Chapter Text
She had known before anyone else, she may not have been a heartrender but she knew the sounds of her own body. She knew the extra heartbeat was there before anyone else, knew soon every healer and heartrender in the little palace would know too.
Now telling the general, well that had been a whole other matter. Her husband, as scary as he seemed was a simple man, who liked the peace of a good book and some wine. So when luda had approached him one balmy summers evening, hand on her belly and an expression on her face, little words had been needed to be said.
How she had been spoilt, a new kefta had been made, a new wardrobe summoned, a personal attendant put in place. How the sickness had been bad but, the palace had everything she had ever dreamed off.
And so that's how she finds herself, seated in one of the many drawing rooms of the palace, a book splayed out over her knees, her spare hand picking at the lavish purple embroidery that coats the rounded stomach of her kefta. Red and purple, tailored to her, no other grisha wore the colour that was hers. A tad on the overprotective side but it was one of her husbands least fussy demands by far.
"I don't know how I'm going to stand 6 more weeks of this" Luda voices with an exhausted huff, hand falling to her bump as eyes trail to zoya, seated simple and proper in a chair by the fire "saints above better make it get easier from here on out"
The squaller let's out a small chuckle, tossing her raven hair with a hint of sass "I've watched enough Grisha get pregnant to know that no, sadly your destined to just get more uncomfortable" she winks "and fat of course"
Luda gives a small growl of frustration, rendering a few inferni huddled in the corner to turn their heads in surprise "you just love to torture me don't you, little miss flat stomach with no kid on her bladder"
Zoyas only response is a teasing grin and another well timed flick of the hair "Just let us know when your going to sneeze so we can get you some Dipers"
Ludas fingers curl on the arms of her chair, eyes narrowing as she with great difficulty heaves herself and her bump from the fire with a complementary groan "I'm going to get a snack" she voices with contempt, ignoring zoyas smirk as she heaves herself through tye shelves, out towards the endless corridors of the palace.
The balmy summers air is filled with the sound of chatter, radiating up from the dining hall, where grisha sit at there tables, enjoying there lunch, the grand doors thrown wide to invite in the summers sun.
Luda shakes her head as she walks, her feet hurt, her back hurts and the sound of happiness for once isn't enough to bring her from her mood.
"Luda!" Sharp footfalls approach from behind, the familiarity of the swish of a cloak, the click of a heel. His steely fingers are closing around her wrist in seconds, tugging the woman to face him with a gentle aura. The generals face is a tired one, his stubble a little overgrown, eyes a little sunken, but they still carry the same light, the same worry that she loves.
"You should not be walking unattended in your condition"
Aleksander's voice is soft, his fingers gently testing the cloth around her stomach, eyes darting to where there child grows "if something were to happen i-"
Her fingers press to his warm lips, cutting him off with a gentle breath "but it has not" luda flashes her cheeky smile, tilting her head towards him with a almost teasing disposition "me and the babe were simply on our way to vist the nursery, no harm would have come to us"
Aleksander's eyes darken, his fingers pulling her arm around his with a almost overprotective look "Then you should have called for me sweet thing" he falls into step at her side, fingers firm to evade the woman from falling with her precious cargo "You need to fetch me if you are to go walking around, the healers warned me..."
"Oh Aleksander shush" Luda chides with a small almost childish chuckle "Me and the babe are made of strong stuff" she lets her hand fall to her stomach a smile curving her lips "I think we can all survive a little bit of walking, I have six weeks at most left of this, I can't spend that cooped up in our bed. As much as you maybe would like that" she winks teasingly.
The generals lips twitch, the mere ghost of a smile before he turns his head away, continuing on there way without another word. The grisha always knew how to sulk.
The Scent of baking break spirals in the air as the couple approach the palace kitchens, luda humming softly to herself as they walk, a hand on his arm the other clasped tight to her dearest arm.
"Will be nice and warm down here for babe" she voices in honey tones as they reach the door of there destination "Close enough for the maids to keep an eye on her"
Alexander pushes the door open with a small huff, entering into the lavish nursery, the walls paneled and scoped with birds, lions and all sorts of animals. The playmat on the floor and crib nestled in the corner matching to the theme of the room. Luda had picked the colours, and made a good attempt at painting, that was until Alexander had discovered her and how she'd been scolded and ordered to rest after that. The grisha had completed the rest, shipped in from all across ravka, only the best for the future kirigan he would remind her on a almost daily basis.
"Your still convinced it shall be a girl?" He muses as luda moves to the crib, a small smile twitching at her lips "you know it could be a boy?" He adds, sweeping to her side, placing his hands on the bump with enormous care "a future general of ravka?"
