Where It All Began
"That was the last. We're done."
Manon's gentle reassurance came with a firm massage from her hands along her husband's stiff shoulders. He had tossed himself down onto the settee with a groan, one hand loosening the collar of his shirt, the other tossing away his circlet.
It had been a long day. The last of a series of long days. Trial after trial taking place with them presiding over each and every one. They had both agreed that the matter of treason warranted more attention from them. They also wanted the accused, and indeed all of the city, to know that they were taking this matter seriously.
Everyone was so assured of the promise of death for the part that they had played, their mercy had been a shock for every person who came under their judgment.
And with each man surprised, another mind was changed. Maybe not their mind specifically, but perhaps a loved one. Or a spectator who simply wanted to see how they handled such an unprecedented and potentially disastrous situation.
Emilien had argued that blanket forgiveness might seem weak.
Manon had argued that blanket forgiveness wasn't what was happening. They were all still going to be punished in accordance with the severity of their crime, they were just choosing to not execute everyone in mass.
Those that breached the courtyard but not the palace received the lightest sentence. Some hard labor in service to the city and no more. Those that invaded the castle but hurt no one, they received light prison sentences as well as hard labor.
Those harmed palace staff and guards received years in prison. Those who could be identified as a killer got the worst. Emphasis was put on the harm that they had done to their fellow Gasconites at their trial.
The harshest sentences were reserved for the leaders. Those men were forced, under threat of death or lifelong imprisonment, to confess the lies they told. Manon and Jacques were well aware of what they were, but had deliberately left it up to them which lies they wanted to confess. They were all admitted in front of regular members of the traditionalists, though none of the leaders were allowed to confess at the same time. That way, each leader confessed to different lies, but all confirmed multiple times over that they were all indeed the same lies.
For Manon and Jacques, it had been exhausting and repetitive and the temptation to just oversee one, big, mass trial kept rearing its ugly head.
But the reward for their patience and diligence was multiple minds changed. Multiple men being granted lighter sentences. Even some outright apologies from those who saw how they were lied to and manipulated and the taste left was so bitter in their mouths that the only thing that could remove it was the harsh tang of humility and confession.
For every man, almost without fail, it came out during their trial that their reason for doing what they did was a genuine belief that Manon was out to destroy their country. That they were going to be rescuing poor Queen Sabine, who had been betrayed by a son too young for his throne, who had been ensorcelled by a pretty face.
That narrative was so set in their heads, seeing Manon, who couldn't claim to be any great beauty, being the one to offer them mercy while Jacques looked on, fully prepared and ready to condemn them all to death, was a shock. Some were so deep in denial they refused to try to see honesty and truth, claiming it all more acts and lies.
But most of them were reasonable, understanding people who accepted what they bore witness to with their very eyes for what it was. Some were grateful for their lightened sentence to the point of even thanking them.
Almost all of them asked what happened to Queen Sabine.
They were told that she was being kept safe in a secret location to protect her from Firmin Didier's obsession. And obsession that they confessed fully and completely to their people, sparing no details and keeping no secrets.
Everyone already knew that Jacques was a bastard. They had told them all as much before taking the thrones. However, by his request, they had kept his parentage secret. Mostly because he didn't want to have anything to do with the man. Anyone who looked at the two together would immediately know, but he wanted his only father to be King Robert and that was the end of the conversation as far as either of them were concerned.
But they realized as the trials started that such thinking was naïve. The people needed to know why he was dangerous and untrustworthy.
Jacques had been the one to tell them. Only he could do so. Detailing his mother's rape so many times to so many people had been draining on him in a way he would never let his people see. But it was over now and he could finally release that burden.
And Manon stood behind the settee, massaging his shoulders gently, telling him how proud of him she was and celebrating the good they had both done. Though it might not seem right to tell everyone a rape victim's story without her knowledge or approval, Sabine was in no position to give either and it was the best way to protect her.
Jacques held up his hand. Manon took it and let him pull her around to sit on his lap. He hummed contentedly, embracing her tightly as he rested his head down on her chest. She smiled, running her fingers through his hair.
"It's late, my king. Why don't we seek our bed?"
"Just a bit longer," he mumbled, squeezing her. His eyes not even opening.
Manon smiled indulgently, holding him close, kissing his head, stroking his neck. Though she was on his lap, there was no doubt that she was the one holding him.
She didn't know how long they sat there. Both of them had agreed that, for the sake of their own sanity, they wouldn't do anything for the rest of the day. There was no end of tasks for them needing to be completed to get the city back in order, to ease anger and tension that had cropped up between their own citizens, and to reestablish their power.
But that could all wait until tomorrow.
It had been a long week and, for just a bit longer, they needed each other.
When Jacques finally lifted his head, he looked fatigued. There were dark bags under his eyes that hadn't been there before and the weight of everything they had been dealing with was written clearly in the lines of his face.
But it was cut with desire that helped alleviate the burden. Because loving her was never included in that list of hardships.
Sometimes, Manon was the only reason he got through a day. Sometimes, she was the only thing that made it all worth it.
And maybe that was selfish for a king, but he needed something selfish, something only for him, to motivate him.
The love of his queen was enough.
"Have you heard back from Erec?" He asked, surprising her with the seemingly random change of topic.
"He's only waiting for our word on a date and he'll organize everything,"
"Give it."
She cocked her head curiously. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." His grip tightened on her hips, surprising her when he suddenly stood with her, turning them towards their bedroom. "I'm ready to have you only to myself for a time. I'm ready to start living this peace we've been granting to our people."
"Jacques..." She whispered, stroking his neck.
There was still a lot to do. It seemed the list would never end.
But he was no longer willing to put off living his life. Firmin was gone, but his power base was dismantled, his lies were no longer secret, and the bounty on his head was high enough to tempt even the richest noble into handing him over.
He was going to live and love freely, and no longer was he going to let his past or responsibility or guilt hold him back.
And it started now, as he made love to his wife. Telling her again and again how much he loved her as their bodies joined, achingly tender and lovingly desperate.
~~~~~~
The last time she left Ambraude, Manon had been alone. Guilt ridden because she had been leaving Jacques to deal with the mountain of work that had to be done and going off to enjoy herself, while at the same time, secretly relieved to get away for a little while.
