Taken by Darkness

Over the next cycle of the moon, Andy worked tirelessly with his beloved songbird. Just as slowly as he’d worked up to it the first time, he worked up to being able to make love to him again, starting with showing him just how much he really loved and cherished him. Private, romantic suppers taking in their sitting room, special baths he’d set up himself, midnight walks in the garden, and almost anything else like that he could think of. He wanted to make his sweetheart feel special without having to buy him things he didn’t want or need.

Before he truly realized it, the morning of their very first wedding anniversary was upon them. He awoke mere minutes after dawn like he did every morning, yawning as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The Prince left his bride abed just as he always did unless he absolutely needed to rise this early. Ashley preferred sleeping a couple hours later, often getting cranky if he didn’t, and well he knew it.

After bathing and dressing for the day, he headed down to the kitchens to request that a special breakfast be sent up to their suite. The chef, whose memory was one of the best in the palace, immediately understood what today was and why he made such a request. She grinned ecstatically as she wished him a happy anniversary and asked that he pass the message on to his bride, even as she started her breakfast fires. Andy promised that he would, then quickly headed out to the garden on the West side of the palace, which was closest to the kitchens. His intent was to gather a small bouquet of his bride’s favorite flowers, fragrant crimson roses and brightly-colored tiger lilies, with which to surprise the adolescent.

When the young Princess finally began to sniffle and stir a couple hours later, he was just finishing up with setting up their special breakfast on a small table in their sitting room. The fresh bouquet he’d picked was now artfully arranged in one of the few hand-blown, stained-glass vases they had at the palace. It sat in the center of the table as beautiful décor and adding its sweet scent to that of the mouth-watering food. With that thought in mind, the Prince decided it was time to go greet Ashley and help him into his dressing robe, if naught else, so they could enjoy said breakfast before it grew too cold to eat.

“Good morn, my sweet songbird,” he said softly.

“Good morn, my love,” the Princess answered, yawning.

“Happy anniversary,” Andy whispered, leaning down to kiss him.

“Happy anniversary,” he giggled after they parted.

“Let us take our breakfast before it grows too cold to eat,” the Prince said, hand extended to help him up.

“A capital idea, my love,” Ashley agreed, uncaring of his nudity as he rose. “I am famished!”

Chuckling softly, he helped his bride into his dressing robe, knowing he’d be mortified if one of the maids entered their suite and saw him nude. Actually, that went for any state of undress unless the maid in question was Sammi, and while he was quite becoming when he blushed, Andy didn’t wish to see him mortified. If not for that, he’d insist he stay nude while in their chambers, even the sitting room, at all times.

“Here is to another wonderful year of life, love, and happiness spent together,” the Prince said, goblet raised.

“Here, here.” The grin that split his face as he tapped his goblet against his husband’s was infectious.

The pair made little conversation as they enjoyed their breakfast. Neither of them wanted to let such good food go to waste by letting it grow too cold to eat. Both were ravenous as they made quick work of shoveling the scrambled eggs, biscuits, sausage, and fresh pears into their mouths. However, once they were done eating and dressed for the day, Ashley decided it was time to brooch the topic of children with his husband. He wasn’t desperate for a child, despite the rumors still floating around, but he found that he was no longer terrified of the thought of a little one growing within him.

“Andy…might I have a private word with you?” he asked once they were down in the garden.

“Of course, my sweet songbird,” the Prince answered. “You know you do not have to ask.”

Doubting the young man would agree just yet, he seated himself on a nearby bench. Unable to quell the anxiety making his heart pound against his ribs, he began pleating the folds of his skirt, then smoothing out the wrinkles. Sensing his bride’s turmoil, Andy quietly took a seat on the bench beside him and began gently rubbing his back. He hadn’t seen him so anxious since the day of their wedding, and he didn’t want to make him clam up by trying to pry before he was ready to talk.

“Do you remember telling me before we wed that you were not ready for children yet?” the Princess asked nervously, still playing with his skirt.

“Yea, I remember telling you that,” he answered, nodding. “You agreed that you were not ready for a child yet, either.”

“Because I had heard too many stories about other ladies coming close to Death, or actually dying in their childbed, even losing their babes a short time after their births,” Ashley explained. “It terrified me to think that I or our babe might meet those fates, were I to conceive.”

“I believe that is a natural fear every lady has, no matter how many children are in her future,” his husband said, trying to reassure him.

“I believe so, as well.” Pausing, he fidgeted a bit more while trying to shore up his will.

Without having to ask, Andy knew whatever he wanted to talk about involved children of their own.

“I have decided that, while I will still always be somewhat afraid, I am not going to live my life in absolute fear anymore,” the Princess finally said.

“What are you trying to tell me, my sweet songbird?” his husband asked, puzzled. “You are now longing for a child?”

“Not longing, nay,” Ashley denied. “Of course I wish to have a child with you someday, but ’tisn’t something I require. I am merely saying that, whenever you are ready, I will not object.”

“You mean to tell me that, should we seek our marriage bed and my seed take root in your womb, you would not be upset to find yourself with child?” the Prince asked, a bit stunned.

“Yea, ’tis precisely what I am saying,” he answered, nodding. “Waiting another year or two to produce a child will not hurt my feelings, but I see no sense in fearing that ’twill happen sooner.”

“While you have a point, I would rather wait another year before intentionally trying for a child,” Andy told him. “I would like to ensure no trouble will arise while you are with child, lest either of your lives be put at risk.”

“A noble desire, if ever there was one,” the Princess agreed, not offended or hurt in the least.

“Should such a gift be given to us sooner, though, I will not be upset,” he concluded.

Elated that his husband wouldn’t be too upset if he turned up pregnant anytime soon, Ashley couldn’t resist throwing his arms around him in a tight hug. No, children weren’t at the top of his list at the moment, but unlike a year ago, he was more or less indifferent. If the Prince’s seed were to take root in his womb, he wouldn’t be upset unless a disease spread throughout the Kingdom, or their lives were in danger. Only then, until it was his time to deliver, would the Princess worry in the slightest.

Chuckling softly, Andy returned the hug as gently as he possibly could while kissing his temple. He’d known from the moment he’d seen him at the village market now four years ago that this young, cross-dressing man was his one true love. Although he wished to wait a while longer, having children with his sweet songbird would only make him happier, no matter the timing, especially if he survived the birth.

Notes