chapter 24: Wanting another baby

Archie's POV

"Let's all take a seat and I'll be clarifying any doubts you have." Kian says as we walk into the meeting chamber.

Because of the celebrations that took place yesterday and other reasons before that, we couldn't talk to mother-in-law and father-in-law. Though, I explained everything to mother-in-law, father-in-law is still clueless about few things, even though he's not asking us anything. But that shouldn't be how it is. It's our duty that we let them know what happened during this three years and who Gia exactly is. That's why, after the breakfast, Kian asked his parents to gather in the meeting chamber.

"Shh, Gia. Sit quietly. Those aren't play things." I tell her quietly who's sitting on my lap and trying to pluck the petals from the decoration flower.

"As I said before, Gia is my daughter." Kian starts when they don't ask anything, "it's shocking to me to believe as well, but Archie is the one who birthed her. I, even he, don't know how it all happened but as you can see we can't deny the truth. I truly believe Archie and I hope you both do the same."

"Everything is decided by the God himself, Kian. We're no one to question him. This all might be hard to believe but it's all for our good. You don't have to worry about anything, Kian. Your mother and I completely accept Archie and our granddaughter." Father-in-law says with a smile while looking at us.

I show him a greatful smile to which he nods at me and then I take a glance at mother-in-law to see her genuinely smiling at us. I release a sigh internally as I was so tensed on how this was going to go. But now that it went well, I breath some much needed air.

"Archie," mother-in-law calls me out and I gaze at her, "can Gia spend sometime with us? We would like to have sometime spending with our granddaughter."

She requests to which father-in-law nods as well.

"Ofcourse, mother-in-law. You don't have to ask permission for that." I agree immediately as I don't see anything wrong with that.

"Gia, play with grandparents for sometime, will you?" I ask her making her look at me.

She turns around and watch them both for a minute before a smile breaks out her lips. She nods her head eagerly already trying to climb down from me.

"Yes, I like to play with grandpa and grandma." She wiggles in my lap so I let her down and she immediately runs towards them.

"Does my little princess likes going to the market place? We have a huge one in our kingdom." Father-in-law says while lifting her in his hands.

"Yes, grandpa. I like market place alot. Let's go now." She urges making them laugh out.

She likes market because in there she gets to watch variety of things which fascinates her and many different varieties of foods. Being a child all those attracts her.

"As you wish, little princess. Let's go." Father-in-law chuckles at how excited Gia is.

"Kian, we'll be back mostly by afternoon. Look after the palace." He states.

"Yes, dad. Be back before lunch or whenever Gia feels like coming back home." Kian says and with a nod they leave the chamber while Gia waves at us happily.

Behind them, Kian and I as well leave the chamber and decide to head back to our room.

"Do you want to take a walk in the garden?" Kian asks as we walk in the hallways.

"Yeah, sure. I would like that." I agree and he leads me the other way which would take us to the garden.

There's a silence that surrounds us as we walk. Even after talking and sorting out everything, there's still some awkwardness between us. A weird and unnecessary distance which wasn't there before is now existing between us. We're not like how we used to be. Kian is not that close to me. I only hope whatever that's existing between us would vanish quickly and that we get back to how we used to be.

While thinking about all these things, I didn't see that we're already in the garden and without paying attention to where I'm going, my leg bumps to flower pot making me almost fall down. However, Kian holds me before my body could hit the ground. He supports me and makes me stand before asking, "are you fine?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." I reply and he nods as we take a seat at the table that's sitting in the garden.

And again, silence engulfs us as we sit quietly without exchanging a single word. What got his tongue tight? He used to talk anything and everything before but now it's like he doesn't have anything to talk. Should I start a conversation then? But what should I say? I'm so bad when it comes to interactions. If he asks me something, I would respond to him but starting a conversation by myself is like out of question.

I haven't felt this awkward and uneasy around him anytime before, not even when he didn't even bat an eye at me at the beginning or after seeing and talking to him three years later. But now, even after talking and resolving the disturbance between us, we can't get back to normal. I sigh as I think of how to change this unpleasant atmosphere between us.

"Is something wrong?" Kian queries after a long silence when I sigh loudly.

