It was yet another troubled night. Every single night since the incident with the new kidnapping and the destruction of the duke, Xenia had been haunted by nightmares. She tossed restlessly in her sleep while whimpering. Tears often ran down her face without her waking up.

Roman, of course, could not think of sleep himself during these nights. Too many worries about his wife and of course about the baby were going through his mind. He tried his best to calm Xenia down. Again and again he cradled his family in his arms and gently stroked her back. That seemed to help, at least for a short time.

The two talked a lot about what had happened and fortunately that seemed to help Xenia. But Roman knew that she simply needed more time and above all rest. It was not surprising that she was mentally exhausted and overwhelmed, considering what she had gone through in such a short time.

Xenia lay sobbing quietly against Roman's chest while he was wide awake. He waited for her breathing to calm and her sleep to deepen. His hand slowly caressed her belly. It would not be long before they would be able to feel their baby. This was something Roman was looking forward to and he knew his wife felt the same way. 

As he lay there, his mind was spinning. He thought about how he could make Xenia happy. It had to be something really lovely.

Finally a wonderful thought came to him. With a smile, he decided to put it into action as soon as possible.

The next morning he initiated everything that was necessary. He started by telling all the servants and other people that the two of them were taking a day off. Just for the two of them, without any duties.

"Where are we going?" Xenia asked her husband as he took her by the hand and led her out of the castle and towards the forest.

"We're going to take a little walk. I think we need some fresh air and sunshine. You need a little distraction." he replied.

At first Xenia thought he was leading the way to their little cottage, but she was wrong. They walked past it. It didn't take long until they arrived at the small lake. The place immediately brought back wonderful memories for the two of them. After all, it was the place where they had first confessed their love.

Smiling, Xenia saw that Roman, her beloved Roman, had prepared a picnic for them. A large blanket lay spread out on the grass a little away from the water. On it lay many pillows. It looked so cozy. A basket with lots of tasty treats and beverages was also waiting for them.

"Oh, Roman..." she whispered.

"I hope you like it, beloved." he replied, pressing a kiss to her temple and pulling her a little closer to him even if that was hardly possible.

"What a question! You are perfect!" said Xenia.

"At least perfect for you. Come on... let's unwind." he then laughed.

Together they lay down on the blanket and enjoyed the peace. The sun shone brightly above them. A light breeze gathered their hair every now and then. The water in the lake rippled softly. Everything together created a wonderful melody that had a calming effect on both of them.

At some point they were cuddled up close together. Roman had as always a hand on the baby bump of his wife and let his fingers slowly and in circular movements wander over it.

"I love you, Roman," Xenia whispered when it was quiet for a while.

"I love you, my gorgeous wife." he replied.

His voice was deep and full of emotion. Xenia knew that he needed this time out as much as she did. Here they could just be Xenia and Roman and their baby. Not queen, not king. Just a couple in love looking forward to their first born.

He leaned in and gave her a loving kiss. Xenia put her hand to his cheek to keep his face there. But then she felt something. She opened her eyes and saw that Roman was also looking at her in amazement.

Her hand flew back to her belly, right next to where Roman's still lingered. A knowing grin spread across her face as they realized that their little bundle of joy made this moment that much more beautiful.

"I can't wait to meet you and Mommy feels the same way." said Roman to her belly.

Immediately they both felt another tender movement. It almost seemed as if the baby understood every word its parents said and Roman felt that the baby was already aware of so much and how deep the love was between all three of them.