A Paladin at Rest
Excitement with just a hint of panic fueled Laudine's legs as she ran through the Vasconian royal palace. She had been sent on an important mission and was in a rush to get back. Her pale lavender skirts whirled around her legs with each rushed step as she took the stairs up a single level then continued, a large smile stretched across her face.
Despite her sense of urgency, she was in a great mood. Partially because it was such a good day, but also mostly because the entire city was celebrating and their joy was filling her up to overflowing with good feelings. It was a momentous day. One that seemed like it might never arrive.
But it was here and her mission, small as it was, had been successful.
She rushed past the royal guard standing beside a pair of closed double doors and ran inside without bothering to knock. She beamed as they shut behind her, holding up her prize for the room of excited women to see.
"I got it!" She declared.
"Thank goodness," Nina breathed, slumping a bit in her chair from the relief.
"Stop moving," Sybille said when the small motion nearly disrupted the lady's maid that was trying to put the finishing touches on Nina's hair.
Laudine smiled, crossing the room, cradling the jeweled pin she had been sent to fetch. Nina had realized she forgot it in her private room on the other side of the palace and the loss had nearly ruined the entire day. It was a pin that she bought before she had her dress designed, and the dress had been designed around the pin. And it was a rather high emotion day, so such a small loss had seemed like the end of all existence and Nina had nearly sprinted out of here to get it herself.
Only Sybille and Elaine working together – being reasonable and unyielding respectively – kept her from doing just that.
It was funny how, on her wedding day, the smallest thing seemed like a tragedy.
After passing the pin to one of the other lady's maids – Nina had a whole collection now that she was going to marry the king and, at the end of today, would be queen – Laudine returned to the chair she had been relaxing on before being sent on her quest.
The other paladins were relaxing in various positions around the room, supporting Nina as her sisters while she was prepared for her wedding. They talked, sipped tea, and ate dainty cakes while they made themselves available for any task Nina might need.
Peace had been ongoing for a few short months, but already, the paladins were eager to settle into the new times.
Every so often, servants came in and out. Some brought more tea and sweets, others cleared away the mess, still others brought messages and updates.
"Your highness, your robe is ready," one of the servants said after Nina's hair was finished being brushed and smoothed without out the aid of creams or potions.
For the wedding portion of the day, Nina would need to come to Erec without any lies, falsities, or illusions. Both of them would be married wearing plain robes, their hair unbound, their feet bare. But for the coronation that would follow, Nina needed to present herself to her king and people as someone regal, powerful, and in control. So, after the marriage vows, she would immediately be taken to be dressed, her hair properly set, and made as beautiful as possible. Unlike her husband, she had to meet her people at her best at all times, including the day she was crowned for them.
Only after the coronation could the royal couple retire to their rooms to enjoy their wedding night.
It was set to be a long day, but Laudine was having a great time just basking in the happiness of everyone – including Nina who, despite being made anxious at having forgotten her pin for her coronation dress, was still eager for what was to come.
It was as Nina was stepping into the robe – safely hidden behind a screen – that the door opened and admitted, to Laudine's surprise and delight, Princess Manon.
Queen Manon, Laudine corrected herself as everyone stood and bowed. Their own surprise, relief, and excitement swirling through the air.
"Oh, stop that," she snickered, waving to all of them. "You never bowed to me like that when I was a princess, no need to start now."
"Manon, you made it!" Nina beamed as she stepped from around the screen, nervously playing with the hem of her robe.
"Wouldn't have missed it." Manon stepped forward, arms outstretched, to embrace her. "I'm sorry I'm late. We hit a storm crossing through the Pass that slowed us down a lot. We had to push the engines to the limit to make it."
Nina shook her head, eyes sparkling with a combination of joy and tears. "All that matters is that you're here. I know Erec was scared that you might have been forced to miss it. What with everything going on... er..."
A pinched look came over Manon's face as she was reminded of all the trouble that was taking place in her new kingdom. But she quickly banished it and put a smile on her face.
"Never mind all that. How are you doing, Nina? You feeling all right?"
"No," she moaned, patting down the robe. "How do you possibly come to someone like this? Completely bare? Totally exposed? It's terrifying!"
Manon chuckled. "Yeah, try doing it to a man you barely know."
"You and Jacques were raised as cousins!"
"I hadn't seen him for almost ten years! He's a man now and-" Manon's voice cut off as her face flushed red.
Laudine's head tilted curiously at the hint of desire rolling off of Manon as she thought of her husband that, Laudine knew, hadn't been able to come with her today. Gascony was in a delicate state and both king and queen couldn't safely leave. Laudine could still feel the tingle of guilt Manon felt even at just escaping it for a short time to see her brother's wedding. But Jacques had insisted that she go and promised he could handle running the kingdom without her for a short while.
They had all been told that Manon was coming, but that it would be a tight schedule. She wouldn't be able to stay long, but she really wanted to be there for the day her brother was married and his queen was crowned.
"Never mind that either," the young queen mumbled, pushing back her hair that had been mussed in her rush to make it to the room. "This day is about you two and I'm not going to let anything distract from that."
Nina smiled and pulled Manon into another embrace. "Thank you for coming. Really. It means a lot. To both of us."
Laudine smiled at the exchange as she sipped at her tea. That last niggling doubt and guilt drained from Manon in the face of Nina's gratitude. She knew that she had made the right choice, even if it felt slightly selfish.
"I'm just glad I wasn't too late," she said, stepping back. "I passed Gael on the way up. I think it's almost time."
Nina nodded. "I'm excited. Nervous, but mostly excited. How do I look?"
Manon laughed. "Like a queen, of course. I'm going to head on down to the hall. Don't get lost on your way."
Nina chuckled as the other paladins stood, one at a time, and wished her well. All of them that could be were here. Colette couldn't leave South Gate since her newborn daughter was too young to be separated or travel and Lea was with Emilien in Gascony, helping to keep things together there.
The others, however, had all managed to come.
Laudine was the last in line to go. The last in the room besides Nina. A woman that she had been raised with and trained together with in the Sacellum. She would be walked through the main event room by someone she loved, but she had to get to that room on her own.
