Royally Rebellious: An arranged royal romance (Resplendent Royals Book 1)

Chapter 43

The girls, Rick, and I arrived in Lundhavn only to be escorted to the family’s house on the edge of Blavenberg. It was a fairytale castle with a grand dining hall and cosy sitting rooms in its various wings—a lovely escape for a long weekend away. The girls were preoccupied with Rick’s wonderful mother. She was quick to adopt them as her own.

Rick grew up in this place. He said it was their home nearly every weekend and all summer. After taking us to the stables and introducing me to his old horses, we walked the grounds. It felt like heaven. Then, it all came crashing down.

Saturday, I felt exhausted. I went to bed early. For the first time in about three weeks, Rick and I hadn’t had sex because I was too tired to function. I worried I was coming down with something. Then, I woke Sunday morning feeling seasick. I didn’t want to leave for breakfast and couldn’t keep anything down. Rick called for his mother. He was worried.

“What do you feel like? A fever? Anything?” Karolina asked.

“No,” I answered. “Just… tired. Seasick. No other symptoms. But I’m not on a boat.”

“Maybe it’s stomach flu,” Rick said.

“Or, maybe it’s something else,” Karolina said in Rick’s mother tongue.

“Like what?” I asked.

“When was the last time you had your period?” Karolina asked.

“I don’t get them. I’m on the pill. I just started a new pack.”

“You don’t get periods on the pill?” Karolina cocked her head. “You should. Do you have your pills?”

I directed Rick to the location of my pills and he brought them to his mother.

“These white pills are the ones where you should have a period,” Karolina said. “You didn’t have one?”

I shook my head, my blood running cold.

“No one told you that?”

I shook my head again.

“She was sheltered,” Rick said, sweetly. “Not allowed to ask questions.”

“Astrid and I arranged for these prescriptions to come. It was touch and go. We’re not trying to have a baby right now,” I said.

“I can understand that, but, sweetheart, I worry you might be pregnant. Does your back ache? Do your breasts hurt?”

“Mamma!”

“What? It’s an important question!”

I looked down. “Yeah?”

“We need to get you a test,” Karolina said.

Rick appeared ready to faint. This wasn’t the news either one of us wanted. If it was true, it would be awful for him. If positive, I was about to carry a baby to term worried I”d fall victim to my mother”s sad fate.

Karolina was magical because a test arrived within the hour. By then, I’d been in and out of the toilet more times than I could count. Karolina explained what I needed to do with the test. I followed the directions, placing it on the bathroom vanity.

“I can leave if you would like space,” Karolina said. “I don’t mean to intrude.”

“Please stay,” I asked. “Because I’d want my mamma right about now and… just stay.”

Karolina rubbed my back. “Alright, sweetheart. I can do that. It must be hard sometimes.”

“Sometimes, I miss her more than others, but I always do,” I admitted. “God, I feel so stupid! I did something wrong.”

I couldn’t bear to look at the test, but Karolina refused to read it for us. So, Rick went in. My fate hung in the balance as I sat on the bed in his childhood bedroom, wondering what would happen next. To his credit, Rick was supportive. He hadn’t squawked at me, but I was frightened. It was as if we’d discovered a secret magical retreat within ourselves every time we had sex, but was it worth it? I wasn’t ready to have a baby.

“You two will be fine. No matter what, min skat.” Karolina squeezed my hand. “They never come when you want them to, anyway.”

I burst into tears.

“Oh, sweetheart, do not cry. I am sorry?—”

“No… you sound like my mother. She used to call us that. It’s… a real comfort.”

Karolina hugged me tight. “I am so sorry she isn’t here. Your mother was a delight. A beautiful person. She would be proud of you.”

“Is it good? One line or two?” Rick’s voice echoed from the bathroom. It gave nothing away.

“Two is pregnant. One is not,” Karolina said.

“What if it’s like one and a half?” Rick asked.

He walked over and showed the test to his mother.

“If there is any second line, pregnant,” Karolina said. “So, here.”

She handed me the test. I nearly fainted.

“I would say congratulations,” Karolina said. “We are elated to have another grandchild, but I am aware there are a lot of emotions here. I love you both. Ask if you need something.”

She patted Rick on the cheek lovingly and disappeared out the door.

I sat, holding the test. The light pink line glared at me. I was infuriated, upset, violated, and frightened. Rick stared at me, similarly surprised. I assumed this was how it ended. His love and attraction for me was gone. I felt him pulling away. Of course, he didn’t want a baby! Neither did I! He had a choice, but I did not.

Then, a strange thing happened.

Rick wrapped me up in his arms and held me tight. I released my sobs into his shoulder. Normally, I would hide these from him, but I felt like I both needed to let it out and was safe. I sobbed and sobbed until finally, we pulled apart. He hopped up to bring me a tissue and then sweetly dabbed my eyes as I tried to pull myself together.

“I’m so sorry,” I finally said.

“Why, Lex? You did nothing wrong.”

“You don’t want a baby. You’re frightened!”

“I didn’t say I didn’t want a baby. I mean, I didn’t want a baby, but does that mean I don’t now want a baby? I think those are different things.”

“I don’t want a baby. My mother died in childbirth. I’m not ready to die.”

“I am not about to let you die. I am sorry that happened. It must be scary, baby, but… it is so unlikely.”

“It doesn’t matter. God, I have no choice.”

“Not as a royal woman, no,” Rick said. “I feel awful right now. It took this long for me to knock someone up. It’s a wonder it took so long.”

“Rikard!”

“What? It’s true!”

“Not helping.”

He cupped my face in his hands. “Lex, I love you—all of you. If that means we must bump up the timeline a bit, I’ll manage. I love you too much to tell you no.”

Rick kissed me. Despite my runny tears and puffiness, he kissed me.

“Don’t worry about me,” Rick said. “Let’s keep you healthy, okay? Focus on you.”

I nodded. “Thank you for not hating me.”

“I couldn’t anymore. You are too good a person. You are the best person, Alexandra.”