❝ ⁿ ᵉ ᵠ ᵘ ⁱ ᶻ ⁱ ᵃ ;; ❞

“i promise we are not teaming up on you,” the princess replied and stood her daughter up on her legs. “right luce? we are not teaming up on him,” she asked but all she did in return was kick her feet and smile. “okay maybe we are a little bit.” the blonde kissed her daughter’s nose and sat her back down. “my family is just easily excitable and loves the holidays because it is the only time we get to see each other,” she said but pinched one of his cheeks lightly, “well i like your face just the way it is so no need to worry.” elodie hoped her jolly spirit would rub off on him eventually but for now she just tried to keep him distracted. “i do not think it is just her feet growing. but i hope she does not have your feet otherwise it will be a nightmare to try and find shoes that fit her,” she teased before kissing stefano in return. “if you have it now i would not mind.”

“i knew it,” he shook his head feigning disbelief and hurt. “you i could expect it from, but now my daughter? you have corrupted her. what did she bribe you with, huh?” the male narrowed his eyes playfully as if there actually was some small possibility of it. “talk about the understatement of the century. i am pretty sure back over in italy they would have the funeral march playing,” he joked, somewhat a little uncharacteristically but blaming it on everyone else’s cheerfulness spreading to him. “good because you are the one who is stuck with seeing it every day,” he pulled a face as she played with his cheeks. “no, no. i am sure she will be perfectly proportioned. maybe just a little small if she takes after you,” he smirked once again before taking lucy from her and holding out a small box containing a photo journal of the two’s moments shared together throughout their many years with a handprint belonging to lucy on the front cover. “it -- it is not much, you know me, i am not the greatest with gifts but it took a while ... and a lot of glue to put together.”

“at least it is not the same nursery rhyme over and over again. apparently lucy only enjoys alouette and nothing else as of late,” the princess smiled and tickled her daughter’s tummy. “and you are not a scrooge. you are not tearing down decorations and completely hating christmas are you?” she teased lovingly. she knew he put up with the insanity of the holiday for her and she greatly appreciated it. “well, since my co-gifter is awake and not crying for once i think it is as good a time as ever,” elodie explained and took lucy from his hands. the blonde sat her daughter in her lap and handed over a carefully wrapped canvas that had the art the girls had worked so hard on for him. “it took many hours and a great deal of paint to get a product i was happy with but i hope you like it. and it serves a double purpose,” she laughed and returned the smirk.

“do not even get me started on that one. it is constantly in my head. at this point i think i would rather have the christmas songs playing constantly over it. both of you are teaming up on me,” he accused teasingly with a playful glare at both his wife and their daughter. “oh i don’t know about that, in comparison to your family i think i may be. i think one of your cousins thought my face was permanently stuck like this, so,” another small chuckle left his lips. he didn’t mind it, in all honesty. it may not look like it but he was having fun. stefano took the gift from her and carefully removed its wrapping and couldn’t stop the smile playing on his lips as his hazel orbs traced the canvas. something so little went a long way and it made the prince feel warm. “i think she may be cursed with my feet, they’re getting bigger every day, wow. thank you, mon amore, i love it,” he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to elodie’s lips and lucy’s forehead. “what about you? now or later?”

christmas was always elodie’s favorite time of year. it was often when she got to see extended family as well as take some time to herself and just breathe. it had been an especially stressful year as she was beginning the transition of power and she needed this break to enjoy time with her family. the blonde was seated on the outskirts of the room just watching. watching people smile, laugh, and just be happy all around their home. her blue eyes landed on stefano as he made his way to sit next to her with lucy and she chuckled softly. “just try not to think about it, then it just becomes background noise,” she told him as she moved to fix the little dress she had put lucy in. “and i am not out to get you. you know how much i enjoy christmas,” elodie replied with a soft smile and a peck on his cheek, “but thank you for putting up with it.” it had been a little bit of a difficult transition for both of them elodie thought. learning to share aspects of both their lives and working together to make the most of it. and adding a child into the mix certainly made it more interesting. “that being said, would you like your present now or later?”

