"Isabella!" gasped Meredith, quietly. She hurriedly unlatched the door, her fingers fumbling with the lock. She threw the door open and rushed forward, taking her friend in her arms and hugging her tightly.
"Oh, Isabella!" she said. "You've come home! You're alright! You're...you're home! Oh, everyone will be so happy!"
She hesitated as she noticed that her friend was weeping. "I'm sorry, Isabella," she said, softly. "I'm sure that it's overwhelming...how you must feel being back. Come inside. I'll prepare you some food and you can rest. I'll call for guards to come to escort you back to the palace."
"Please!" said Isabella, hurriedly. Meredith turned to look at her, noting the grasp that the princess had on her nightgown sleeve. "Don't leave me..." whispered Isabella.
Meredith smiled gently. "Don't worry," she said, her tone reassuring. "I will accompany you to the palace."
Isabella gave her a weary smile and let go of her sleeve. Meredith led her into the kitchen and let her have a seat at the table.
"Everyone else has a bedroom upstairs," she explained, quietly. "I'm trying to let them sleep. Mother hasn't slept very well since Evan...Oh." She stopped. "I suppose you don't know."
"What happened, Meredith? Tell me what has happened in my absense."
Meredith sighed. "Evan...was killed. The night of your capture. He tried to...to keep them from gettting away with you." She looked up and met Isabella's eyes, her own eyes glistening with tears. "But Isabella!" she said. "I've realized something. His last act...trying to...to help you. It was forgiveness. Forgiveness, Isabella! He's spent years hating your family...hating you. Hating Antony. Hating the House Westerholme. To do what he did...with his last breaths...He forgave you all."
Isabella had tears in her eyes, as did Meredith. Meredith brought a bowl of soup and a small loaf of bread and set it before her friend. She then crossed the room and went out the front door. When the street guard walked by she called out softly, attracting the guard's attention.
"Is something the matter?" he asked, as he drew near to her.
"Bring a carriage!" she said. "The Princess has returned! She must be escorted back to King's Palace."
"Of course!" said the guard, immediately alert. "I'll be back soon."
Meredith nodded and went back inside, sitting down before Isabella.
"We've missed you..." she said. "Everyone has. On your birthday...We put candles in our windows...for you. Entire towns grieved for you, Isabella."
Isabella's eyes glistened wet in the candlelight.
"Your mother...She stays in her room, the curtains drawn, almost all day. Your grandmother tries to comfort her. Kade and Antony are...gone almost all the time, searching...looking for you. And I...I've missed you, Isabella. Things will finally be more right, now that you're here again."
"Meredith...I..."
She was interrupted by a knocking on the door.
Meredith stood to open it, letting the guards in. They escorted Isabella carefully to the carriage. Meredith, after writing a quick note to her mother to let her know of what had occurred, soon followed.
As she entered the carriage, Isabella turned exhausted eyes to face her. "Meredith...Can you tell them to...to send for Antony?"
"Of course. I'll have them send for both Antony and Kade."
"No!" said Isabella, quickly. At Meredith's surprised expression, she forced a smile. "I need to speak to Antony first...Please..."
Meredith nodded and then leaned out of the carriage to speak with the guard. "Send a message to the King. On the Princess's orders, you are to tell no one but him of her return."
The guard nodded, speaking to the others, before mounting his horse and riding off towards the pinking horizon.
***
Antony's gaze swept the battlefield, taking stock of the forces of the enemy and of his own men. The enemy had a very slight advantage, but the fight may still be won.
He swiped a hand across his forehead, smearing blood from an earlier wound upon his glove. He ignored it and took Emery's reigns in hand.
Raising his sword in the air, he rallied his men. "For Astoria!" he yelled.
"For Astoria!" he heard their answering cries as they threw themselves into the fray once more with renewed vigor.
Later, he walked through the battlefield, head lowered. He reached a man he recognized and bent down. He rested two fingers on the man's throat, searching for a pulse. Finding none, he sighed heavily and gently closed the man's eyes, standing once more.
He continued on this harrowing mission of accounting for all of his men.
He found one of the soldiers kneeling over a fallen man, his head bent low. He reached the man's side and rested a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he said, recognizing the soldier, a man named Caleb, and his dear friend Josh, the man on the ground.
Caleb nodded. Antony offered him his hand and Caleb took it, allowing the king to help him to his feet.
They soon reached the camp they had made on the other side of the field, the Astorian flag flying high above it.