This time, as she boarded the royal airship, there was still a sense of relief that she was going to be getting away, but it wasn't accompanied with the guilt. Because this didn't feel like an escape. And she wasn't going alone.
Jacques boarded at her side, both of them eagerly discussing the delicacies of Petrus Landebert and wondering how different the city must be now to how it had been. Jacques hadn't been through the phantom city since it was abandoned, but Manon had and she described it to him.
Admittedly, her experience with the stone valley had all been tainted by Laudine's destructive presence there. But the empathic paladin wouldn't even be there this time. There would be nothing to distract from the beauty of the revived city.
And she was eager to share it with Jacques. To return to a place she remembered from her childhood with surprisingly strong memories.
Before the mountain town had ever been an abandoned monument to a single night of death and destruction, it had been the meeting place of kings and queens that had come together to affirm their close relationship and celebrate each other. A place of families. Of peace.
And now, it would be that again.
"I don't have many memories of that place," Jacques admitted as the two of them got comfortable in their cabin as the ship prepared to liftoff. "And what I do remember is mostly of my room. I spent all of my time there. Mother never really let me play with you or Erec. Or really go out at all. Like the entire world was a danger to me."
"More to my benefit," she grinned at him. "Our marriage would be considerably more awkward if I had to reconcile the fact that I felt like you were my cousin."
"I would love you anyway," Jacques promised, grinning at her as he performed a gallant, overly precise bow.
Manon laughed and tossed a pillow from the sofa at him. He caught it and bestowed a kiss on the embroidered fabric as though it were a wonderful gift straight from her heart.
As he was setting it gently back in place, she watched his face. He caught her staring, a grin forming as he stood up straight in front of her.
"What?"
"Are you sure you're all right with this?"
He frowned, looking out the window as the ship lifted off. It wasn't too late to put them down. They could be halfway to Petrus Landebert and it still wouldn't be too late to turn around.
But...
"We can't spend the rest of our lives in that palace. Our country exists beyond those walls. And I won't let them lock us up in fear. Besides, things have calmed down. As exhausting as they were, you were right about the trials." He gave her a tired grin. "Apparently, all they needed was the chance to prove themselves to be fools. Even Gosse has reported how quiet the traditionalists have become in light of the truth they've learned."
Manon nodded along. "I don't see them trying again. Not after such a big failure. But I wasn't talking about the traditionalists."
He looked at her curiously. "Then, what?"
"Are you really okay going back?" She asked gently. "It was a bad night for all of us. But you lost your father there. If you're just returning because you think you have to, if you don't really want to go..."
Jacques smiled as she trailed off delicately. Wanting to make sure that he knew it was okay to not do this, but not wanting to poke at a wound.
In the wake of the war, the queen's insanity, the family torn apart, and Laudine's resultant madness, it was easy to overlook that a young boy had also lost his father.
Manon had been so focused on the symbolism of her and her brother returning to that city to take over where their father and uncle had been forced to leave off, even she had forgotten that. A new beginning for their people and a return to the brotherhood their countries had always enjoyed.
She had only remembered this morning, almost too late, as she watched the ship being loaded. This must be so hard for him. Jacques hadn't said a word about it though, and that's exactly what made her become so worried. She knew he wouldn't say anything if he thought that going was for the greater good of his people.
But she didn't want him to hurt himself like that for them. And even if he did feel the need to face the place where his father had died, she didn't want him to have to do it before he was ready. Not even for the good of the country.
"Ah, my love." He took her hand brought it to his lips as he sat down beside her. She curled into his side, but kept her eyes on his face, searching for some hint that he wasn't feeling as confident about this as he made himself out to be.
"Erec will understand if we have to postpone," she said on a whisper. "No one has to know the real reason. And no one would even question the change of heart if we say that we didn't feel it wise to leave the capital so soon after the attack."
"It's been two weeks," he said, grinning.
"Almost no time at all, considering."
Jacques brought her forward and kissed her forehead before resting her head against his chest, leaning them both back into the seat, looking out of the window as they passed over their city. For the first time in a while, nothing was burning. The streets weren't packed with screaming, angry crowds. It didn't look like it had nearly been overrun just two weeks ago.
Though he hadn't liked it, they had left Emilien behind. He was one of the only people they could trust to rule in their absence. They knew if someone tried to take advantage of their absence, as unlikely as that seemed, he would handle it appropriately.
Ambraude was in good hands, and it wasn't like they were leaving Gascony. Petrus Landebert was still connected to the country. Even as they spent time with their family, they would still be working. It was no different, really, from what they did in the capital.
Logistically, there was nothing wrong with their trip. But Manon was still looking at him, concerned and caring.
"Thank you, my love." He stroked her cheek gently. "But I'm fine."
"You're not pushing yourself?"
He shook his head. "Strangely, I want it."
"Jacques, you don't have to pretend."
"No. Really." He laughed, the sound bright and unburdened. "As hard as everything else was, this is actually the easiest thing you could have asked from me."
"You're not worried that being there will be too much?"
"Not at all." He looked her straight in the eye, sincerity written across his face. "This is something I know my father would have approved of. This is something I know he would want. Not just for peace for our people, but for peace between our family. He would have been hurt to learn that an entire city was abandoned because of him. Knowing that we were bringing life and light back to that place is exactly what he would want. And it's what I want."
Manon watched him carefully for only a moment more before the tension in her shoulders eased. She smiled as she relaxed against him.
"You know, you're exactly right."
The two of them fell silent as they watched their now peaceful, healing city pass by outside of their window as they flew off to face both their past and their future.
~~~~~~
Petrus Landebert was a city carved from stone. Situated in a deep valley within the barrier mountains, surrounded by mountain peaks so tall they couldn't be crested by ordinary airships, it only had two entrances. Two identical tunnels on either end that had been carved long ago, before Vasconia had ever been populated. They were wide enough to accommodate two wagons riding abreast and were carved high enough to not make travelers feel they were being crushed, but were not anywhere near big enough to accommodate any but the smallest of ships. And even a single ship crashing through the tunnels would completely block the tunnel and, overall, would serve no purpose but to be an unnecessary danger.
So, the royal airship was instead parked on the docks outside of the tall tunnel entrance. Docks that had been completely replaced or repaired after being abandoned for nearly a decade.
