I heard the walls are paper thin

Once they'd gotten word from Vincent that the blight was over in Orlais, they quickly made plans to return home before the baby's arrival. With the blight no longer bearing down on Val Royeaux, their home was once again safe to occupy. Not that Lucien hadn't enjoyed his time in Antiva, he'd explored much and even went to an old elvhen archaeological site while he was there. 

They were barely home five minutes and Lucien was already working on plans to turn the room across the hall from theirs into a nursery, as well as putting out an inquiry towards hiring the best midwife that money could afford. He was even already putting inquiries out for a nanny that could help out part time after the baby was born so Maeve could have some time to herself and be able to rest. 

What do you think Maeve, a few hours a day would suffice for a nanny/nurse? I just want you to have some time to get proper rest. I don't know much about babies but I know they can be a handful and not always prone to sleeping at ideal times. If someone came over a couple of hours a day it would give you time to bathe, relax, take a nap, do whatever to recharge yourself. He asked as he walked into the room where Maeve was resting.

“I think that we shall be perfectly fine with a couple of hours, my mother handled two twins at the same time without any help” said the brunette as she leaned on the doorframe. “I am more terrified at giving birth than the after, the whole it can get deadly makes me a bit nervous but oh well, everything can get deadly if you risk it enough” said the brunette trying to make a joke.

“Have you spoken with the university? Are you taking a leave? Or are you commuting between parent duty and work? I understand if you do the later if the promotion is close” said Maeve with a shrug. She’d rather have him here but she could understand.

Well, I figured you wouldn't want full-time help, but self care is important and we have the finances to afford some help. As far as work goes, they are eager for me to get back to work after having already taken some time off, but I told them I would only do part-time hours after the baby is born for at least a month or two. Do you think that's long enough? I don't want to be one of those dads that just fucks off and leaves all of it to you, but I do have to resume full-time work at some point. He said with a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. He wanted to be a good father that was present in his child's life as much as was feasible.

“It depends on who you ask for darling” she said with a small smile “A couple of months is good, but I know all kind of arrangements, from fathers that jump into full work even before the baby is born to people that has a six month leave in order to spend more time with their family” she explained “they say that the worst is the first two months because it’s the time that the baby needs to have a regular sleep pattern, but again the one that will have to wake up each two fucking hours will be me not you so” she said with an shrug. She would love to have Lucien around but she didn’t want to affect his career either, so she didn’t want to give very strongly her opinion on the matter. "Did the university give you any limit on the reincorporation moment?"

They’re being reasonably accommodating to whatever my needs are, even after having to put up with the whole going to Antiva for a few months. They said they would be fine with having office hours from home. We aren’t that far from the university so it wouldn’t put students out that much to come here instead of my office on campus. I could go back gradually. Work from home for two months, then maybe add in one class a week for a month or two, then another, maybe eventually after six months being back to my full schedule. He said with a shrug, it felt doable, so he definitely didn’t fear for his job or anything, and his tone showed that.

“That’s because they know that you are the best dear, they would be lost with one of their most brilliant teacher who also happen to have the best ass in the university” she said winking at him, admittedly Maeve had been more sweet than flirty lately due to how tired she was due to the ordeal of being at the end of the pregnancy but that didn’t mean that she didn’t try to make a point of that she still desired her husband. “I think that it’s a marvelous idea as long as we roll with it”

She hesitated for a moment “I met someone back when I was in Antiva, it was an older man called Alfred Jucani, if you recall him my dear? I am sure of that you will be a lovely father but maybe we could both use the help of someone more experienced. He was seeking a man but perhaps once he is done with the searching we could give him a good offer to be with us? At the least at the beginning. He wasn’t very keen in Orlais but we could try to persuade him?”

Lucien smiled at the compliment, he knew he was decent, but to be honest up until how accommodating that the university had been with his extended leave of absence and then the offering of tenure, he hadn’t realised just how much the university respected him.

Well, we’ll see as we go of course. I’ve never really been around babies before, but I hear they can be awfully unpredictable.. I imagine we won’t know until we know sort of thing. Then he tipped his head as he listened about this Alfred Jucani man. He imagined the man must be in service if Maeve was suggesting it.

