NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61: This Isn't Good
Franz burst into the room frantically with the royal doctor and Al on his heels. "Mariela? Does anything hurt? Are you still feeling ill?"
He hovered over her like a fruit fly does a bunch of bananas as the doctor began his ministrations. Al and I hung back by the door, grave-faced.
"I ran into Franz on the way," he whispered. "He has been panicking the entire time. Quite annoying, really."
I shot him a look. "She's his wife, it's normal for him to worry when she's sick."
"Nobody should worry that much."
"You're saying you wouldn't worry about me?" I teased.
I meant is as a lighthearted comment, thinking he would come up with some sarcastic reply but he remained silent.
Oh. He actually would worry about me. My stomach flip-flopped. I wasn't sure how to feel about that.
After several very tense minutes, the doctor smiled at Franz.
"Congratulations, Your Highness. The princess is with child! She appears to be about two months along."
Al and I both gaped at them but poor Franz looked even more shocked that we did.
"I'm going to be a father?"
The doctor nodded. "I'm sure the king and queen will be most pleased to hear this news."
"Please do not tell them yet," Mariela finally spoke up, forcing herself to sit up with the ghost of a smile on her face. "I would like to wait a while longer."
Franz came back to his senses, his dazed expression replaced with his usual sharp one.
"Yes, please refrain until the pregnancy is more stable. I would not want to excite the king and queen unnecessarily."
The doctor's eyes lit with understanding. "I see. I will not say anything, rest assured Your Highnesses. Many blessings on your child and Annalaias. I shall take my leave."
They both nodded as he left and Franz instantly knelt in front of his wife, clasping her hands in his. Joy and dread flitted across both of their faces.
"We should go," Al said quietly.
I nodded and followed him out. The atmosphere was clear to read. They were worried about their child.
But why? Wasn't pregnancy supposed to be a happy thing? Although…Mariela had never gotten pregnant in the novel.
I was horrified at the thought but it might be because of me. My cheeks flamed.
Their relationship improved after I meddled. But I only meddled because it was already supposed to be good in the novel! How had this happened?!
Al sighed and flopped onto the couch back in our room. "This isn't good."
"It's about the crown prince, isn't it," I surmised.
Having time to think on the walk back it was the only conclusion I could come to. Since he was still childless he would see any royal baby as a threat.
Sigmund and Rosenia had been married for almost four years and she had never been pregnant.
If the baby was a boy…and the king died before Sigmund could produce an heir…the court might rule that it was better to have a king that could continue the bloodline.
His position as crown prince could be threatened.
"Yes. If Sigmund finds out he may try to do something to prevent the baby from being born. I imagine Franz isn't going to leave Mariela's side for a second to personally monitor all of her food and drinks for the next seven months."
"That's horrible," I shuddered. "Poor Mariela."
I couldn't even imagine it. I was in the middle of the worst kind of period drama.
"This has always been how things work in the palace," Al said bitterly, not meeting my eyes.
"My father didn't have to deal with it personally because he was the only surviving son but my grandmother had several miscarriages before he came along and foul play was suspected.
"My grandfather wasn't originally the crown prince either. Sigmund is ruthless. He would do anything to keep his position. Do you understand now why I don't want to be involved? Siding with Franz puts targets on both of our backs. I'm used to it but you…I can't lose you."
"Sigmund doesn't know I'm working with Franz," I said uneasily. "If he did he would have made a move by now."
"And how much longer is that going to last? At the very least he knows you are close with Mariela. You are still a threat."
I suddenly remembered the 'hypothetical' question he posed to me a while back about what to do with a weak enemy that gains a powerful ally. My heart began to race.
"You think he'll come after me?" I squeaked.
"Eventually. I imagine once the news gets out about Mariela's pregnancy she will be the bigger priority."
"We have to do something!"
"We are doing something. Leaving. Then you'll never have to worry about the dangers of palace politics again," he said with a tone of finality.
"But what about Mariela?" I asked in a panic.
She was my friend; I couldn't leave her to fend for herself.
"She has Franz. He's not an idiot; he'll keep her safe."
"But—"
Al sat up and put a finger against my lips. I was so startled that I stumbled backwards and he caught me and held me only a few inches away from his chest.
"Katie. It's his job to take care of Mariela. My job is taking care of you. I promise we'll be out of here before anything big happens. We just have to wait it out. Understand?"
I nodded and he released me. I didn't like this. There had been absolutely no mention of inter-family violence and attempted fetus murder in the novel.
Things had spun even farther out of my control. Did I really want to be involved in this? Could I afford to back out now?
Flopping onto the bed, I lay there with my heart racing for quite some time trying to process it all.
All this time I thought I could fix the plot by erasing myself from the equation.
Clearly that was no longer the case. Another life had been brought into existence—a new character that did not exist in the novel—and I wasn't entirely sure whether or not I was involved in making that happen.
Mariela and Franz had a decent relationship the whole time in the novel but that relationship didn't yield a child. Had I really done this? Was I capable of changing the story so much?
I could get divorced. I could make sure Marcy's plan was still enacted. I couldn't 'undo' a life being created. The story had already changed and I had no idea what that meant for me.