Manon and Jacques were then transferred to a wagon that drove them down the tunnel with a gentle rumble of its engine. Manon couldn't help but think of the last time she was in a wagon like this as they passed under the lights hanging off the stone walls.
"Excited, my dear?" Jacques asked, holding her hand on the seat between them.
"I am," she admitted, beaming, as she looked ahead past the driver.
He chuckled, bringing up her hand to kiss it.
Manon didn't look away from the far brightness that was the exit of the tunnel. Beyond, somewhere in the stone city, her brother was waiting.
There was a good chance she never going to see her father again. By choice, he had retired to the Aqua Isles to get away from the chaos and destruction he had helped sow. He wouldn't return and, unless Manon could leave her country for weeks, months, to go to the far south, she wouldn't be able to visit to him.
Her brother was all she had left, and he was just beyond the circle of light.
It had only been a few months since she had last seen him, but after everything that had happened, it felt like years. And she knew it would be at least another year before she would get to see him again. It made this moment that much more special.
The light was blinding as it washed over them. And for a second, Manon remembered the abandoned stone city, so quiet and haunted, she had experienced before. Homes left empty, some with their belongings still rotting within. The castle gates rusted. The entire valley dim and quiet. As though even the birds were afraid to sing in that ghostly town.
Then, her eyes adjusted and she gasped with a smile.
It was the same city underneath. The foundation as unchanging and stable as the mountains that created the walls from which everything was carved or built. The river still ran through the middle, crossed by multiple stone bridges.
But the lifeless gray was now superimposed with colors. The colors of life. Of vitality and beauty. The music of commotion. The movement of revival.
There were ribbons and rugs and flags and drapes. All hanging over the sides of buildings, placed upon flat roofs, strung across buildings. Bright points of color that shifted with the breeze. All of that paling in comparison to the mass of motion that was the people. All of them wearing similarly bright colors, the most popular of which was-
"Purple," Jacques breathed in amazement as the wagon came to a halt just outside of the tunnel on a tall balcony connected to a high stone staircase. The vantage point gave them a view only paralleled by the twin balcony across the valley. And it allowed them to see the very clear and deliberate support for their rule from the citizens below.
After so long dealing with dissenters and hatred and displeasure, it was like being awash in warm sunlight after too long in the cold to be greeted with so much joy and support.
They two of them stepped off the wagon, Jacques first then Manon, holding his hand, as the vehicle couldn't take them any further. They would have to descend the stairs to another wagon which was already waiting below, it's engine cheerfully spitting out puffs of steam as it waited.
All the while, the gathered workers and soldiers and citizens on the balcony cheered for them. The soldiers were Vasconian - though they were quickly joined by their own royal guard and entourage - and they bowed to their princess with smiles on their faces.
Amongst the citizenry, to Manon's surprise, were purple clad nobility that she recognized as those she had recently given titles and power. They were greeting both of them with wide smiles. Very much citizens of Gascony, but here in a Vasconian controlled city.
Jacques took her hand and squeezed it gently, smiling at her. "Your brother awaits, my dear."
She nodded once, beaming, unable to contain her joy as he led her down the long steps. Both of them waved to those that had gathered on either side of the steps to watch them pass. Vasconian citizens come to see their princess and her husband, Gasconites come to see their king and queen. So many of them wearing purple. All of them smiling.
Manon was so happy, she almost floated down to the next wagon. Jacques helped her inside and the two of them laughed as they drove through the city. Waving once more to people that had packed the streets to watch their parade.
Most of those here were Vasconian. Former residents of the town, invited back when Erec had begun his efforts to restore it. But she saw more than a few women wearing coats – either their husband's or their father's – and a lot of men wearing purple vests in support of the loyalists, in support of their king and queen.
And while she had never really lost her hope that she would see something like this in Ambraude, this proof that their people could, in fact, intermingle peacefully as they had before hardened a determination in her heart to make sure she saw this in Ambraude.
And when she shared a look with Jacques, she saw that same conviction in his gaze. Felt in in the way he squeezed her hand held on his lap.
"Soon," he promised, not needing to clarify himself at all.
She nodded in agreement before looking forward again.
The palace of Petrus Landebert was a massive, sprawling building carved from the side of the mountain itself. It was said that the stones harvested from the structure as it was dug out had been used as bricks in creating the city spread out below it.
The gates were no long rusted. They had been removed and replaced with new, gleaming wrought iron that was guarded by Vasconian soldiers. They saluted the wagon as it came chugging through the square and gave the order for them to open.
They swung apart easily, granting admission to them and the entourage that followed. Manon laughed with delight to see the sand and rock gardens that had been in such complete disrepair before had all been carefully restored and tended. Even now, uniformed gardeners were going about their duties, seeing to the few plants that created spots of color as well as making sure that the sand either remained smooth as glass or retained the design etched into the surface for the day.
The palace doors were open. A long rug led out, flowing down the arching steps like a river of vibrant lavender.
And at the top, waiting for them with wide smiles were the king and queen of Vasconia themselves, their arms interlocked, their heads held high, circlets gleaming on their heads. He wore a high collared shirt, concealing the scars on his neck. She wore a flowing gown that almost hid the sword she had loosely tied from her belt. She also wore his coat because she was from the Aqua Isles and, unlike Vasconia, that tradition still lived on there.
Erec and Nina.
It took everything in Manon to not come bursting out of the wagon the moment it came to a halt in front of the steps. She couldn't stop herself from bouncing in her seat however, making Jacques chuckle as he, once again, stepped down first and offered her a hand.
She also couldn't stop herself from rushing up the steps, ahead of her husband, and throwing herself into her brother's arms. He laughed, scooping her up and spinning her in a circle as Nina stepped back, laughing at them.
"Look at you!" He boomed, his voice as deep and loving as their father's had been. The sound of it made her eyes swim with a combination of joy and sorrow as he set her gently back on her feet and held her at arm's length. "Is that still my little sister in there? Since when do you wear fancy stuff like this?"
"I'm a queen, you goof," she said, pretending to adopt their mother's haughty voice as she held her head up.
"Not the only thing you are, apparently," he gave her a knowing look. "A paladin? Really?"
Manon gasped and smacked his arm. "Erec, you did not!"
"What? Like I'm removing my spies from your kingdom. Anymore than you are removing yours from mine." He cocked a brow, giving her a knowing look.
