There were a million reasons why the Crown Princess of Denmark should feel sick about her stomach about the trip across the Atlantic. Flying with her two young daughters was nerve wracking because small children on a plane, even if it was private, was a nightmare. Then there was the morning sickness, worse than both of her pregnancies with the girls, that had her ill all day. She'd known very early on she was pregnant, visiting a private doctor and confirming the pregnancy. Still, Aurélie had thought that maybe this one was her husband's given how quickly she started showing. Instead, it simply started earlier, the doctor telling her that her body simply 'knew what it was doing now, so it was like pitching a tent'... a concept she found horrifying. No more horrifying than the reality that the timing made this third child Ryker's. The media hadn't questioned that the children had blonde hair or bright blue eyes, chalking it up to Danish heritage and the continued secrecy around her mother, but she knew they were a spitting image of their true father.
For better or worse, Elie couldn't bring herself to stay away from the only man she'd ever loved. While going to see Ryker again was certainly dangerous in its own right because of the MC, she never worried the media would catch them. Her Head of Security, Sirius, made tedious arrangements for privacy and protection of the girls and New York had far more interesting people to snap pictures of and slather over gossip rags than the possible heir to the thrown of a tiny country an ocean away— or so she thought. Little did the princess know, the first snapshot was taken at the private airport as they moved from the jet to their armored SUV that would take them to the hotel, a breeze catching pressing her dress to her curves, making the bump hidden under her jacket a little more obvious for just a moment before she pulled it closed. It wasn't even a thought on her mind when they girls settled into their adjoining room after baths and pajamas with movies and a snack, yawns all around.
It wasn't all that late in New York, but jet lag was hitting the girls hard and it was well past their bedtime back in Denmark, so she'd texted Ryker the hotel and room number, sending Sirius off for the night. Neither of them speaking about who they both knew was the reason for this trip. When the familiar knocking pattern sounded on the door, Aurélie had washed off the travel, changed into a lace-trimmed silk slip underneath a robe, and moved around the living room sipping on ginger ale and humming to the quiet music she'd put on to calm her nerves. Pulling the door open, tugging the robe more tightly around herself, she rested her head against the door and drank him in. "You still came." Her smile quickly brightened and she moved back to allow him in, the door and robe still blocking the view of her stomach. When she closed the door, she didn't turn around immediately, locking up and then resting her forehead against the cool surface. "I'm sorry it took so long to come back."
closed starter for @thereapersmc
