Chapter 838: The Queen’s Troubled Heart
“Watch your step!” King Ophire clamored when he saw his lovely daughter tripping on the hem of her long dress.
The three children had just arrived at the Dining Hall of the main palace when the hungry Princess had rushed over to her seat so that she may begin eating to appease her growling stomach.
However, in her hasty movements, she had stepped on her dress and would have taken a nasty fall on her face if it had not been for the two boys who were with her.
Draco and Fritzen had followed after her into the room but rushed on instinct to catch her before she fell.
Being the closest to her, Fritzen was the first to reach out and help her steady herself while Draco sighed after making sure that she was alright.
‘Are all girls so clumsy?’ He shook his head, glad that the other prince had quick reflexes.
Princess Felicia put on a smile to reveal that she was fine despite the cheeks that had reddened due to embarrassment.
.....
Not only had she forgotten her etiquettes and rushed towards the table but she had also managed to trip over her dress thanks to her unnecessary haste.
If Governess Bloom was here then she would have reprimanded her for acting in this way.
“A Princess should always mind her manners.” A stern voice echoed from the table, making Felicia realize that even if the Governess wasn’t here, someone else was.
The little girl bit her lip as she slowly raised her head to glance at the one who had just spoken.
Queen Zena’s eyes were fixed on her face before they moved down to the long dress she was wearing.
Felicia did not know what was on her mother’s mind but the encouraging smile she received from her father helped ease her anxious thoughts.
“Yes, Mother.” She replied, accepting the advice from the Queen who was seated next to the King at the table.
This time, she walked in a poised manner and used the lessons she had been taught to occupy her seat in a manner that befitted a princess.
Prince Fritzen sat on the right side of the King who was at the head of the table while Prince Draco sat beside his little niece.
“You should be more careful while walking.” The Queen’s voice was once again heard after the three children had taken their seats on the other side of the table.
The two princes were on either side of Felicia so they had a perfect view of seeing the surprised expression on her face when her head whiplashed upwards to glance at the Queen.
Those words of concern were aimed at her but she had never expected to hear such kind words coming from her mother.
Until now, she had only faced indifference or reprimands coming from the Queen so it was undeniable that she was caught unprepared after hearing something different from the usual, especially in that gentle tone.
The bewildered look on her face was so evident that it made the air around them awkward.
Prince Fritzen was equally confused to see his mother offering a kind word towards the little girl but the older prince seemed to have a faint idea of what could have caused it.
Draco’s eye thus flitted in the direction of his elder brother but the King had his gaze aimed in another direction.
King Ophire had a proud smile on his face and there was overflowing love that was evident in his eyes as he gazed ardently at his Queen who sat to his left.
The children could not see it but he was caressing his wife’s palm which was placed on her lap and was cold with sweat at the nervousness that was gripping her chest.
Queen Zena had excellent control over her expressions which was the only reason why the three youngsters had not noticed just how anxious she was right now.
The heart-to-heart conversation she had with her husband on the day when Draco came to meet her had made her think over her life choices once again.
The Rosenhyde brothers had helped her understand a very important point which she, frozen in the pains of the past, seemed to have overlooked.
Despite what had happened in the past, Felicia was still her daughter and she had already missed so many years that they could have spent together due to her distress and her disappointments with herself and her fate.
The child was blameless and if she had to truly blame someone, then it should be her fate that had thrown her into such an undesirable situation.
On that day, when she met her husband after Draco had left, a dam of grief, pain, and unwillingness had collapsed inside her upon seeing him come closer to her.
Even before he could utter a single word, she had tears welling up in her eyes at the thought of being a disappointment to him.
However, the King had not even tried to pry what was causing those tears to flow out and simply pulled her into his embrace.
Queen Zena did not know how long she had wept but he was silent the entire time, only hugging her while patting her back as one would do to console a sobbing child.
When she finally stopped, her hiccups were all that was heard in the silent greenhouse as the King wiped her tears with the same gentle hand that always treated her with kindness.
Thinking of her inability to make him happy, her eyes welled up once again but the King’s words had succeeded to stop her.
“No matter what happens, my Queen, the fact that you are my beloved wife who gave birth to my two precious children will never change.” His words were simple but the firm declaration made her bite her lips.
Draco’s words that implied that the King was already aware of her inability to have more children resurfaced in her mind, gaining more weight now.
Her voice was hoarse and her throat hurt when she tried to speak up but the King pressed his finger against her lips as he had a lot to say.
“I thought that if I did not bring up your wounds then you would heal with time...” King Ophire’s bitter smile made her frown
He had also noticed this change in her so he caressed her cheeks while looking her right in the eye.
“That you would forget about the past and accept our daughter, the fruit of our love.” He whispered and there was regret in his tone which he had never revealed before her until then.
Her eyes widened at the implication of his words which proved Draco’s prediction that the King was aware of it all but had turned a blind eye towards it.
However, more than this shock, numerous uneasy thoughts began to fill her head.
He was already aware of her inferiority and it felt as though her lacking body was bare before him.
Tears began welling up in her eyes at the thought of finding regret and dismay on his face which she so desperately wanted to avoid.
“Pardon me, my love for making you fret by yourself for so many years.” The King’s next words came as a shock to the Queen who was now frozen in place as she stared at him with widened eyes.
It was true that King Ophire had known about his wife’s inability to conceive and bear him more children in the future after struggling with Felicia’s birth.
Just as Draco had mentioned, he was the King and there was nothing that could be hidden from him, particularly if he tried to look into certain matters then it would be impossible to keep it concealed for too long.
Therefore, soon after Felicia’s birth, he had learned about the Queen’s injured body and the limitations that had been placed on it.
However, all that went through his mind back then was whether she was fine and if there were any complications to her health.
The physician attending to her had assured him that the Queen was fine with the only shortcoming now in her was her womb that would not be able to bear another child.
At that moment, there was pure relief that flooded the worried husband’s heart as all he cared about was his wife.
She had already given him two children and if another would hurt her or even claim her life then he would never even think of expanding his family further.
To him, she was an irreplaceable figure in his life and no child would be worth giving her life up for.
He already had a playful son and now a lovely daughter, adding to this mix was his little brother so his family had sufficient members for him to be satisfied with for this lifetime.
He wanted to spend his old age with his wife next to him, not suffer from heartache at the loss of his beloved like his father had done before he finally passed away with a lot of regrets buried in his heart.
Not to mention that King Ophire wasn’t even sure which wife his father yearned for after their deaths which had happened in quick succession when he was still a teenager.
Therefore, even when he had found out that his wife could no longer give him the big family he had always hoped for, not once did the thought of bringing in another woman had passed his mind.
After all, Zena was the wife he had chosen and loved with all his heart, and that would continue till his last breath.
If she was unable to give birth to another child then he would love, cherish, and pamper the ones they already had, making sure that they got all the care and blessings that they deserved.
This truth that had been buried deep within his heart, on that day, he revealed to his wife whose face had already grown pale with certain unnecessary thoughts that had taken root in her mind.
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