Manon scoffed, crossing her arms. "Not that. I can't believe you still have Addie working. Give the poor girl a break."
He poked her forehead, pushing her back a bit. "Shows what you know, brat. Addie retired. And I gave her my full blessing to do so. I was talking about my regular spies."
Manon beamed. "Really? Oh, I'm so glad for her. She deserves a long rest."
Erec was nodding along as Jacques caught up and offered Nina a formal bow and a friendly smile. The latter she returned, the former she met with a curtsy.
Erec, however, held out his arms and pulled Jacques into an embrace.
"And you! You look great! How have you been?"
"Busy." Jacques chuckled stepping back and smiling at him with fondness.
Erec groaned in commiseration. "Ugh, I know. I swear, father must have let mother do most of the work because I am busy all the time."
"I do my best to help," Nina said, smiling sheepishly. "Unfortunately, I'm still more of a soldier than I am a queen."
"You're perfect, my love," he chastised, taking her hand, his eyes shining as he looked at her. As they had every day since they met when he had been a boy.
"Shall we go inside?" Jacques asked, watching as their servants began bringing their belongings up the stairs so it could be taken to their room. Palace servants were already rushing out to help and guide while their guard was being greeted by the Vasconian royal guard.
"Who all came?" Manon asked as Erec and Nina led them in.
Jacques wasn't really listening to the list of names he didn't recognize as he looked around the beautiful palace. He could tell that it had been carved from the mountain itself as there wasn't a single seam in the walls or floor.
However, it wasn't dark or gloomy or cave like at all. There were a multitude of wide windows, including many that opened directly upwards, that allowed to light to reflect off of the pale gray stone that was decorated with a variety of paintings and mirrors and potted plants that really made the space seem open and welcoming.
"Took forever to get everything clean and running again," Erec was saying when Jacques tuned back into the conversation as they were walking into a sitting room that already had tea and little sandwiches set out for them.
"I can imagine after sitting empty for ten years," Manon said as they all took a seat.
"Almost ten years, and almost empty," Erec corrected as Nina leaned forward to pour the tea. "I can't imagine... Anyway, that's hardly important. What matters is that Laudine is safe, the city is being restored, and the plumbing works again! And that itself is a miracle that came with no shortage of issues, let me tell you."
And he did tell them. Making them all laugh and gasp as he regaled them with stories of how the unused and ancient plumbing had outright exploded in places, flooded a multitude of others, and made the streets run green and brown for a solid three days as all the gunk and muck was flushed out. It was nasty and hilarious in equal measure.
More than that, however, was the warmth of family that permeated the room. Months apart and only a few hours together and it felt like no time at all had passed.
"I was waiting for you to get here to tell you the good news," Erec said some time later.
He shared a look with Nina who smiled and covered her belly. Manon gasped then squealed with excitement.
"No! You, too?!"
"Too?" Erec repeated, his joyful face dropping as he looked at his sister with a combination of revulsion and dismay. "My little sister is not allowed to be pregnant!"
Manon and Nina were ignoring him as the two of them eagerly talked about their excitement and their hopes for an easy pregnancy and smooth labor. Both of them beaming, practically glowing, as they ignored Erec's disgust at knowing his sister had sex.
Jacques chuckled, clapping his shoulder. "Congratulations on your heir."
"Couldn't you two have just lied to me and told me after it was born that you found it in the back garden or something?" He moaned unhappily.
Jacques laughed which, in turn, set Erec off. The Vasconian king put an arm around his shoulder as they looked across the couches at the two women who were now swapping stories of their mothers' labor and wondering if theirs would be the same.
"Our children must be the best of friends," he said, giving Jacques a look. "I'm thinking I should have two. As my father before me. You must have at least the same. That way, they can all grow up playing together here."
Jacques nodded along, lowering his arm. "It is a good plan for ensuring that the peace between us lasts."
"That, too." Erec inclined his head, smiling at his sister. "But I meant more specifically for our family. I don't want to lose anyone else. I don't want us driven apart. I want to know that this palace will be waiting for us. Our summer retreat. Once a year. A place where our family is assured of its love and longevity."
Jacques focused back on Manon. On the happiness in her face. A relief of the tension that he had become so used to seeing, he hadn't even realized how long it had been there. For weeks. Probably since they had taken the throne.
This was exactly how he wanted his queen to be. Always smiling. Always glowing with pleasure. He wanted her to wake each day, eager to live her life. Knowing that she had a place of safety and acceptance in his kingdom.
"Hopefully, my people cooperate with that plan," he said, unsure if he was responding to Erec or his own inner thoughts.
Erec gave him a cautious look. "I heard about what happened at the palace. What nearly happened. I about lost my head worrying."
"You could have done nothing to help us. Not without worsening things."
"I know." Erec's hand tightened on the arm of the sofa. "My sister once risked everything to save me. And if you think I would not do the same, then you clearly don't understand the bond between siblings."
"Manon knows I would have us retreat to Vasconia and leave Gascony to crumble in the ensuing power vacuum before I let her get hurt."
"And you would be welcomed," Erec promised, his voice hard. "If you need to take my sister and escape, do so. Do not hesitate. You both will always be welcome in my kingdom. If Gasconites are so determined to burn, I say let them."
Jacques knew he had a similarly severe expression on his face. It was a sentiment that he very much shared with the foreign king. Nothing and no one was going to hurt his wife and unborn child. No matter what he had to give up to make sure they were safe.
But before he could articulate any of that, a small slice of cucumber came flying across the table and smacked Erec right in the forehead before sliding down to his lap. Both of them turned to see that the ladies had ceased their excited chatter and were instead giving them doleful looks. Manon was delicately wiping cucumber juice from her fingers.
"There were be no abandoned anything," she said firmly. "We're going to do this. We will be successful. I guarantee it."
Erec quickly fixed a smile in place for them. "I had no doubts. But it never hurts to have an escape plan, you know. In fact, I was just about to offer to show Jacques all the updates to palace security, including the secret escape route for the royal family we had installed when the plumbing was updated after that exploding pipe fiasco in the violet room's bathing chamber. It never hurts to be prepared, you know."
"I'd love to see the security, actually," Jacques said, getting to his feet. "Why don't you ladies-"
"No." Manon stood as well. "I'd also like to see the security updates as well. Since apparently they're so important."
