Portrait of Queen Berta

I accidentally got pregnant with His Majesty's child

Chapter 08: Prince Louis

"The child born was named Louis."

The first baby boy in the direct line of succession to the throne.
And at the same time, of course, he is Berta's first child.

Both factors will have a great influence on Berta's life from now on, but for now, she is still just one mother who embraces the embodiment of her happiness.

The maidservants from her birth family, the Kasha's clan, will be in charge of serving the masters of the back palace, they have two masters now, so their duties will increase too.
To them, Berta is still "our princess" even if she becomes a mother.

On the other hand, Johanna, the nanny, and the other women who had been recruited for the birth of her son, were naturally aware that he is the only prince of His Majesty's current royal family.
This thought highly motive and fill them with pride, that made them somehow start acting more humble toward Berta and her maids.

They watched the daily life of Berta and her son with the same attention as if they were the keepers of a celestial mother and her son, a precious and rare opportunity for them.

"His eyes are the same color as his!"

"Oh! He has such a gallant face, I can't wait to see him in the future."

Everyone in Berta's palace was already smitten with Louis.

"I'm sure that a dark-haired nobleman will look great too."

"Wow, you're fast."

"Ohhhhh... I wish I could have been a nanny, like Johanna, and look after him all day long."

Berta's body was showing signs of recovering well from the birth, but she was still not out of labor and the doctors were still telling her to rest.

Berta laughed when the doctors advised her to be very careful on this period or it would be bad for her next pregnancy.

(It seems that the doctors in the palace are totally expecting more of this belly. I feel bad for them, but I will not be able to live up to their expectations.)
She thought with no particular emotion.

"Ahhh... Waa..wa..."

On a cushioned couch in the room, Berta spent all these days either dozing or fondling Louis.
The prince was currently napping, so Berta gently whispered his name while put her hand on his left cheek, a gentle embrace for her son.

"It seems that this cute little creature, which now looks closer to humans than right after he was born, is still adjusting to this world, uhm?"

"He spends most of the day asleep, crying over the slightest glitch, then suddenly fall asleep again... Even a whisper can wake him up!"

(My dear child... These moments are so peaceful, I can't help but feel a little sad. My Louis, if you weren't a child born in royalty, you would not have to pass through the many things that will come in the future...)

The maidservants also retired, as not to disturb his sleep.
"Johanna will be in an adjoining room, and would tell us if there is anything unusual. Shall we let Bertha go to sleep then?"

Berta certainly was tired and her eyes were closing alone, but she couldn't sleep even when she wanted to.

A few days after the birth, when Berta saw the color of Louis's eyes, she had a strange feeling...
(This child was really His Majesty's)

A child born to her husband and to herself.
Whenever Berta remembered that moment, she felt a little depressed.

It was a marriage as a political ploy, his visits were only a duty.
She understood it well enough, and she accepted her role in this marriage.

(But even if I knew in my head that this was the case, who could blame me? The Kasha clan also have many wives and sons... It seems there were still some sentimentalism left in me, after all. Sleeping with someone who doesn't think anything of you... is painful in its own way.)

In truth, she expected that he could handle and understand the division between family and royal duties better.

That's why Berta is feeling hurt in her pride, even her own emotions says that his behavior disappointed her.
It's not that she had unrealistic expectations.

(No, maybe that wasn't the case either. I don't want him to love me as his wife, or to replace his favored wife or anything like that. I just want him to recognize and treat me as a person! An important part of his life, too.)

To her husband, she is a pawn, a no-recognized queen with Kasha's blood flowing through her.

Because she is a container for 'a title', this role makes her be like a mechanical puppet.
He makes sure that she can make the necessary movements when he needs to, nothing more.
All he cares about is the dimension of whether her movements are beneficial or harmful to the royal family.

As a king of a country, it may be the right answer.
She wasn't expecting to be treated as a wife, but he doesn't even consider her a family member.

(I was so naive before I came here.)

Where she failed, was in that she couldn't see that the situation on her family, with his father and many wives, won't be the same as in the Royal Family.
She knew it would be difficult, but failed at measuring the gravity of the situation.

Berta was overconfident in herself, thinking that any of their actions won't affect her.

Was it that she had unknowingly enjoyed the unconditional love she had been given as the daughter of the head of the house?
After leaving, Berta finally realized, she can no longer be just the daughter of the Kasha's house.

The view of her hometown, which she can easily remember if she closes her eyes, is nothing like the faded, gray royal palace.
Berta really misses her birthplace.

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