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i grow fonder everyday

Summary:

Poppy and Casteel feel their baby kick for the first time

Requested by Wickedfaequeen24

Notes:

Request from Wickedfaequeen24:
Are you still taking requests? If so, could you do the first kicks??

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

The Royal Library had become quite the sanctuary for both Poppy and Casteel. Ever since Poppy had reached the halfway point in the pregnancy, the two took solace in curling up on one of the plush sofas amongst the high shelves of dusty books; hours of diving into volume after volume of texts that detailed what Poppy was in for. What they were in for. 

Poppy had always enjoyed reading (some material more than others), as had Casteel. However the King had confessed to his wife that what he was most grateful for with these reading sessions, was that they gave him some semblance of control over the situation. He couldn’t do much to help Poppy as her body underwent so many changes, but he could at least be educated on what everything meant. He could find a suggestion or two on some sort of remedy for any aches or pains she experienced.

They’d requested a specific book be dragged up from the archives today. One on ancient remedies for nausea during pregnancy. The concoction the healer had provided Poppy was sufficient enough, but Casteel had been curious if with Poppy’s “older blood” an older method may be more effective.

The librarian who was in the later stages of her own pregnancy approached the counter, placing the heavy text down before Poppy and Casteel. 

She bowed her head. “When you’re done you can bring it back here, your Majesties.”

It was not often Poppy and Casteel needed to consult with the librarian or offer her anything more than a grateful nod. However inexperienced they both were, Poppy highly doubted this amount of formality was necessary.

Casteel accepted the book with a nod and started towards the sofas, but halted when Poppy spoke.

“You’re nearing the end,” Poppy said, gesturing to the woman’s distended stomach. 

The librarian's eyes widened, she placed a hand on her bump. “Yes, your-your Majesty. Any day now,” she stammered. “If I’m not here when you return the book, I’ll likely be in the infirmary. My assistant will be able to help you just as well.”

“No, that’s not what I was getting at,” Poppy said, doing her best to offer an encouraging smile. She pointed to her own stomach, protruding noticeably but nowhere near as large as the librarian’s. “When did you first feel kicking? I’m halfway through and I haven’t felt a thing.”

Casteel rejoined her, tilting his head curiously at the librarian. 

Her eyes flickered between the King and Queen, but her posture relaxed some, the corners of her lip curling up just slightly. “With this one it wasn’t until the eighth month. Then nothing the whole ninth month. But since I got to the tenth, it’s been non stop kicking every night.”

“You had to wait eight months ?” Cas asked, his face somewhere between a frown and shock.

At his disappointment, Poppy elbowed him slightly in the ribs before turning her attention back to the librarian. “You said ‘with this one,’ how many have you had?”

“This is my second. With the first he was kicking at five months then on again and off again for the remaining seven.”

Cas placed a hand on Poppy’s bump. “This one is running late. We’re six months in and the healer said we’d feel something by then but-“

“We literally just got to six months in yesterday ,” Poppy said, giving her husband a pointed look. She smiled at the woman. “Congratulations.”

With some effort, the librarian curtsied. “And to you as well, your Majesties.”

They started towards the back of the library where the sofas were hopefully vacant and waiting. Cas held the book in one one hand, his other on the small of Poppy’s back.

“She looked very uncomfortable,” Poppy muttered. “I don’t know how she’s been convinced to do that twice.”

Casteel looked down at her, arching a brow, “Already cutting me off?” 

Poppy flattened a hand over her bump, grimacing at the idea of ever being the same size as the librarian. It seemed very uncomfortable.

“We’ll see,” Poppy finally replied as they arrived at the long, scarlet sofa, mercifully unoccupied.

Casteel sat, followed by Poppy. He patted his lap, prompting her to set her feet over his legs. She didn’t need to be told twice, and swung her ankles atop his knees, leaning back against the arm of the couch and folding her hands over her swollen abdomen.

“I’ll give you an answer after I reach that stage the librarian was in,” Poppy murmured, “and we’ll see how eager I am to give this another go.”

Casteel began flipping through the book, the corner of his lip hitched up. “I can’t wait to see you like that.”

Poppy smiled wryly, catching his eye. “Is that so?”