it wasn’t that he hated it, per say, he just wasn’t used to it. he could get used to it, after all, it seemed nice enough. with family all coming together to celebrate it together, it seemed like something out of a fairy tale to the male because it was just that alien after everything. but the past was in the past and his current family were his priority. the two compromised, that’s what they always did and that’s exactly why they worked so well. they took the best of both of their lives and put it together to create an optimal compromise where both parties were happy. “i tried. apparently after the fourth time it stops working,” he shook his head with a stifled laugh. “i know, i know, i’m sorry for being such a scrooge,” and then came the infamous half smile stefano was knew for, or well, a half smirk at this point. it didn’t take much to see that he found her passion and love for christmas adorable. he just liked seeing that huge grin plastered on her face and seeing her relaxed, even for just a moment. “uh, it depends. would it be better suited for now or later?”

christmas had made its way around far too quickly this year in the prince’s opinion. everything had, believe it or not. to think that a year and a half or so ago, stefano had still been manipulated and tugged on every string by his father blew his mind as it felt like just yesterday. with the accardi’s not being a very homely family, to say the least, their festivities had always been minimal and non-existent in some cases. but all that had changed now as the prince had his own family; his beautiful wife and a beautiful daughter and now his perspective of a family had changed drastically. that being said, however, christmas was still something he’d have to get used to. there were decorations galore, scattered all across each and every room, christmas jingles playing on repeat, there were smiles and laughter around every corner and the festive spirit was all around the air. “you know, if this song gets repeated one more time, i do not think your’s or lucy’s smile can stop me from going crazy.” the male sat down next to elodie with an exasperated, but maybe slightly exaggerated, sigh with lucy in his arms as he stood her up on his legs. “daddy’s going to end up crazy because your mother is out to get him.”

“i know that, which is why i am not going to argue any further,” elodie chuckled and shook her head as well. “thank you, i do not need you questioning his every decision like my mother.” ever since the announcement to the family, elodie’s mother had been increasingly protective of her. maybe because it was her first grandchild? or her own child was in a delicate state. either way she would probably never find out the exact reason. “you do not look elderly, and i did not say that!” she laughed and nudged him playfully, “i simply said you are too young to have so many wrinkles. but i will love you when we are both old and gray and have saggy skin.” though the visual wasn’t the nicest thing to picture, the statement still held true. “i know, i know,” she replied, sighing in defeat, “hopefully she will be a normal height with our genes mixed together. it is not fun being so short when you are so tall.” once the pair made it to the bathroom elodie moved to turn on the water and rid herself of her blood stained clothes, replacing them with a robe. “i am not trying to! how could i not expect her to? little lucy is going to have three aunts who spoil her to death.”

“wise words from a wise woman,” stefano shot a grin in her direction. “as panicky as i can get, i think your mother takes the icing on the cake there. she means well though, of course.” he understood in a sense what her mother was most likely going through, while not entirely he could probably guess at the very least. while he wasn’t quite a parent yet, he already cared for their child more than anything in the world. that and the dangers associated with pregnancy, now more than ever following the night’s events they just witnessed. but he knew elodie didn’t need more sceptics and if she trusted that everything was right, then he would too. “i know, i am just teasing you,” he smirked before bending down and placing a sweet kiss to her lips. “we can only hope. while it isn’t the easiest i think your height is adorable, even if it gives me back pain.” stefano turned to lean against the sink while she changed, giving her the privacy while keeping his eyes off of the blood stains. “i’m sure her grandparents will too. obviously not the paternal side, but you know what i mean.” it was then that it dawned on the italian that he hadn’t actually told his father the news yet, and he was sure that aurelia didn’t like their father enough to tell him either. it was definitely for the better, however.  “la nostra piccola principessa. spoiled and loved to the brim.”

