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Insistently, the wind would not let up. It clawed it’s way up against the juncture of the window; digging, biting it’s way through the glass, trying to make it’s presence known. And it succeeded in doing so in the late hours of this evening in October, a man was trying his hardest to soften the cries of the little one within his arms, and the wind would still not let up. Not an ounce of sympathy it had as the man softly read to the little one, the cries of the baby not showing any signs of stopping. If only, the wind would find a heart within itself to stop.
A cacophony of a baby crying awoke Kate from her peaceful slumber. The sound startling her - the sound of wind roaring at the top of it’s lungs outside not helping her thunderous heart. She reached beside her but all her hand felt was the chilled air of the October evening. Anthony. She pulled the sheets aside, pulling herself up, reaching for the crib near their bed. But yet again, all her hand found was the bare chilled air of the October evening. Edmund. Her heart pounds with each breath, her heart pounds like a hummingbird’s wings, and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Her subconsciousness is suddenly flooded with these overwhelming thoughts of, ‘What if Edmund’s ill?’ What if those cries were ones of pure agony..? Her feet were moving before her head could even catch on. She needed to find her husband, her son.
“And.. the pirate found himself stranded on the depths of the island, with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Until, a magical princess captured his heart and led him safely back home..” Anthony whispers as he slowly closes the book, he feels his own eyes starting to drift off but the incessant cries of his son keep him awake, alert. Anthony could hardly sleep himself, the storm not helping his predicament - but Kate was sleeping so peacefully beside him, despite the storm, that when Edmund’s cries rung out he felt the need to take care of him tonight. His wife, was working day and night to look after their son and he could tell how exhausted she was, he wanted to give her a break.
He gently rocks Edmund side-to-side, his eyes never straying from his face. His son’s little chubby fingers reach out for his thumb, he grips on so tightly - it nearly makes Anthony’s heart shatter in two. He fears storms, just like his mother.
He’s reminded of that time earlier last year, where he saw a sight of Kate that he’d never seen before. A vision of himself within her, his twin flame - the storm guiding him to her, how he could not rest after their encounter in the woods and how his feet guided him to the library, only to see her there before him donning nothing but her thin nightgown. How he lingered at the door, his hands longing to reach for her but his heart drifted off with the wind, nowhere to be seen. Rather foolishly, he asked if her lodgings were comfortable, knowing full well that the storm was unsettling her. But yet again, his heart was drifting with the wind beating at a miraculously fast-rate as it lulled along and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He admitted things that he’s never spoke aloud before, nightmares that have plagued him ever since he was 10 and 8. His father collapsing near the hyacinths, all because of a.. damn bee. A bee that he was faced with the day before as the woman before him nearly met the same fate and how his life nearly flashed before his eyes, he already lost one person he cared about - he could not afford to lose another.
As Anthony glanced down to see the newborn within his arms, his eyes full of the same heartbreak he saw in his mother’s eyes that very night. And in that moment, Anthony Bridgerton’s heart cracked a little more. All he wished was to take all the pain anyway and cease the cries echoing from his son.
Hurrying down the stairs, the sound of her son crying echoed through her mind, her heart thumped to match the speed of her steps in an almost way of saying - ‘Amma’s here, you are safe, my love.’ She reaches the door to the library and what she sees from the small crack in the door makes her stomach fill with butterflies, Anthony with their son. It was a sight she wished to keep forever, the delicate way he rocked Edmund side-to-side in an almost attempt to calm his cries, the soft expression on his face - she rarely sees Anthony like this, but ever since their firstborn was born all these sides of him suddenly blossomed.
“Kathani?” He whispers as his eyes suddenly flitter to her face to read her expression. She was supposed to be asleep.
“Anthony,” she replies softly as her feet pad their way to where he’s standing gently rocking their son from left-to-right. “You nearly caused me a fright, why did you not think to wake me?” She asks as he gently passes Edmund into her arms, his cries starting to ease as he was enveloped in his mother’s warm embrace.
Adoringly, Anthony continues to stare at his son in his wife’s eyes until he is met with his mother’s inquiring eyes. “It’s a rather foolish reason,” he starts nervously fiddling with his hands before meeting her eyes. “You have been working so hard recently with Edmund and I.. could see how tired you were and I thought if only I could help, but clearly I have only made matters-”
She hushes him by simply placing her finger on his lips. “Hush, my love. You did not make matters worse, far from it. Edmunds just unsettled by the storm, that’s all. I guess we are both similar in that way.” She says as she starts humming to Edmund lightly in an attempt to help him sleep faster - despite the wind still howling outside and the lightning crackling.
“He has your nose as well. Your strength, your wit and determination, I can feel it. He’s just like you, Jaan. And everyday, I thank whatever omniscient being out there that you came into my life and brought this little one with you, I promise that everyday I will love and cherish you just as much as him.. and all the future children we have.” He admits as her eyes well up with tears and a small gasp leaves her lips as Edmund’s cries soften down into small whines.
“I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” He replies back instantly and he wonders why he never wished to feel like this before. Perhaps he was scared, terrified even of the consequences of someone seeing who he really was - seeing who was really behind that cold demeanour of a Viscount, whose sole duty was his family. He could not imagine his life any other way as he stares in pure admiration at his wife and son, and he makes a mental note to remember this before Edmund grows up - it all happens so fast and he does not wish to miss one second of it.
Abruptly, Edmund’s whines cease and his eyes slowly drift off signalling that he’s about to dream his heart away, he snuggles closer in his mother’s arms. And the wind starts to die down as well as Edmund sleeps, it’s given up it’s fight and the sight before it makes it’s heart grow fonder, the sight of two parents in awe whilst they glance upon their sleeping baby within their arms.
Leaning her head on his shoulder, Kate feels Anthony’s lingering kiss on the back of her head as they both stare in wonderment at their son. The light of their lives. Kate wonders if life could truly get any better than this moment and in a way of revealing the answer to that question, the wind hurriedly nods before waltzing away from the house. It does get better, Kate, just you wait. She admits to herself as her husband kisses her forehead before whispering a hushed ‘goodnight’ to their son.