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"Look, the asters are already blooming." Keith said with a smile, lightly tapping her waist to direct her attention toward the vibrant bushes dotted with purple and blue buds, resembling stars nestled amidst the leaves. While other flowers were starting to wither with the onset of fall, they were happily being born anew.
Maeve's lips curved into a sweet, albeit shy smile. Keith had hoped for more enthusiasm when he invited her to walk in the gardens. After all, these were their gardens, the very first project they had worked on together ever since she arrived at court, and it was growing beautifully. Keith had confessed to her that he'd never had any luck growing flowers, and she decided to show him that growing flowers wasn't a matter of luck; it was about care, about sensing those delicate plants' needs and nourishing them accordingly, no more, no less. He cherished every memory of them getting their hands dirty together and celebrating every bud that popped up from the soil. She would warn him when watering was enough and teach him how to truly connect with the earth.
Soon, the small garden plot Keith had prepared for them had become a perennial burst of colors, shapes, and fragrances. With Maeve's help, they had planned it so that various flowers would bloom throughout the seasons. It was a peaceful, ever-changing landscape that welcomed birds and bees.
Keith would never forget how adorable Maeve looked every time she sang to their flowers, claiming that music was good for them, and besides, they made for a good audience. His heart always warmed at how happy and radiant she seemed to be whenever they were there, and that's what he had hoped to achieve by bringing her to the gardens this morning. However, he was unsuccessful.
She had been acting strangely lately, as if something were bothering her, but Keith couldn't quite grasp what it might be. Not even he, with his natural talent for convincing her to open up, could break through her resolve. When Maeve was determined to keep her feelings to herself, her emotional barrier proved stronger than both of them combined, and it was undeniably frustrating. All Keith wished for was to see her happy and radiant once more.
Just that.
"Maeve," he stopped in his tracks, gently turning her to meet his gaze. She looked at him inquiringly before he took her hands and continued, "I… I understand if you don't want to talk, but I can't accept you being sad any longer. I need to… I have to know what I can do to make you happy again."
His fingers squeezed hers, and the overwhelming emotions became too much for him to maintain eye contact. Keith looked away, down at the colorful aster buds, hoping he wouldn't make them sad too. Because if Maeve was sad, it could only be his fault, right? He was the weed in their garden, the one who could only fail in trying to keep her satisfied and flourishing as she deserved.
When her voice finally sounded, barely louder than the morning's chilling breeze and the chirp of the birds, her words were so unexpected that he doubted his ears. "I'm pregnant," she murmured, and when his eyes searched for hers, they were still downcast and out of reach.
"You're…" Keith tried to confirm her words but couldn't quite repeat them. He would be too ashamed if he got her wrongly. Maeve... pregnant. Maeve was carrying their baby. A baby. They would have a baby together. He would be a father. All these disconnected thoughts coming together made his heart lurch and his stomach drop. He shuddered, unsure how to feel, especially when she seemed so down about the news. Maybe she... didn't want to have a baby with him.
The world around them felt like it was spinning, and Keith desperately tried to hold on and not to switch. Not right now. He needed to be there for her next words.
"I know it's too early, and we're not even married yet. Goodness, we haven't even properly talked about having children, and I..." Maeve shook her head, squeezing his hands with the same intensity. "I'm afraid it's too soon…"
"Too soon?" Granted, one could say things were already moving too quickly for them. Not many seasons have passed between meeting her in Néart and proposing to her in court. But there was nothing Keith would've done differently. Things wouldn't be any slower if he was marrying politically, and he and Maeve simply connected. They felt like one of the same, so all those fast-moving events felt just natural. None of it scared or overwhelmed him, on the contrary, her accepting and soothing presence only made him feel more confident than ever. Now, becoming a father was a completely new concept for him, and he was still trying to grasp it. His trembling hands moved to her waist, hesitant to get any closer to her belly. "Maeve, do you want to have a baby with me?"
Her green eyes widened, watery with emotions, and an awkward smile graced her lips, even if just a little. Maeve nodded. "I do! Of course, I do. There’s nothing I want more, but I… I don't know if you feel the same…"
"How could I not want to have a baby with you? You are the love of my life," Keith's face softened as he rested his forehead against hers, a silent gesture of closeness and support he wished she could understand. He still felt overwhelmed, his thoughts swirling like a whirlwind, but her presence was a comforting anchor amid his emotions.
"Aren't you scared?" Her doe-like eyes glistened in the soft morning glow that surrounded them.
Slowly, Keith’s fingers trailed towards the center of her stomach. The notion that their child was there kept sinking in, and so was the understanding that he would have to care for and protect the little one. It surely was scary, but the love they shared was stronger than this. Strong enough to sow its seed and grow into a new life in her womb.
And then he realized. It could be just like their garden. They could make that little, precious life thrive as beautifully as their flowers.
"I am scared…" his lips curled up in an honest reaction, despite his words. Maeve gasped in surprise when Keith fell to his knees in front of her, grabbing the sides of her body and placing a light, careful kiss on her belly. "But I am so happy, Maeve… This will be the first flower of our love, and just like we made this garden possible, I know I can raise a child if I'm with you."
Keith felt his eyes getting wet, but not like hers. Maeve was already tearful, he could understand if she got even more now, and he wanted to be there every time she cried like she did when she got on her knees just so she could hold his face and kiss him. Again, and again. Soft, sweet, and loving kisses, as happy tears streamed down her face. Well, he knew whenever he couldn't be there for her, he would.
And it made him feel less anxious about being a father. He definitely wouldn't do it alone.
"We're doing this together! Oh, Keith… We're having a baby…"
He closed his eyes and let her sweet voice guide him to the forest of his mind. Not that he didn't want to be with her. There was nothing he wanted more, and this was making him greedy. But he knew he had to let him celebrate the news too.
He would never forgive him if he didn't.
.
.
.
"Silly girl, what were ya so scared of?"
Being there felt incredible. The surprised look in her beautiful, moist green eyes never ceased to amaze him. Keith didn't hesitate before kissing her, the kiss more intense than before, as he wanted to savor all the emotions from her. Gently, he laid her down on the ground while they continued to kiss, and his hand moved to her lower belly. There, lay the proof of his existence. No matter who had conceived that child, he would be equally their father, and they would carry his memory.
When their lips parted, giving room to a smile infinitely more tender than he was used to, Keith allowed himself to become lost in her gaze for a moment. Maeve released a contented, yet bashful sigh, intertwining her fingers with his.
"Don't you think it's too soon? We've already been moving so fast, and having a child is such a big step. I... I'm afraid it's too overwhelming, especially for him," she bit her lips, mirroring his insecurity. They were so alike.
Keith chuckled. He knew what she was worried about. What happened to him definitely made him doubt himself and his ability to protect someone. "He would have insecurities and fears no matter when ya got pregnant, but I am here to take care of him, of you, and of our baby," he leaned in to kiss her cheek, still wet and salty with tears. "Aren't you the one who taught us that Mother Nature has her own time? We can only revere it, and be thankful she's giving us a child."
Maeve squeezed his hand in hers and against her belly. "Wouldn't you want it to happen in a better time?"
"There's no better time, Maeve. I wouldn't want it any other way. We're having a baby, and this is the most wonderful thing."
He saw a beautiful smile lightening up her face before kissing her lips again. This was what Keith wanted the most — the woman he loved, carrying his child and being radiant about it.
The peaceful sounds of the birds and the fresh smell of earth, grass and flowers mixed with the rosemary of her hair in that soothing scenario never felt so thrilling.