#Chapter 492 – Princess
Ella
“So you’re all right? You’re both all right?” My mate asks, pressing his forehead to mine, still reeling from the strange news of the Dark God’s gift.
“We are,” I say, nodding, sure of it. And then I shift again, passing the baby to him. “See for yourself, new papa,” I sigh, placing the little girl in her father’s arms.
On Sinclair’s face, and through our bond, I see his heart absolutely melt. ” Oh god,” he sighs, shaking his head as he stares down at his little girl. “I’m a gonner, Ella. This one she’s already got me in the palm of her hands, even as I hold her in mine.”
“Don’t worry,” I sigh, curling up next to him, indulging in the sight of my mate the one I love most in the world falling in love with our tiny daughter, as I’ve already done. “I won’t tell her the power she wields.”
“It will be our secret,” he says with a nod and a little smirk on his lips. We’re quiet for a moment, studying her, when suddenly I realize that she doesn’t have a name.
“What do you think?” I ask quietly, resting my head on his shoulder. “Is she an Emma? Or an Eloise?”
My mate’s smile deepens as he looks up at me, and I already know his answer before he says it, because it’s precisely the same as mine.
Those names are great – but they’re not hers.
“Nah,” Sinclair says, grinning at me before turning back to his little girl. ” She’s totally, completely an Ariel.”
“I know,” I sigh, tracing a finger down her cheek. “Welcome to the world, Ariel Sinclair. You are already so, so loved.”
And Ariel stretches her mouth in a wide yawn before snuggling down in her father’s arms, happy and content. Sinclair and I both laugh to see it, and I know that his heart, like mine, is so very full. I pass my joy and love down the bond to both of them, and am totally thrilled when Ariel gives a little tentative pulse of love back as she gets used to her new surroundings.
The next hour or so is busier than I’d like, with the doctors returning to the room so that I can finish the after- business of labor and ensure that our sweet Ariel is healthy and happy. But even as I feed her for the first time, and deliver the placenta, and take a shower, and am completely exhausted through it all, I can’t stop smiling and turning towards Ariel in the room, eager to keep my eyes on her.
My baby – my little girl. I’m so filled with excitement that she’s here, that she’s mine. God – her whole life is out there in front of her, and I just can’t wait to see her live it.
Once the doctors have given us the final okay – at least for now, the nurses, of course, will be on hand all night in case we need help with anything – we settle in together as a family. Roger comes into the room with a tearful Rafe on his hip as Cora finishes bundling Ariel into a swaddle and hands her off to Sinclair. Henry wheels into the room after Roger with a sleeping Jesse in his lap, looking excitedly for his first granddaughter as he closes the door behind him.
“Mama!” Rafe shouts, his voice so terribly sad it breaks my heart.
“Ohhh, baby,” I murmur, rushing over to Roger and taking my eldest baby up into my arms. “It’s all right, we missed you!”
“It’s probably the longest he’s gone from your side in…months, Ella,” Roger murmurs, smiling at me and giving me a little hug as Rafe rests his head against my chest. Henry and Cora come close, Cora wrapping her arm around Roger’s and resting her head on his shoulder.
“Maybe ever,” I sigh, shaking my head. He really is my little Velcro baby pretty much always with me. But, then again, it’s not entirely his fault I’m could be accused of being an overly -attached parent.
But I don’t know if I mind that. I just… like being around my kid. Kids, now.
“Poor little guy,” I murmur, stroking Rafe’s sweet head and turning to where Sinclair walks over with the baby. “He missed us.”
Rafe sits up with a little cry and reaches a hand out to Sinclair, wanting him close too.
“We’re sorry, kiddo,” Sinclair murmurs, smiling at his son and taking Rafe’s hand, leaning over to kiss it. ” But we were busy! Mom was doing all the work to bring you a new little sister.”
Sinclair turns a little then, showing Rafe the baby, and Rafe sits up straight to peer down at Ariel
We all stay very still for a moment, watching the siblings meet for the first time, but suddenly Rafe gives a little cry of disgust and turns his head away, pressing his eyes shut and gripping my robe tight in his fists, not wanting to let me go.
