Chapter 224: Love is an Action
"Oh really?" Camilla replied flatly. "You wish to have a say? Have you got any exalted Islian nas in mind for this child then?"
"None whatsoever."
"Well, if we have another boy, perhaps we can na him Daniel." Camilla suggested impishly.
"Hey! I said I didn’t have any nas in mind right now, not that I was incapable of coming up with any in future!" William protested.
"Well, then. You’d better co up with so other boy nas, don’t you think? Otherwise you might find that Daniel grows on you." She smiled sweetly, just to prickle at his temper.
"Malcolm and Daniel? Why don’t you just admit now that you’d na a third son Duncan?" William scowled, then looked thoughtful. "Do you think this baby is a boy?"
"I don’t have a sense of it yet." she replied. "Why? Is that what you want?"
"I don’t think I mind either way." William gave her a confused frown. "I’m afraid I know nothing about the raising of a girl though."
"What did you know about raising a boy before Malcolm was born?"
"Nothing." he admitted, his face brightening a little. "And I suppose there’s not much difference in the beginning. All babies just sleep and cry, don’t they?"
Camilla bit back a giggle as she saw her husband’s face slowly warming up to the idea. She’d been trying to find the right ti to break the news to William for two days. Now that he had received it favourably, relief surged through her. "I’ll make an agreent with you then, husband."
"What kind of agreent?"
"If this baby is another boy, we can na him William. It’s what you originally wanted to na Malcolm, wasn’t it?" Camilla asked slyly.
"Uh...well, not necessarily..."
"Oh, don’t lie!" she exclaid. "You’re always telling
what a terrible liar I am. But you know what? You’re not great at it either! And knowing my luck, I’ll probably end up with another little blond cherub that looks nothing like
at all! So we may as well give him your na."
William laughed like a child. "We agree then, a boy will be William. What about a na for a daughter? Should we call her Sancia?"
"What? Have you run rabid?"
"Oh, all alright then. It you don’t like that na, what about Antonia after your esteed aunt - yowwww!" William howled when she pinched his inner thigh as hard as she could.
"You deserved that and more!" Camilla snapped. "Be serious. I’d never na an innocent baby after such a hellcat!"
William rubbed his leg sullenly. "Who’s the hellcat now? Very well then. Since you’ve turned down all my ideas so cruelly, what would you suggest instead?"
Camilla paused to think for a few monts and then asked hesitantly, "Would you like to na her Annika?"
William stayed silent. She wondered if she’d upset him by ntioning his long dead mother. He never ever spoke of her, to the point where it was almost like he’d been created and brought into life by only one parent.
Eventually, William responded in a quiet voice. "I suppose that would be alright. It’s a pretty na." When Camilla looked at him, his expression was wistful.
"Mama! Mama..." Malcolm toddled over and proudly showed off an acorn he’d found, his eyes wide and trusting. She wrapped her arms around her little boy and stood up, kissing his rosy cheeks.
William stood as well and took Malcolm from Camilla. "Here. It won’t do your back any good if you’re carrying the little lad around all the ti." He lifted Malcolm onto his shoulders, which he knew the boy absolutely loved.
The two of them walked back into the castle, both deep in thought. Camilla felt like an enormous burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She could tell William was still sifting through his feelings about another child, still mulling over his worries and fears.
But damn if she didn’t love him for trying.
Camilla suddenly rembered sothing Queen Celia had told her when she was heavily pregnant with Malcolm.
Love is an action, not a simple word. Any man can say he loves you. But you know a man ans it when he makes the effort, for your sake. Even when he doesn’t really want to or it goes against his own instincts.
At the ti, Camilla had been too entrenched in her own fear and misery to pay much attention. She’d been trapped in a dark room, with a husband who had seemingly cut her out of his life and his heart.
Now, the queen’s advice made more sense. William made an effort, every single day, to show her his love through his actions. He was a sweet, attentive husband, relying on her advice and treating her like a genuine equal. She knew that was rare enough in a marriage.
He was a very good father. Camilla knew that at first, interacting with Malcolm was sothing William had forced himself to do and that it went against every one of his instincts. He only did it because he’d promised her he’d try his best. But over ti, he’d genuinely grown to care for their son. She could see the way his eyes would light up when he played with the little boy or rocked him to sleep, when she’d catch him looking at Malcolm with awe in his gaze.
Love truly was an action, one that you had to choose to commit to every day.
It’s probably for the best that love isn’t simply words, Camilla smirked to herself. Lord knows William is prone to just blurting out whatever’s on his mind without thinking about consequences. His words mostly create chaos.
"What are you thinking about that’s making you smile?" she heard William ask. She looked up to see both husband and child watching her, two pairs of striking eyes over two beautiful mouths, crowned with identical golden mops.
"Nothing in particular." Camilla took William’s hand in hers. "I’m just content. A little nervous about the future, but content."
- - -
That night, the two of them remained awake well into the early hours of the morning, talking quietly and making plans for the future. William seed determined to scour the entire country if needed, for new midwives.
"Won’t the court midwives protest to Her Majesty though?" Camilla asked. "They’ll argue their role is to deliver this child as well and receive paynt for it, like they did with Malcolm."
He flashed a devious smile. Even in the semi darkness, he was stunning. "I doubt they’ll protest too hard about losing the chance to attend you again. You see, I didn’t give them a single coin for Malcolm’s birth. I told them they deserved nothing for bullying a terrified woman."
Camilla gaped at him. Those hours of her life were hazy, but she could rember how William had pushed back on the midwives when he didn’t like how they were treating her. She had appreciated his strength when she’d lost the ability to be strong herself.
She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. After a few monts, he whispered that he really, really, really wanted to undress her.
With a laugh, she pulled the nightgown over her head and tossed it to the floor. William crawled on top of her right away.
Sotis there was a wildness to his lovemaking, leaving Camilla like she was trying to fight for breath while being dragged under by endless waves. Other tis though, he treated her with the slow, sweet reverence of a statue at the altar. It made her feel like the most exquisite and cherished woman alive.
Now, it was the latter. He rained down soft but insistent kisses on her as the heat inside her was steadily fanned to flas. His strong hands traced all her curves and valleys over and over again until they were both gasping for air. His mouth left a trail of kisses down her ribs and then sweetly kissed her still flat belly, over and over. Camilla had to swallow the lump of emotion that pinched at her throat, threatening to choke her.
When it was over and William tried to heave himself off her, Camilla resisted by clinging to his neck and keeping her legs locked firmly around his waist.
"Aren’t I crushing you?" he asked with a surprised laugh.
"No." She relished the feeling of warmth and protection that his body blanketing hers always created.
She heard William give a sleepy sigh as he relented and buried his face in her neck and hair. He murmured sothing against her throat that sounded like, "What would I do without you?
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