Kade came out to meet them. "The rebels are obviously becoming braver with their attacks. We're seeing more and more," he said, grimly.
Antony nodded, watching thoughtfully as Caleb headed deeper into the camp, leaving him to speak with Kade. "We may be standing on the brink of facing one of the darkest times of the Empire of Astoria."
Kade sighed, but did not respond. Instead, he simply nodded towards Antony, his gaze on his friend's forehead. "You might want to get that cleaned up." He then turned and walked away, his posture dejected. Antony watched him until he disappeared into his tent, the flap falling closed behind him.
Antony sighed and began to make his way to the physician's tent. He had barely gone a few steps when he heard a shout.
He turned around, squinting into the setting sun of evening, watching the man on a horse. As the rider drew nearer, Antony saw him raise the Astorian standard, a gold lion on a background of crimson red.
He now hurried in the direction of the rider, worry for what message he bore spurring him forward, no matter the exhaustion he felt from the day's battle.
The rider reached him and hurried to dismount.
As the rider turned to face him, Antony was shocked to see the man grinning widely, looking overjoyed about something.
The man struggled to catch his breath from the combination of shouting and riding.
"What is it?" demanded Antony, a kind of hope growing inside him. "What's happened?"
"It's the princess!" gasped the man, grinning more widely than ever. "She's back! She's returned to us!"
Antony stared at him, his mouth half open. He found himself laughing, then smiling uncontrollably. "Isabella's back?" he repeated, almost unable to believe what he had heard. "She's safe? She's...she's safe!" He laughed again, clapping the guard on the back. "She's...she's alright!"
He felt as though he had never been more happy in his life. "You must be tired," he said to the guard who had served as messenger. "Go into camp and get something to eat and drink. I must tell Kade."
"No! I mean..." The man hesitated. "I was under the orders of Princess Isabella not to tell anyone but you."
"But surely Kade..."
"She was specific, Sire," he said, his expression regretful. "Only you."
Antony nodded slowly, before straightening. "Alright then," he said, walking with the guard into camp.
Kade came out to see what the commotion was about.
"Nothing of consequence, Kade," he said, forcing his voice to sound confident. "However, I'm needed back at the castle for a bit. No need to disrupt everything. I will ride back with this messenger once he has had food and drink, as well as Parker. Then, as soon as possible, I will return."
"Of course," said Kade. "Do what you think fit."
Dusk found Antony riding for King's City, urging Emery as hard as he felt the horse could go, with the guard and his manservant hurrying behind.
***
Meredith found herself unable to sleep, her mind too busy for rest. She hoped, for Isabella's sake, that Antony arrived soon. It had been three days since the guard left with the message. She knew it would take time for him to get back to King's City.
Night settled more deeply upon the palace and Meredith attempted to sleep.
She found herself thinking of Isabella, as she tossed and turned in the big bed that she had not slept in for so long.
The Princess had seemed almost...skittish. Of course, Meredith believed that that was altogether to be expected after someone went through an experience such as Isabella had most certainly been through.
But...Isabella seemed almost...ashamed of herself. She spoke little and ate little, even though her capture had left her incredibly thin.
After assisting the princess in dressing the other day, Meredith thought she knew what the problem might be. The fact that Isabella ate little and yet still found herself throwing up at random times throughout the day only served to confirm her suspicions.
Meredith had decided that, unless Isabella decided to speak to her first, she would not bring it up. She would find out soon enough whether or not she was right. If she was right, it would serve to explain why Isabella had requested that Kade not be told of her recovery and that only Antony would be sent for.
She sat up as the clock struck three chimes. The room was dark; there was no moonlight through her window tonight. Clouds blocked the sky, heavy with rain.
Just as the clouds burst and rain began to fall, she saw them: three riders. They were merely shadows in the darkness and the rain but she had a feeling she knew who the one in the lead was.
Antony...
She got out of bed, slipping her feet into slippers and pulling her cloak about her to ward off the chill that a rainy spring night brought to the palace.
She made her way into the parlor and stoked the fire, warming the room for the king's arrival.
Then she waited.
***
Antony dismounted Emery hurriedly, coming around to give the horse a quick pat on the nose. "I'm sorry for riding you so hard..." he muttered to his horse, before handing the reigns off to a waiting guard and hurrying up the stairs and through the front doors of the palace.
He cared little that he was tracking wet footprints up the stairs; he only cared about reaching his cousin.
He reached her room and opened the door, only then realizing that perhaps he should have knocked. He entered the parlor and saw Meredith, standing before the fire at the opposite side of the room.