Nina stood as well. Erec jumped to his feet, clearly excited. As though showing off their potential routes of escape was exactly what he wanted.
Which it probably was.
Manon and Jacques trailed behind the couple as they went on a brief tour of the palace first so they would even know how to get to the escape routes. She pinched his arm, earning a frown from her husband.
"What was that for?"
"Stop being so negative," she said, clinging to his arm. "We survived an invasion of the palace itself and came away better off. We're going to be successful."
"Admittedly, hard to have your palace invaded and not came away better off. Really, only capture and death is worse from that point."
"I'm serious." She poked his side.
He took her hand, holding it tightly. "As am I. You're right. We did come away victorious in that. To the point where we changed hearts and minds, which is the only thing we can do to stabilize Gascony. And I have faith in us, Manon. I know we can do this. But I also am not going to let my arrogance be the reason you get hurt. Having contingency plans doesn't mean you don't have faith in your primary plan, it just means you're accepted the possibility of failure and refuse to accept the cost that such a failure might demand."
"That's not-"
"You're too precious for me to lose," he cut her off, his grip tightening almost to the point of pain. Both of them unaware that they had come to a halt in the middle of the hallway. "You came too close to danger when the palace was invaded. Then, made it worse by throwing yourself into the battle like you are a common soldier."
"If I am a paladin-"
"You are not a paladin. You are a queen and my wife and the mother of my unborn child. Your life has much more value now than you did as a common princess. If you die, Manon, then all of this will have been for nothing!"
Surprised by the vehemence in his voice, Manon had nothing to say. She could only stare at her husband, entranced by the fire burning his eyes. The fires of his love for her. The depth of his fear for her safety that continued to blaze even after all this time.
"I'm sorry," she breathed, finding the words to be sincere and not just a way to mollify his anger. The heat of guilt sat heavy in her belly.
He was exactly right. Though she knew herself to be queen, there had been some part of her, deep down, that still saw herself as the second born princess. A spare child with no chance or ambition of ever taking the throne. It would have devastated her to become queen of Vasconia because that would only have happened if something tragic occurred.
And when she had taken over as queen of Gascony instead, some part of her now saw herself as a paladin instead. Her powers – training with them and honing them – had become a focus for her as her new identity. Hiding them, protecting them, then defending them when they had come out. She called herself a queen, but not fully believed herself when she said it.
A queen ordered soldiers to battle, she did not go to battle. That was why Nina, for all that she was an excellent soldier, did not see combat again after becoming engaged to Erec. She had become more valuable for her brain than her body.
A queen took care of herself. A lesson that Sabine had lost in her madness. And, as a consequence, had lost control of her kingdom completely. Her son, her council, her people. She was far away now, probably not even realizing that she had nothing left.
More than anything, a queen did not put herself at risk. Like Manon's mother had done. Though Radelle had turned herself over to her enemies in an attempt to save her child, doing so had caused her death and, through her death, so much needless destruction. She had more value to her king and kingdom than just as a bargaining chip.
Manon had more value than as a princess or paladin.
"I'm sorry," she said again.
He let out a long breath, some of his anger ebbing. She lowered her eyes when he leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Be careful with yourself, Manon. If you learn nothing else from your mother, just learn that self-sacrifice, while noble, can often do more harm than good. Don't ever lose sight of your importance as a person."
"I won't," she promised, leaning into him just a bit.
They stayed that way for a long minute until reality caught up to them and they remembered that they were in a public hallway, supposed to be following Erec and Nina.
However, when she quickly turned her gazes towards them, embarrassment heating her cheeks, it was to find that her bother and sister-in-law had stopped as well. Giving them enough space to maintain the illusion of privacy as they looked out a nearby window.
Erec was listening to something that Nina was saying but when he caught Manon's gaze over her head, her gave her a slightly knowing, slightly sad smile.
Sad, because he was going through the exact same thing with his queen. Nina, in her mind, was a paladin first and foremost. Changing her thinking to that of a queen instead wasn't easy. It might even have even been harder for her than Manon.
Manon looked back to Jacques to find that her husband had never moved his eyes off her.
He reached over and stroked her cheek gently. "We may have defeated his power base, but don't forget that Firmin is still out there. That so long as he doesn't have my mother, he will always be a danger to us in trying to get to her."
"I know." She leaned into his palm. "I'll be careful. But I won't stop training. Contingency plans don't mean you have no faith in the primary plan, right?"
He chuckled, taking her arm again. "Right. Shall we?"
She nodded, pressing herself into his side as he led the way to Erec and Nina. Both of whom had understanding smiles on their faces. Erec even looked pleased that their marriage was going so well and that his sister was truly happy.
Right up until the moment that he pretended to gag at the idea of his sister kissing anyone and begged Nina for his smelling salts, earning laughter from all of them.
~~~~~~
Life in Petrus Landebert couldn't have been more different from Ambraude.
It began lazily. Warm and snuggled up in bed, Manon and Jacques woke early as was their habit, but then they spent at least an hour just lounging in bed, chatting, laughing, and relaxing. It was so wonderful, Manon felt a bit guilty.
That only lasted until breakfast. The two of them ate together in the privacy in their rooms, still wearing their dressing gowns since they were alone. Petrus Landebert, due to the river that flowed through the center, had a diet mostly based on fish. Something that might as well be a delicacy to their palettes since they hadn't been able to enjoy it in Ambraude thanks to the fishing embargo.
Not to say they had no responsibilities. Some of their work had followed them here. But Emilien had requested that they leave as much to him as possible, giving them a chance at a break. Even if it was only a partial break, it lightened their load significantly.
Though that had made both of them feel guilty, they had agreed to do it.
And their reward was a relaxing breakfast, easy chatter, and a real sense of peace.
It was just one morning, and already the taste was addicting.
Jacques gave her a kiss that started sweet but quickly turned heated before they unwillingly parted ways to get dressed for the day.
They were going to have dinner with her brother tonight. Very casual and informal. Then, tomorrow, there would be a proper feast that the entire city was going to be not only welcomed but encouraged to join.
"We're trying to make it a holiday," Nina had explained last night before the two of them retired, exhausted from the long trip and excitement of the day. "A celebration of peace and brotherhood and the like. If we can associate our coming together with good feelings, then maybe we can prevent something like this from happening again."