"How do I feel?" Nina asked her softly, as though unsure of her own emotions.
"Excited. Nervous, but mostly excited," Laudine said, smiling brightly.
Nina grimaced, one hand on her belly as though to hold the fluttering nerves in place. "Yeah, that's kind of what I figured. But... can you look deeper?"
Laudine stared at the hand Nina offered her for only a second before raising her eyes back to her face with a curious tilt to her head. "Doubts?"
"Not about marrying Erec," she rushed to say. "Just about being... queen. It's a big role to fill. Radelle never finished teaching me and I just... I worry that I'm not going to be good enough for the kingdom. That I'll let everyone down. I can lead battles and command paladins without issue, but dealing with laws and matters of state and... It's just a lot."
Laudine gave her a soft smile before taking her hand and, obliging the request, looking deep into her heart. Seeing past the excitement and nerves and insecurities to the bright love that she had for Erec that powered all her decisions and further to the undercurrent of iron beneath that. The certainty that, even if she was unsure of herself, she was going to try.
And no one could ask for more than that.
Laudine's eyes opened back on her and she smiled. "You're going to be a great queen, Nina. Erec is a dreamer. A visionary. He will lead the way into our future. You will serve as his rock. His base. A reasonable voice in his ear to remind him that dreams can only be taken so far and that he must take action if he wants them to come true. You'll keep him stable when his temper rises. You'll make him happy when sadness threatens. Through your time as rulers, nothing will tear you apart because you two have such a deep, honest love for each other that has withstood the test of time and separation and denial."
Nina laughed a bit. "You got all of that from nervous but mostly excited?"
Laudine grinned, dropping her hand. "Of course, not. I got all that from knowing who you and Erec are as people and as a couple."
Some of the tension eased from Nina's shoulders and she nodded. "Thank you, Laudine. I can't wait to comfort you at your wedding next."
Laudine laughed as she turned, walking from the room. She and Gael had decided to delay their wedding a bit. First to give Erec and Nina time to marry without having their own event competing with theirs, and second to give Laudine more time to heal. However, they were already planning the ceremony to take place in a few months.
Since there was no one higher in the church to perform the wedding, Gael and Laudine would perform their own wedding ceremony. It was a rare treat for the people as, usually, the Sacellum Master was either already married or had already declared their intention to settle into a life of never being married by the time they attained the gold sash of their rank. The fact that he would be marrying a paladin was considered by many to be a good omen.
But that was for another day. For now, Laudine walked by herself down through the palace halls and towards the large ballroom where the ceremony would take place.
The moment she stepped inside, her eyes immediately turned to the front where Gael stood, looking over the Holy Record that he would soon inscribe with a retelling this event. However, as though he sensed her presence, he looked up and smiled at her.
She smiled back and waved before turning to join the crowd. Though she would have loved to stand with Gael, she wasn't his lady officially yet as they were unmarried. Therefore, her place was amongst the friends and family of the couple. It was probably for the best as she hadn't finished her studies of the various ceremonies that Gael oversaw and she didn't want to mess up the king's marriage and the queen's coronation.
Instead, the place she would one day fill was occupied by one of the other priests who took the book when Gael passed it to him and prepared to hold it up to the couple so that they could recite the vows that Gael had already written inside with bright, golden ink.
It was a day of beauty and hope and love.
When the couple finally appeared, both of them stripped down to just their pure white robe, there wasn't a trace of nerves. They were smiling at each other as they were walked up the aisle – Nina by her father who had flown up here from the Aqua Isles and Erec by Manon.
King Cyrille wasn't available. His self-imposed exile, as he said, was proving good for both the people and for him and Sabine. He had sent a message and someone to transcribe everything so he could read it all. The best he could do without adding tension to the fragile stability that had come to the kingdoms. Erec had understood, but Laudine had felt his ache of regret in the days afterwards.
There was no trace of it now, however. Only love and joy as he stared at Nina like she was the most beautiful star in the sky. Something that sparkled in his eyes and drew all his attention while shining over the world.
Nina seemed to alternate between staring into Erec's eyes, then being overwhelmed and forced to lower them for a moment, color high in her cheeks. The two of them together had so much happiness rolling off of them, Laudine knew the crowd didn't have to be empathic to feel it.
The ceremony itself was short but sweet and heartfelt. They vowed their love and fealty and devotion to each other and Gael recorded it with all the professional aplomb and grandiosity she had come to expect from her Sacellum Master.
Then, both of them were quickly whisked from the hall so they could be properly dressed for the second of the day's events.
While they were gone, the guests were encouraged to leave the large ballroom and instead seek refreshments and conversation in the nearby main dining hall instead. Most people took the servants up on that offer. Others remained in the large ballroom to watch as it was quickly rearranged in preparation for the coronation.
Laudine was among the latter as she moved towards the front of the room where Gael was making his final notes on the wedding. She let him finish as she watched a servant, bearing a pillow and accompanied by an entire retinue of guards, came into the room. Upon the pillow were the crown jewels that would be placed upon Nina's head.
"Enjoying the show, my sweet?" Gael asked without looking up from the Holy Record.
"It's a once in a lifetime event," she returned with a smile. "If I don't take the time to enjoy it now, I may never get the chance again."
"Lord willing," he agreed, setting aside his pure white quill and leaving the book open so that the ink could dry. He turned to face her with a smile. "And how are you feeling today?"
She took the time to think. To really ponder the question.
Since that day in the rain, Laudine had been improving gradually but steadily. This was the first large event she had been to, however. To date, she had only managed a couple of strolls within the Quicksilver District and a single trip to the markets that had been cut short after only an hour as she became overwhelmed.
But the market had been full of chaotic energy. The war was over, but they were still having supply problems. That made people desperate and filled the market with negativity. Gael had brought her there at her request, both of them hoping for a relaxing shopping trip, neither of them prepared for what they would actually find instead.
Today was nothing like that.
No one was desperate or angry or hungry. It was nothing but joy and excitement and the thrill of nerves that something good that was about to happen. They were all positive things. Wonderful things. It felt like bathing chilled skin in the sweetest sunlight.
