EPILOGUE
Bliss Amidst Chaos Of Royalty
Genie had her husband's head on her lap on their spot in the beach. She and Ric were enjoying the beautiful day that had no grey clouds whatsoever.
It has just been three weeks since her coronation as Queen of Schenovia and so far, she hasn't met a single problem concerning her country that she wasn't able to tackle. Of course, Ric was there to give suggestions but most of his suggestions actually led to solid solutions and now, since her calendar and his were free off all responsibilities for the next two days, they had decided to enjoy some quality time together. Well, quality time if you'd ignore all the bodyguards that were holding the press at a distance from them.
"You look pale." Ric said aloud. When she looked down at him, his grey eyes always turned her knees to mush. "I'm just tired, I guess. This week had been pretty hectic." "Why don't you take my advice and leave the responsibilities to our prime minister for a couple of days like, say, twelve? You need to take a break, Gen." She smiled. Ric always complained that she worked too hard, like her father. But it was only because she wanted everything in working order and nothing is going to go wrong.
"No, that's not it…" Ric pushed himself up from his position and stared with mouth wide open at his wife. "What do you mean 'that's not it'?" Genie knew that his reasoning is correct but Genie had this strong feeling that that wasn't the reason why she always feels tired. "I don't know but I'm not tired because of work. It's something else. I just couldn't put my finger on it." Genie munched on a bread stick.
"You know, I noticed that you've been eating a little too much these past couple of days, is there a problem you want to tell me?" The queen looked at her husband who had raised an eyebrow in observing her gobble up the bread stick. "No. Why do you think that there's a problem?" Ric just shrugged. "We had some psychology lessons in the navy and there was a situation where a woman is eating too much because she can't help it. She eats when she's sad, she eats when she's happy, she eats when she has a problem…That sort of stuff. What they taught kinda stuck itself into my mind so don't be offended if I try them on you."
Genie nuzzled her way to Ric's neck. "Honey, I'm not offended. I'm actually glad that you have been saving me from visits with the royal shrink. But to crush all your doubts, there's no problem concerning our little piece of heaven. It's just that I can't stop myself, I've been feeling rather ravenous these days I don't know why." Ric handed her another bread stick and she munched on it without ever thinking. "Yes, I can see that clearly." Genie looked up and saw him eyeing her. "What?"
"I think it's time for a swim." Ric carried Genie and brought her to the water. "No!!!" She shouted in between her giggles. 'Well, you have no choice in the matter, My Queen."
-- o –
Ric reached out to Genie's side of the bed a few weeks later discovering it empty. At that he jerked himself awake. It was six in the morning and Genie's up and running? Something's going on. He sat up put on his shirt and went looking inside their suite in the palace at Schenovia.
"Genie?!" Ric looked in the patio, the sitting room until he discovered her in the bathroom vomiting. He went to her and patted her back. Ric cursed himself for not taking better care of her. Now, she's sick. "Want me to get you some aspirin or something, honey?" Genie looked up at him with a very pale face. "No. Just water please. I'll just clean myself up then we can talk."
When Ric returned a couple of minutes later with the glass of water, Genie was sitting on the chair in the patio inhaling deeply the cool breeze.
"Here's your water." Ric handed her the water and sat to the chair next to her. Despite his worries, he observed that she wasn't about to tell him any bad news. "Now I know why I always want to eat…." She started. "What's wrong?" Ric asked. "Nothing's wrong. Although I have to ask you how you would feel if we have a daughter instead of a son?"
Ric thought for a moment on her question instead of what she was implying. "Well, if she's as good a leader as her mother then….Wait a minute! Are you telling me that…." Ric knew he was gaping but this? Genie nodded her head with a very big smile. "I'm pregnant." She calmly informed her loving husband.
For a moment, Ric couldn't move but when he finally did, he carried Genie on his arms and swung her around, obviously happy. "Wooooohhhh! I'm going to be a dad!!!" He shouted so loud that it could have awakened the whole town. "I'm going to be a dad!!!!" He shouted again.
Genie laughed with him. How she loves the happy demeanor that Ric's showing upon the news. Then he placed her down on the chair she had occupied earlier. He pulled the chair that he also occupied earlier and grasped her hand. "You know what this means don't you? You have to take it easy for a couple of months."
"I have no intention of doing anything else." She assured him. "I guess the prime minister will have to solve the problems of this country on his own for a couple of days. Poor him." "He'll get over it. Besides, I'm here to help him."
Genie brushed her hand on Ric's cheek. "I have always thanked god for bringing you to me and now, I'm thanking him for blessing us with our first born. I love you, Ric." "I love you too." He held her close intending not to let her get too cold. "And I guarantee you that our fairy tale will never end, forever."
She knew he meant it. She knew that he'll always love her and protect her. Ric is her very own guardian prince sent from heaven.
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