His grin broadened, eyes softening as he nodded. “Round with our child, a week or two left till we meet her. Counting down the days together.”

Her.

“You’re still set on a girl then?”

He resumed flipping idly through the pages, “Yes. Mark my words, at our visit next month they’ll tell us it’s a girl.”

“Consider them marked then.”

“How are the feet? The ankles?” he murmured absentmindedly.

Poppy shrugged. “Fine.”

“That’s good. Some women don’t experience the swelling of ankles or feet aching till month seven. The clock is ticking though.” Cas gave her a look. “Say the word when it starts. Circulation will help.”

Poppy felt a grin spread on her lips. “Is this what you were like as a boy?”

“I actually only just started learning about pregnancy,” he smirked. “But if you mean spouting off facts from my books that no one cared about, then yes.”

“I care…”

“You have to care,” Casteel chuckled. “But as a boy, no one was as interested in legends of water nymphs as me. Or the history of Atlantia’s irrigation system for that matter.” He stopped turning the pages, eyes narrowing on a paragraph. “This remedy suggests chewing on a brown root for nausea or mixing it into tea… also says the smell of peppermint can be helpful.”

“That’s it,” Poppy said flatly.

Casteel’s expression was diligent. “I’ll keep looking. It’s a big book.”

Poppy tilted her head back, resting it against the arm of the sofa. “Why don’t you nudge me when you’ve found something useful.”

“Alright.”

“And wake me up if I start to snore,” she added.

Casteel winked. “No promises.”

“Damn you.”

 

When Poppy woke, it wasn’t by Casteel’s voice or the soft thud of a book. It was from a flutter inside of her.

At first she attributed it to indigestion. Maybe an incoming bout of nausea.

But then it happened again.

And there was no mistaking it. That was a kick.

She gasped, sitting upright, one hand pressed to the side of her stomach where she had felt the nudge.

Casteel’s eyes were on her in an instant. “Are you alright?”

She nodded slowly. 

“Gods, if I was a wreck when you told me I would be a father I can’t imagine the state I’ll be in when they kick for the first time. I beg you not to kick in public, princess. I have an image to maintain.”

Remembering their previous conversation, she opened her mouth to insist they return to their chambers so he could enjoy this development in private.

Then she remembered what Casteel’s response had been to such a suggestion:

“You will tell me the very second it happens. My image be damned.”

When she met Casteel’s gaze, his brows were furrowed and slowly, the faint taste of panic ebbed from him.

Poppy waved a hand. “No, don’t worry,” she said with a laugh. How absurd that he would be feeling anything but happiness now. “No, Cas, she… she kicked.”

He stilled, expression still focused, but Poppy couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear. 

“You… you felt a kick.”

Poppy nodded and his eyes brightened… then turned wet. He grinned and edged closer to her, pulling her legs farther across his lap.

He placed a hand on her swollen stomach, blinking. “Did I miss it…”

But he trailed off as a sudden nudge pressed against his palm.

She might’ve checked had it been any other moment to see if there were any prying eyes, but Poppy couldn’t bring herself to care. The look on her husband’s face of complete wonder made everything else pale in comparison. 

“Say something else,” she urged softly. “Maybe she’ll move again.”

Casteel sniffed and Poppy could see a tear roll down his cheek and past one of his dimples, both apparent as he smiled broadly. He inclined his head closer to her belly, lips brushing the gauzy fabric that covered it.

“Coralena Da’Neer,” he said, voice thick with emotion. “I’m… this is your father’s voice. Can you…”

Another kick, right by Cas’s lips. 

“Can you believe that?” Poppy laughed.

Casteel ducked his head, and she saw his shoulders begin to shake, warm drops of water falling onto her bump.

Finally he looked back up at her, she threaded her fingers in his hair. “Alright?” 

His eyes were shining. “I’m wonderful. Positively wonderful.” Then he laughed tearfully. “As predicted, I’m a wreck but… I can’t be a warrior all the time.”

“True,” Poppy said, wrapping her arms around her neck. “Thankfully we have little need of any warriors right now. I could, however, use a father in a few months.”

He picked up one of her hands, pressing her knuckles to her lips. “Gladly, my Queen.”

Notes:

Thanks for reading! If there’s anything you’d like to see I’m still taking requests :)