"I'm wonderful," she finally said, smiling at him.
Gael's shoulders relaxed and he nodded once. "Good. I was worried. I had to avoid letting my eyes wander to you all throughout the ceremony."
She giggled. "Why Master Gael, I know a highly praised and respected Sacellum Master like yourself would never be so careless during such an important event."
His eyes shined dangerously and thrill went up her skin.
"Be careful, my sweet, or that sassy mouth of yours will get you punished."
She giggled wickedly. "Oh, no. I wouldn't want that... Although, can a careless Sacellum Master really think he's worthy to punish me for such words?"
Gael's eyes flashed and he lifted a hand to reach for her-
-but stopped before he could take her hand.
The desire rolling off him in waves was strong enough to feel even without physical touch, but so was the hesitancy that stilled his arm in the air. He had reached for her without thinking. Her obvious taunting invitation stirring both of their lusts.
But they hadn't made love since before the attack on Ambraude.
At first, Laudine had been bedridden and unable to do anything but sleep and stare and, at times, drink broth. Then, when she had been able to get up, she had still been so tired that she could barely work up the energy to feel hungry, much less amorous.
And since the rainstorm that had washed away the last of the fog of apathy that the fatigue had brought her, she had been working through the emotional scars bearing everyone's various griefs and pains and rages and deaths had left on her. She was barely able to work up the ability to smile. The idea of lust was so far from her mind, she hadn't even considered it.
Gael had been incredibly patient with her. Not once, when he held her every night, did she feel his own desires rushing to the fore of his mind. It was like his body and lusts had gone dormant along with hers and, so long as she felt nothing, he would not either.
But she had noticed that changing the last few nights. He still wasn't pushing any desires or longing onto her, but she sometimes felt the lingering whispers of it coming from his heart and she knew that he was taking himself in hand before they went to bed to take the edge off, so to speak, so that he didn't effect her with it before she was ready.
It was kind and considerate, but it also reminded Laudine that there was more she wanted to recover than just her own peace of mind.
She missed coming apart in Gael's arms. She missed his dominance and his punishments. She missed how good it felt to hurt at his hands before he soothed it away with blinding ecstasy that robbed her of all rational thought and possible worry.
And now, as she stood teasing him for the first time in months, he automatically reached for her at the obvious invitation, but hesitated out of concern.
He was so incredibly sweet and good to her. Though his hand was heavy when they played together in bed, he was fully dedicated to taking care of her in all aspects of their lives. She put herself in his care and he took that seriously.
He wouldn't close that last distance, so Laudine did.
She stepped closer, lacing their fingers together as she smiled at him. Not only taking the brunt of his burning, desperate desire, denied for far too long, but giving him her own newly reawakened desire back in return.
Gael took in a deep breath, his head falling back as his eyes fluttered closed. For just a second. Basking in the heat of her rising lust and love. Buried for so long, not because she chose to but because she wasn't ready to feel them again yet. She didn't need the pressure release valve he offered when she could actually heal from the damage to her heart.
"Ah, my sweet," he murmured, turning his burning gaze back to her. "You've been missing me, haven't you?"
Laudine smiled, her cheeks turning pink. Despite everything they had done together, despite all she knew they would do, he never failed to make her blush. She was pretty sure that was just a physical reaction she was always going to have.
"Aw, you two are so cute!"
Both of them jumped and turned to see one of the older noble couples that Laudine only distantly recognized. Their hair was fully gray and they were smiling at each other, arm in arm, the happiness of decades written across their faces.
"Remember when I used to blush like that for you, dear?" She asked, patting his arm kindly.
"I can still make you blush," he protested with masculine pride that refused to fade even as the years drew on. He turned a proud smile onto them. "It's good to know that our Sacellum Master has such a wholesome and pure love for himself."
Laudine's face burned brighter. Not for being caught being affectionate with Gael, but just at the thought of the kind of 'wholesome' and 'pure' love they shared. The ropes, the spanking, the hot wax, that evil strip of leather he used that one time that near made her jump out of her skin but left her behind so heated and sensitive that the pounding of his hips afterwards left her babbling incoherently as he forced her from one climax to another.
"Aw, she's blushing again," the older woman said, grinning.
Gael chuckled, lifting Laudine's hand and pretending to kiss her knuckles. He actually bit them where the two couldn't see. Squeezing her flesh in a tiny pinch. A little promise of all the painful joys that were coming her way.
"Thank you," he said, perfectly serene as always, as Laudine's entire body flushed and heated at that simple bite and all that it would mean for her later. "I only hope that our relationship can be as long lasting and deep as yours, my lord and lady."
The elder woman chittered, waving a hand at his words. The old man bowed his head to them both before pulling his wife away, whispering something sweet in her ear, causing her to blush, just as promised.
Gael looked at her, his mask still serene and perfect. Though his smile was innocent and unaffected, the dangerous gleam in his eyes was a promise only she understood.
He pulled on her hand, not drawing her into his embrace, but pulling her close enough that he could whisper, voice rough, in her ear-
"You shall regret teasing me later, my sweet."
Her entire body trembled with excitement that she knew he felt through the connection of their clasped hands. Still, he watched her face carefully, and she felt his caution and worry just as strongly. He wanted her, but he wasn't ready to continue their bed play unless she was absolutely sure and ready to take him again.
She gave him an encouraging smile, loving how well he cared for her.
He smiled back at her before leaning forward to kiss her cheek. Looking for all the world like he was showing her wholesome and pure affection.
But between their bodies, hidden by the voluminous sleeves of his robe, he clutched her wrist in an iron grip, hinting at what he wanted to do to her later.
"Later, sweet," he said again before releasing her to return to his duties. He had to start the entry in the book that was Nina's coronation.
Smiling at him, Laudine stepped back and watched as he worked with the priest that was assisting him today. It was never the same priest twice. Gael was both giving as many priests as possible the honor of performing various ceremonies, but also searching for the priest that might very well be his own successor some day. Laudine imagined he wouldn't find that person for years, considering how young Gael was himself, but it was important to familiarize himself with all the priests and their various skills and deficiencies before that.