"Meredith," he said, curtly, drawing up, and stopping to stand stiffly just inside the door.
"Your Majesty," she said, her voice soft. He forced himself to study her. He hadn't seen her since that night, so many ago now...He was surprised by how great the desire was within him to take her into his arms and apologize, weeping, for everything that happened.
He held himself back. "Where's Isabella?"
"She is sleeping, Sire," she said, quietly. "Best let her rest; she's been a light sleeper since her return."
He could feel her studying him, as he ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Of course..." He looked up once more. "I'll wait."
Meredith met his gaze. "Begging your pardon, Sire, but you have just had a long journey and should probably change out of your armor and take care of that cut on your forehead. I will send for you when Isabella awakens."
He swallowed the urge to argue and nodded. "Very well then." He turned to go, looking back only once to speak. "As soon as she awakes?"
"Of course, Sir," she said, nodding.
He left, the double doors closing behind him, giving him some relief from the uncomfortable circumstances of being in the same room as Meredith.
***
Meredith awakened abruptly, surprised that she had fallen asleep on the chaise lounge in the parlor after Antony had left. She took note of the light beginning to filter in through the drapes.
She heard Isabella call for her from the other room. She stood and hurried into her friend's room.
"Isabella?" she said, softly. "Did you have another nightmare?"
Her friend nodded, a stray tear beginning to trace a path down her cheek.
Meredith crossed the room to the bedside and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking her friend's hand in her's.
"I'm so sorry, Isabella..."
Isabella shook her head, trying to stop herself from crying.
"Isabella..." she said. "Do you want..."
She was interrupted by another knock on the outer parlor door. She sighed.
Isabella looked startled, hurriedly attempting to wipe her tears away in case it was her mother. "Who..." she began.
"One moment," said Meredith, standing and entering the parlor, crossing to the door. She opened to see Antony, his expression one of anxiety and worry, no doubt for his cousin. His hair was messy and she knew that he would have been almost constantly running his hand through it in the hours of waiting. Aside from that, it was obvious that he had cleaned his wound himself, rather than going to a physician as she had told him to.
"I thought I told you that I would send for you when she woke up."
"I know..." he said, his words tense. "But I...I can't..."
"She's just awakened," she said, sighing. "You can see her now."
He immediately straightened at her words, some light coming into his eyes. He followed her to Isabella's door.
"Isabella," she said, softly. "There's someone here to see you."
She stepped back to allow Antony to enter the room, then left, closing the door behind her.
***
Antony had eyes only for his cousin, laying there, looking too small in the big bed, the covers pulled up to her chin.
"Isabella..." he breathed.
"Antony!" she exclaimed, her voice breaking. She began to sit and he crossed the room in three strides, reaching her and pulling her into his arms.
"Oh, Cousin..." she whispered in his ear. "I thought I'd never see you again." She began to cry against his chest. "Antony..."
"It's alright, Isabella," he said, soothing her. "You're safe now. I'll find them all; we'll make sure they never hurt you again."
She continued to cry, not releasing the grip she had around his neck. He turned somewhat and sat on the edge of the bed. She came to sit next to him and he put his arm around her, pulling her close to him. She curled up against him and cried until she had no more tears to cry. He let her, patting her shoulder as she cried, whispering words of comfort to his cousin.
She finally gave a short laugh. "You must think me silly, Antony. Shouldn't I be your shoulder to cry on? You're the younger cousin, after all..."
He laughed, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "It doesn't matter, does it?" he said softly, pulling back slightly to look at her.
She was so different then when she had left. Her eyes were haunted and the dark circles beneath them revealed the toll the absence had taken on her. Her boyish hair was hanging into her eyes a bit.
He smiled, reaching out a hand to brush her bangs aside. "What's this, cousin?" he asked her, teasingly. "Are you trying to copy me?" He gestured to his own hair. She smiled slightly, but avoided his gaze.
"Isabella?" he said, gently. "What's wrong?"
She clenched the bed sheets in her fists, staring at the floor.
"Cousin?"
She looked up and met his eyes, pain and fear reflected in her gaze as she took her arms and wrapped them protectively around her stomach.
And he knew.
"Oh..." he managed. "I...Oh. Well." He looked away for a moment, shaking his head and trying to work his mind around this. He looked at her once more; her gaze had returned to the ground. "I see...Why you didn't send for Kade."
She nodded, another tear falling from her eye.