“he is the one with the medical license, not me,” elodie chuckled and shook her head at him, “i do not know fully what is going on inside of me but i trust him when he says everything is okay.” though the princess knew when her body was not right it was taken to another level when a human was growing inside of her. something didn’t feel right but then they would turn out to be gas or movement of lucy. everything she knew about her body was gone. “i know you do, but you do no always have to help,” she told him as she stood up with his help. “you should go back to sleep. you are getting permanent wrinkles and bags on your skin from all your worry and stress. you are too young for that,” she laughed and ran her thumb over his cheek. “i know. i just do not know what else to say besides ‘i am sorry’. and will no doubt have her father’s luscious hair and charming smile,” the princess ran a hand through his hair and pecked his lips sweetly. “i am the one that said that. i just feel extra lucky that i have you by my side through all of this. it was worth it. and now she has a niece on the way.”

“while you have a point, you know i am too stubborn to say otherwise,” he shook his head in return with an all-knowing grin before continuing. “but if you trust him, i do too.” of course, a doctor was a doctor for a reason. they were professionally qualified to know what was going on the majority of the time. then there was elodie, it was her body after all and there was a child, an actual human being, growing inside of her body and not his. and then there was himself, mostly clueless in this entire situation but willing to do anything and everything to understand and help her through it. he rolled his eyes teasingly at her response, knowing trying to go against anything at this point was futile but still moving towards the bathroom anyway. “does the elderly man look not appeal to you then? are you going to stop loving me when i’m old and have wrinkles?” stefano chuckled as he looked down at her. “stop saying that, mi amore, it is not your fault. and if she has your eyes --... she will be absolutely beautiful i’m sure.” he grinned against her lips as the excitement made its way back onto his features. “hey, you can’t get rid of me that easily, i am not going anywhere. she is going to spoil her to the end of the world and back, you know that right?”

seeing stefano relax and finally have some emotion on his face other than fear made elodie more relaxed as well. “you heard the doctor, why did you have to hear it from me?” she chuckled and kissed his nose. sometimes she forgot how hard headed her husband could be and that it took a good amount of convincing for him to do or believe something. the princess already knew how strong their baby would be just based upon the fast events and knowing she had her and stefano to raise her. “you do not have to do that,” she began, not wanting him to dote on her like she was a breakable doll. “just help me out of bed.” she slowly began to sit herself up right and sung her legs over the bed while she waited for him to move. “i cannot help but be sorry for causing you all this stress. i am glad too. she will be a strong one.” elodie rubbed her stomach protectively again, cooing little words to the child inside of her. “i do not think i could forget even if i tried. how did i get so lucky with you?” elodie was of course grateful for stefano for all the help he has offered during this pregnancy and she wouldn’t want to experience it with anyone else by her side. 

comparing this moment of happiness between the two to several moments ago where it felt like their world was crashing down in a matter of seconds showed just how important they were to each other. everything they went through, the happiness, the pain, the excitement, the apprehension, everything that was pushed in their direction they faced it together. “because the doctor is not you, and i trust you more than him.” he smirked and scrunched his nose in response teasingly. as per usual, she had a point. the doctor had declared her health and who else would know better than a doctor? but that didn’t stop him from wanting to hear it from elodie herself, worrying about her even when she told him not to. “i do not mind, really. i just want to help,” he replied as he stood up and placed his hand on the small of her back to help her up. “easy now.” he didn’t mean to be so overprotective and he understood that she was very independent and didn’t need him as much as he interfered but he simply couldn’t help himself. “you have nothing to apologise for, okay? strong and beautiful, just like her mother,” the prince brought his hands on top of hers and her stomach with a grin. “i think you were the one that said we both got lucky with each other. the verbal abuse from lia when she found out about us was definitely worth it.”

seeing the dazed look on his face as the chaos around them settled down, elodie pulled him into a hug. she kissed his cheek to reassure him that everything was right now. “yes, i am okay,” she told him, pulling away but still holding him in her grasp. “i am okay and lucy is okay and we are okay.” elodie took his hand once more and placed it on her stomach to let him feel their daughter, still alive, inside of her. hearing her heartbeat moments ago put no doubts in her mind that their baby was strong and healthy but she could still see doubt in his eyes. “i do however think i need a bath to clean off and put my mind at ease,” she told him, a small smile playing on her lips. “thank you for helping me. i am sorry i scared you like that.” though she knew there was nothing t apologize for, the princess couldn’t help but feel guilty about what she had just put him through. “i love you so much,” elodie said and rested her forehead against his gently.

