SILVER-HAIRED
Chapter 214: Open

Chapter 214: Open

Moans escaped my lips, and he covered it all with his mouth, sucking on my lips and it made a deep shiver run through me, one minute we were bargaining, and the next our lips were locked in the hungriest way.

"Why do you look even more beautiful right now?" he growled in my mouth, deepening the kiss, I moaned, wanting him to do much more than kiss me, but a thought crossed me and I broke apart from him.

"Celeste!"

☆☆☆

I hurried through the halls, making my way to Celeste’s chambers.

"Slow down love, you might fall" Nicklaus called, coming behind me and holding my waist when I almost stumbled.

"Sorry, I’m just so worried about her," I said in a haste and we got to her chambers, the doors spreading open.

"Yelena-" she sneezed painfully.

"Celeste" I rushed to her. "How are you feeling? Are you still cold?"

"No, I’m fine- gods! Yelena, how have you gotten so big?" She asked noticing my bump before her eyes darted to Nicklaus demanding some sort of explanation.

Nicklaus sighed deeply. "It’s a long story"

"What bloody long story, you’re..." her eyes still wide.

"Emperor," one of the officials said at the door. "We need you at the throne room," he said with a bow.

I frowned because I didn’t want him to leave yet.

"I have to go, my love," he said to me.

"Okay" I murmured under my breath but I was sure he heard me. He rubbed my arms.

"Stay with Celeste"

"I know"

"Hey" he placed his hand on my chin tilting my face up to meet his loving gaze. "I will be back," he said in amusement. I was sure he could tell I didn’t want him to leave, but I knew he had to, he wasn’t just my husband, he was the Emperor too.

"Keep your emotions in check, just like we practiced"

"Okay," I said with a smile on my lips and then he leaned forward and kissed my forehead before walking away.

"So..." Celeste began. I faced her. "No 100 guards following behind so I guess you talked with him about it"

"Yes," I said beaming. "Now I can go wherever I want but the conditions are I must be in the company of either you, Alaric, Olivia or Mint" I shrugged.

"Hmm"

"So... I’m antsy let’s walk," I said, already moving out of her chambers and she followed.

"You’re quite jumpy, I still can’t believe it, your belly is almost the size of an egg," she said, still amazed.

"Yes," I said rubbing my baby bump and I felt a kick again, well someone is quite energetic.

"So how does this work, you get bigger and bigger?"

I nod.

"And then?"

I blushed, biting my lips. "I push the baby out"

She gave me a look of puzzlement. "How?"

I pointed.

"Oh," she held her chest giving a cringed look.

"Yes"

"That’s unsettling"

"Come on I know it’s been a while but I want to see the Council ladies"

"Someone is in her Empress shoes" she mused. "But do not overdo it"

☆☆☆

After a quick meeting with ladies, all stunned by my condition, and all tons of questions flying around that got me blushing in embarrassment. gods! I feel like I’m their mother now, having to tell them about all these things, well it wasn’t their fault, they haven’t seen a pregnant woman before, it was all too new to them and it was sort of exciting telling them about it.

After that, I visited my animals, and they were happy to see me and my bump. Ava kept resting her head on it and Puma and Gideon asked questions I wasn’t sure I should answer. They were having fun, and some vampires were roaming around and they got to engage in many talks with them, it was heartwarming to see the Vampires and the magical creatures coexist, I never knew this would happen or be possible but Nicklaus made it come through and it turned out wonderful. Everything was perfect, I was going to be a mother really soon.

I looked down at my bump bigger than it was last time and judging from it, I was close. I rubbed my bump taking a grape into my mouth, my cravings were bigger than I expected, and I wondered how one baby could eat all these. Olivia has brought food nonstop and I have wiped the tray clean in less than hours.

Even as how happy I’m right now, I was still bothered, bothered about the gender of my child. I hoped I would have a baby girl and even if I had a baby boy I didn’t know what to do or what would happen, will Basker appear and come for him? I don’t know what to think anymore, I tried to focus on that only and not the other threat lying around. Not a glimpse of that shadow had been seen and no threat, it was almost like it never happened.

I sighed, I shouldn’t think too much about it, I groaned, why do I feel so heavy? My eyes trailed to the flower pot on the table, the small green roses in them suddenly became bigger, growing at a rapid speed. Oh did I do that? I was happy enough that I haven’t broken anything ever since I was apart from Nicklaus but it seems like right now I wasn’t breaking stuff but rather growing things.

"Lena"

I turned my silver hair backward.

"Oh, gods! you have grown more!" he exclaimed with wide eyes.

I stared down at my bump, it was even bigger than before, just in two days?

"I have," I said, I felt a strong kick and I groaned. Alaric was already beside me in less than a second, holding me.

"Easy," he said softly.

"I think the baby will come very soon, I think my 36 weeks are almost up, this is happening so fast I don’t think I can keep up"

"Hey hey"

I met his gaze. "Everything will be alright now okay? I will mind link Celeste to get Mathilda"

I nod, feeling comfort at his words and my body relaxing, he helped me to the couch and sat me down, seated next to me.

"Thank you," I said in a whisper but he smiled, meaning he heard me, I smiled too.

"Don’t be so tense Lena, you have Nicklaus, everything will be okay, you’re safe" he says.

"I have you too," I said with a serious expression, Alaric was like a friend and brother to me and I couldn’t ask for more. I leaned my hand to him and held it in a tight grip, they were as big as Nicklaus and also gave off that safe feeling, within me I felt the missing part within me complete, I don’t know why I did this but I just did.

I rested my head on his chest closing my eyes, feeling more overwhelmed by his scent, he had a wonderful scent like woody, it was strong and mixed with another earthly scent, I took a whiff and it was just so relaxing, I felt Alaric body tense at my action but he remained still.

"Lena," he said under his breath.

"Tell me what’s bothering you," I asked. He sighed deeply as his arm held me. I knew I should have asked that question ever since, I felt the need that I should be there for him just like how he has always been there for me. He always encouraged me, always enlightened me, and settled whatever dispute I had with Nicklaus, he was my fairy guide I didn’t know I had, he was always cheerful and he cared for me.

"I don’t know," he said in a ragged whisper.

"You can tell me anything," I said, pulling away and meeting his sad gaze. He forced a smile.

"I know," he said, patting my head and it made me feel like a child. Well, he was way older than me, and I welcomed it.

"Why always feel that you should torture yourself?" I asked.

His eyes narrowed. "I’m not torturing myself, Lena, just..." he paused. "Trying to make sense of my place in the world"

"You feel you don’t belong?"

He smiled. "I feel there might not be a place for me"

I placed my hand on his cheeks so that he would face me and he did. "Don’t say that, you always have a place"

A sweet smile brushed his lips and he placed his hand on mine against his cheek, gripping it in a tight hold, my heartbeat quickened.

"Thank you, Lena," he said in a ragged whisper. My cheeks tilted in a blush, why does everything he does have to resemble Nicklaus? Not blood-related but they were definitely identical in the things they do.

"Ahem!"

We turned at the sudden voice, Mathilda stood before us as well as Olivia, when did they walk in?

Alaric quickly pulled away. "You’re here"

"Yes," Mathilda. "Hope we’re not interrupting anything"