Prince Richard

It was awful watching.

I wished, as I had countless times since we had arrived at Bordeux Castle, that James could have knocked me out as well, only so that I did not have to watch these good-for-nothing Physicians work on Nick as if he were a mere corpse.

However, he might as well have been a corpse for all his face seemed to portray. Ever since he had regained consciousness, all he had done was to stare straight ahead with those hollowed eyes, stoically answering all the questions hurled at him by Mama, Papa and the Army, and listening to the news that streamed in every hour with indifference.

Indeed, too much had happened within a span of a fortnight.

The three Captains – Captain Wellington, Captain Evans and Captain Percival - who had been murdered during the kidnap had been given honourable funerals, and deemed martyrs.

The fleeing traitors from the burning Red Fort had all been rounded up and imprisoned. Jackie had readily confessed all her crimes, giving in to the vigorous, torturous interrogations by a special team of Captains, led by the fierce Lieutenant Raleigh.

On her word, several affluent Monriquan and Vantaugian merchants and noblemen who had been involved in this scheme had also been arrested on suspected treason.

The Bordeux Dungeons were almost bursting at its perimeters with prisoners at the moment. Lord Henri had to offer his empty Manor to house those who had no cells, to await their trials and executions that were to be held after the New Year.

Amidst all of this, the castle was still celebrating my return, and was heavily involved in the preparations for Nick's Potential Quest Ball. In spite of one fractured arm, a few burns, and several bruises and cuts, he was still relatively fortunate.

The Physicians had assured us that he would be well enough to attend the Ball, but clearly, none of them had the slightest notion of how emotionally unwell he was at the moment.

Indeed, too much had happened within a span of a fortnight.

Yet, there was no grief, no tantrums, and no tears from Nick. He barely spoke anymore, almost like a living corpse. Papa, Mama, Charlie and I were beyond worried for him.

Considering all that they had to hear about Jamie, the boy whom we had all thought dead, it would suffice to say that we were all going through a very difficult time at the present.

And so was Nick. The fool was so silently, clearly and baselessly beating himself up over Jamie's death, as if it were his fault that our brother had chosen his psychotic wife over his family. I should think only Jules could drum some sense into that thick skull of his.

However, even she was unconscious.

If there was one person we were more worried about than Nick, it was Jules. The last time we had seen her conscious was when Lord Henri had carried her out of the burning Castle. She had fainted then, and had not opened her eyes since, drifting in and out of delirium with a high fever raging through her body for the past fortnight.

"Richard? Nick?" Mama's tremulous voice broke through my reverie, "it is time for your luncheon."

I blinked, startled to see her in the chamber, holding two trays full of food in front of us. The Physicians were no longer present.

By the Lord, for how long had I been lost in my thoughts?

I accepted a tray from her with shaking hands. "Thank you, Mama," I tried to smile at her, but it came out as a grimace.

For an answer, she lay a hand on my head for a moment, her eyes filled with tears, and pressed a kiss to my forehead, before she held out the other tray to Nick.

"Nick?" she shook him by the shoulders gently, and sat down on the bed beside him.

In truth, Mama had to feed him his meals, since his fractured, right arm was wrapped up in linen and hanging in a sling around his neck, which he had to keep that way for the next few months. However, he hardly cared, and was hardly ever in this world.

His gaze now snapped to Mama, tired and emotionless. "Nay, thank you, Mama. I am not hungry," he answered quietly, looking back out the window.

She was struggling to rein in her tears. Struggling to stay strong for the both of us. Nick had always been the boisterous one, the happy one in our family. To witness his misery, to hear his silence was something none of us could stomach.

"How will you recover if you do not eat properly, son?" her voice trembled, holding out a spoon full of broth towards him, "please, allow me to feed you."

He stared at her countenance for a long while, mayhap noting her dark circles and worry lines on her forehead, before he leaned forward to sip the broth from the spoon. "What day is it today?" he asked unexpectedly.

"31 December," I supplied at once, "Saturday."