it was almost as if his mind hadn’t quite caught up with the relief that had washed over him, constantly stuck in an equilibrium between not knowing and knowing. pain and relief. that was until he felt her comforting touch and soft lips and suddenly everything felt right again. their little paradise was still perfect and he realised that nothing could possibly tear it down ever again. as he felt elodie’s growing bump the realisation finally hit him and brought a smile to his lips as he let out a sigh of relief once again. “you have no idea how relieved i am to hear that,” he brought up a hand to cup her cheek gently. of course, if their child was anything like them, she was a fighter which was now proven alongside elodie’s display of strength. stefano couldn’t be any more content or proud with his wife and their future child if he tried. “i will start preparing it for you in a few moments. is there anything else i can help with?” he nodded slowly, wanting to help more but not wanting to leave her side if it could be helped. “please, mi amore, do not be sorry. i am just glad that you and our child are okay.” the last thing he would want was for her to feel guilty when she hadn’t done anything wrong. “i love you too. you are my world and more, elodie marie fontaine, never ever forget that.”

elodie felt like she was in a dream. her lack of sleep and lingering feelings of pain made her mind swirl and she felt light headed. the tight squeezing of her hand from stefano brought her back to reality for a moment as she felt more tears, but this time tears of relief and joy. the princess looked over at her husband and smiled, happier to hear the new that anyone else. then she turned her attention back to the doctor when stefano asked about how she would be. “yes, elodie will be just fine. however, there is a greater chance more cysts will develop and make for more mishaps like these if you choose to have more children. but there are plenty of women who have multiple healthy births with cycts. anything else i can answer for you?” the doctor spoke and put her mind at ease again. “i think i just need some sleep for now, yes? and you too,” she spoke and nudged stefano, hoping to put his mind at ease as well. “merci beaucoup,” she thanked the doctor and shook with her free hand. slowly everyone else began to go about their business again, most likely back to sleep. she gave a kiss to each of her sisters and parents before they left the room. elodie leaned back on the bed again and let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “are you okay, my love?” she asked, looking over at stefano once more to hear what he was thinking.

within a few moments, everything had changed from going in slow motion to quicker than he could comprehend and before he knew it, everyone was up and leaving. his mind was steel reeling and trying to process everything that had just occurred. he was almost certain they had lost their child, he was certain that the doctor's words would probably scare him for the rest of their lives and he was certain that the rollercoaster of emotions was still riding higher and higher than before. stefano said his goodbyes to each member of her family as well as the doctor and sat back down in silence. a part of him was worried that if he got too close then something would her to snap or break after witnessing just how easily things can go wrong. even if it didn’t and everything, for the most part, was fine it just helped to put things into perspective into how real this actually was. “that was ... intense.” he nodded slowly and turned to face her. he hadn’t meant to avoid her question, it was just his natural defence mechanism coming in to play when his emotions were running wild and he couldn’t get a grip on them. “are you okay?” this time he turned to face her completely, taking her dainty hands in his own.

“everything…is going….to…be fine,” elodie spoke between deep breaths and cries. the pain had subsided but it left it’s mark on her and had her thinking the worst. that their baby girl was gone. that she had failed as a mother. that it was somehow her fault. the princess smiled at emmaline as she returned with the towel and bottle of water. carefully she moved her lower body so that the towel could be placed under her and the blood stained sheets were out of sight. graciously she then took the bottle of water and drank almost half of it in one breath. her hands rested protectively over her stomach once more as she noticed her parents speaking to someone outside of the door. after a minute or two the doctor finally entered the room. without a word he began to set up a portable ultrasound machine and elodie assumed the position she had taken the day before to let him examine her. he squeeze the cold jelly on her stomach and moved the wand around to try and find their baby girl. elodie was expting the worst. expecting for nothing to be in there. she squeezed stefano’s hand tightly and waited. then she heard a heartbeat. the same one she had heard yesterday at their appointment. “well, your highness,” he began, “your baby girl is completely healthy.” at first she didn’t believe it. but as she viewed the screen and saw her baby moving around it brought tears to her eyes. “then what happened to me?” the princess inquired, wanting to know all the details. “it appears that you had an ovarian cyst that burst. and it is very uncommon for them to cause this much pain or bleeding but in this case it did. but i assure you that your baby is completely safe and healthy.”