Luda can only grin, her hands seeping to Alexander's shoulders with teasing grace "hey now" she chides motherly "don't go putting your silly war tactics into there head before they have even been born" she guides his hand under her belly to feel a soft kick, the future of there line reaching out to the outside world "as long as its healthy and happy nothing else matters"
She spies the look in his eyes and a small laugh passes her lips "hey" her thumb brushes his stubble, leaning to press her soft lips to his temple.
The man seems to deflate, his eyes softening, fingers tightening the hold on her stomach, a tired lax tone to his voice "This version of ravka is not the one I wanted to bring a child into. I thought after so long we'd be safe!"
Ludas eyes soften, her hand on his cheek moving to brush through his hair, a spool or worry unwinding in her chest "Ravka will never be safe for grisha, but it's more safe than it was when we first met" she manages a small smile "The little palace is a sanctuary, it's a place that grisha can come to be safe, before there was nothing and no where we were able to hide"
Alexander's expression softens, tilting his head, lips quirking to answer, but he is cut short as there comes a sharp rap at the door, the painted wood swinging open to reveal Ivan, grumpy faced and scowling as he hardly regards Luda and focuses his gaze directly on the general with a snarky sigh.
"Sir the western ambassador is here to speak with you"
He doesn't move from the door. Alexander glancing over with a irritated huff, instantly resorting back to his grumpy stance as he glares around "Tell him I'm busy there are more important thi-"
"No" luda cuts him off with a gentle tap on the cheek "Go deal with whatever that is, I'll wait here for you don't worry, I have some things to tidy in here anyways" her eyes light up as she pushes him jokingly towards the door.
The look in his eyes is disgruntled, as pressing a soft kiss to her cheek despite ivans disgust as he turns his back and leaves with him, leaving luda humming softly with a small smile, hand on her bump.
She turns away from the crib, settling a small stuffed volcra against the mattress with a gentle smile.
Hand on her belly luda moves to the red fluffed armchair in the corner, with a small grunt of discomfort as she grabs a book eyes already twitching slightly as she leans back.
The room is perfectly quiet, the low summer afternoon sun filtering through the cream drapes on a soft breeze. The chatter has faded, the grisha retires for a quiet afternoon leaving the balmy summer air still and warm.
Ludas eyes grow heavy, her head resting back against the soft fabric, exhaustion weighing heavy on her body like a Cape. The past few restless night's seem to be taking there toll.
Her eyes drift to one of the shelves, spiying a blanket folded neatly on one of the middle slats. She eases to her feet, using the windowsill to push herself up as slowly makes her way to the shelf.
Extending arms, they reach towards the blanket, placing a single foot on the shelf in an attempt to reach the crocheted thing. Pushing herself up, fingers inches away until her hand closes firm on the fabric.
A sharp juddering crack rips the air, as the wood benith her laquored boot gives way, splintering into two clear halves unable to support the weight.
Luda tumbles, unbalanced by the weight as she falls back to the rug, back hitting the paneled floor with a small crash as soft toys and books rain from the shelf around her.
"Saints"
The shreik escapes into the summer air before she can stop it. Sitting up with a sharp groan in a effort to clamber to her feet, shock coursing veins like fire.
Barley a second gets to pass, before a thunder like elephants comes down the hall, the stampede of a worried husband and his men.
The door ricocheted open, slamming against the surrounding wall so hard, it sends dust down coating the rug.
"Luda!"
Alexander is at her side in seconds, his strong hands heating her up, pulling her close to his chest with sharp shake breaths "luda!!! Saints sake are you alright!" He doesn't give her a moment to respond, whipping round to the inferni in the doorway with a frightened scream "fetch a healer now!!"
His hands clasp at her, clutching her face kissing her head, trembling as afraid to let go.
"I'm alright" She'd meant for her voice to escape strong but it doesn't, it escapes shocked and weak, hands trembling as they find his hand "I'm alright...I....I just fell....."
A simple flick of the hand finds nothing wrong, a few bruises, a few cuts but her and the child were unharmed, and yet Alexander does not relinquish his hold.
He clasps her tight as if the entire world would fall apart if he dared to, like she might just vanish before his eyes, child and all.
Eventually, after moments of heavy breathing he pulls away, fingers taught on her face, breath little more than heavy gasps "You dam scared me" the usual muster is gone from his voice as Ivan returns with a healer, both hurrying to help the woman to her feet as she shakes her head, leaning against him with a half hearted chuckle "I'm sorry...I.."
She takes a sharp breath in, her hand on her stomach as a pain radiates through her spine "oh"
Alexander is by her side in a second with a sharp breath his eyes full of worry "what? What's wrong? Are you OK? Is it the baby do you need to go to the infirmary?"
Luda can only give a sharp laugh, despite another pain radiating through her back, soft hand pressing to her stomach with a shake of the head.
"Stop panicking yourself dear, i just landed on my back"
She takes a shakes breath, moving to sit in the puffy chair, steadying her breathing with a glance to her husband.
"We still have time, dont we?"