It had almost been a week since we had returned to Bordeux. With the exception of bathing, and visiting Jules, he had not moved an inch from that bed since.

He grew unnaturally still. "31 December?" he whispered, his eyes widening in horror, an emotion for the first time in days, "the Potential Quest Ball is – " He could not finish.

Damn it.

Mama and I exchanged alarmed looks. However, the reasons for our concern could not be more different.

"One word from you, and we will postpone it," Mama assured him, setting the tray aside as she took his face in her hands, "your Papa is making all the preparations merely on the word of the Physicians, but if you do not feel well enough to come, then simply let me know. We will postpone it."

He ran a pale hand through his hair, frustrated. "I do not even wish to go to the Ball!" he burst out weakly, his grey eyes burning with grief, "even if you postpone it to next month, it will still be too soon after - " He did not finish, but he did not need to.

Mama and I both understood.

"Surely we can call it off, son," Mama ventured, "I shall ask your Papa - "

He shook his head tiredly. "Nay, 'tis too late," he whispered, "you are well aware of how the members of the Crown Council visit me every day to remind me of the deadline. And push their daughters as prospective brides in my face."

I scowled at the mention of the Crown Council. Although two of their members were dead, and three were about to be tried for treason, the rest of them continued to visit Nick once every day like clockwork to speak to him about the Potential Quest and his bridal choices.

However, I gave not a damn about what the Crown Council thought.

"The Ball does not matter one whit, Brother-mine," I stared straight at him, "the more important issue is, do you have a woman in mind whom you wish to marry?"

He saw it in my eyes that I knew. Unlike him, I had realised the truth a very long time ago. Whom he loved. Any man with eyes could tell from the way he looked at her whenever she was around him.

"What does it matter?" he whispered, "I have no idea how she feels about me still, let alone whether she would consent to marry me should I propose to her."

I gaped at him. "You have yet to tell her how you feel?" I was disbelieving, "but you had three months!"

Mama glanced between us, very much bewildered over whom we were speaking of.

His ears grew scarlet. "It is not a conversational topic I would so casually raise in her company, Richard," he muttered, turning away.

It was with much difficulty that I hid a small smile. Truth be told, I was enjoying his discomfort very much. Truly, if anyone had told me a decade ago that Nick would be agonising over professing his love to Jules in the future, I would have sent him or her to the madhouse at once.

However, I became solemn soon enough. "Do you want me to talk to Papa on your behalf?" I offered, "he could convince the Crown Council to wait until she wakes up, and you can talk to her - "

His eyes snapped to mine at once, blazing. "You will not mention any of this to him, Richard," his voice was hard, "he already has enough on his plate with Jamie and the treason case without my adding to his burden. I will...I will come up with something eventually."

I did not like this one whit. Desperation made men blind, and left them very direly and intellectually lacking.

"Brother-mine - "

"This is not open for discussion," he cut me off dangerously.

Damn it.

***

Prince Nicholas

"Your Royal Highness," Max stood up and bowed when I entered the chamber, "may I help you with that?" He gestured to the huge bouquet of white lilies I was carrying with my one available arm.

Truth be told, it was a relief that he did not look at me with as much hostility as he used to in the past.

"Nay, that is all right, my Lord. Thank you," I set it down on the floor next to the bouquet I had brought yesterday.

Indeed, I had been visiting Julie every day since I had woken up, bringing along a bouquet of her favourite flowers with me, all the while hoping that she would regain consciousness one day.

However, it had been seventeen days, and still, there was no sign of her recovery.

"I will leave you alone," Max bowed again, and walked out, closing the door behind him as he always did whenever I visited.

When the chamber was empty once more, I approached the huge white bed, and sat down at its edge cautiously.

Her golden curls lay unbound across her pillow, fanning her peaceful, sleeping face. Her forehead was wrapped with linen that was still a little bloody, and her cheeks were terribly bruised blue-black. Every time I looked at her these days, I could only remember how she had pushed me behind her and taken the blow meant for me from Jamie. How she had saved my life by risking her own.