hearing her say those words was enough for him to breathe steady, if only for a few moments. his world had blurred and it was almost as if everything was going in slow motion. almost as if it were all one constant stream from the moment she had woken him up to the very moment the doctor had begun setting up the equipment. the prince was sure at this point that he had gone pale as the nerves and the anxiety began to kick in.truth be told, stefano had rarely ever felt scared before. the few exceptions being when he was watching his mother slowly slip away and watching his father’s anger unfold after luciano’s death, but neither of them even came close in comparison to how uncertain and terrified he had felt right now. the fear of the unknown was his worst enemy and right now he was staring it straight in the face. he wasn’t sure of their baby girl’s future. of what would happen if they had lost her. of so many things and stefano could hardly keep up with his thoughts at this point. he held her hand in both of his as he brought it to his lips to place a weak kiss and held it there for reassurance and support. for a few moments he closed his eyes, almost as if hoping and praying that everything would be alright would actually come work -- even if the male didn’t believe in anything other than facts and logic. and then he opened them to see the doctor trying to find their baby with somewhat difficulty and he tensed up knowing she could probably feel it but being unable to fight it. after what had felt like an eternity but he knew to only be a few moments those words which had caught him off guard, allowed him to finally let out the breath that felt as though he had held it in forever and gave him the confidence to open his eyes in sheer absolute relief. “she is okay,” he let out a sigh of relief, still shocked to the core. “and elodie? she will be okay too, right?” now that he knew their little girl was safe he needed to know that his wife would be too.

through the pain and panic, elodie attempted to mirror stefano’s calm demeanor by taking deep breaths and thinking positive thoughts. she knew her crying and yelling was only making things worse and she did not want to cause any more damage than she already had. once she had gotten her breathing under control the pain began to subside. finally she saw her sister burst through their door and rush to her her side, immediately taking her other hand and whispering calming words to her. in the doorway she could her parents and her other sister with panicked looks, talking on the phone in hushed tones, hopefully getting a doctor here. finally she let her body relax and fall back on the pillows, her hands still gripping stefano’s and elena’s tightly as to not let them leave her side. her breathing was labored, her body still feeling as if she fought in a battle. “i need water, a-and a towel,” she mumbled into stefano’s chest. his tight embrace keeping her safe from any other harm that wanted to come her way. slowly the princess heard worried voices begin to gather outside her bedroom. no doubt wondering what was going on. “t-thank you,” elodie whispered to her husband, knowing that this was most likely not easy for him to watch.

there was always an ongoing fight in the prince’s mind. there was never a moment where the cogs weren’t turning constantly. every single path, every possibility, every road, he always thought out in his head. that was how he had managed to stay calm through any obstacle that hit him throughout his life, because he had already played it out in his thoughts previously. so how could he not see this coming? not in a million years, would he have expected something like this would happen to them and stefano was more than chastising himself for it -- but that would have to wait. it was almost unbearable for him to watch, wanting nothing other than to take her pain away but knowing full well he couldn’t do anything but watch. but elodie needed him right now and so that’s where his mind was instead. as elena finally came in after what felt like aeons of waiting for help, he let out a sigh of relief. following elena was the rest of her family and while he felt very exposed and vulnerable once again, that was the least important thing right now. “o-okay. yeah, we can do that,” he whispered gently before he looked back up at emmaline and asked her to grab the said supplies. “do not thank me, caramia, please,” the prince shook his head slowly. “just focus on me okay? everything is going to be fine, i promise you. can you repeat that for me?”

