cw: named children mention. sex/pregnancy jokes.
By the time Nadira finally has a moment to sit with the rest of today's breakfast dining party, her daughter Safiya has practically finished her plate, and is itching to run off and pester the court guards, her new favorite pastime, and her younger son, Jacob pushes eggs around on his plate, then looks at his mother. You sip your tea as you watch, your body still slightly tired and sore from an... eventful night, and Dimitri watches you closely, his hand intertwining with yours as he dips low, whispering into your ear.
You nod, and he squeezes your hand before letting go, and returning to his own breakfast, opulent but far too pungent in taste to be palatable for someone without his particular ailment, particularly at this time in the morning.
Nadira gives you a sideways glance, then pleads with Jacob to eat, until he's eventually sent off with his sister with a slice of buttered bread.
"He'll be back in an hour asking me for snacks," Dimitri says, smiling. If Nadira was a different sort of person, she'd be aghast at the concept of her son asking the sovereign king if he had biscuits in his pocket, but she simply shakes her head. Pulling her son's unfinished plate towards her, she forks at it with as little interest, but the moment you let out a yawn, she turns to face you, an amused look on her face.
"Long night, your Majesty?"
You blink rapidly, and her look extends both to you and your husband, who suddenly appears to have felt the same chill in your spine as you have.
Your face starts to warm as flashes from the night before seem to rush through your head at once - face buried in downy pillows, flesh sliding against flesh, arms and legs tangled, teeth and tongue and so many moans, and-
"The two of you cause such a cacophony in the middle of the night at times, the staff have started to chatter about it, in case you're unaware."
Your blood runs cold in embarrassment but Dimitri takes a too large gulp of terribly bitter coffee then sets the cup down carefully, before looking back at her.
"And you believe this?" Dimitri starts.
"Considering I walked by last night to confirm, I heard it."
Her hand raises. "I did not linger. I have far better things to do than listen to the two of you go at it."
Dimitri's mouth twists to the side, but he says nothing yet.
"Although," Nadira pauses, then swirls her cup of herbal tea. "I would love to see an heir sooner rather than later." She pauses, then looks out at the door through which her children escaped to play.
"If only out of the selfish desire to see more playmates for the little ones."
With that, you sit dumbfounded, covering your face, as Dimitri pets the back of your head affectionately, having nothing more to say to quell the fact that Nadira among others, despite Dimitri's inappropriately confident claim that sound did not carry from your hall, might have heard you utter his name in babbles and moan loudly night after night.
Dimitri finally lets out a laugh.
"Straightforward as always, Nadira," he deflects for your comfort. She smiles, reaching for Dimitri's cleared plate before she rises.
"I'll work on the soundproofing immediately today. Particularly since I don't expect that you'll be any quieter, even if you're made aware."
You sink deeper in your chair.
"You're quite considerate," Dimitri says with a louder chuckle, now entertained by your dramatics more than anything else.
"Of course," Nadira teases. She's about to leave the two of you to finish breakfast together, but before she turns into the kitchen, she adds,
"Also Dimitri, please remember that you are a man, not a battering ram. Children are made gently."
His face reddens worse than a tomato, as she makes her successful exit.
