“I think that if I’d let the servants go; they and their families will starve, the castle will turn into a ruin apart from the corridor we use the most and we’ll have a riot in town because the King has lost his mind.” He gently placed the robe on her shoulders.
“I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing,” she smiled as she reached up to rest her arms over his shoulders after pulling the robe on all the way. “There will be plenty of work for the people. We will make sure of that.”
“Or maybe, just a crazy thought…” John lifted her up and carried her to the bed. “Demolish the castle and build something smaller!” He laughed as he fell onto the bed next to her.
She squealed as he carried her before dropping her to the soft covers. “I don’t think the people would be quite so accepting of such a change. No, we will make do with what we have here now. Maybe fill the walls with more children in time?”
“As many as you want,” He grinned. “I will need to do some more paperwork tonight after dinner, if that is okay with you. I wouldn’t mind doing it tomorrow, but I thought about taking you out of the castle tomorrow.”
“Whatever you wish to do is fine with me,” she smiled as she moved over on the bed to lay more comfortably beside him as they waited for their food. “So as long as I have a bucket with me should I be unable to keep my food down that is.”
“You should write a letter to your friends to share your news, tell them about the big smelly castle.” He softly caressed her stomach. “I can tell a rider to stop at nothing, not even sleep, and it will be there in a day or three.”
Aracely nodded quietly. She looked up to the ceiling as she thought about her friends, wishing again that she could either go to see them or have them come to her. In either regard, despite the distractions, there was always great worry for them in her heart.
“And once Ronon has returned with good news, you can go and visit them.” He softly kissed her. “I promise.”
She smiled at him. “Thank you.”