her heart ached. her head was spinning. the world didn’t make sense anymore. elodie knew stefano was only trying to help but it was such a stressful time for her that all she could do was yell. “i-i’m sorry,” she wept after seeing his reaction to her yelling. “what d-did i d-do to deserve t-this?” she doubled over in pain again, this time it resonated all through her legs and back. “i-i need a doctor,” she instructed. though having her family close sounded good in theory, she did not want them to see her like this. “i-i want just you, elena a-and a doctor,” elodie managed to muster out between grunts of pain and sobs. the princess was amazed at how calm and rational stefano was being in this situation. she attempted to focus on his voice and do as he said, taking deep breaths and focusing on him, but her mind was still flooded with thoughts. beads of sweat mixed with her salty tears as she tried to clear her face from all that was falling from it. the blood stained sheets kept appearing in her line of sight and just reminding her of what was happening. “make it s-stop, stef,” she sobbed and buried her face deep in his chest. 

a sudden wave of nausea washed over him as it seemed as though elodie’s pain was only increasing massively instead of slowly subsiding as he hoped would have happened. “no no no, please do not be sorry,” he could only whisper in her ear gently. following the nausea came the guilt.after all, she would not be pregnant and going through all of this pain if it were not for him. they would just be completely normal, living their day-to-day lives without any pain, stress or worries. but alas, that was not their current situation, stefano knew, and  all he could do was try to help her even if his help wasn’t really helping at all. “yeah? okay. then that is what we will get you.,” he kept his voice calm and as cool as possible, knowing that if he were to start freaking out then elodie would most likely feel ten times worse and then nothing would get done at this rate. the male called out her sister’s name once again, a little more desperate the second time around and believed to hear the sound of scuffled footsteps from down the hall. his hands were shaking more than they ever had in his life, knowing he should call a doctor but he couldn’t bear to take his hands away from her. as horrible as he felt admitting it to himself, eldodie was his priority over anything and everything else, including their daughter and himself, and her needs were more important than anything else.  “i will, i promise. i just need you to keep being strong for a little while longer. is there anything else i can do?” his arms wrapped around her, holding her close into his embrace as if it would stop any of the pain and protect her from everything outside of it.

the pain was almost unbearable. something she had never felt before. it was almost as if someone had ripped open her stomach and was twisting it all sorts of ways. the happy thoughts and feelings were long gone and all that replaced it was fear and agony and sorrow. “i do not know! get someone!” she yelled at him, knowing he meant well but right now was not helping her at all. elodie braced herself on his shoulder while her other hand held her stomach as if something was still in there. her sobbing was racking at her petite body, making it hard for her to breath. paired with the uncertainty of their future child only made it worse. “s-she’s gone,” the princess wailed. “s-she’s gone i-i know she i-is.” it was in her nature to jump to the worst conclusions of every situation and in this case that meant that their child was gone. her breaths were short and shallow, her mind telling that she needed to breath. but her body couldn’t handle the pain or the grief it had suddenly been struck with. the part that made it worse was tht she didn’t understand. when they had visited the doctor the day before he had said that everything was fine. that she was carrying a healthy baby girl. what happened between then and now? 

seeing elodie sob and writhe in pain hurt the prince. there was absolutely nothing in the world he could do to help her or fix this and for the first time in a very long time, he felt helpless. all he wanted to was help relieve her pain and fix this, but he knew there was no fixing it this time. not when the tears kept flowing and the shaking of her tiny frame. her yell caused him to shrink away slightly but he fought against it and called out her sisters and parents’ names for help, an uncharacteristic shake and fear clear as day with his tone. he racked his brain for any of the information from the books and sites he read, anything, that would help him help her in this situation but he couldn’t think of anything; scared that if he were to move her it would be ten times over worse, but if she were to stay still it would get worse and worse as time went by. he could only hope that someone heard him and would be much more relaxed than he was. “hey, hey we do not know that, okay? just focus on me, miamore,” stefano ran a hand through her hair and moved closer to help support her better as he tried to calm her down. while his heart wanted to hold on to the small fragments of hope left, there was always the damning thought that hope was futile at the end of the day. “help is coming, i just need you to try and take a few deep breaths, can you do that?”

