Title: Siblings
Author:
confessorlovePairing: Implied Richard x Kahlan
Rating: PG
Summary: With the new baby on the way, Richard wants to make sure that his youngest is looking forward to becoming a big sister.
Author's Notes: Written for the
legendland rewatch and review challenge for 1x16 Bloodline.
They had been planning to return to Aydindril this summer but when Kahlan became pregnant with their fourth child it was impossible. Although she insisted that she was well enough to travel, Richard disagreed. He knew how hard the roads could be and with Kahlan’s tendency to be very ill and weak during the first few months of her pregnancy, it was not something he was willing to do. He didn’t want to risk Kahlan or their baby just so they could return to Aydindril on schedule. There were much more important things.
Kahlan’s pregnancy was just becoming obvious and Richard couldn’t have been happier. There was something about knowing the woman he loved was bearing his child that just completely overwhelmed Richard. This was something they never thought they could have and yet they managed to have this life. Everyday he still woke as if this was some sort of dream he feared would come to an end. Richard knew that Kahlan felt the same and that made him happy. They were so perfect for each other. She was his other half and he didn’t know what he would have done without her. It was too frightening to even consider. She was his heart and to lose her would to be parted from his very soul. How could anyone survive that?
Once they told the kids that they were going to have a new baby sister, Rebecca and Lyra were happy. Already they had experienced having a new sibling on the way. For Kayla it was different. She was so little and Richard hoped she would understand all it meant to be a big sister. Kahlan could explain it better than he could but sometimes she didn’t have the chance. Lately she’d been sick and he hated seeing her so miserable. Because of that he’d taken it upon himself to keep the children occupied and out of her hair. He knew how much she loved them but he also knew it would be so easy for them to pester her when she wasn’t feeling well.
Walking into their daughter’s room that night Richard couldn’t help but smile. Kayla looked so sweet there sitting on her bed just waiting to be tucked in. “Ready for bed, princess?” Richard ruffled his littlest daughter’s hair before taking a seat on the edge of her bed. These little quiet moments with his girls were things that he treasured more than anything else. They gave him piece of mind that his job as the Lord Rahl sometimes took away. It was nice to have moments to remind himself that he was just a father who loved his children when the duties of the throne overwhelmed him. “Are you getting excited about the new baby?” It would be a few months before Kahlan gave birth but he felt like getting Kayla used to the idea was the best way to handle things.
Kayla nodded and smiled as Richard helped her lay back against her pillows. “Yes. I get a little sister like you have Auntie Jensen.”
Richard nodded. “Exactly. You get to be the big sister now,” he said before bending to press a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head. Richard was glad she understood what it meant to be a big sister. After all she’d seen how Rebecca and Lyra handled the position. Kayla could learn from their example.
“Were you excited when your mommy was going to have Auntie Jennsen?”
The comment caught Richard off guard and he frowned. How do you explain something like that to such a young child? Richard didn’t have any idea and found himself wishing that Kahlan was there to help him. “No I wasn’t, Kayla,” he finally admitted after a moment or two of thought.
“Why?” Confusion was obvious all over the little girl’s face and Richard didn’t know how to clear it all up. This situation was not something easy to explain to a three year old.
“Because I didn’t know my mother when I was a child, I didn’t know she was going to even have Jensen.” Richard hoped this made sense but he didn’t know if it did. Looking down into his daughter’s confused eyes, Richard suddenly thought about something. “It was like how your friend Laura is raised by other people because her family can’t take care of her. Do you know what I mean?”
For a moment Richard didn’t know if he’d explained the situation enough but eventually Kayla nodded. “I think so, Daddy.”
“Good,” he smiled before kissing his daughter’s forehead. “If you are still confused you can ask Auntie Jensen in the morning, okay.”
Kayla nodded sleepily as he brought the blanket up to her chin. “Okay.”
Lovingly, Richard ran his fingers through her raven curls. “Sleep well, sweetheart.” He smiled softly and rose from the bed, lingering in the doorway just long enough to make sure she was drifting off to dreamland. He hoped that someday she would understand what it meant to be a big sibling and learn from everyone around her. Until then he just hoped that she could have as good of a relationship with the new baby as he had with Jensen. Was that really too much to ask? After all they were family. Nothing else would come between them no matter what.