Proposition

Check Up Number One

Ezabella's faffing through the first month took some getting used to.

From the time I got up to the time I went to bed, she would fuss over me and take every task and job onto her own shoulders, I could barely make myself a cup of tea without her telling me to sit down and rest.

I knew that it was all out of concern for me, but there was concern and there was over doing it and she was definitely leaning more towards the latter.

It was taking her more time to adjust to my situation than it was taking me to and more than comforting me, she was unknowingly adding to the stress but it was also no surprise.

My sickness and mood swings fluctuated so often that I didn't know how I would feel from one hour to the next, the morning sickness tended to kick in around midday and some days were worse than others.

Despite her stress to everything, Ezabella did great with being on the ball when I was feeling less than stellar and I couldn't help but wonder if she threw herself into working and taking care of me as a distraction to the actual situation.

Every time a new job request came in, she would take it and then fret for hours about leaving me alone for so long to see to the work.

I had told her many times that it would be fine, that she didn't even technically need to work anymore, but she would dismiss my claims and say that working helped to keep her mind off things.

So, I accepted her choice and let her do as she pleased, even if it meant we'd go through the same conversation each and every time.

It was during one of the days that she was away on a job that Avena dared to step into our lowly little village, disguised heavily and followed closely by security and healers as if that wouldn't give her away.

I was secretly thankful for that, I didn't want Ezabella to witness the itchy rash that was Avena.

The moment she stepped in the disaster started, she roamed around our small home making commands and judging our living condition as if it was some kind of nerve that we didn't have servants to look after the place.

I watched her for a few minutes as she strutted around, checking our shelves for dust and pulling faces until eventually it became too much frustrating and I turned my attention to the healers who had come along, watching them unpack the equipment they had brought was a lot more fascinating.

They were more than happy to answer any questions I had about their work and answered with a friendly smile, making me feel like I was actually a part of this and not a mere bystander by chance.

The intricacies of their vocation made my pride for them swell and admire them all the more, the dedication and training that went into it all and the abilities they had learned to strengthen made me wish that I had the dedication that they did.

They certainly earned my respect more than Avena, who demanded it simply for marrying into a royal family.

"Why are you coming here for this anyway? I thought I'd be going to the palace?" I asked Yuliah, a heart shape faced healer who still looked young despite her few wrinkles.

"Well-"

"There are important guests at the palace and I can't risk you being seen," Avena interrupted, walking over and flopping down beside me.

"And you decided that now was the best time for my check up? When you have important

guests?"

"Yes, you're carrying something of mine that is more important."

I nodded and bit my lip, making sure to keep my mouth shut to avoid voicing the opinion that had immediately sprung up at her comment.

Yuliah stepped forward and gave me a tight smile while taking my wrist in her soft hands, attaching three small circular devices to my wrist.

"What are these for?" I asked, inspecting the little objects that fluttered to life with bright blue holographic platforms which displayed different numbers, "my vital signs?"

"That's correct," Rosette, the second healer with a considerably sterner face, answered. "That will tell us how on track your blood pressure, pulse and temperature are."

Yuliah smiled and moved some of her faded blonde hair from her face, "We'll also be checking your weight and matching everything to the records you gave us on your first visit in the palace."

"Right," I nodded, daring to take a glance at Avena who was smirking beside me, "can I do that in privacy?"

"What for?" Avena shrugged uncaringly, her lips twisting into something that was neither a malicious grin nor a sneer but a definite ugly in-between, "you're going to get fatter either way and I'll bear witness to it, it's my child and I want to be sure it's healthy."

"I get that, but can't you just ask them about the results after?"

"Don't be ridiculous, besides I need to know the intricacies of what they're doing so that I can make my pregnancy seem more realistic, right?"

"I suppose," I sighed, rubbing at my forehead.

"Anyway, we will also be checking other physical attributes, but we'll explain those as we go," Rosette continued on like a trooper, "and from those examinations we shall recommend the ways we think best for you to continue forward with diet and lifestyle choices that will benefit the child."

"Of course," I agreed with another nod, "makes perfect sense."

"As it should," she rolled her eyes a little, "though some examinations will be withheld until you can come to the palace, but we shall do our best to guide you with what we have."

"Great and this will happen once a month?"

Yuliah looked over from the machine she had started tapping into, a comforting smile still on her face.

"Ideally for the first since months there should be one check up every four weeks and then they shall get more frequent the closer to your due date."

"And will Loki be attending any of these?" I asked Avena.

"Why do you care about that?" She retaliated, picking at her nails.

"I'm just curious if the father-to-be wanted any involvement in this child's life before its forced upon him."

"That I'll leave up to him, I couldn't care as long as I get this baby."

The atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically and thickened to a point where I was surprised that I could still breathe, even Rosette looked unsure of where to go and took to tidying up her already perfectly-bunned grey hair before turning her attention to the screens they had set up.

My first check up had only just started and I was already regretting my decision in going forward with this psycho's idea.

I drew in a large breath and closed my eyes as they checked my vitals, mentally reminding myself that it was for the money.

All for the money.

At least a got a handbook to fill in as my pregnancy progressed with tips from the healers to refer to at the end of it.