Gael was impressive in his element. He exuded such careful control and endless patience. It was easy to believe, looking at him like this, that he was nothing more than exactly what he pretended to be: a soft spoken, gently smiling man without a single mean bone in his body.
The contrast between this and the controlling, dominating, demanding man that took her into his bed almost like she was being forced there was stark and thrilling. She found her thighs shifting together to try to ease some of the ache that began to grow as she stood there, waiting impatiently for the next part of the ceremony to start so they could sneak away together.
Gael only looked at her once while he was preparing for the coronation. However, when he did so, the look in his eyes as he smiled so kindly only made the desire cramp tighter in her belly.
Slowly, people began trickling back into the large ballroom. Chatting, laughing together. Their joy bubbling along her skin like bathing in champagne.
It took only about an hour from the end of the wedding to the start of the coronation. The affair was slightly similar, at least in the beginning. The crowd separated into two, leaving a long aisle in the middle of the room.
Instead of entering with her, however, Erec stood at the front with Gael. The king was fully dressed now, an elaborate gold and velvet crown resting on his brow. His head was high, his shoulders back, one hand resting on the sword at his waist. Though he was clearly trying to look regal and proud, the mirth dancing in his eyes ruined the image. He was practically vibrating with excitement. Everyone knew how eager he was to marry the woman that he had loved for the majority of his life and their happiness for him was both genuine and amused.
Then, Nina appeared in the far door. Like her wedding, she had needed to walk herself here. For the coronation however, she also had to walk up the aisle by herself. This time, she stopped to exchange looks, words, gestures with those lining the aisle. People reached out for her, hoping for the chance to touch their queen, and she obliged them. It was part of the moment. A reminder that she was there for her people, not the other way around.
Erec watched her approach, pride and pleasure blazing in his eyes. It took her much longer to reach the end of the aisle this time, but he never once looked impatient.
When she arrived, instead of taking his hand, she kneeled before him, eyes lowered out of his respect of his position. They were man and wife now, but he was still the king and, until that crown touched her head, she was not yet his equal.
Erec stood back and watched as Gael recited some words as he lifted the crown from its cushion. To Nina, he asked-
"Do you, Lady Paladin Nina Thierri, accept this crown and all the responsibilities, expectations, and duties that come with it?"
"I do," she said, her head lowered in supplication.
Gael held the crown over her golden hair as he continued.
"Do you, Lady Paladin Nina Thierri, swear to devote yourself to serving the people of Vasconia, giving them everything you have, up to and including your very life if required?"
"I do."
"Do you, Lady Paladin Nina Thierri, swear to never abuse your power for personal gain and to maintain the teachings of the church in your rule of law?"
"I do."
He lowered the crown over her brow. "As the speaker of the Lord, in His divine authority, I accept your vows and retire you from your service as a paladin. From this moment forth, I hereby proclaim you Queen Nina Thierri of Vasconia, guardian and protector of the kingdom. May your reign be long, true, and honorable. Rise now and face your people."
Erec didn't hesitate to step forward and offer Nina his hand. She allowed him to help her to her feet and, together, the two of them turned to the crowd. They roared their approval, cheering their voices hoarse as they faced the young couple. The promise of peace and prosperity they represented. A retired paladin and a scarred prince. Both bearing the marks of the past but only looking forward to their future.
After facing their people, the couple walked to a balcony so they could wave to those that hadn't managed to get inside the large ballroom and instead had gathered inside the Royal Complex to view them afterwards. When they were done with that, they would step onto a small airship that they would stand upon so that, when it flew over the city, their entire people could look up at them and see their new rulers.
Laudine watched the two of them walk outside. Nina was determinedly facing forward, fully focused on her job, but Erec was smiling at her, enraptured by his queen.
Taking a deep breath, centering herself, Laudine turned and walked away from the crowd and deeper into the palace. She was alone as she slowly returned to the empty entrance hall and then out into the Royal Complex.
Across the vibrantly green gardens, she could see the brand new, rebuilt Paladin's Suite. The original manor that, traditionally, served as a home to the paladin or paladins of the generation had been destroyed by the war.
But it had been torn down and rebuilt. More beautiful and glorious than before. They had lost something they could never get back, but they had built back something equally precious that would one day be just as historic and meaningful to a future generation.
The gardens had been redesigned since the tragedy that destroyed the Paladin's Suite. The gazebo that had been destroyed had been rebuilt, bigger and with a small fountain in the center. Laudine climbed the short steps and walked to one of the benches ringing the edge and perched on the edge, watching the water bubble up and fall over.
She wasn't alone very long. Manon must have followed her out because, only a short moment later, she was climbing the steps as well and taking a seat beside her.
"A lovely ceremony," Laudine said calmly, as though the meeting had been planned.
Manon hummed in agreement, straightening her skirt. "They look happy together."
"They really do."
Silence lapsed between them, broken only by the trickle of water, the rustling of the grass in the breeze, and the distant sounds of celebration from the other side of the Complex where people had gathered to see their new king and queen.
"Laudine?" Manon finally spoke, her voice quiet.
"Yes?"
"Do you remember... back in the resistance camp..." She hesitated, as though fighting against what she wanted to say.
Laudine turned her eyes to her, waiting patiently.
Manon let out a long breath before shaking her head. "When Gael told me that I was... a paladin." She whispered the last like it was a dirty word.
Laudine cocked her head curiously. "Yes. And I remember you saying that you weren't going to do anything about it. Did you change your mind?"
"No. Jacques and talked about it and we've agreed that not letting anyone in Gascony know, for now, is the best move. Amorette and Lea are already having trouble over there. The blatant disrespect and even violence against them is getting worse each day. Amorette was attacked right before I left. She won the fight, of course. She wasn't even hurt, but still..."
Laudine nodded along with her words. "They both knew what they risked going into Gascony. I assume the attackers...?"
