Things had been going well. Check ups on the baby were going well as well. I was about halfway done with the pregnancy already. I didn't find out the sex of the baby yet because i wasn't sure if Prince Cedric wanted to know. I was anxiously waiting on the baby to kick.

I was getting ready to clean the library when i was stopped in the hall. It was Winnie. "This week is going to kill me." She said. "Why?" I asked. "Well it's the King's birthday. And we are getting ready for the banquet. People are arriving from all over. And his parents are coming as well." The former King and Queen. Scary. If i thought the King was bad he was nothing on his father.

On top of cleaning my normal rooms i had to help out getting the spare rooms ready. They would all be staying in the palace. The uniform had started to fit tighter. And people were whispering about how they thought I might be pregnant. But i was keeping it a secret as best i could. But i wasn't sure how much longer i could or even should keep this to myself. I mean if the Prince and i showed up to the palace with a baby people would be really angry. But the Prince and i agreed we would talk to his parents after the birthday party.

At the party the maids were asked to assist in passing out all of the food. The morning sickness was gone but Lady Esmeralda was making me sick. She kept trying to get Prince Cedrics attention. She kept smiling at him and it was a lot. I was about to set Prince Cedrics food down in front of him when i felt the baby kick. My hand immediately went to my stomach. "Are you okay?" He asked concern in his voice. "It kicked." I gasped.

He immediately put his hand out and touched my stomach. Lady Esmeralda snickered. "I knew you were pregnant. What trash." She sneered. Then she saw the Prince's hand on my stomach. She gasped. "What is going on here??" She asked standing up. Oh no. I looked around. We were ruining the Kings Birthday party. All of the royal people around were gasping and whispering quietly.

"Excuse me." I said running out of the room. The prince followed me. "It's okay. Let's go to the living room." I started to cry. as i took a seat on the couch and he joined me. "It's not okay they know about us and the baby. Things aren't going to be okay for a little bit." I said. He rubbed my back. "You gotta keep calm for the baby." He said. He placed his hand on my stomach. "It's still kicking. This is amazing." He said. "It is amazing." I smiled.

"I'm going to excuse myself from the party. I can't go back in there. There will be to many questions." I said. "I don't know what to do. I feel like i've already ruined my dad's birthday party." He said. Just then Lady Esmeralda poked her head in. "Honey, your dad wanted me to tell you once you were done taking the trash out that you should return to the party. That we wouldn't talk about this until later. And that he wanted to enjoy his night." She said.

"Could you just stop doing that? It's really getting old. Do not speak about her that way." Said Prince Cedric standing up. He put his hand on my back to help me up. "You can play house all you want. But when we get married we'll have more children than you. And we'll be the perfect family. I'll be queen and i'll get rid of you forever." I wanted to tell her that my child would still be the heir to the throne. That she couldn't get rid of me or our child. But i didn't because i wouldn't stoop to her level.

"That's enough, please return to the party and i will join you shortly." He said. "As you wish dear." It was ridiculous. They weren't formally engaged but still she ignored this one detail and pretended that there engagement was a real thing. That they would in fact be married. "I'm sorry about that." He said. I held my head high. "It's fine, i won't let her get to me." I said.

"Would you like me to escort you back to your room?" He asked. "No, you should get back to the party." I said. "Okay i'll check in with you soon." He said. "What do i do now? Do i go to work tomorrow?" I asked. "No, i think someone will check in with you in the morning." He said. "Okay then. Good night." I said brushing past him. I wasn't trying to be cold. I was just in a tough spot.

The next morning Winnie went to work and i didn't. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" She asked. "Yes, i guess i will be promise you'll see me soon when i move out." She nodded. "Of course. I'll miss you. Keep me posted on the baby." She said. And with that she was gone. About thirty minutes later i was summoned to a meeting with the royal family. I followed the footman to one of the main living rooms.

"What were you thinking?" The king asked his son. "I was thinking that i should get to choose some things in my life." He said. "Well you are wrong. You have to think about your country. This was very reckless behavior." He frowned. "And you, how dare you take advantage of my son!! What is it you want? Money? A title? Fame?" He asked me. "What? No i don't want any of that. I just want your son to be happy. I love him." I said. Oh crap. I just admitted i loved him. Why did i do that?

"Dear, maybe she is honest with her intentions." The Queen said. "We'll see what her intentions are. I've hired a pr rep. He will handle the press. He will instruct Cedric how to keep a good image. But i have a way to turn this all around. With an engagement." My heart swelled. "Lady Esmeralda is eager to put this behind her. She will take you as her husband and you two will join together in holy matrimony. She will be a stepmother to this baby and soon she will be the predominant parental figure. So that there will be a unified function." The king said.

I had already googled a lawyer. I had already called the lawyer. I had already spoken with her and i knew what my rights were. "With all do respect your majesty. I don't have to stay here. I don't have to force my child into this life. I am going to give this baby a chance to know it's family because it's the only family it has. But if you think you are going to cut me out of my Childs life you are crazy." I stomped my foot. I wasn't trying to be childish but he was being ridiculous.

"Well then we will see about that. I'm still King. Call in the PR rep!!" He called out. A young guy about my age walked into the room. He was Latin. He had dark hair and dark skin. His black hair was curly and gelled into a perfect quaff. "Ello My name is Stavros." He said. "Your name is what? No. NO get out! You're fired!!" Yelled the king. "What? What if i said my name was Daniel?" He asked. "Fine, Alex this is Daniel. He will help you with the press stuff. They are going to want details on everything. Send in Clark and Bill." Two more men walked in. One was wearing a palace uniform. "This will be your guard, Clark, anytime you leave the palace he will go with you. Bill will be your driver. You will have numbers for each of these people so you stay in line." He said.

Once we had exchanged number he kept right on talking. "You will have your stuff moved upstairs. We will start decorating the nursery. You will also stop working immediately. Once the baby is born you will stay here in the palace and raise the child. You will also switch to the royal family doctor. They will also be the one to deliver the baby. You will have the best of everything." He droned on about what we would do. Then he said he would wait on the baby to be born to announce the engagement but it would be very soon after the baby was born. Things moved in a whirlwind.

I was moved out of my room up to the room next to the prince. I had time to myself and nothing to do so i used the money i had saved to finish up my degree by doing online schooling. The prince and i were getting closer by the day. We did multiple interviews and people really seemed to accept me as a mother to a royal. But as good as things had been going one day everything hit the fan. A wicked rumor came out about the prince. They were questioning if he would be right for the job. We didn't know where it had started.

We were all in the living room talking. Me the King and Queen. Prince Cedric Lady Esmeralda. And Daniel or Stavros whatever. "Look i really think the best thing for everyone right is to see that the prince and i are in love and going to wed. I think it will be a beautiful distraction. It will cement the throne." Said Lady Esmeralda. Of course she does. But the King agreed he actually agreed. They sat up a day and time for the banquet and Daniel sent out invitations explaining that the crowned prince was making a decision about his future. I'd already had a royal dressmaker come in and help me with the clothes. I would be sure to fit in.