Because the air grew chilly and the indicators of winter began appearing one after the other, those that had gone to battle lastly returned. Within the meantime, I, who steadily grew to become a wholesome mom, enveloped my swollen stomach and trod with heavy steps. Apart from that, the Duchess Dowager additionally got here out to greet her son with me for this time. Mrs. Could in addition to the maid, who remarked that she had been as sturdy as she was, watched my steps anxiously on both facet whereas Charlotte watched over the Duchess Dowager’s steps fastidiously. However, Carl simply dashed out with the canine and returned to me with pink cheeks earlier than repeating it by way of. Earlier than Gellerhard may even enter the citadel, Carl’s cheeks had been already burning vivid pink and his respiration was all tough.

“Carl, is it good that your father is coming house?”

“Huh! Good!”

Carl, whose chubby cheeks had been all puffy, responded immediately with a large grin. The pet with the scale of a grain of rice earlier than had now been twice as large as Carl, who was smiling brightly sufficient to disclose these tiny enamel of his. Ah—I cried out. Carl, who was beaming with pleasure, had been very cute and beautiful, so everybody merely waited for Duke DeMancier’s return together with a smile on their face. Even whereas his cheeks had been all frozen pink from the chilly wind, the fun of assembly him had made his coronary heart pound. I questioned how he would react when he may see his spouse with an enormous bulging stomach in addition to his chirping son together with these tiny enamel.

The knights, who had been led by Gellerhard, steadily entered the citadel in satisfaction and Gellerhard instantly obtained off his horse earlier than he hurriedly approached us.

“Dad!”

The kid whom I as soon as needed to maintain and produce into Gellerhard’s arms earlier than was now operating to his father on his personal whereas opening his arms huge. Gellerhard snatched his son up together with his left arm and pulled him into his sturdy arms. My coronary heart ached on the sight of the 2 of them hugging one another tightly.

“Amanda.”

“Gellerhard.”

Gellerhard stepped as much as me with the kid in a single arm earlier than he grabbed my shoulder together with his proper hand. The purple pair of eyes that was seen by way of the lengthy, tousled black hair, the excessive nostril bridge, the cheeks that had been etched with a reasonably darkish beard and even the lips—all of them had been intact. His gaze went throughout my physique in addition to myself.

“I’m glad that you just’ve come again safely.”

He simply smiled on the added stiff acclaim.

“Each Carl and Amanda had grown loads within the meantime.”

“It obtained larger!”

“Sure, our Younger Grasp has grown loads~ His youthful brother has grown loads as nicely.”

Carl nodded his head broadly on the phrases that he stated whereas stroking his practically full-sized abdomen. I wished to brag about how the dignified older brother Carl had been and the way type he was to his youthful brother in my abdomen, however I held again since everybody appeared to have been uncovered to the chilly wind for fairly too lengthy.

“Mom had additionally come out to greet as nicely.”

“Mom.”

“Come on then.”

It appeared that the feelings that had been buried deep between the 2 of them had been swirling round. The Duchess Dowager appeared to really feel very very difficult on the return of her younger son, who had left for the battlefield proper after the demise of her husband, whom she had nonetheless liked. And amidst all that, Gellerhard simply confronted such a mom in silence. I may really feel an intense strain that surged to guide the dialog between these two.

“Echwi!”

At that second, Carl sneezed together with his red-cheeks and all of the adults hurriedly headed into the nice and cozy citadel. Phew—I used to be so glad. As I grew to become relieved internally, Gellerhard’s different arm immediately wrapped itself round my waist. His palms had been nonetheless very arduous with the gauntlet, however I merely wrapped my very own palms round his.

Winter had come alongside together with his look.

* * *

Gellerhard had gone to take a shower and the Duchess Dowager went off to arrange for the banquet. Subsequently, Carl and I returned to my room as an alternative. Carl, who was excited to see his father after such a very long time, stated that he want to present what he did to Gellerhard and piled his blocks up excessive whereas the maids started serving to Carl as nicely.

With the sound of the rapidly opened door, Carl’s tower collapsed, however the little one was simply as excited earlier than darting in direction of the sudden customer.

“Mandy, are you okay?”

“Dad!”

It had been Gellerhard, who was fairly frivolously dressed. When he appeared, I immediately raised my physique and within the meantime, he lifted his son who had run in direction of him with only one arm. A joyful snigger leaked out from the kid whose visual field had been raised as he was being held in his sturdy arms.

“It has improved loads truly. Would you want to the touch it?”

Was it as a result of my palms had been always stroking my abdomen or because of it showing like a really giant swollen a part of my physique? Gellerhard’s eyes appeared to glaze over my bulging stomach. He nodded his head nervously and commenced to stretch his hand out willingly.

“—That’s actually large.”

“Actually large!”

“You communicate fairly nicely now.”

After stroking my abdomen as soon as and admiring its dimension, Gellerhard smiled at Carl’s phrases.

“Certain, he does. He’s going to be three years outdated quickly and what an exquisite older brother he has been too. Proper, Carl?”

Since Gellerhard had picked Carl up, it grew to become simpler to see Carl’s inexperienced eyes. Carl, whose eyes twinkled whereas his cheeks lit a smile, gave him a nod.

“Huh!”

“However why is it a brother? Couldn’t it’s a sister as an alternative?”

Because it had been clear that I used to be going to have a son, I’d usually assume that the child to be born on this method would occur to be a son too. Because it was inconceivable to find out the intercourse of a fetus over right here, individuals appeared to all the time marvel why I had been so certain {that a} boy would ultimately be born with out asking me outright.