"They were caught. Jacques is going to charge them while I'm gone. They're probably already serving their punishment now, actually. But that's hardly the point. The people don't even tolerate a pair of paladins working together to guard me. If they found out that I possessed a paladin's powers, it could seriously disrupt our power base and we're barely holding things together as it is."
"What are you trying to get at, Manon?"
The new queen took in a deep breath. "I've been... practicing. By myself and with Amorette. I have her try to squeeze things together so I can't force them apart and then I try to push my way through. You know, she's far smaller than me in most every way. But crevices I don't even consider a challenge, sometimes she can't even fit her entire arm into. I think Gael was right."
"Wouldn't surprise me."
"So, I guess what I want to know is... how do I train to use my powers without anyone knowing about what I'm doing? How do I keep it secret? And if people do somehow find out, how do I do that in a way that doesn't ruin our position?"
"Those are... heavy questions," Laudine admitted, sitting back on the bench. "I've always lived in Vasconia, so I've never had a problem being respected for what I am. You're going to face a great deal of hardship if it gets out. As for training, you're probably better off asking Lea. Let her borrow your power for a time so she can use it. See how it works. Then, she can instruct you in how to use it to your benefit. She's really good like that."
Manon nodded along. "That's not a bad idea. Amorette keeps almost breaking the things I ask her to try to push herself through to make sure normal people can't fit before I try."
"You don't regret becoming queen, do you?" Laudine asked.
Manon was quick to shake her head. "No. Not at all. I know what I'm doing is right. I just don't know if I'm doing it right." She laughed appreciatively. "My mother would be so smug if she knew how much I wanted her advice right now."
Laudine reached over and took her hand. Not to read her emotions or try to influence them with her own, but just to hold it as a friend. Manon gave her a grateful smile.
The sound of footsteps crunching on the path lifted both of their eyes as Gael approached. He gave them a smile as he climbed the steps.
"What are you two doing out here? The celebration is inside."
"I wanted a break," Laudine smiled.
"I needed to talk to Laudine," Manon shrugged.
"Shall I come back later then?" He asked, looking between them.
Manon shook her head, getting to her feet. "No. I should go inside. The entire reason I came was to see my brother married and see Nina crowned queen. I'm probably going to leave first thing in the morning, so I want to see them at least once more before I go to bed."
"You're leaving so soon?" Laudine asked, frowning.
Manon nodded. "Gascony is in a delicate state right now. Jacques and I are always busy. We rarely get to even see each other. I swear, we converse more over messages than face to face. I'd feel bad making him do so much work on his own for too long."
Gael nodded. "Then, we will wish you well and tell you that if you need anything from us, you are always free to ask."
She smiled and nodded before bidding them farewell and stepping from the gazebo.
"She'll be all right, won't she?" Laudine asked as she watched the new queen walk down the path, back towards the front of the palace.
Gael chuckled, holding out a hand to her. "I've no doubt that Manon can more than handle herself and whatever trouble she might find herself in."
Laudine smiled, letting him pull her to her feet, then placed her hand on his arm as he walked her down out of the gazebo.
"Back to the party?" She asked as the continued down the path.
"No. I think you're right. It's time for a break. Besides, I have something special I wanted to show you. I think you'll really like it."
"I do love surprises," she said, grinning excitedly. She couldn't wait to see what new, delicious torture he had thought of her for their first time back together.
They talked about nothing in particular – rehashing the ceremony, plans for the future rulers, etc – as they walked across the Royal Complex towards the lift that led to the Quicksilver District. It was a quick, lonely ride as everyone was either partying in the Royal Complex, the Pleasure District, or even just out on the streets to celebrate.
The Quicksilver District itself, however, was busy. Priests and acolytes alike rushed about meeting with the throngs of people that had come to make offerings as well as wishes for the new rulers. Still others were returning to, once again, pray for continued peace. Aside from the ones that came to pray for lost family members, those were their most popular visitors.
Gael, wearing his formal golden sash, was highly recognizable even to the people that didn't know his face and they were stopped multiple times by the joyful and the faithful. Gael was patient and happy to talk to each person. He didn't wear the sash of his rank often, so when he did, he didn't begrudge the people being eager to speak with him.
Laudine chuckled after about the tenth such interruption and they still weren't inside the main chamber of the Sacellum yet.
"You're very popular," she said, smiling up at him.
He said nothing, but she felt the strange tension clutch in his chest. It wasn't at all dissimilar to the tension Nina and Manon both felt about becoming queen. She cocked her head curiously, looking at him in surprise.
"That's a real concern of yours, isn't it?" She asked, surprised.
He didn't pretend to not know what she was talking about. Instead, he held his head high. "Is that so strange? To worry about how well I'm doing?"
"You never seemed to be worried about it before."
Gael hesitated before letting out a soft breath as they walked through the wide open doors of the main chamber of the Sacellum. "Master Eneas was still so young when he died. I wasn't nearly ready to take his place. I tried to get one of the older priests to take on the role, but none of them would hear of it. They insisted that Master Eneas chose me for a reason and that, therefore, I was the only one who could succeed him, no matter how young or unprepared I felt."
"I know why Master Eneas chose you," she said, smiling confidently.
She rested her head down on his shoulder, holding her tongue until they passed those who were focused in quiet prayer and contemplation and were instead walking through the labyrinth of halls that surrounded the main chamber.
"Master Eneas chose you because you're well acquainted with what it feels like to suffer. You know what it's like to be tortured in your heart and mind and body. You can meet those who have suffered similarly not just with sympathy, but with true empathy. You're young, but your years are heavy and they've left their scars, not just on your skin."
Gael smiled at her as he took her down the familiar halls that all looked the same to anyone who was unaccustomed to walking them. They were heading back to their rooms. And the closer they got, the further they became from people.
And the further other people became, the more Laudine relaxed. Not to say that she wasn't enjoying their happiness, but such a high energy emotion, especially when it wasn't naturally hers, was draining on the energy.
To her surprise, Gael didn't take her to their door when it came into view. Instead, he walked just a bit past it to a different door that lined the hallway. It led to a room that she had never been in. Though, to be fair but despite being raised here, she hadn't gone into most of these rooms where the Sacellum Master made his home. The Sacellum was massive and exploring it a challenge due to its labyrinthine nature.