"Yes." I reply surprising him. Maybe he thought I would say no, like always.

"What is it?" He questions while moving closer to me.

"We're not like how we used to be. You're not talking to me properly instead choosing to stay silent. I sometimes feel maybe you didn't really forget about what had happened and my previous actions are still disturbing you." I reason out what I feel. What's the use of keeping it by myself and struggling within me?

"There's nothing like that Archie." He says with a shake of his head, "I already told you I was never angry at you for running away as all I wanted was you to come back to me. With you being with me, I completely forgot about that."

"Then why aren't you behaving the same way as before?" I urge wanting to know what's troubling him.

"There's something I want to ask you but I'm not sure you would be okay with that." He says and I furrow my eyes.

"What is it? You know right, you can ask me anything." I state, assuring him.

"I-I.." He starts but the words doesn't come out.

"You what?" And that's makes me curious regarding what he want to ask.

"I want another baby." He blurs out while closing his eyes.

Another baby? He wants another baby?

"Is it because Gia is a girl?" I ask him hoping that isn't the case.

I know the royal families always show a bit more interest for boys rather than girls. It's because they want their successors to be those who could take over the throne after them and continue their lineage. If it's a girl, she would be married off and be send to other kingdom but a boy would continue the bloodline. I know about this well but I never thought Kian would think the same like any other person. I'm not accusing him of anything as I still don't know the reason. From the moment he came to know about Gia, he never once showed these kind of intentions. So, I'm just surprised by his request.

"Ofcourse not, Archie. How would me wanting another child correlates to Gia?" He inquires seriously, kinda feeling offended by what I said.

"You're the king, Kian. Your successor should be a boy who will take over you. But Gia is a girl, so I think.." He cuts me before I could finish my sentence.

"So you think I want a boy when I only said I want another child. A child doesn't mean a boy, Archie. Why would I even bother if Gia is a girl or boy, regardless of the gender she's still my child. I'm not into discrimination like how others do. I only wanted another child because when you were pregnant with Gia, I wasn't with you. I want to experience everything from the start to the end of my child's life. I want to pamper you, I want to witness all the emotions you go through. Most of all, I want to see you carrying my child and walking all around. That would fill me with happiness and make me proud."

"I'm sorry." I say one thing I should say for wrongly thinking of his intentions.

"That's not what I want to hear, Archie. Now that you know my intention, tell me your answer regarding my request." He utters staring straight into my eyes.

"Truthfully, I never thought of another child as having Gia is still biggest mystery. I don't know if it's just one time thing or I can bear children again. I can't promise you anything when I myself don't know what's going to happen. All I can say is, for you, we can try but the results are not in my hands. I want you to know I can't guarantee you anything. I don't want you to have high expectations only to get disappointed later. Just remember this." I tell him honestly.

"I understand, Archie. We can do as you said, we can try and let the God decide the outcome." He agrees to me and I nod at him.

We spend some more time in the garden before going back to our chamber. While Kian goes to work, I stay in the room with Gia who has returned few minutes back. As she plays with the toys that she bought from the market today, I sit at the table, staring out of the window and think about what we have spoke.

Would I be able to conceive again? I never really thought about that because I was completely fine with Gia. I never wanted another child. I thought it was going to be only Gia and me. But now it's not just us, there's Kian, father-in-law, mother-in-law and the whole kingdom. If it's not now, in the near future, I should face this situation. For Kian and I, whether it's a girl or a boy doesn't matter but it's not the same for others. As Kian is king, everyone expects him to have a boy. But that's the biggest concern now. What if I can't get pregnant again?

"Mama." My thoughts halt when Gia calls me.

"Yes." I reply and walk to her.

"Grandma said after papa, I'm going to be the leader. What does it mean?" She asks confused.

"I don't know, Gia. We'll ask her tomorrow." I tell her and she goes back to playing.

Does mother-in-law mean Gia would take over the throne after Kian? That if we don't have anymore children. Gia would be the successor who would rule the kingdom. It's not like there aren't any princess' who rule but it's very rare.

Somehow my heart feels at ease, I don't feel pressured now. If we have another child who is a boy, he would rule the kingdom, if not, Gia would. This is what mother-in-law meant.