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“Isabella,” Daniel said, coming down the stairs and into the living room, “I overheard the conversation.” He shook his head.
“What? Did I say something wrong?” She pursed her lips as she planted her weight on her right leg.
“I know, it seems like just yesterday the king and queen asked us to watch their little girl,” she said as she strolled toward her husband and grabbed his hand. “But she is not a little girl anymore.”
“True.” Daniel’s eyes gleamed. Then he wrapped his fingers around hers, gave the lightest of squeezes, and brought them to his lips. “We will finally go home.” He was shaking her hand in his.
Isabella nodded. Hand-in-hand she escorted him to the couch where they both sat.
“Da…Quairken,” Isabella held his hand against her chest. “I know you’re right, but I can’t help but think it’ll be hard. It’s going to be an adjustment. I mean, we did raise her. It isn’t just Aironell’s life that will change, butourstoo.”
“Isabella, I know, but it’s time. She’s sixteen, and I think it has been more than enough time. The king and queen already know we will be returning tonight, and now all that is left to do is talk to Aironell.”
“There is one more thing I do want to discuss,” Isabella mentioned as she slowly stood up. “Aironell is not going to take this news well, and I don’t blame her. How could she?”
Isabella noticed that Daniel’s gaze focused more on her. She started pacing back and forth.
“I mean, it would be difficult for anybody to believe they are a magical princess from another realm and that the fate of an entire world rests in their hands,” Isabella blurted out as she continued to pace.
“Alright, you’ve made your point,” he replied as he walked toward Isabella.
“But she’ll be fine.” He placed one hand on each of her shoulders.
“She will be able to deal with the news. It’s not like she doesn’t know she is magical. We just have to tell her that she’s destined to rule once she finds her prince charming, to sweep her off her feet,” he finished with a half-smile that showed his teeth.
“Hun, I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but you know it doesn’t work that well.”
“I know, but you can’t fault me for trying, right?” he asked as he wrapped his arms about her.
Isabella gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
“What was that for?”
“Because I love you. I love how you try to keep me sane,” she laughed.
Daniel joined her, and then just as quickly as the laughter began, Isabella stared down at her feet and started fidgeting with her fingernails.
“Isabella, my sweet, what’s wrong?” he asked with one eyebrow raised.
“Daniel, I find that no matter how sensible or not, I worry about Aironell,” she took a deep breath. “Don’t forget she was raised in this world, so after hearing she’s a princess, it will all sound crazy. In this world, that is the epitome of fiction. However, I do feel this world has rubbed off on me a little. I feel like her mother, and because of that, I feel leery about her being married off. I mean, she’s sixteen, and that seems so young.”
“Isabella, this world has changed you,” Daniel said as he straightened his stance. “Honey, maybe here that seems odd, but you know better than I, that in Bachusa she is considered an adult. The facts are, well, this is all custom. As a royal, she will be expected to do her part. That means sixteen is a marrying age.”
“I know, and I am happy to be returning. I just hope all goes well.” Isabella started to pick at the skin around her nails.
“Honey is there anything else you wanted to talk about? You seem a bit unsettled about a lot more than just Aironell. I sense there is something you’re withholding.”
With hands on her hips, Isabella paced between the middle of the room and the entryway to the hall. Finally, she faced her husband. “Well there is something, but it doesn’t seem like the right time to discuss it. In fact, this is definitely not the best moment for what I want to talk about.”
“Isabella, you should tell me what’s on your mind,” he said in an even-toned voice. “I want to ease your mind and hopefully that will end these concerns you have.”
Isabella relaxed her hands by her side, looked at Daniel and she could see his brows raised. Within a moment she watched as he moved closer to her.
“Quairken, I-I, well… want to have a baby,” she blurted as a slow smile formed across her lips. “It may sound crazy but I always wanted us to have one, just the timing was never right, and then the king and queen asked us to watch Aironell. But now that she is old enough and we are going home, I would like to try for a baby of our own.”
Isabella wasn’t sure how he would take it, so she closed her eyes for a brief moment to focus her mind. When she opened her eyes, he was grinning from ear to ear.