It was such a hopeful thought. A small thing that, hopefully, they could convince to spread through their kingdoms. To remind them that they were all one kingdom once. Manon had approved and sent word through their servants and guard to anticipate the holiday.
It was all her ladies maids could talk about as they dressed her for the day. They were looking forward to the chance to look around Petrus Landebert and explore the people and city safely. The Vasconians made up the majority of the population and none of them would care that they had powers, and in fact most would offer default respect even without taking the paladin's vows.
Manon was already seeing the effect of her own powers in the palace staff. She was accustomed to the polite, professional looks she got as a princess and even as a queen. They were nothing like the reverent gazes she received now that the news of her powers had spread.
"So, it's true then?" Erec asked her at lunch later.
All through yesterday, they had spent so much time on baby talk and excitement about being together again, they hadn't brought up business of any sort. And while Manon's powers might not be business exactly, it was close enough that none of them thought about it.
In the light of a new day, however, Erec was finally able to give Manon a long, searching look, as she nodded in confirmation.
"What's your power exactly though? I've been getting so many conflicting rumors."
"It's almost like... shape shifting?" She made a face. "Not like Addie can do. My body just kind of contorts and flattens out and adjusts itself to fit into small spaces.
"I knew it!" Nina declared loudly, smacking her hand onto the table, surprising all of them and nearly upsetting a cup of tea.
"Knew it?" Manon repeated. "You knew I had powers?"
"Well, no. That wasn't my immediate first thought. But I knew it was strange. Remember? When you snuck on my ship? I could not figure out how, for the life of me, you were able to fit into a box that small."
Manon laughed. "I completely forgot about that."
"Well, I didn't. It's been bothering me for years." Nina sat back, smirking, finally content now that she had an answer. "That's how you used to escape the palace, isn't it? Where was your escape route? I have to know."
"Really?" Erec laughed, interjecting before Manon had a chance to answer. "You find out she's a paladin, and that's the question you ask?"
"You've no idea how long it's been bothering me," Nina assured him, dead serious. She had once been in charge of keeping Manon out of trouble, so it was no surprise that it continued to haunt her that she didn't know how Manon escaped her clutches.
"You know that room off the laundry on the first floor that they use to fold the dried clothes? Not the big one, but the small one used just for the royal family's clothes?"
"I think so?"
"You know how that window never opened wide enough for anything but a small cat to push through?"
"What?! You forced yourself through that window?! How did it never occur to you that you were pushing yourself through an impossibly tiny space?"
Manon shrugged, grinning. "I honesty thought I was pushing the window up, not letting the window push my body down."
Nina sighed. "Well, at least that mystery is solved."
Erec chuckled, taking her hand and stroking her finger's lovingly. "And now that that's been put to bed, how about you tell me about the attack on your palace?"
Jacques took over then. Relating the tale directly from them and not through the network of spies that Erec had first heard it from. He looked just as annoyed with Manon when Jacques got the part about her fighting.
"Really?" He frowned. "Pregnant, fighting in a dress, in a dark room? Manon, there are far easier ways to kill yourself."
"Don't even joke about that," Jacques growled, displeased.
Manon took a prim sip of her tea. "I have already been lectured on the inadvisability of such things in the future."
"Well, look at you sounding like mom."
"Ew," she made a face that forced a laugh from him. Some of her playfulness faded, however, as she set the cup down. "Have you heard from father?"
Erec's own good mood was damped. "A bit. He wishes he could write you directly, but..."
Manon was already shaking her head. "Not while Firmin is still out there. Not while he might be able to track Sabine."
"You still haven't caught him?"
"He fled after the castle invasion failed. "We've no idea where he could have gone and he didn't tell any of his conspirators anything."
Erec sighed before shaking his head and forcing a smile to his face. "Enough of that. You two are here to enjoy your time here. Not worry about all the things you left in the city. We've only got a week together. We have to make the most of it."
Manon smiled. "You're right. Of course, you're right."
He nodded sagely. "And onto more important things. Like, if we both have girls, who gets to name her after mom?"
Manon scoffed. "Well, obviously, I do. I'm her daughter. It should follow the female line."
"That's ridiculous and sexist. I should. I was her favorite."
"You were not. She spent way more time and effort on me."
"She spent time and effort on you because you were the bane of her existence. Her namesake should not come from you."
Jacques and Nina shared a look, both of them chuckling, as they let the siblings argue about the topic for no other reason than it gave them a chance to argue. There was no heat in the discussion. It was just good, family fun.
It was exactly what they needed.
~~~~~~
Jacques was silent as he watched the party spread out before him. It was all very bright and happy. The city didn't have much in the way of nobility. Not yet. A few nobles had followed their king out here, no doubt purchasing homes they would rarely visit. Probably only about once a year when their respective rulers made their way out here.
To supplement those numbers, the doors had been opened for anyone from the city to attend. They had to submit themselves to search and investigation by the royal guard who were all still hard at work – for both royal families – but they were all permitted entrance.
The result was a boisterous crowd that was a mix of rich gowns and jewels and colorful and simple, but beautiful, outfits only worn on special occasions. The food provided – a lot of it brought from Ambraude with Jacques and Manon as Vasconia had yet to fully recover from their food shortage – was popular and being devoured with gusto. Music rang out in the hall from a high balcony from which an eight man stringed orchestra was playing their hearts out.
But Jacques sat in one of the four thrones, alone, watching it all from a distance. A goblet of wine in his hand sloshed a deep burgundy – also brought from Ambraude – as he stared into the crowds that surrounded the exuberant dancers.
He couldn't say why, but he was uneasy. Separate from the celebrations. His nerves felt entirely too sensitive and, for no reason he could discern, he was uncomfortable.
He was only glad that Manon hadn't noticed.
His wife was out on the dance floor. She and her brother were mixed in with the abundance of party goers, spinning each other around. Laughing loudly, her hair unbound and wild. Nina, meanwhile, was surrounded by a group that were eagerly speaking with their queen. Some of them for what might very well be the first and last time.
Jacques could have easily been down there. Talking with the subjects that, while not his, were people he wanted to make friends with. Or maybe dancing with his sister-in-law. Getting to know the family he had married into.
