That night Gabriel instructed Grace all night. It actually did not take her long to understand because she already knew quite a bit about sex from her lessons. She was just a bit taken aback by the depth of her husband's experience.
In the end she had pleased him and he had fallen asleep on her breast with a wide smile. She was rather happy that she handled everything well.
She thought the entire teaching process would take days or even months. But she was a quick study and she already understood her husband well.
After this one night Gabriel had no problem having sex with Grace and she was soon able to check pregnancy off of her to do list. When the royal doctor told her she was pregnant she curtly nodded with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.
The old king was excited about the news and a celebration was planned.
That night, of course, Grace slept in her own chambers. When Gabriel came knocking she was rather confused.
"How can I help you my prince?"
"How can you help me?" He pushed the door open and entered her chambers. He began taking his clothes off before the maids could fully leave. As Teresa was hurriedly leaving she whispered in Grace's ear.
"Remember you already learned that sex is a wifely duty, it may be a vital aspect to a marriage for your husband."
Grace frowned even as she nodded. Why would Teresa tell her that? Of course she knew that it was a wifely duty. When she turned and saw Gabriel in her bed she was instantly annoyed and then taken aback. She wanted to cry. Was Teresa right? Was sex a vital aspect of a marriage for Gabriel?
Her bed was her refuge, her sanctuary. She had hoped never to have sex there let alone have another person even enter it. It saddened her to realize she would have to give this practice up.
Gabriel laughed.
"You don't even like other people in your bed do you?"
She was surprised. How did he know? She knew her expression was schooled. She pursed her lips in annoyance even as she admitted that her husband was wise in his own right.
"That is not so. I am just a bit surprised. You didn't seem to enjoy sex with me. I thought you were only doing it for the pregnancy. I didn't expect you to want to be with me after I became pregnant."
She spoke gently as she removed her clothing and entered the bed. On the inside her emotions where tumbling over each other and she was not truly sure how she felt. All she knew was that she did not want him there, but she had no choice.
He pulled her close to him and softly kissed her cheek.
"You learn amazingly quickly and you know how to use what you've learned to invent new things. I have never had such an incredible lover. And don't we need more than one baby? We need to stay in practice for the second and the third."
In a way he was right and she had to admit it. She was taught that sex was important to a marriage. She never understood why and she was even more confused by this when she had sex for the first time. Who in their right mind would want to have sex for anything other than procreation?
She was beginning to think everyone except for herself.
He once again made a night of it. Again falling asleep on her chest.
Time passed quickly and Grace learned to be a bit more tolerant, but she still did not want them having sex in her bed. To compromise she had sex with him in all types of locations, but, because he knew it was forbidden, her bed remained his favorite place.
Grace helped the kingdom grow. She made sure that the people had what they needed and even allowed them to speak directly to her when they had problems.
King Albert and Gabriel allowed all of this. She was like Gabriel's representative and performed all of his duties and more.
He was actually quite pleased. He was able to ensure kingdom museums were relevant and that the kingdom was full of beautiful parks and random landscaping. Most of all he traveled and experienced beauty so that he could bring it all back to Lystra.
Because she continued to think of the people of Lystra and ensured they were fed, had descent housing, and other basic necessities the people began to love Grace all the more and called her their beloved princess more and more. Many appreciated Gabriel's parks as well and felt that he was probably a good kind husband to their precious beloved princess.
Grace's pregnancy even went well and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Albert II. She immediately sent him off with his wet nurse and assigned maid after his birth. So she was rather shocked when the king brought him back to her room and announced that he would be sleeping with her.
"How will he learn love in the hands of strangers. You are a beautiful girl so you can keep the wet nurse to maintain your body but you will care for this child ninety percent of the time.
"You care for our people as if you carried them in your womb but you struggle with your own son." He tsked. "I want better for my grandson Grace. I know that I am not a good example of love and compassion and your husband falls short on many levels." He raised a hand to stop her from interrupting. "I know that this is true but I want better for my grandson."
His words resonated within her as she watched him bounce her son in his arms around her room. When the baby's things arrived she received him from his grandfather. And King Albert began directing the staff, while consulting Grace, as they brought in the baby's bassinet and assorted furniture and toys. His things were set up in one area of the chamber and then the wet nurse was placed in one of the smaller adjoining chambers.
She was not annoyed because it was essentially a command from the king and if this was how it would be this was how it would be, but she wanted to rebel as well. Then, as she looked at her son's small face she felt a ping deep within her. Had she been wrong? She needed to reassess the situation.
She quickly set up an area on her own giant sized bed for her son to sleep and she rather quickly realized that she loved attending to him. It allowed her to understand his temperament and understand herself.
When he was seven months old she found out she was pregnant again and again she nodded in satisfaction. She actually thought to herself 'One more and I will be done with this aspect of children. An heir and two spares should ensure the family line'.
Her mother never wanted to see her son but his other grandparents could not get enough of him and loved playing with him daily. It actually surprised her to see her father with him. As he got older her father saw more and more extraordinary qualities in him.
It was during one of his visits that the king froze, fell over, and died. Her son was then nine months and already walking. He walked to his grandfather wanting to play. When he got no response he began to cry, this alerted his grandmother and the rest of the house. But it was too late for him.
Grace held her son tight as he cried because he could no longer play with his grandfather. Gabriel took his son into his arms and instantly soothed him. Grace smiled at this. And this was when she understood that she actually may love this man.
She surprised herself.
From that moment forward everything seemed to go so very, very wrong.