"I requested this dinner," Lady Swan replied meekly. "Forgive me Swan. If My Lady desires strawberries for her dinner, then strawberries she will have." "I had a craving." Reeve Locksley took another bite. "Because I'm expecting." "Expecting?" His wife grew most quiet. "What is it your expecting My Dear?" "Your baby," she said shyly. 
Robert's hand stopped in mid air, his dinner forgotten. "My gown is growing tight. A new gown will be ready soon." Robert finished his dinner quickly. He looked up to see his wife had done the same. "I am so tired. I am going to bed." "May I see?" "See? See me sleep?" Swan giggled at his request. He smiled. "Maybe. I meant...the baby....do you show?" She blushed. Swan gracefully stood. Without a word she took his hand; he led her up the stairs. Robert took off his wife's gown. He gasped. "What's wrong?" "I...you...the baby... In the moment I saw the gentle slope that is our child, I fell in love with this baby you carry." For a moment Robert thought he may have made a fool of himself before his wife. But she was smiling that shy smile of hers. 
Robert leaned over. "Hello... Hello my little child. Your Father loves you..." Swan looked pleased. He led her to their bed and held her gently as they slept. Robert awoke in the early morning. What was that smell? He dressed and went downstairs. "My Lord, watch yourself." Robert moved round to see the commotion better. 
A fire! "Why was your Lord and Lady not awoken?"
"Twas but a little fire My Lord," the servant soothed. "It is all out now." Robert hurried back up the stairs. Swan was just waking up.
"Did Cook burn breakfast?" "Either that or the fire escaped the hearth. It is out now." Robert drew closer, wanting to see for himself she had come to no harm. 
Swan smiled at the attention. Then he noticed. "Did this baby grow overnight?"
"Must have My Lord."
Robert put his hand gently over his baby. His baby not so gently kicked him back. Robert chuckled. He kiseed his wife's cheek.
"Excuse me My Love, I have a scroll to write."
As Robert left the castle after his Queen's admonishment he had overheard the servants talking about a fire. He had stopped to inquire about it. The fire had been in the castle. The King himself had discovered it. He sent Matilda to the tower fearing for her and the baby, but wouldn't join her until he had seen for himself the fire was out. King Lovejoy then personally saw to his wife, wouldn't hear of a servant attending to her instead. Robert had thought it excessive. The servant then ventured to say that the King had asked Matilda to entertain guests of her choosing, 'heard it with me own ears. Wants the momma happy he does.'
As Robert left the castle after his Queen's admonishment he had overheard the servants talking about a fire. He had stopped to inquire about it. The fire had been in the castle. The King himself had discovered it. He sent Matilda to the tower fearing for her and the baby, but wouldn't join her until he had seen for himself the fire was out. King Lovejoy then personally saw to his wife, wouldn't hear of a servant attending to her instead. Robert had thought it excessive. The servant then ventured to say that the King had asked Matilda to entertain guests of her choosing, 'heard it with me own ears. Wants the momma happy he does.'At the time Robert had been too proud to apologize to the queen. He had also not understood why King Lovejoy coddled his wife, doing for her what a servant could.
He still didn't completely understand letting foreigners enter the Queen's presence without her husband in attendance. However, he now understood the rest.
With his own pregnant wife safe from a fire, he too had wanted to be the one to see she was well. He too felt her happiness more imporant than ever.
Robert wrote not to his King, but to his Queen. He could only hope Her Majesty would be gracious enough to forgive him.
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