He held her as the cord was cut and the afterbirth came away and there was nowhere else Alienor wanted to be than within the circle of his embrace.She felt him lift her easily into his arms and stand up, then he laid her atop the bed.
“Dream of his name, love, for the choice is yours,” he whispered with a gentle kiss to her cheek.Then he was gone, and the midwife briskly cleaned Alienor as she slumbered.The considerable weight of her son was laid on her stomach after he had been washed as well.Alienor smiled in her half-sleep, her arms closing around the softness of her dozing child.He was tall, tall like his sire, and she marveled that the realization could please her so.
Dagobert descendedthe stairs to the hall slowly, feeling a curious combination of exhaustion and elation.A boy—and Alienor was fine.He breathed a silent sigh of relief, letting the fear he had never acknowledged slip from his shoulders now that the ordeal was over.Her heartfelt confession that she did not wish to leave convinced him that they would soon eliminate whatever obstacles remained between them.Let her sleep, then they would talk in truth.
“Well?”demanded a man’s familiar voice.
Dagobert glanced up, his grin growing wider in recognition.“Guibert!”he exclaimed, shaking the older knight’s hand with pleasure.“’Tis good indeed to see you here.”
“And Alienor?”There was no small measure of concern in the older knight’s gaze.
“Asleep, as is the healthy boy she just delivered.”He watched Guibert’s eyes light with pleasure.
“A boy,” that man repeated with satisfaction.He gestured to a small man seated before the fire whom Dagobert had not noticed before.“You have a great-grandson, Kado!”
That man smiled as he rose to his feet to shake Dagobert’s hand.“You are Iolande’s son,” he said.Dagobert nodded with surprise, seeing an echo of something familiar in the man’s foreign features.
“Are you Arpais’ father?”Dagobert asked, guessing the truth as Kado gripped his hand.
That man’s smile turned sad.“Aye, but I waited too long to seek her out again.”
“Alienor knows?”Dagobert looked between the two men and his concern eased when Guibert nodded.
“We have been here a month.”
“She is a fine woman,” Kado said.“Guibert raised her well.”
Dagobert smiled.“That he did.My lady wife is a pearl to be treasured.”
“A good choice we made for her husband,” Kado said to Guibert in a mock undertone, and that knight chuckled.
“Aye, this one will do.”Guibert patted Dagobert on one shoulder.
“’Tis a boy!”Iolande cried from the top of the stairs, and all those in the hall turned at her words.Excited chatter spread through the household at the news.Dagobert found his hand pumped by dozens of familiar souls.He accepted a chalice of wine, realizing that ’twould be hours before he could find his own sleep.’Twas Alienor who needed the rest more, and the sooner she regained her strength, the sooner he could speak to her and set matters to rights.
Alienor awoketo find her back warm and sighed with contentment that Dagobert had curled behind her.The keep was virtually silent, as was oft the case before the dawn.Even the attackers had need of some rest.She could almost believe that all was well again.Alienor listened to the regular sound of her husband’s breathing, amazed at how much she had missed simply lying abed with him.His arm lay across her waist and she savored its weight, shivering with delight as his breath tickled across her nape.
’Twas so good to have him home again.
She opened her eyes to find her own hand resting lightly on the bundled form of her son.She nestled the sleeping babe closer to her breast, suspecting ’twould be but a few moments before he awoke.He was a marvel.She traced the plump curve of his cheek, smiling when his little fingers gripped her fingertip.
She hoped she would manage the task of nursing more effectively than she had the night before.There had been a tremendous amount of sucking, but not much milk had emerged from her breasts.Iolande had warmed goat’s milk for the infant, but he had shown little taste for it, seeming to prefer nuzzling Alienor even without reward.
The baby gurgled then and opened his bluish eyes wide.Alienor hoped that Iolande and the midwife were right in their assurances that her nursing would only improve.
She guessed ’twas but a matter of moments before the babe cried and sat up carefully, lest she disturb Dagobert.She lifted the babe, pulling her hair away from her bare breast then jumped a little when he latched on to her nipple with determined vigor.
It felt different to her and she watched as the babe calmed.He suckled with less insistence.His eyes closed and she knew that he was getting milk.
Pleased, Alienor glanced at Dagobert, her cheeks heating when she found him watching her.
“There was no cause for concern,” he assured her with a smile.
She was certain that she flushed to the tips of her toes under his warm regard.“You are pleased with your son?”The question seemed foolish but she was unable to think of anything else to say.
Dagobert smiled then sat up beside her and wrapped one arm over her shoulders.“I would have been well pleased with daughter or son.”
Alienor was surprised.She had been so sure that he desired only a son.