@stefcno​

elodie was happy to be back in her own bed with the comforting presence of stefano next to her. it had been about two weeks since she arrived home and surprised stefano with the news that they were going to have a child and the couple couldn’t have been happier. they had been to the doctor the day before and found out that they were having a baby girl. that night, the princess fell sound asleep with her arms protectively cradling her belly with stefano beside her. she didn’t know how long she was asleep for before a jolting pain in her stomach caused her to wake. elodie shot up from her laying position and held her stomach close as she kicked the covers off hastily. of course the princess thought it was just pregnancy pain until she looked down and in the pale light from the window saw that she was sitting in a pool of her own blood. “stef!” she cried as her hand reached out to shake her husband awake, her mind still trying to process what was going on. “stefano réveille-toi!” she cried louder, this time more aggressive in her shaking. her cheeks were stained with hot tears as all possible scenarios were running through her mind. the worst of which she did not even want to think of. her world was crashing down around her and there was nothing she could do to stop it. 

while the idea of being a father scared him to begin with, more so the idea of an actual human being growing inside elodie, it didn’t take long at all for stefano to grow accustomed to the idea of their future as parents. he had read all of the books she had given him and was just about as ready as any new parent would be. when the scan showed them they were having a little girl, the prince couldn’t have been happier, granted he would have been happy either way but everything felt right in that moment. they were more than happy, their daughter was deemed healthy and everything was perfect and after a long day of strong emotions to say they fell asleep easily was an understatement. he had been sleeping away soundly until he was awoken by elodie’s cries and shakes and suddenly he was wide awake and sat up right next to her. it didn’t take long for the prince to see her tear stained cheeks and then the blood pooling around her and the panic was easily identifiable on his features. his mind suddenly went blank, only being able to focus on the sounds of her sobs and the deep red surrounding elodie with the worst possible scenarios plagued his thoughts. “i -- i -- ...” his breath caught in his throat as he held a hand out to her back and arm soothingly. “it’s okay, it’s okay. look at me, okay? should i get your sisters? or your parents? what can i do? just tell me what to do.”

“i mean there are plenty of things. but i do not want to scare you. you can read my books when i am finished, how about that?” she replied, squeezing his hand in reassurance. there were endless rules and suggestions and guidelines from so many different sources that some contradicted each other but elodie would take it all in. “i know, i know. i am just so proud of you.” the princess accepted his kiss an gave one of her own to show her affection and smiled. “here’s to the future. our future.” it was not an easy road getting to this point. there were many obstacles that got in their way but somehow they fought through them and were finally happy. “good save,” she chuckled but nodded in agreement. “it really is happening. i can not believe it. i hope i can do everything as best i can. rule france and being a good wife and mother. that is a tall order.”

“okay, that is a little daunting but everything will be fine i am sure. that makes me feel a little better, yeah that would be great. if there is anything i can do just let me know, okay?” he nodded slowly.  while her words brought a little apprehension back to his stomach, her touch and reassurance made him feel more at ease. it was very rare that complications actually occurred in a pregnancy, he knew that, and while he was aware that sometimes bad things actually happened he knew everything would be okay with them. “i could not have done it without you,” stefano couldn’t help but smile as her lips met his own once again. “may it be a bright and happy one.” it was their little acts of support and affection that went a long way for the prince in reassuring him and it meant the world and more. after everything, they always stood by one another through the happy times and the dark times, easy and hard; they were always there by the other. “if anyone can do all of that it is you. i have the utmost faith in you and i will always be there for you no matter what. you will be an excellent mother and ruler, you already have the wife part down to a t.”

“well i want to limit how much i am travelling since it is not the best thing to do while pregnant. if anything father said he would have everyone come to me,” she told him and shrugged before swinging her legs onto the bed and rested them over stefano’s. when she found out she was with child elodie had dove straight into her research. learning what not to do, what things are good for the baby, what feels normal and what doesn’t and she might have over done it. she had already sent staff out to find baby books and parenting books and anything she could possibly need to know. “i know, m’amore,” the princess assured him, “as long as you are trying. it just pains me to see the damage your father has done to you.” though she had only met the man a handful of time she was not sure how a man like that could have a hand in raising three wonderful children. elodie figured it must have been their mother with the most influence. “well if our baby is anything like us i am sure it will be later rather than sooner,” she teased, “i am happy to hear that. my father of course wants a grandson, seeing as he raised girls all his life.” hearing him finally sound confident about being a father and assure her that he was happy brought tears to her eyes. of course she laughed as they fell down her cheeks because she was not used to the changes her body was making yet. “i still can not believe this is really happening. there is a little baby growing inside of me,” elodie laughed and placed her hand over his. “just seven months to go.”