Well, you know I trust your opinion on such matters. I’m curious though, what sort of positions has he worked? She’d mentioned the man was looking for someone, he wasn’t sure if that had to do with his occupation, or simply a totally unrelated bit of information.

“Alfred worked as a butler but also as a caretaker of the kids of the King of Antiva so I am going to say that he is quite experienced” Maeve said with a small smile “If he happens to be unavailable I can do a few interviews to find the most trusty option. Considering the way we both are I am sure of that we won’t settle for nothing but the best, specially if that person is going to look after our baby” said the brunette “You know anyone that could fit the spot just in case he’s not an option?” asked the former bard curiously.

There’s a family I don’t envy. They’ve certainly been through a lot, and having to deal with the crows and merchant princes to boot. It’s certainly quite the resume though, we should reach out see if he’s even interested. I would say it would be a bit of a step down if he’s used to working for Antivan Royalty. Of course, the position would have to be filled regardless, especially with the little one due soon.

“Well we could be a step down or maybe a well deserved retirement. We might be less fashionable but we also are calmer. Hopefully our days of excitement are over with your state back and Dubois definitively too scared to come again after me” she said with a sigh suddenly very grateful for the assassin intervention.

“How is your sister doing? It’s been ages since I spoke to her” she tried to keep a good relationship with Lucien’s sister in order to keep the woman integrated in the family.

True, I suppose one could look at this position like a retirement after having worked for the Royal family of Antiva.Lucien said with a chuckle. He also imagined that Alfred would have a lot of interesting stories to tell after that many years service with the family. When the conversation topic moved to Alina, he hesitated. Things had been complicated ever since he’d rescued her from the LaRue’s and taken back his home. He wasn’t sure if she would ever be quite the same after all she endured. Which just served to make him feel guiltier for not having been able to rescue her sooner.

Last I checked in with her she was doing well enough considering. They hadn’t really talked about her ordeal, and he didn’t want to push the subject, she would talk about it when she was ready to talk about it.

"Exactly" said the brunette with a smile.

"We should inviter her over for diner soon, before the baby is born. Maybe that will help to keep her distracted" she said with an understanding smile. The beauvais had experienced hell to an extent that Maeve couldn't fully grasp. The only thing that she could do was to offer her home to make Alina had a place to feel at home, specially considering that they lived in her childhood one.

Lucien nodded, it would be good to have family around now that they were nesting with a family of their own. He definitely didn’t want his sister to think that she would be forgotten now that him and Maeve were bringing a child into the world. He paused, his mind wandering to the time the LaRue’s spent in their home, torturing both Lucien and Alina.

It’s not always easy being here. I mean on one hand there are lots of happy memories from before, and I would never walk away from the estate regardless, but what the LaRues did, especially to my sister and the rest of my family. It’s a hard stain to erase. He was luckier than Alina, he’d escaped, and he definitely wanted to fill the home once more with happy memories, but that didn’t change the fact that sometimes it was hard.

“I can get that, I don’t know if I would have been able to move back here if I were in your shoes, but what matters is the new memories that we shall make togheter” she said with a soft smile. “For the future Beauvois that shall live in this house, having a grand life for the ones that no longer are among us” she concluded with a soft smile before giving him a kiss.
Everything would go right, they deserved a good ending.

Lucien nodded, Maeve made some excellent points. All they could do now was to look towards the future. He hadn’t thought much about kids before, it wasn’t as if they’d planned their situation, though it hadn’t phased him one bit. The news they were going to have a child had made him quite happy and now he was starting to imagine that perhaps it wouldn’t be so scary to have more down the road.

Not that he wanted a ton of children either, but perhaps two or three wouldn’t be too unrealistic. Though he imagined that was a conversation for another day. He smiled and kissed Maeve’s cheek, she had become his whole world, and he regretted nothing.

I’m sure we’ll fill it with many happy memories. It may be hard sometimes, but giving up on the estate would feel like letting the LaRues win even after they’ve been defeated. I can’t let that happen, not while I still draw breath in my body. He smiled and then a servant came into the room, excusing themselves and informing Lucien there were some matters he needed to tend to.

Well, I shall see you for dinner then my love? He kissed her again and then went off with the servant to find out what was needed.