The Broken Crown

Chapter 38

 Once more, he had to clear his throat. “Two years.”

 Raphael’s eyes widened. “Two years? That long?”

 “Yes.”

 “Well, why didn’t you tell anyone?” He was smiling widely, as though he found it hilarious.

 Raymond shrugged doubtfully. “I don’t know. We liked the secret, I suppose.”

 “Well, you should know,” his brother told him, an arm around his shoulder, “that married life is really not that bad. Although I suppose you know that. Well, announced married life is not that bad, not at all that bad.”

 “There are rumours,” Raymond muttered.

 Raphael frowned in question. “What kind of rumours?”

 “That you love her,” he said simply.

 Raphael smiled secretively. “She is very lovable.” For a moment, they stood in a nice silence. It had been a long time since the two of them had spoken, Raymond realized. “When will you announce it to the court?”

 “We planned on doing it tonight.”

 “You should better tell mother first,” Raphael commented, an edge of worry in his voice. “She will not like this. She was already angry when it was just an affair.”

 Raymond laughed, shaking his head incredulously. “You don’t think she will find it less scandalous now that we are married.”

 Raphael laughed, too. “In her eyes, Gabrielle will never be anything but scandalous.”

 “Maybe I shouldn’t tell her before the dinner,” Raymond mused. “At least then she shan’t have the chance to kill me right away.”

 “That might be true,” Raphael acknowledged. “Nevertheless, I wish you luck.” He gave Raymond another clap on the shoulder. “Now, I must leave to make an announcement to my wife, rather than about.”

 “Perhaps I could come with you?” Raymond suggested. He found he missed spending time with his brother. What with the halfway rebellion going on, there was not much time for anything else than trying to stop it from becoming a full-blown rebellion.

 Raphael smiled, almost gratefully. “That would be nice,” he admitted.

 They found the Queen in the solar. The afternoon sun shone through white curtains, illuminating the room beautifully. Her golden hair glistened in the sunshine as she picked up Christian from his cradle.

 Raphael walked forward to place an innocent kiss on her cheek and she giggled. “Out brother visits,” he whispered, only just loud enough for Raymond to hear.

 “Oh,” Adrianne breathed and quickly turned around, smiling brightly. “I am sorry, Raymond, I did not see you.”

 Raymond just smiled. “No worries. How is Christian?”

 She smiled the way a mother should when she looked at her child. “He is good,” she said. “He grows so very quickly, I fear he’ll be ready to take his father’s crown next week.” She giggled and Raphael smiled proudly.

 “That could be arranged,” he told her. “But first, I need to tell you something.”

 Adrianne’s happy face turned sad and she looked at Raymond. “Is this about the exile?” she asked regretfully.

 “Yes,” he answered simply.

 She sighed and went to put the prince back into his cradle. “Has it been decided? Will I be leaving?”