We all burst out laughing at Rafe’s tiny jealousy and I stroke his head some more, murmuring sweet things to him as I carry him over to our freshly-made bed, the rubbered sheets and soiled linens thankfully already changed. I sigh a little with gratitude, thinking that it’s perhaps a little nice to be queen for things like this. And then I sink down against my pillows, taking Rafe with me and waving to my family to come close.
“You have to be nice to sissy, Rafe,” I whisper to him as he peers at his father, clearly allowing his curiosity about his baby sister win out over his jealousy. Sinclair sinks down on his side of the bed and moves so that his side is pressed against mine. Henry wheels close, handing Jesse up to Cora as she and Roger likewise move near.
I turn Rafe in my lap so that he can see into Sinclair’s arms more completely. Rafe turns his head, peering at his sister like she’s a little alien or a completely foreign species, which makes me smile.
“Her name is Ariel,” Sinclair whispers to his son, and I look up to my other side when I hear Cora gasp. I grin when I see her pressing her hand to her chest, her eyes squeezed nearly shut with joy.
“Perfect name,” she mouths to me, and I laugh and nod eagerly, turning back to my son.
“What do you think, little Rafey?” I murmur, rubbing his back while he leans out to touch his sister. “Will she do?”
Rafe burbles something to Ariel, which makes me smile, but the moment his fingers press against her cheek I give a gasp. Sinclair does too, his eyes whipping up to meet mine.
“Did you feel it too?” I breathe, suddenly very excited.
“I did,” he replies, laughing and nodding. Both of us whip our heads back to Rafe, who smiles at his sister for the first time. Ariel squirms a little in her swaddle, smacking her lips and turning her head to the side, clearly getting sleepy.
“Wait, what is it?” Cora asks, leaning over.
“A bond,” I say, turning to her and grinning, “just like with Rafe and Jesse.”
“Oh,” she says, standing up straight and looking down into her arms at her son.
“Cool,” Roger breathes, looking between the babies. “What do you think that means?”
“Still in the dark, brother,” Sinclair murmurs, peering curiously at Jesse now. “Should we…”
“Is it too much?” I ask, suddenly anxious, looking down at my fresh new baby. “Is it enough to be born and then get a new bond in one day?”
“In this family?” Sinclair asks, his voice dry. “She’s going to have to get used to being overwhelmed.”
I laugh a little, nodding, and then when my mate peers at me, clearly seeking to know what I think, I just shrug – because frankly, I’m curious too, and really what could it hurt?
“Come on,” Sinclair murmurs, placing the sleepy Ariel down on the bed and gesturing for Cora to lay her baby down too. “Let’s…just give it a try.”
So, quite gingerly, Cora lays Jesse down next to his new cousin, whispering a sweet little introduction as she does. As soon as the babies are laid side-by-side, Jesse blinks and frowns for a minute, turning towards Ariel as if he’s quite suddenly noticed that she’s there. And then I burst into a smile to see that he actually reaches for her – seeking her.
The moment his little hand touches her face, it happens again, making me jump a bit this time. The bond SO tiny, so faint! – snaps into place, and my grin deepens.
“Wow,” Sinclair says, shaking his head. “That is amazing. I’ve never heard of anything like that happening before.”
And then all four of us parents laugh as I move to lay Rafe down next to his tiny cousins, careful to place him next to Jesse, who is a bit sturdier. I don’t want my precious little meatball to roll over on my baby girl in her first hours of being alive.
“Someone’s going to have to fill me in here,” Henry murmurs as he alternates between smiling at his three grandchildren and looking curiously between his sons and their mates.
“The kids have bonds, dad,” Sinclair says, smiling up at his father and running an amazed hand through his hair. “Between each other, separate from us, their parents.”
“Really,” Henry says, his eyebrows going up and his face breaking into a smile of pleasure and curiosity. “Well. I mean, I knew they were special children. But I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Have you ever heard of anything like that happening before?” Roger asks, peering down at his dad.
“I have…heard of something like it,” Henry murmurs quietly before looking around at us. “Though it wasn’t between siblings and cousins, and I’m not fully sure it applies.”
“Really,” Sinclair says, looking at his father eagerly, wanting to know more.