He turned her to face him and took both of her hands in his. "Isabella," he said, seriously, looking her directly in the eyes. "You don't need to be afraid. No matter what anyone thinks, no matter what Kade decides to do, no matter what your mother says...Know this. Cousin, I will always be here for you. I will protect you. Do you understand? You and your child will always have a place in King's Palace."
She managed to smile, but shook her head. "But...Your reputation..."
He shook his head and smiled at her once more. "I care more about you than about whatever reputation I happen to have."
She closed her eyes and threw her arms tightly around him once more.
"You should get some sleep now, Isabella," he told her gently. She nodded and he pulled away, assisting her in laying down once more. He pulled the blankets up and tucked them around her, brushing her hair back from her eyes and bending to kiss her on the forehead.
"Blessed rest, Cousin," he said, softly, stepping towards the door.
"Antony, wait!" she said, suddenly, her voice drowsy.
"Yes?"
"You can...send for Kade now."
He nodded. "Of course."
***
Meredith looked up from her book once Antony reentered the parlor, shutting Isabella's door gently behind him.
He stood for a moment, his back to her, before he sighed, straightened, and turned.
"Please make sure that Isabella has anything she needs. Anything she wants...I trust that you will take care of her."
She met his gaze and nodded.
"Very well," he said, turning to go. He stopped, suddenly, when he reached the door, turning once more. "Your family," he said. "How are you...all faring?"
Meredith forced herself to continue to maintain eye contact. "We're managing."
"That's good," he nodded. "I hope the house is...alright for you? And how is your little brother?"
"It's wonderful. Nash is doing well."
"That's...good. I am sorry...about what happened to your brother."
She simply nodded. "Thank you, Sir."
He nodded as well, looking as if he might say something more. He seemed to think better of it, and simply turned and strode quickly from the room.
She let out a deep breath and simply sat there for a few moments, closing her book and staring blankly at no point in particular. She thought about Antony.
She wondered if there was still hope for them. This was, after all, the first time they had spoken about anything pertaining to her life outside her job since...the day before the winter gala.
She leaned back against the cushion, tucking her feet up under her and sighing.
Part of her might be angry at Antony for turning away from her so quickly, but the other part of her knew that she would feel the same betrayal if their situations were reversed.
She set her book aside and stood, retreating to her own room to make her bed and tidy up while Isabella was sleeping.
***
When Kade heard the news that Isabella had returned to the palace, a part of him was initially hurt and confused over the fact that she didn't send for him when she sent for Antony.
He pushed these thoughts away, however, and mounted his horse, leaving the army in the hands of Captain Landon, who he fully trusted to keep everything under control in his absense. He then rode, only making two stops to change horses, through the day and into the night to reach King's Palace.
He arrived with the dawn.
As he crested the hill and saw the palace against the background of the morning sky, he couldn't help but smile. Isabella was safe, Astoria was holding up under the advances of the rebels, and he, personally, was having a better day than he had had for a long while. He felt as though new energy had flooded him the moment the messenger had said the words "Isabella is alive".
He gave his horse over to the guards and entered the palace, making his way upstairs after Fulton told him that Isabella was remaining in her room for the time being.
He reached the Princess' suite in the west wing and paused only momentarily before knocking, a smile spreading across his face as he heard footsteps from the inside.
It fell only slightly when the person opening the door was not, after all, Isabella, but instead, Antony.
"Antony!" he exclaimed. "Where's Isabella?"
He noted the tense look on Antony's face and wondered what could be the cause. However, his happiness at the news he had recieved about Isabella's safety coudn't be dampened easily.
"She's...in her room. Resting. I believe she is awake, however. Meredith is with her."
"May I see her?"
"Of course," said Antony. As Kade entered the room, Antony rested a hand on his arm. "And Kade?"
"Yes?"
Antony sighed. "Please be gentle with her, whatever you do."
"Of course," said Kade, a bit puzzled by Antony's words. Of course he would be gentle with Isabella; he loved her and only wanted what was best for her. Why then did Antony feel the need to clarify on this occasion?"
He crossed the room to Isabella's bedroom door and knocked softly.
"Come in?" he heard Meredith say.
He entered, and Meredith smiled.
"Hello Kade," she said. "I'll go now and leave you two to speak to one another." She left, and Kade found himself staring at Isabella, drinking her in after going so long without seeing her.
He prompted himself to action and crossed to her bed, kneeling next to it, and kissed her. At first, she accepted his embrace, but suddenly, she pushed him away, a stricken look on her face.
