NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Set after Three Weddings and a Coronation, roughly simultaneous to The Game of Houses, and just before And Comes the Vision. I don't intend for this to be a particularly long thread.

The Despotic Court of New Constantinople

Henriette, Duchesse de Montmanuel, wife of Pantocratoria's most celebrated general, yelled out in pain and determination as she gave another almighty push. She was utterly exhausted, the labour had gone on for sixteen hours and she didn't think she would have the strength for it to go on much longer.

"One last push, madame, almost there." said the doctor.

She might have replied that the last nineteen pushes had all been just "one last push", but the strain and exhaustion had quieted her usual acerbic wit, and coherent words seemed a lot more difficult to form than did another almost animalistic growl as she pushed again. This time it really was one last push. The sounds of childbirth were replaced by the sound of a baby crying as the air of the world outside of its mother's womb first touched its newborn skin. Henriette smiled as she sank back down into her pillows, exhausted but relieved that it was all over.

"Inform Monsieur d'Adrienople that Madame de Montmanuel has given birth to a healthy baby girl, seven and one third pounds." the doctor told one of the palace attendants after he had weighed the child. He then cleaned the baby, and whispered to her. "Pardon me, mademoiselle, if the water is a little cold."

He then wrapped the child in a pink blanket, and then wrapped a cloth standard of the Despot of New Constantinople around the blanket, and handed the child to the Duchess of Montmanuel.

"She's a beautiful and healthy baby girl, madame." the doctor smiled.

"Thankyou..." Madame de Montmanuel replied with a weak smile as she accepted the child in her arms. "Hello there..."

The illegitimate daughter, and eldest child, of Prince Andreus, Despot of New Constantinople, Dauphin of Viennois, and heir to the Pantocratorian throne, didn't respond - she was already asleep peacefully in her mother's arms.

Summer Palace, Excalbia

Not long after the Excalbian Imperial Family's return from Tarana, Princess Anna retired to the Summer Palace, the traditional site of Excalbian imperial births. Her due date, the 17th of September, came and went without event, and it wasn't until the 29th that her water broke, just as she received word from New Constantinople that she had just became an aunt. She was quickly taken to the prepared bedroom and sent for Joseph.

The Despotic Court of New Constantinople

"She's beautiful, madame." smiled the elderly Duke of Adrienople, whom had been left in charge of the affairs of the Despotic Court while the Despot was in Lavenrunz with his wife. The Duke gently stroked the baby's forehead with the backs of his fingers.

"Thankyou, monsieur." replied Henriette, with an almost blissful look which had been on her face since the birth.

"Have you decided upon a name?" the Duke enquired.

"I have, monsieur. I will name her Marie-Jeanne, or Jeannette for short." Henriette smiled. "Have... have you heard from the Despot?"

"I told him you and the child were in good health. He was most pleased, and said he would be in touch as soon as the situation in Hofburg would permit." said Monsieur d'Adrienople, a touch apologetically.

"Did he really?" asked Henriette, a touched disappointed.

"Yes, I swear he did." replied the Duke truthfully.

"And... the Emperor?" Henriette asked.

"Erm... no, nothing from His Majesty." replied the Duke.

"Oh... and... my husband?" Henriette asked with trepidation.

"Monsieur de Montmanuel wouldn't take my call, madame. His secretary advised me he was busy with operations in Beyke. I'm sorry." said Monsieur d'Adrienople, as he gently handed back Marie-Jeanne to Henriette.

"Thankyou anyway, monsieur." replied Henriette quietly.

Imperial Preserve Island, Citadel Excalbia

Prince Joseph, heir to the Sword of Alsgood, stood in the middle of a muddy field in boots and jeans, with a leather jacket and baseball cap. He held in his hands a set of architectural plans and, not far away, a team of workers were bringing the plans to life. The project taking shape under the Prince’s supervision was only a playground. An elaborate playground, but a playground nonetheless. Still, it was a distraction.

Since returning from Peter and Gwendolyn’s wedding, Anna had been in residence at the Summer Palace waiting to give birth. With the due date having come and gone Joseph felt the need to do something besides hover over Anna. Yet, he had not wanted to be far away when the time came. So, a succession of little projects – a new ball field, a new kiddie-size pool and, now, a new playground – had kept Joseph busy while still on the Preserve Island.

Joseph felt the phone on his belt vibrate as it began to ring. With a sharp breath Joseph pulled the phone out of its holster. The number was that of Anna’s private nurse.

“Yes?” Joseph’s hand trembled as he held the phone.