Gael gave her a quick smile before he turned the latch and pushed it open.
Beyond the door, the large room that greeted her wasn't all that dissimilar from the room she had shared with her sister paladins growing up. A circular common area that was ringed by doors that, she could see through, all opened into different bedrooms – four in total. It was the décor and furniture of the central room that caught her attention. Because it was clearly-
"A nursery?" She asked, looking to Gael.
He offered her a soft smile. "For when we start our family. It took some time to get all these rooms cleared out since Master Eneas never used them and, though the master before him had three children, they were all adults and long moved into their own homes by the time he retired. So, I've had the acolytes cleaning and repairing and modernizing everything in here for the last week."
"Oh, Gael," Laudine beamed up at him. "Thank you. It's not at all the surprise I was anticipating, but I love it all the same."
He chuckled, pulling her into the room, allowing the door to shut behind her as he showed her the old crib that had been passed down through generations of priests that made their families in the church and the new toys that had all been bought recently to decorate the space. The colorful and large rug spread out under their feet had been pulled out of storage somewhere, but the bright and cheerful paintings on the wall were all new. A small door in the back led to a hallway that let out into a private garden that, while not as big as their garden, was filled with more toys and room for children to play.
"What do you think?" Gael asked when they stepped back inside.
"I think," she beamed, "it's perfect. Four children?"
"Well, some can double up if you want more," he chuckled. "Or we can move them into more private rooms as they grow up. But even if you only desire one, that just means we can turn the other rooms into school rooms or play rooms or whatever we like."
"There hasn't been children living in the Sacellum since me and my sisters," she said, walking across the rug to lay her hand on the side of the old cradle. After so many years, the wood was darkened and smooth, but it was still beautifully carved and well maintained. It rocked without issue when she added a little pressure to the side.
She heard him walk up behind her and she rested her head back, enjoying the strength of his presence and the fullness of his heart at showing her the nursery he had restored for them.
"Gael?"
"Yes, my sweet?"
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Ask it."
She turned, looking up at him with a surprisingly serious face. "As the Sacellum Master, can you retire me from my vows?"
His brows lifted. "You want to relinquish your title as a paladin?"
She nodded. Seeing Nina retired today had only confirmed the desire that she had felt welling up inside her for weeks. Something she had been afraid to say. Afraid to ask for, but something that she desperately wanted.
Usually, during times of peace, there was only ever a single paladin. Maybe two. It was well documented that paladin numbers only reached this high if the Lord knew that troubled times were coming and the people needed to be prepared.
When the number of paladins of this generation had risen to nine, even if the people were only aware of eight, everyone knew that it was a bad omen.
Well, troubled times had come, and they had passed.
Another paladin had been found – Manon – but she was now devoted to another kingdom. She was bringing home Nina's adopted sisters that had come up from the Aqua Isles to see her married. The three were originally from Gascony anyway and, from what Laudine gathered, they were going to serve as Manon's lady's maids.
The number of paladins in Gascony grew, but they were shrinking in Vasconia.
Amorette had sworn herself to the princess, not the king, and so had followed her into Gascony. Lea and Felicie were married to a foreign general and ambassador respectively and Laudine easily imagined them settling in those foreign countries. And where Felicie went, Addie was sure to follow. And now, today, Nina retired her paladin's vows to take on the mantle of queen.
Seeing her do so had settled something in Laudine's heart and she knew that she couldn't deny what she wanted. The number of paladins was dwindling, and she wanted to add her herself to that number.
She was getting better every day. She felt stronger with each sunrise. But her heart still felt so incredibly fragile at times. Like a piece of iron that had been stretched and strained, she knew that one more twist would cause her to snap. She had taken on too much during the invasion of Gascony and, though she knew it was necessary so that she could reach not only King Cyrille but Queen Sabine, the toll it took on her was a heavy one.
"I just want to rest," she confessed, leaning against Gael, finding her own body just a bit too heavy to hold.
"You don't want to be the lady of the Sacellum any longer?"
"No, I do." She smiled reassuringly. "I just don't want to be a paladin anymore. Can you say, Master, that I haven't given everything to fulfill my vows? Do you, as the speaker of the Lord, see any more use for me in the years to come that will need my sword? Or have I done my duty? Am I permitted to rest at last?"
Gael's arms lifted and wrapped around her, holding her close. "If it were up to me, I would have retired you a long time ago, Laudine. The moment I pulled you from Petrus Landebert. Even then, you had already given enough."
"It is up to you though," she chuckled, her hands tightening in his robes. "I'll keep serving if you ask it of me, but..."
He kissed the top of her head. "No. You're done. Lady Paladin Laudine Melanie, as the Sacellum Master, I hereby retire you from your vows as a paladin."
She let out a shuddering breath as she near collapsed against him. With those simple words, it felt like a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"Rest, my sweet," Gael whispered, clutching her close. "Think of nothing but yourself for now. When we marry, you can take on the role of Sacellum lady, but until that day comes, take care of yourself and let your heart heal."
She leaned her head back, smiling up at him. "Being your lady won't be a chore, Gael. It's exactly what I want to do. I'll gladly take on those tasks at any time. Just as long as I don't need to see more than a single person at a time, I can bear their burden."
"Not yet. Not until you're ready." He stepped back, holding her hands to his chest. "And not until we're formally married."
"When will that be?"
"Such impatience," he chided playfully. "Not for a few months. It's a big affair. There's a lot of planning to do. And I want to let the people enjoy their new king and queen for a time first before I give them something else to celebrate."
"The city is full of such hope. Can you feel it?"
"I feel little else these days." He turned to the door, pulling on her hand, tugging her after him with a gentle insistence. "There's still a lot of work to do. Erec and Manon certainly have their work cut out for them. And I'm sure, as the Sacellum Master, I'm going to have to do my fair share as well. But the peace we've desired is here. Things are settling down."
Laudine beamed in agreement as they crossed the short walk back to their room. He opened the door and allowed her through first. He followed and locked the door behind him. She didn't miss the action, giving him a tempting look at he crossed his arms over his chest.
