Tabitha

The King just sat and listened. He had long ago learned to not let his emotions show on his face in difficult situations. He was silent for along time, and Tabitha, although a brave young women, was frightened by his silence.

Finally after sipping a long gulp of wine, he spoke.

"OK, my dear. Here is the price you will have to pay for this. You will bear me a child, hopefully a son." The queen had yet to produce an heir to the throne, and it was a constant source of court gossip and intrigue.

"You will raise the child with me as his father for one year, then you will be free to go and do whatever you wish. However, the child will be mine. He will be raised as my son, with all the privileges and advantages an heir can have. If you have a daughter, the same thing will happen, but I will have look elsewhere for an heir. After one year though, you will leave us, and be free to go and do whatever you wish. You can marry this man if you wish; I will ask nothing more of you. And you will be given a royal stipend for life, so that you and your family will always be comfortable. But you will have go leave the child with me. I will let you see him or her occasionally, but you will have no part in raising the child. He or she will be mine."

"Don't answer just yet. Take a few days to think about it. But within three days, I want your answer, and if it is no, you are banished and so is the prince. I never want to see either of you again."

"Now go, I'm tired and want to go to sleep."

Tabitha left, her heart and mind in a jumble. What if she did have a child, could she bear to leave it after a year? What would Prince Ryan say about all this? Oh, what a mess she had made of her life!

The next afternoon when the Prince came to see her, she told him everything. She even said how much she loved him and how little she cared for the King. It was just a duty, a requirement to survive that she was with him, and she wished very much she could be free to be with him.

Ryan cleverly and immediately saw the advantage of her bearing the King's heir. He encouraged her to think about it, think what it would mean to have a life-long stipend. To have a child that would be raised as royalty. To be able to be free after the year was over, to get married, and have their own children. He said they should do it, they waited this long, what was another year and a half or so?

Tabitha thought about it, and although she didn't like the idea, she realized it was the only way. Otherwise they would both be penniless, banished, and far from home. This way she and her family could live comfortably, and eventually they could get married and start a family of their own.

She agreed to do it, but realized there would be a steep priced to pay for her freedom.

She told the King the next day, and he said, "Good. You are forbidden from seeing the Prince while we are together. I want to make sure the child is mine. After you give me an heir, and he turns one year old, you can do whatever you wish."

The King, who was not a heartless person, tenderly held her; she started weeping a bit, and made love to her as tenderly as he could. She responded to him, despite herself, and he said, "Soon, my love, I will let you go. Just give me a little time, and a child, to remember you by. Then you will have anything you wish. "

He gently made love to her, taking his time for once, and she did enjoy it more, knowing that there was an end to it in sight.

The next day she went to an alchemist to get some potions to increase the chances of having a male child. She and the King made love as often as they could. And in a few weeks, she found she was pregnant.

The King was overjoyed. He spared nothing to ensure her comfort and safety. Tabitha was happy about it happening so fast, and started to relax and enjoy being pregnant and pampered.

Nine months later, right on schedule, she went into labor.

The birth was long and difficult. Tabitha was so young, and the child was a strapping ten-pound baby. The labor took its toll, the doctors did what they could, but in the end they told Tabitha that it was possible she would never have another child.

She couldn't believe her ears. Oh my God! This was terrible. She wondered what the Prince would say, would be still want her?

Fighting back tears, she finally fell asleep. She dreamed of the Prince, and of the family they would may never have. Two beautiful children, toddlers, walking along a sunlit forest path with the prince. She woke up, startled to find herself in the palace, and when she remembered what had happened, she turned to the wall and started weeping.

One year later, the King agreed to give her to the Prince, with his blessings, enjoying the beautiful son he gave her. Soon afterwards, the King walked Tabitha down the aisle at her wedding and gave her away to the Prince.

They were very happy, except as the months went by, they waited and waited for Tabitha to get pregnant. But alas, as the years went by, there were no more children.

Still, the Prince tried to make Tabitha as happy as possible. The King, seeing how unhappy she was, occasionally let her visit his son, in limited visits, making it clear that she had no claims on the prince. Still, it was so wonderful to see him from time to time.

Edward was a darling little boy, with the same thick black hair, light blue eyes and laughing ways as his mother. He grew up to be a delightful prince, and was loved by everyone he met.

But the years flew by as they always do. And Tabitha remained unable to bear another child. She grew bitter and unhappy, but tried to be kind and loving to the Prince. She counted the days between when she was allowed to see her son Edward. And soon, bitter and broken-hearted, she turned ill and took to her bed.

The Prince and the King tried everything to heal her, but the days went on and her condition didn't improve. Finally, on a cold, wintery night, her heart just stopped beating.

The Prince was broken-hearted, and vowed never to marry again. He lived out his life alone, with only the occasional courtesan to comfort him. But it was nothing like the love he shared with Tabitha.

Only darling Edward was a comfort to them all. He grew up strong and loving, full of life. When he came of age, he was a vibrant, strapping young man, and the Royal family was very proud of him. He never lost that thick black hair and beautiful light blue eyes, so reminiscent of Tabitha's. Ryan was reminded of her every time he saw Edward.