Instead, he was separate from them all. No one was daring to approach the thrones. The common folk were welcomed, but none were brazen enough to come near while he was sitting there. A few stared, fascinated by the foreign king, but none approached.
He was fine with that. He wasn't in a mood to be friendly.
And he didn't know why!
Yesterday had been wonderful. He had spent time with Nina and Erec throughout the day, done some work with Manon in the afternoon, and then made love to her until they fell asleep. Rather early. Both of them seemed exhausted for no reason. As though all the time they had spent sacrificing sleep and working without cease was catching up to them all at once now that they had the time and safety to properly rest.
Even this morning, he had felt great. He had been looking forward to the dancing and feasting. It was a chance to spend a fun time with his wife without needing to worry about politics or plotting or using a good time to conceal them actually working.
But then they had arrived and, after the initial flash of excitement and anticipation, his mood had turned dour and he couldn't bring himself to do more than sip lazily at his cup as he watched the dancers swirling about the floor in big circles. It was more of a folk dance than the proper waltzes that the nobility preferred. Even now, the handful of nobles that had come weren't joining in on the dancing, though most of them were smiling and bobbing their head to the music. It was exactly the kind of party Jacques would have enjoyed.
If it weren't for this damnable, inexplicable melancholy!
The song finished and the crowd cheered their approval. After which, the large gramophone on the opposite balcony was wound up and began playing. It was a slower song, allowing the musicians a break for their weary fingers and the dancers a break for their weary feet.
Erec kissed Manon's forehead before turning and finding his wife. The two of them held court together as Manon approached him.
He was struck, not for the first time, by his wife's beauty.
Objectively, she wasn't beautiful for her features. Though her style was impeccable, that was more due to her lady's maids. Her features were plain, her hair mousy, and her body held just enough of a curve to differentiate her from a youth.
But there was something in her manner. It sparkled in her eyes, shined in the glow of her cheeks, reddened from the efforts of her dance. Even right after that exuberant display, she carried herself with the regal confidence of a queen.
And that's what truly defined her beauty. Not her looks, but just her.
"Hello, my love. Come to see me?" He asked, setting his cup on the little side table that had been provided for each of the small thrones. All of them of equal size, none sitting ahead of the others, to mark that all four royals were considered equal.
"I have," she confirmed, holding out her hands for him to take, a smile pulling at the corners of her lips but not quite emerging fully. "And wondering why you're over here by yourself, sulking, and not down there having fun with the rest of us."
He grimaced with a grin. "Do I truly appear to be sulking?"
"Brooding with the best of them. What's wrong my king?" Her question was genuine, concerned, as she looked at him cautiously.
"Nothing is wrong. I just feel... maudlin."
"An odd feeling considering the occasion."
"Very odd." He sighed before shaking his head. "Never mind me. I'm morose and useless at this party today. You should go. Have fun without me."
"Quite a difficult ask. How am I to have fun when you're over here having no fun?" She stroked his cheek sweetly, prompting him to lean into her palm. "Tell me what's bothering you."
"I would if I knew."
"Is the party not to your liking?"
"It's exactly my kind of party."
"Your stomach upset?"
"Am I a child?" He frowned, making her laugh. "No. I just feel unsettled. That is the only way I can think to describe it. Like I've forgotten about something or... or like that sense you get when a bad storm is on the horizon."
"The storm is our past. We've already weathered the worse of it." She smiled in understanding. "You worry about Firmin. That he's still not apprehended."
Jacques' jaw tightened, angered just by the mention of the man. He hated him with all of his being and he definitely hated that he was still at large.
But somehow, that didn't seem right.
"I had a dream about him last night. That he had managed to track down my mother and he was tormenting her. Using her for his pleasure. All the while she screamed for my father to save her. Then she saw me and condemned me for being just like him."
"Jacques..."
"It makes no sense. I know it. But..." His voice trailed off as he tried to explain exactly why that dream had hurt so much.
"You are protecting your mother," Manon reminded him firmly. "He cannot find her. Even if he could, getting there would be near impossible. He would have to traverse the entirety of Vasconia and nowhere is he more hated, except maybe between the two of us. And even supposing he did get there, she is protected by the soldiers of the Aqua Isles. They are loyal to neither Vasconia nor Gascony and no one there would be turned by his rumor mongering. She is safe. She will always be safe. No one is going to hurt her again."
"That's just it," he breathed. "If Firmin can't get to my mother, if he can't feed his obsession, what will he be willing to do?"
"Judging by past actions? I'd say, run off and hide like the coward he actually is." Disdain dripped from her voice. It made him grin even as his belly tightened with unease. Like some part of him was afraid that the man might overhear.
He would run and hide, true, but he never stayed away. The slippery bastard was always plotting something. He would always come back. And if the most direct route to his prize was blocked, he would just change his strategy.
Storming the palace had failed. So, what was the new strategy?
"Do you want to go check on the security?" Manon asked, grinning.
Jacques shook his head. "No, no. That would be silly. Go, enjoy yourself. I'm just going to pull myself together and then I'll join you."
Instead of taking him up on the offer, Manon continued to grin, almost smirking outright. She pulled on his hand a bit more insistently. "No, no. I insist. Let's go check on the security."
"It's really not necessary to..." His voice trailed off as he finally caught sight of the playful, licentious look in her eyes. "Oh..."
She snickered and he near jumped from his throne, only stopping at the last moment, clearing his throat, straightening his shirt.
"Yes, indeed. One can never be too safe. Let's go check security."
Manon was smothering her laughter as he offered his arm and led her towards the door at the back reserved for the use of the royal family. He walked her through, past the royal guard standing just outside, and into the first room he found. Which turned out to be a small sitting room. It didn't even have a window.
That worked perfectly for his purposes as he pushed Manon against the wall and immediately covered her lips with his, swallowing the laughter she had finally allowed to escape.
Laughter that quickly faded into a moan as she clung to him.
Unlike the party, her kiss did manage to distract him from his depressed mood. He held her tight, one hand on her waist, the other on her neck. Keeping her where he wanted as he feasted from her lips, their tongues sliding together as she clutched at his shoulders.
His beautiful wife. The mother of his child.
And there was no doubt now. Her bleeding had still not resumed and she had begun to feel nauseated at times throughout the day. The two most common symptoms when a lady carried.
Jacques was going to be a father.
And the idea terrified him.