The moment the lock had thrown, the change that came over his face was as immediate as it was thrilling. The serene smile turned into a dark smirk, the bright cheer in his eyes turned into a twisted glee. He wasn't facing her as the Sacellum Master.
He was just her Master now.
"How are you feeling, my pet?" He asked carefully, not yet taking a step towards her. Still making sure he didn't push before she was ready.
How she adored him.
Instead of a verbal response, she instead reached back and began pulling apart the buttons that ran up her back. Even if he didn't realize what she was doing immediately, it became obvious when the bodice of her dress began to loosen.
He allowed her to get halfway down her back before-
"Stop."
Her fingers stilled obediently and he smirked.
"Hands down."
She knew what would happen, but she didn't hesitate to do as ordered. Predictably, the moment her arms fell by her side, her bodice fell exposing her breasts, the shoulders slipping down to her elbows and trapping her arms in place.
Gael finally walked forward.
Stalked forward.
His eyes ran over her appreciatively as he slowly moved around her. Staring from all angles. Her skin tingled from his perusal and she knew that her skin had broken out into one of her blushes again.
He circled her once before stopping behind her. Then, gently, he began pulling at the pins that were keeping her hair off her neck. He was careful to make sure that his fingers never touched hers and she only felt the tugging of her hair. When he freed the first pin, she shivered from a light scratch as he deliberately dragged the sharper end down her exposed back. They weren't sharp enough to cut her skin, but they were just sharp enough to dig into the sensitive flesh.
He did it again. And again. She trembled under that single touch, the heat in her belly growing with each red mark that she could feel appearing down her back. He wasn't making random lines, but she couldn't tell what he was inscribing into her flesh with the soft, light scratches.
His name.
A reminder that she was his. And he didn't mind that the red marks would disappear in a matter of hours. He was already eager to reapply them. Again and again.
That done, he tossed the pins aside. The clattering of their tiny metal bodies against the rug and stone made her shiver.
Her hair unbound, Gael gathered it into his hands and twisted the strands into a rope that he curled around her neck and tightened just enough to make it difficult to breathe before he leaned over and licked along the marks he had left on her back.
She missed this so much. The control in his steady hands. The flash of pain followed by a long, slow pleasure. The strange high of being just on the verge of choking and trusting completely that he would never actually push her over that edge.
Gael kissed his way back up her spine after he finished lavishing attentions on the bright red marks and sucked gently on the back of her neck before continuing up to nibble with tiny, pinching bites on her ear.
"Still so obedient for me," he praised, sending chills of relief up her skin. "Don't move without my permission, understand?"
She made a soft sound of agreement in her throat, not even moving her lips to form a proper response. He chuckled, biting her shoulder playfully in approval.
With that done, he finally released her hair and instead turned his attention to the last of the buttons. He pulled them free slowly, exposing more of her back as he continued downward. He sank to one knee as he followed his fingers, kissing down her back, until he had the last button undone and he could slide the dress off of her shoulders.
He wasn't nearly so patient with her delicate, lacy underthings. Those pure white garments he took in hand and ripped away from her body with a sharp jerk. She whimpered in her throat from the rush of desire that sudden action brought, but she remained still.
Gael threw away the tattered remains of her clothes, leaving her in only her stockings and heeled boots before him. He kissed his way down her rounded rump, down her thighs, to the back of her knee, then switched legs and kissed back up again the same way.
As he rose, he dug his nails into her sides and dragged them up her body. Leaving more red scratches over pale skin that burned and made muscles clench with the urge to squirm.
She held true and strong right until the moment his fingers suddenly grabbed her nipples, pinched, and twisted. A harsh yell left her mouth as she jerked back reflexively from the harsh touch even as her body heated further with yearning.
Her jerking was followed with a swift smack to her behind.
"Naughty girl. You moved," he chastised.
"Forgive me, master," she panted, shaking. The harder she tried to stop shaking, the worse the tremors became.
He laughed at her struggle as he stepped away. She whimpered, missing him as she heard him walking behind her. She couldn't see what he was doing without violating his order to remain still, so she tried to follow him with her ears.
She heard the shuffle of clothing. Something knocked lightly against something else. The rustle of the bedding as it was pulled back. The groan of the metal headboard as pressure was applied. Something fabric dropped to the floor.
"Close your eyes," he ordered.
She did so.
"Now turn and follow my voice. Walk this way."
She knew this room well, but it was still an exercise in trust to walk forward, following his instructions as he beckoned her closer. Her hand reached out for him without permission, and for her disobedience she earned another smack against her bottom.
"Perhaps I let you remain untouched for too long," he growled in her ear. "You've forgotten how to be a good girl."
"I'm sorry, master," she whispered, shaking with desire and an eagerness to prove herself. "I'll do better. I promise."
"I know you will."
He kissed her sweetly on the cheek before familiar a familiar silk noose tightened around her wrist. He grabbed the other and tied it similarly before pulling her forward and pushing her, face down, over the bed.
"But you still disobeyed," he said, clicking his tongue as though he was disappointed, though she could hear and feel the barely leashed excitement in his voice. "That deserves punishment. Here, open your mouth. Bite down on this."
She parted her mouth to allow him push something fabric that smelled like him between her teeth. She dug her teeth hard into the fabric, knowing what was coming even before the first blow landed like a thunderstrike against her backside.
She keened loudly around the cloth gag, but she remained perfectly still. Even when the second and third smack fell, she didn't move. However, when the fourth began to overlap with over sensitized skin, she couldn't stop herself from flinching as she whimpered and cried. But those actions weren't punished further as they were involuntary.
Instead, Gael laughed. Pleased by her determination to remain unmoving and the growing arousal that he could feel through the hand he kept on her lower back, monitoring her as he continued his deliciously painful punishment.
Laudine lost track of how many spanks she earned. She knew only that her backside was afire with a heat that grew with each blow. Gael didn't stop until the first tear fell, unbidden, from the corner of her eye. The pain too much to contain.