“that is a wise idea. is there anything else that is harmful or anything? that is the last thing i would want to happen to it.” he asked lifted his arm over her legs as he let his fingers trail up and down one of them. stefano figured he would definitely have to look into it all, he hadn’t ever really thought about being a father, much less anytime soon.and hardly knew anything other than common knowledge. he wanted nothing but the best for his wife and his unborn child and he would do anything for them to have it, no matter the cost. “it is okay, it is all in the past now. you and i, we are past that -- past him and everything he put us through. he almost got in the way of us before so there is no possible way i will let his errors in raising me to affect us.” stefano told her with complete confidence now in his voice as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. every word he said was true and he meant them. while his father had shaped him to be exactly as his father had wished; easy to control, elodie had helped him move past that and start a new chapter in their lives without him meddling in it. while his father may have not been happy, stefano was and at the end of the day he had chosen his and elodie’s happiness over his want to appease his father. “i can understand that. while all of his daughters are perfect,” he gave a smug grin in her direction before continuing. “i would assume it is a different bond entirely.” he couldn’t help but chuckle slightly as the tears fell down her cheeks, using his free hand to wipe them away softly. “this is really happening, isn’t it? us? parents? it’s mad.”

“i am glad to be home as well. and i hope i do not have to leave again for a while,” elodie told him as she rested her head on his shoulder. the words she spoke about stefano were always true and she was never afraid to tell him what she was thinking. the princess did not like seeing when he doubted himself because she knew he was extraordinary and just wanted him to see it. “i just speak the truth. i wish you thought as highly of yourself as i do. but i think we both got lucky with each other.” elodie was happy to see that her encouraging words had worked, at least for the time being, and that he was at ease for now. “well there is the potential to find out. sometimes things do not always work out. but yes that soon. i will be happy with whatever our baby turns out to be. what about you?” the blonde smiled up at stefano and sighed happily. elodie had not thought that suggesting naming their child after luciano would have had this much of a reaction from him but she was happy to do anything to help his memory live on. “is it still considered selfless if i am happy with the name as well? it just  seemed like the obvious choice. but yes i know, and i love you just as much.” smiling as he placed a kiss on her forehead, the princess brought one of his hands up to rest on her stomach and let him feel the bump. “this child is going to be so loved and have the most amazing family. i don’t think i have ever been happier.”

“even if you do, i will not let you. not without me at least,” stefano teased as he rested his head carefully atop her own and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into him. he couldn’t help but let out an ironic laugh as his thoughts dawdled once again to just how emotional he was being. she was not only going through the exact same thing as him, but had all the hormones and changes yet to come, yet he was making a big deal while she was not. if it had been a few years prior, stefano was a completely different man, confident in himself and his actions but his father had stripped that from him -- and with her reassurances, he knew exactly that he wasn’t his father and he definitely wouldn’t be his father to their baby. “i know, i know, it’s just hard sometimes but i will get there. with you with me, how could i not? the absolute luckiest.” the confidence was already growing in his voice and on his features with every word he spoke. “that will not happen with us, i assure you. i do not mind either. either way i could not be happier.” the thought that there would be either a little luciano or lucy running around caused a smile to grace his lips as he thought back to the fond memories he had of his little brother as a child and suddenly with that the solemnness was replaced by nostalgia and longing for the future. “of course. you thought of it in the first place.” feeling the bump, her bump, their unborn child, made his chest feel warm as everything had finally kicked in and reality had settled down. “that would be a huge understatement. you and i both -- and i really, really mean it. i know i may not have sound convincing earlier, but i’ve had time to reflect and you and baby luciano or lucy mean the world and more to me.”