34. Princess

In the hours that followed Rieka’s birth, I watched her get checked over, fussed over, and then wrapped up for snuggles with her daddy.

They helped me feed her for the first time. The feeling was strange. Michaella gave me a potion to start my milk and my nipples got really sensitive before they began to leak the colostrum that was the first and most important milk for Rieka to get.

When Rieka started crying, signaling she was hungry, I put her to my chest. She rooted around, looking for a nipple to grip onto. The feeling when she latched on was weird. Part of me wasn’t sure I liked it, but I wanted to at least try. If I couldn’t get used to it, or it became too painful, I’d stop. Feeding her like this was wonderful for our bond, but being fed with a bottle was a great substitute if I couldn’t bring myself to like feeding that way.

Either way, I knew Teárlach would be supportive of my decision. Like he said, as long as she was fed, it didn’t matter how that happened.

While she ate, I stroked her hair. For a newborn, she had quite a lot of it. The coloring was so unusual. I just couldn’t keep my eyes off her.

Fed, I put her on my shoulder to burp her. Michaella took me through some other ways, like placing my hand under her chin, or using massage, when she struggled to burp.

Teárlach watched us with clear pride and love on his face. He even took some notes, which was so sweet. I would have teased him about it, but I was just too overwhelmed and tired to even think of words.

Then it was my turn to get a checkup. Shifter healing was great, but I still required some care, especially after how long the last part had taken. Teárlach had already done some basic healing magic on me, so Aldrin finished the job. It was as if the last five months of my pregnancy had never happened.

The only thing they couldn’t take away was my exhaustion. Michaella, though goddesses love her, had a few energy boosting potions to get me through the next part of our day: presenting her to the queen.

Once everyone, aside from Chase, who had vanished for a nap, had left the house, we got ready for the call.

Teárlach got our princess dressed in a light pink romper with a cartoon wolf on it. Telling him she wouldn’t be in it for long was pointless. Shifter babies did not stay in clothes for any length of time. Keeping a diaper on her would be a challenge in itself.

We sat in the living room since it had the best lighting. The lamps were on, giving everything a soft glow. Besides, our bedroom was our space. The parliament wasn’t welcome to see it.

“Did you tell her we were calling?” I asked.

“An hour ago, to give her time to assemble some of the cabinet, if she so wishes.”

The call connected, and we waited while an elf did a complicated spell so all who were gathered could see and hear us.

“Congratulations, Prince Teárlach and Axel, on the birth of your daughter.” All the voices in the room melded into one melodic sound.

Drawn by the sounds, Rieka turned her head to see the screen.

There were gasps as they caught a look at her pointed ears and different colored eyes. I smoothed her unusual hair away from her pretty face. She grasped my finger with reflexes quicker than I could have imagined.

“She looks like you both. A very beautiful princess,” Queen Alyalsha said with clear pride.

“So, you mean to claim her for the royal line?” Ellgar demanded. His tone was barely polite.

“I do. My granddaughter will succeed me once she is of age to take the throne, if necessary. If I should fall before she is of the appropriate age, her father, Prince Teárlach, will act as regent until she is ready.”

“And if she is not deemed to be of royal blood?” Ellgar was really pushing for time in prison.

“She clearly is. My granddaughter is an elf. She looks like both of her fathers.”

“I want a paternity test!” he yelled, making Rieka start and shift into her wolf form.

The pup scrambled up onto her father’s shoulder, half hiding in his hair.

“Ellgar, I would ask you to hold your tongue lest I cut it out when I visit Abrocaelum. Rieka—“ Teárlach began, cold fury on his stunning face. My mate was hot when he was angry!

“What a charming name!” His mother beamed, momentarily distracted, like the proud grandmother she was. “I adore it. As for a paternity test, that is not necessary.”

“I must insist there is a need for one.” Ellgar’s face was very red. I feared for his blood pressure, if that was something elves suffered from.

“You will desist before—“ Queen Alyalsha roared in a rare display of anger. She was cut off when The Luna took her over.

“You have more secrets to hide than all of those assembled. Axel has been true to his mate and the child, Rieka, is blessed by me, your goddess. She will rule when it is time.”

“Secrets, I have no secrets!” Ellgar stuttered.