'What's wrong?" he said, softly, confused.
"Kade...I...I don't know how to tell you this..."
"What, Isabella?" he said, taking her small hand in his own large one.
She shook her head, then looked up at him, pain in her eyes. "I'm...with child."
For a moment, he could not believe that she had just given him news such as that. He shook his head in confusion. "What? How?" he asked. He saw the tears beginning to pool in her eyes and gave her hand a reassuring pat. Surely Antony must now know. Of course, that would be why she had sent for him first. That would also be the explanation behind Antony's words of warning upon Kade's arrival in the room.
"When I was...in prison...The jailer..." She pulled her hand gently from his and covered her face. "Oh Kade! Of course you must be ashamed of me now! I...understand...If you should choose not to marry me now...I would bring shame to you. I..."
"Isabella," he said, gently, interrupting her. "Look at me."
She did, turning her face slightly to meet his gaze, her expression vulnerable and hopeful at the same time.
"When I asked you to marry me, I did not do it based off of feelings that would be here today and gone tomorrow. I asked you to marry me because I loved you. And Isabella, love...it doesn't change just because something happens outside of your control." He paused, brushing a tear from her cheek. "To say I loved you and then to throw it all away just because this thing has happened...Well...I wouldn't have really loved you then, right?" He smiled softly at her. "I said I loved you Isabella. I have loved you. I love you still. I will always love you." He sat on the bed and took her in his arms, embracing her and holding her close, letting her head rest against his chest. "Whatever happens...I will be here with you. I would not think of deciding not to marry you just because of this. And I will be proud to be a father to this baby, he or she, even if the child may not be mine by blood."
He felt Isabella crying against his chest, but when he looked at her, she was smiling.
"Thank you, Kade!" she sobbed. "Thank you! I...I love you!"
He smiled and smoothed her hair with one hand. "I love you too, Isabella," he said. "I am...more happy than I can ever express in words to have you back."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. He returned her kiss, then pulled back to look at her, to simply drink her in after being apart from her for so long.
She smiled, then yawned.
"Still tired?" he asked her, gently.
She nodded. He smiled and stood, still holding her in his arms. She laughed, laying her head against his chest once more.
He laid her down in bed and tucked her in, kissing her on the nose. "You should get your sleep," he told her, gently. "We want our new son or daughter to be healthy!"
She smiled sleepily, her eyes half-closed. "I'm glad you're going to love this baby, Kade," she whispered.
"Our baby is going to be as pretty and kind as you are, Isabella, and I will love him or her no differently than if the circumstances had been different."
She closed her eyes then. "I love you, Kade."
"I love you, Isabella. For now...and for always."
***
Later that evening, Antony sat at his desk in his study, examining the map of the empire before him, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Surely there must be something we've missed! he thought, frustrated, leaning his elbows on his desk and resting his head in his hands. Something we're overlooking...
He shook his head and put the map aside, pulling out a pile of charters that had been left for him to read and either accept or reject. All too soon, however, he was finished with that work and the map was staring him in the face once more.
He stood, agitated, and paced back and forth in front of the window, stopping to look outside. It was raining once more, the environment gray and the spring chill permeating the castle somewhat.
He started slightly at the sound of a knock on his door.
"Come in," he said, not turning from the window. He watched the door open in the reflection of the glass and saw Isabella enter the room.
"Cousin!" he said, turning, smiling widely at her. "You're out of bed! How are you feeling?"
"Perfectly well, I suppose. Only..Antony...I've remembered something I must tell you."
"Oh?" He looked at her, puzzled, before shaking his head. "Well, go ahead and have a seat." He gestured to the chair across his desk and then sat in his own. Once she was seated he smiled. "Well?"
"Jurmala," she said, looking up.
He returned her gaze, steadily, waiting for him to go on.
"When I was rescued...It was by boat. I was held captive... on an island. It's on an island, Antony! The rebel base of operations is on an island, and that's why no one has found it! When I was saved, Jay, the man who captained the ship that took me to safety, docked at Jurmala. The journey by ship took only approximately half a night. Half a night from Jurmala to the rebel base."
Antony stared back at her, letting her words sink in.
"Jurmala," he repeated, a smile breaking out on his face. His cousin smiled back. He shook his head, still smiling. "Isabella," he said. "You're a wonder."
***
{an}- A bit happier chapter for you! :) Thanks to all of you who continue to read and keep up with the story! Your support means SO MUCH to me! :D
Also...I think the quote on the side goes farely well with these latest few chapters. :)