That was it.
That was what was eating at him today.
They were planning to announce Manon and Nina's pregnancies at the same time. As a mark of hope for their people. As a reminder that, no matter what, they were family. Their children would be cousins and raised as friends.
But that also made it real in a way it hadn't been before.
Sure, he and Manon had coupled with the intention of making an heir. They needed one to secure their power and prove their loyalty to each other. But at no point when they came together did Jacques ever think of it like that. He didn't consider the act of lovemaking to be baby making. It was a special moment with his wife wherein a potential consequence would be babies, but it wasn't his primary, or even secondary, motivation.
And certainly, he had been worried for her after she told him. Especially when she chose that moment to run headfirst into battle. But that worry had primarily been born out of a concern for her. A baby was a nebulous, almost foreign, concept to him. It was enough that he just provide for and protect Manon while waiting for the child.
But the idea of their child had become more real each day as it become clear that she was, in fact, pregnant. An announcing it would be announcing to the world that Jacques, bastard son of a mad queen and a psychopath, would be a father.
What kind of father could he possible make?
"Jacques?"
Manon sensed the change in him the moment it happened. His body stiffened and he wasn't so much kissing her as just allowing her to kiss him.
She leaned back, frowning at him, concerned.
"Are you okay?"
"Manon, do you think... Well, I mean, do you suppose that I could be... a good father?"
"What?" Her dumbfounded response came from surprise. Not at all expecting that to be the direction his maudlin thoughts had taken him.
"I only had my father for a few years. I was still a child when he died." Jacques' face screwed up in pain and he shook his head. "He wasn't there to teach me to be a man. To teach me to be a king or a leader or a father. But at least I had historical records to learn the first two. Firmin taught me nothing but how to take a punch and how to hate. What kind of lesson is that for a father to teach his son? What am I supposed to pass to my son if that's all I've learned?"
"Jacques-"
"Or what if I carry my mother's madness inside me? Will it affect me too as I get older? Worse, will I pass it onto our children?"
"Jacques-"
"How can you be so calm about this?"
"I'm not."
Her softly spoken admission brought him up short. He was breathing hard though he hadn't moved, his heart racing with the panic that had finally burst free from its tangled ball of thorny disquiet that had been simmering in his gut all day.
"I'm so not calm about this," Manon continued, laughing breathlessly without humor. "I have no idea how to be a mother. My mother was so regal and put together and stern. I can't be anything like that. I'm just not built that way."
Jacques said nothing, staring at her with a quiet desperation that made her take his face in hand, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs.
"You think this is easy for anyone? You think everyone, even those with the most perfect parents in the world, doesn't worry about how good they will be as parents? I know I'm going to have round the clock care helping us as we need it, and I'm still worried about how I'll manage with a newborn. I don't think I've ever even held one."
"Me either," Jacques blurted, both of them laughing. "They're so tiny. How are you even supposed to...?"
"And they just scream. Like, all the time."
"And I have to somehow teach it right from wrong and how to be a ruler and to someday inherit this absolute mess of a kingdom that we've created."
"It's insane!" Manon agreed, throwing out their hands.
Jacques laughed and grabbed her, embracing her tight as they both continued to laugh in a way that was more crazed than amused. "And under it all, I'm still so excited."
"Lord, yes! So excited! And terrified."
"But in the best way." He pulled back so he could look her in the face. "Your brother and Nina at least are much older. More settled. Wiser. Stronger. And we're supposed to be having a baby at the same time and compare to them?"
Manon snickered. "Erec already told me how scared he is of this."
"No."
"Yes!" She laughed, her head falling back with a long sigh. "It's what I want. It's what's best for us and the kingdom. But, Lord above, am I scared too."
"You run into a dark room filled with enemies without flinching, but the idea of being in charge of an infant is finally gets you?"
She chuckled. "I can hit the enemies with a sword."
"Yeah, they frown on that with infants."
The two of them laughed as she brought her head back up. "Maybe it's just natural. Maybe none of us are ready for this."
"I feel uniquely unqualified," he admitted, turning his eyes from her. "At least, if I had no parents, I would have a blank canvas to work from. Instead, I have faded memories of my father, an insane mother, and Firmin."
"I would kindly ask you to remove Firmin from that list."
"As much as I hate him, I can't deny that, after my mother died, he had more to do with raising me than her. I rarely even saw her." He sighed. "I know they're normal fears. I know there's nothing I can do about it. But it's eating me up inside."
"Do you want to delay the announcement?"
"No," he cut her off quickly, arms tightening around her. "This is what's best for the kingdom. I shall just have to... overcome this."
Manon grinned and leaned up, pressing a small kiss at the corner of his lips. "We will have to overcome this. You're not alone, Jacques."
It was exactly the sort of platitude he expected. Yet, somehow, it actually helped. Something eased in his chest as he looked down at his wife. She was nothing like his mother. She wouldn't go mad and hit their child for no reason.
And he was not his father. For better or worse, he was neither of them. His memories of King Robert were dim and distant, but they were better than nothing. And Firmin, if nothing else, could serve as a map of the most awful version of a father.
"Manon, I do love you," he said, rubbing his nose along hers.
She chuckled. "I..."
Her voice trailed off as an odd look came over her face.
He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but he understood only a second later when he took in a breath.
"Smoke?" He asked.
"Smoke," she agreed, frowning. "Fire?"
A fist pounded on the door, making them both jump.
"Your majesties! Fire! You must leave."
They didn't hesitate. Endless weeks of emergencies – especially dealing with fires – had them both rushing from the small, dark room instantly.
The rush of heated, smoke filled air hit them immediately. As did the sound of screams beyond the door to the ballroom which was now shut.
"Erec!" Manon tried to run to the door.
Jacques grabbed her arm, pulling her back even as the royal guard – Vasconian, not Gasconite – cut her off.
"This way. The evacuate route is down the hall," one of the men ordered.
Jacques fully expected her to argue. She would have before. His Manon would never run from danger, regardless of the cost to her.
But before he could remind her of her promise, her position and importance, a pained look came over her face.
She nodded and turned, forcing herself to run at his side as they sprinted away from the fire.
That uneasy feeling was back in Jacques' gut. This time, however, he did know the origin. They had just been talking about him after all.
There was no doubt in his mind.
Firmin had followed them here.