(Regaleon's POV)

The time Alicia told me she was pregnant, it felt like I was on cloud nine. I was so happy and ecstatic, knowing that our love has borne fruit at last.

It was not long since the two of us had been married and we became an official couple. Yes, we did it probably every night after we got married, but to think we would be blessed with a child this early in our marriage made me very happy. We may still be young, but I am sure that with our parent's guidance we would raise our child with outmost care and love.

Our parents had made mistakes when they started out, but that mistakes can tend to be lessons for us the next generation. I have promised to be a good father to my future children even before I met Alicia. The time I first laid eyes on her, I knew she was the suitable one to be my partner. And as time passed by, my feelings grew into love. I was fortunate to have won her love, I was happy to have her by my side.

But after Alicia mentioned that she kept the pregnancy a secret for about a week, I felt pain in my heart. She had carefully explained why she had done so, and I understood what she meant. But even so, I felt hurt that she has hidden such an important thing to me.

By the way she had explained, it was like she planned to tell me about the pregnancy after the quest for the key fragments was over.

'She was planning to keep from me for so long.' I thought to myself. Thinking about it just made my heart hurt even more.

While walking, I caught sight of Tricia. I remembered that Alicia needed someone to take care of her in such a crucial time.

"Tricia." I called out to her.

"Yes, your majesty?" Tricia replied.

"Please go to my wife and take care of her." I said. "Do not leaver her side if I or William is not there with her, understand?"

"Yes?" Tricia looked confused with my order. She knew I was protective of my wife, but not this overprotective to not let Alicia be without an escort. "We just knew now that she is carrying our child." I smiled sadly. How I wished that we just knew of it now.

"Her majesty is expecting?!" Tricia's face beamed with happiness. My first reaction when I knew about her pregnancy might be just like this. "I will be going to her majesty right away." She excused herself and rushed towards where Alicia was.

I sighed deeply and walked aimlessly once again. 'I need to go somewhere no one is around. Somewhere I could gather my thoughts.'

I walked without any destination in particular. My head was filled with thoughts of my wife and the news of her pregnancy.

"This should be a joyous event." I told myself. "But why am I hurting?"

I love my wife, that is the absolute truth. I think I just could not believe that she would keep her pregnancy from me.

"A week." I mumbled.

Alicia knew she was pregnant for a week. She knew she was pregnant with our child after we left the lake. We traveled for a week in horseback and felt the wind and heat of the sun.

"I think deep within me, I knew." I said. "I knew she was pregnant."

After the incident with the sirens, I was more protective of her. I thought that it was because of the danger she faced and how she got hurt. But maybe subconsciously, I knew that she needed outmost care.

Alicia had become overly fatigued in the past week. She was always sleeping in my arms when we were riding. Her complexion was also quite pale, she must have been feeling sick because of her pregnancy and she was dealing with it in our journey.

Thinking of it just made me hurt even more. She knew that she needed outmost care in her condition, but she have neglected to even talk to me about it. I understand that she did not want to part with me, but I would have left the mission to Chris and have gone with her back to the capital.

"Does she not trust me?" I buried my face in the palm of my hands. It really hurt me, with this one secret she kept from me.

"She does trust you." A familiar voice said. "I think it is just the hormones that makes it cloud her judgments." The voice came from Snow, Alicia's familiar.

"Is that so?" I asked with a smile. She was just beside my foot, grooming herself. I did not even feel her arrival. She was great concealing her presence.

"Of course, I will know. I am familiar, and I am linked to her." Snow said and looked at me with a sharp eye. "And I will say, her mood swings are giving me the jitters. Right now, I can feel that she is in so much emotional pain."

After hearing Snow said that my wife was in pain, my body felt frozen in place. I did not want her to be in danger or in pain that is why I was so protective of her. The time she came back to my side, I have promised myself that I would take care of her and no harm will ever befall her. But now she was in pain, a bit emotionally. Both of us are now hurting.

"I understand that what my master had done was a pretty dumb move. It was not like to keep secrets from you." Snow said. "She is clearly regretting right now for not telling you. I would like to apologize on her behalf as well. But please understand, she is carrying and your child right now. What she needs is you to be by her side to support her, and not anyone else. What she needs right now is you."

Snow's words struck like lighting, hitting my heart. It was true that Alicia had kept it a secret from me, and now she is clearly regretting it. I should also man up and accept her apology whole heartedly. My wife needs me by her side.

"Thank you Snow." I expressed my outmost gratitude with a smile.

"No worries." Snow said. "This should be your first quarrel as a married couple. Well, maybe the very first quarrel since you two have met, if I am not mistaken. So just go back to her now. It is not good for pregnant women to feel sad and cry."

"Thanks once again." I said and quickly strode back to where my wife was.

"Having my master feel terrible makes me feel terrible as well." I heard Snow said. "I helped you because her mood swings also affect me."

I chuckled hearing Snow's words. She might spout cold words but her meaning behind it was warm and gentle. I know that she was also worried for Alicia. And because of her link with her, she might be the most worried out of all of us. She knows Alicia the best.

I quickly hurried back to where my wife was taking a rest. I saw her still seating on my cape and crying. Tears have stained her beautiful face and she was still sobbing hard. My heart felt pained seeing her in such pain, a pain I have inflicted on her.

Tricia was right beside her, trying to placate her sobs but to no avail. William was also trying to comfort her, but with no success.

I transitioned into a slow pace and carefully approached them.

"Tricia, William, can you two give us some time alone." I said gently. "I will take it from here.

Tricia and William both looked at me with a look of helplessness. They both tried to pacify my wife's cries but without any success.

"Yes, your majesty." Tricia stood up and was the first one to leave. William followed not far from her.

When William passed by me and put his hand on my shoulder. He gave me a cold stare and I can feel his grip on my shoulder. "I understand how you are feeling your majesty, but in such a time what she needs is you. She needs you the most so please, do not leave her alone again. Because if you dare… I will take her away from you." He whispered with a clear threat.

I knew William's threat was not hollow. It carried much weight that I cannot simply ignore. He maybe just a knight in ranking now, but he could have been a strong and wise duke. If I did not appear at Alicia's birthday banquet that night, and did not steal her first dance, maybe she would have been the Duchess of Cunningham by now.

"I understand." I simple replied to William. "Be at ease, because I will never give you such an opportunity in the future."

'I might have wavered just now, but this will never happened again.' I promised myself.

"Then go to her." William smiled wholeheartedly and patted my shoulders. "You are the only one that can pacify her." He then left to give Alicia and I space.

I looked at my wife who was still sobbing with her face buried in her palms. I kneeled before her and gently stroke the top of her head.

"My wife, I am here." I said to her with a gentle tone.

Alicia looked up and our eyes met. She was about to cry even more.

"Leon!" Alicia cried out my name and hugged me tightly. "I am sorry. I am so sorry."

Hearing her words melted the hurt and worries I had earlier. This woman in front of me was the one I chose, was the one I dear to me, was the one I loved the most.

I took her trembling body into my arms and embraced her.

"Hush now my love." I said gently and caressed her back to comfort her. "I am here. I will not leave you again, I promise."

edited by: nalyn

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