The next time his palm landed against her abused flesh, it was a gentle caress. A loving touch. He soothed the pain with as much tenderness and love as he had caused it.
He moved his hand from her back, both of them rubbing the globes of her bottom as she felt him kneel behind her. He kissed one cheek, then the other.
"My good girl," he said so sweetly. "So eager to remain still for me, even when it's impossible. I'm so pleased with you, my precious."
The praise warmed her heart more than the spanks heated her body. She whimpered into the gag because she couldn't speak in an effort to convey her happiness that she knew he was feeling through their touch.
But he wasn't done yet. After the punishment came the reward for a punishment well suffered. He kissed her again, between her thighs this time. She keened, her body flinching once more, but she remembered to keep herself otherwise still as he pleasured her with lips and tongue.
Already primed and eager, it took almost no time for her orgasm to crest. She flinched again, her cries muffled but still somehow loud, but she didn't move and the warmth of his approval was as much of a balm as his caressing hands.
"Good, good girl," he praised, getting to his feet. Kissing along her back now. Covering her body with his own. He must have undressed as her back was turned because she was treated to the immediate hardness of his nude flesh.
His arms wrapped around her waist and he thrust her up onto the bed. She fell onto her side, unable to catch herself with her arms bound. He grabbed her legs and forced them apart, finishing her roll onto her back, before climbing over her.
"Open your eyes. Look at me."
She didn't hesitate to obey, eager to see him. To see the love and approval shining in his beautiful, green eyes. He was searching her expression, making sure that she hadn't been pushed too far. She couldn't smile around the gag, but her eyes crinkled with joy.
He chuckled, pulling the fabric – his sash, she saw – from her mouth. He tossed it away even as he was claiming her mouth in a deep, sloppy kiss. She lowered her bound arms, sliding them over his head so she could hold him back.
He didn't punish her for the movement this time. Too focused on their kiss, on the joy of their bodies pressed together again, on the fire of their desire as it burned ever higher. Echoing within each other in a way that he knew no other would be able to enjoy.
"Your pleasure, your pain," he whispered in her mouth. "I want it all. I want everything. I want all of you, my sweet Laudine."
"You have it," she promised, only able to slide one hand into his hair with them tied as they were, but needing to touch him in any small way she could.
Gael grabbed her thighs and pushed her further up the bed, making room for both of them as he continued to plant kisses along her face, her jaw, down her neck. Adoring and worshiping her skin, his heart aching with love.
How he had missed her. How he had missed this.
Not just making love. Not just their fun bed play. But the freedom of being able to do it without bearing the weight of her emotional trauma or releasing his own back to her while they did it. This wasn't about a desperately needed release from overpowering emotions. This wasn't about trying to find some sense of stability in a forest of insanity and pain.
For the first time in too long, this moment was just about them. Her desire, his power, her surrender, his lust, their pleasure, their pain, their hearts racing together in a singular beat as they exchanged breaths and heat and need.
He pushed into her body and it was like coming home at long last. The tension and unease he had been carrying over her condition burned away in the heat of her sheath clasping around his member as her voice sang its song of ecstasy and relief.
She was back again. She was his again.
And now, nothing could tear them apart anymore.
He would have to update her entry in the Holy Record as soon as possible, to mark for all time that she had been retired from her vows. Then, no one would ever again be able to force her again to overload her heart.
The only pains she need bear were the ones he gave her. The only torments they need take was the ones freely and lovingly exchanged between them.
He reached behind his head to grab the silk ties holding her wrists together and ripped them free from her, allowing her freedom of movement. Freedom to touch him as he touched her even as he frantically claimed her body.
"I love you," he said into their kiss, desperately chasing their peak. He kept saying it again and again, like a sacred mantra that infused his entire being with meaning and purpose.
He wasn't sure who reached their climax first. It could have been either of them or both of them at the same time. But with their hearts so freely exposed to each other through her power, it immediately became a climax they both shared. Crying out. Her back arching up into him, every muscle in his body tightening in response.
He remained hovering over her for a long minute until his shaking limbs could take it no longer and he collapsed beside her. He had only enough strength to gather her up against his chest and hold her there, petting her hair and whispering sweet nothings in her ear.
All the while, she told him how much she loved him in return. She kissed along his chest as her fingers played along his abdomen, tracing scars that she knew by heart. She might not know the exact story behind each one, but she loved each and every one of them all the same.
They laid there together until their breathing had returned to normal. The sun was still shining outside, the air filled with birdsong and the distant cheering and excitement of the people as they celebrated the rising of their new queen.
Laudine lifted her eyes and smiled up at Gael.
"Thank you," she said gently, surprising him.
"For what?" He asked, running his fingers gently along her arm.
"For saving me. I don't just mean all through the invasion, though. I mean, thank you for everything you did for me then as well, of course. But I mean, thank you for coming for me. When I was lost in my insanity in Petrus Landebert. Thank you for freeing me from that. Thank you for bringing me home. Thank you for everything."
Gael looked surprised by her words but, after a second, his expression softened and he gathered her into his arms, holding her close.
"I'm the one who should be thanking you. For forcing me to confront every wicked thought in my head. For purging them from me. For trusting me so absolutely and completely. For every smile that doesn't hurt to force on my face. For the laughter I don't have to force. Thank you for making me a better man in every way."
She chuckled, snuggling into him. "It's like our broken pieces were made to fit beside each other just right."
"If I had to suffer to make myself strong enough to help you, then it was a pain I bear willingly." He kissed her softly, raising himself over her. "I swear to you, Laudine, I will never abuse or misuse your trust. I will never give you cause to think that the pain I cause you comes from any place less than absolute adoration. I love you. So much."
She beamed, basking in the truth of his love as it rang through his heart like the purest light, the sweetest song, the truest fact.
Her insanity and his pain meeting each other and healing one another. Forming something new and beautiful and wonderful.
"I love you, too," she said, holding him tight. Returning everything he gave her. Burning away the last, lingering darkness in his heart with her own love.
Because the pain was over, and there might still be some healing to do, but the future was promising and, together, they would never need face the pain alone again.