Page 56 of Royal Resistance

“You don’t have to apologize for anything ever again,” I tell Selene, once again nuzzling the top of his head.

Babies do have a certain scent, even after everything he’s been through to get here.

The day Selene told me she was expecting our first child, I literally jumped into action. With Duncan’s help, I set about making sure Battle Harbour Hospital was ready for her. The women’s wing was renovated, the hospital was outfitted with the most advanced medical equipment available, and I even recruited a new obstetrician. By the time Selene went into labour six months later, I’d done everything a slightly panicked expectant father with the resources of a king could possibly do.

The delivery went well, or so they told me.

It was terrifying to watch the woman you love in that much pain bringing your child into the world. But of course Selene handled it like a trooper. Like an Amazon queen.

“You handled that like a Viking warrior,” I tell her. “Like one of the shield maidens who gave birth in the middle of battle and just kept fighting with the baby strapped to their back.”

I’m not sure if they actually did that. Selene has taken an interest in learning about my Viking ancestors, but I don’t have the best luck in retaining some of the trivia she throws at me over dinner.

Selene gives me a tired smile. “Please promise me that I will never have to do that in the middle of a battle,” she says.

“I’ll do my best. Things are pretty peaceful in our part of the world.”

Things have been pretty great in our part of the world.

The renovations to the hospital soon became part of a larger initiative. In our tour of Laandia, Selene pointed out that most of the rural and coastal communities had outdated healthcare facilities. Because of that, plus how isolated some communities were, they had difficulty attracting doctors.

Under her guidance, we pushed for funding for upgrades, maternity care, and incentives for medical specialists to relocate to Laandia.

Along with updating the healthcare system, we’ve begun to broker trade deals with some of the European countries like Denmark, Finland, and Avelaine. I give Selene full credit on this, since she has first-hand knowledge of these countries, and knows exactly what Laandia has to offer them.

But my favourite accomplishment is still to come. I wanted to wait until the baby was born, so next week we’re announcing a national music and arts program for school children, paid for out of the royal coffers. My coffers.

The latest, and last, Kräftig album did go platinum after all.

There’s talk about putting out a greatest hits album sometime, but we’ve all been a bit busy running a country.

The past year hasn’t been too bad for a guitarist who’d spent the first few months wondering which fork to use at state dinners.

“How do you feel?” I ask Selene, watching as the baby’s tiny lips begin to pucker. I’m going to have to pass him over to feed, but not quite yet.

I like the feel of him in my arms.

“Tired,” she admits, blue eyes heavy. “But good. They say childbirth is one of the best experiences you can go through, and I have to agree.”

I do not agree, and I was only an observer. But I’m not about to question my wife about anything right now. If ever.

She gave me a son. She gave the country its next king.

My wife can do anything she wants right about now.

“So you think you’d want to do this again?” I ask her.

Selene smiles again. Her eyes are so heavy, but she’s never looked so beautiful.

And that’s saying a lot, because in May, we were invited by the new chairperson herself, Anna Wintour, to attend the Met Gala, and Selene’s outfit was out of this world.

“I could do this again,” she admits, holding out her arms as our son gives a squawk of hunger.

“How many times?” I ask, passing him over, my hand dwarfing his little head.

Not so little; at almost nine pounds, he’s going to be a big boy.

Selene winces at the eagerness in my tone. “How many would you like?”