“Your Highness, it is time…”

Without waiting for the nurse to finish, Joseph was on his way across the field. Moments later, muddy boots lying in a heap on the portico, Joseph was running – and sliding – in sock-feet across the polished floors of the Palace towards the suite that converted to a birthing room.

Summer Palace, Imperial Preserve Island

Of course, when the nurse had told Prince Joseph that it was time, she meant only that Anna's labour had begun, the actual birth would be several hours at the very least. Anna was still very happy to see Joseph when he arrived slipping and sliding in his socks. If she was worried about giving birth, it didn't show, she looked excited and relieved.

"This is it, finally." she said to Joseph as he arrived. "I can't wait... ohh..."

"Another contraction, Your Highness?" asked the nurse.

"Yes..." Anna replied, settling down again.

"They're getting more frequent." the nurse observed.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to my original shape too." Anna grinned at Joseph.

Palace of the Moon and Stars, Hofburg

Prince Andreus had spent the past few hours since he had received Mathieu d'Adrienople's call about his newborn daughter oscillating between emotional extremes. Concern about the political ramifications of such a birth in Pantocratoria and the Despotate specifically. An entirely unexpected joy at knowing he was a father. Worry about how Aurora would take the news, and about whether she would be humiliated by it. Nostalgia as he recalled the steamy relationship which had seen Marie-Jeanne's conception. He planned to break the news to Aurora over dinner, although he suspected that she would probably receive an intelligence report about it beforehand. There was no ideal way to put the news, so Andreus thought that it would do best for him to just be upfront about it... but when they were alone, in private.

Consequentially, the matter wasn't discussed until the Empress and Andreus retired to their bedroom for the night. The two made the usual evening smalltalk, until Andreus finally brought up the birth of his daughter just before they got into bed.

"I received word from Monsieur d'Adrienople..." Andreus started. He was nervous, but he had practised the conversation in his head enough to avoid showing it. "Madame de Montmanuel's child was born today in New Constantinople. A baby girl, named Marie-Jeanne, just over seven pounds."

He had decided to just state the facts and let her say whatever she would about it before saying anything else.

Summer Palace, Imperial Preserve Island

Seven hours later, Anna was a lot less excited and relieved, and a lot more exhausted and distressed. She had even snapped at Joseph in angry French a few times, which was usually followed up several minutes later by apologetic whimpering in a creative mixture of French and English.

Summer Palace, Imperial Preserve Island
It was well into the early hours of the next morning when Anna finally gave birth to a baby girl weighing seven and a half pounds, after an exhausting twenty hours of labour. As Anna slumped back into the pillows, the doctor and midwife took the child, washed her, wrapped her in a blanket, and handed her to Joseph.

"It's a girl, Your Highness." the midwife beamed.

The Summer Palace, Imperial Preserve Island

Joseph had sat with Anna through the night and into the next morning. He had wiped her forehead, given her water, held her hand and shrugged off her emotional outbursts. Through it all, his stomach had been a twisted knot. Yet, as his father had taught him, Joseph had kept his own anxiety and stress to himself and had focused on Anna.

When Anna had finally delivered after twenty hours of labour, Joseph felt relief. Mixed with concern for Anna and excitement over the birth. He watched, nervously shifting from one foot to the other, as the midwife washed the child and bundled her in a blanket.

The young prince took the bundled child from midwife and looked into the most beautiful face he had ever seen. Joseph gently carried his daughter to Anna.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he held the child so Anna could see her. "She's beautiful," Joseph said softly. Turning to Anna he added, "Like her mother."

"What shall we call her? I was thinking of naming her for our mothers. Theodora Elizabeth…"

Summer Palace
"That's a wonderful idea, Joseph." Anna replied faintly, looking on at the baby and smiling an exhausted but immensely satisfied smile. "But why not the other way around? She's an Excalbian, her first name should be Excalbian. What about Elizabeth Theodora?"

The Summer Palace, Imperial Preserve Island

Joseph looked down at Anna, beaming as he held his newborn daughter. “Really? That would be wonderful.” The prince looked down at the infant. “Hello, Elizabeth Theodora. Welcome to the world…”

The Summer Palace, Imperial Preserve Island

"Hello, Elizabeth..." Anna cooed as she stroked the baby girl's cheek very softly and smiled again in delight.

"She needs a second middle name though... what about Mary? It was the name of both our great grandmothers, and it's a good Excalbian name... and I remember you saying that you wanted a daughter to follow in the footsteps of Empress Mary when I first told you I was pregnant." Anna suggested. "Elizabeth Theodora Mary Josephdotter... what do you think?"

The Summer Palace, Imperial Preserve Island

Joseph looked down at the baby, then back at Anna. "That sounds wonderful. Wonderful."