“You are the reason Prince Teárlach has no father. The reason all the other matches failed to provide a sibling. You are a traitor to the crown and to all elves.”

The Luna left the queen in a rush. I was grateful she was sitting on her throne, otherwise I think she would have collapsed.

“Take him into custody!” an elf cried while the queen wept silent tears. The rest of the court and some of parliament all stood still, shocked at what had been revealed.

“Mother, will you be alright? Do you need us to come?” Teárlach looked ready to shift and fly directly there.

“No!” She looked alarmed. She straightened and spoke with authority. “Do not bring her here right now. We will arrange something proper for her naming day, but you must not come here without the proper security needed for my precious heir. I fear for her safety. Please, I beg you.”

Teárlach looked torn. He really loved his mother and this was a dangerous situation for her.

“I am worried for you, Mother.”

“Me too.” I cradled Rieka in my arms to soothe us both.

“You are precious, all of you.” She smiled gratefully as Ellgar was led from the room in chains. The knight I’d noticed before took up his place at her shoulder.

“My safety is of no concern.” T scoffed and she gave a tiny, muted laugh. “I have many more allies than Ellgar could have guessed. I would just prefer not to take a risk with my heir.” The queen sobered. “You do not mind she will rule over you?” she asked my mate.

“No,” he said honestly. “I would prefer it. Rieka marks the start of a new era for shifters and Abrocaelum and should lead them into that new chapter.”

“On this, we agree. I would love to spend more time with her, however, I must deal with this new crisis. May I visit in the next few days? We can discuss the naming ceremony.”

“I’d like that,” I said, grateful to get off the call. Rieka was getting fussy, and I didn’t want to feed her while we were in front of the court.

We said our goodbyes after another round of congratulations from those who remained.

“Well, that was a shit show.”

“Should you really talk like that in front of our daughter?” T raised an eyebrow at me mockingly.

“She’s a newborn. We have time before I really have to worry about that.”

“Best break the habit soon. You will be a Prince Consort before long.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.”

T stole Rieka from my arms. “Darling Rieka, Papa does not want to marry me. Should we convince him?”

They made such a cute pair. She was back in her human form, completely naked. So, of course, that was when she chose to pee.

All down my mate.

Such princess-like behavior.

A clean up, feeding, burping… this baby stuff was never ending. I loved every moment of it. It was exactly what I’d wished for.

We discovered Rieka settled better in her wolf form the first night, so I shifted with her and we curled up for some much needed rest together for a brief nap.

Several times in the night she had wanted to feed, so I did that as soundlessly as possible to allow Teárlach some rest. I tried to express some milk to put in the fridge, but it was such early days, it was likely pointless.

She decided to be human for a while, so I laid her next to T in the special crib attached to the bed, only to wake to feed her with Rieka draped over his chest, both of them sleeping.

Her little wolf alter was the one who had alerted mine. The little voice coming through was so vivid. They didn’t have words as such, more impressions. Memories. My wolf was so proud of what we had created. They should have been. It was unheard of for such a little one to use a family link.

Of course, I took plenty of pictures of the sleeping pair before I picked our baby up to feed her. I sent them to Teárlach’s mother so she wasn’t missing out.

I was so tired, yet also strangely energized. I wanted to watch her forever, though I probably needed a decent night’s sleep.

Hopeful she would sleep for longer as her wolf again, I shifted, encouraging her to do the same.

Grateful she shifted, I curled up beside my mate and baby and slept.

“Shh, Papa needs his sleep, little princess.”

“I’m awake,” I muttered, without opening my eyes. Goddess, I was so tired. Kade had not lied when he said the first few days were hellish.

“Just sit up so she can latch, and as soon as she’s done, I’ll take her so you can have another nap.”

“But—“

“No, dear one. You are exhausted. Giving birth and all the feeding is tiring. Don’t pretend you didn’t let me sleep far more than you did last night. I saw those photos.” His chiding was gentle, full of the love he had for me.

The bond showed pictures of me and Rieka shifted and curled around each other, then of us in human form, Rieka in my arms.

Emotions so vast I couldn’t quite grasp filled me. I stretched my arms out for her wordlessly, unable to talk, I was so overcome.

“May I take a photo of you like this to send to my mother?”

Always so considerate. A perfect mate.

“Yeah. Then one of the three of us. Our little family.”