How she was still unconscious solely because of me.

I took her tiny, bony hand in mine now, and squeezed it. "'Tis 31 December, Julie," I murmured, "do you know what occasion it is today?"

No response.

"The Potential Quest Ball will be held in this evening," I answered quietly, "today is the day I am to announce which Lady I am going to marry. The day you were to give a speech on whom you think is best suited to be my bride. Do you remember?"

Still no response.

"Wake up, Julie," I mumbled, lifting her hand up to my face, "douse me with cold water to wake me up in the morning like you used to. Yell right back at me when I shout at you, like you used to. Go ahead and steal my Marzipan from my plate when I am not looking, like you used to. Do whatever you wish to do, but please, wake up. I love you."

She continued to drift on in blissful unconsciousness.

"What am I to do?" I mused brokenly, "I cannot imagine marrying another, and yet, these Lords are after my blood everyday, pestering me to inform them of my choice. What do I tell them? Unless you wake up, unless I can talk to you today, I am truly out of time. Today is the last day.....and the Crown Council will force me to marry another against my will."

I bowed over her hand, and leaned my forehead against it, falling deeper and deeper into the bottomless abyss of grief that was my life.

***

Prince Richard

"Where is Kat?" I checked my timepiece, "Ned, did you not say that the carriage from Roche would arrive before luncheon?"

Ned was striding back and forth down the corridor, too deep in thought to hear me.

Thus, it was the fidgeting Lisa who answered me. "Worry not, Richard, she will arrive soon," she assured me, "Evoric went to the courtyard to disentangle her from her parents."

"Papa will finish his luncheon soon inside the study," I fretted, jerking a thumb to the study door, "we must approach him before he leaves to check on the preparations for the Ball."

"Is there any way that we could stall him?" Lisa wanted to know.

"There is no need to stall," a new voice spoke from the other end of the corridor, "I am here. I apologise for being tardy, but Mama simply would not cease making a fuss out of Evoric at the courtyard."

Ned, Lisa and I heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of the travel-worn Kat, and the panting Evoric.

"Good," I broke into a weak smile, "all right, everyone, gather around."

"Evoric informed me that Jules was badly injured during battle, and that we were going to speak to the King for her," Kat hurried towards me, frowning, "what is happening? Lisa?" She turned to her best friend.

Lisa updated Kat on all that had happened thus far as succinctly as possible, with Evoric and Ned filling in the details she missed out. In the meanwhile, I kept glaring at my timepiece, hoping time would pass slower.

"All right," Kat took it all in, white-faced, "Nick loves her and wants to marry her, but does not know how she feels about him. Until she wakes up, he cannot be certain. However, by then, it would be too late because the Crown Council will not be patient. All right. Understood."

"Good. Now come," I nodded, before turning to the Corporals who were guarding the door with solemn, empty countenances, as if they had not heard all that we had been discussing thus far.

"Corporals Piers and Hawkins," I remarked quietly, "my friends and I would like to request an audience with my father the King, if you please."

They nodded, before they went inside the study to ask Papa for permission. "Ask them to come in!" I heard Papa chirp tiredly, "and there is no need to announce them, please."

I beckoned the four of them to come in with me, as the Corporals returned to their posts outside, shutting the door behind them. Taking a deep breath, I wasted no time in striding towards Papa's desk, where he was finishing up the last of his meal.

"Good afternoon, Richard," he seemed surprised, "Evoric, Ned, Lisa, Kat. It has indeed been quite a while since we last met. To what do I owe this pleasure?" He smiled kindly at the four of them as they bowed and curtsied.

"Your Majesty, we have come on behalf of Nick," Evoric and Ned answered solemnly.

"And we have come on behalf of Jules," Lisa and Kat confirmed.

"There is...a problem, Papa," I began uneasily, "and we were hoping you could help us." With that, I recounted the same story Kat had heard mere moments ago, with the help of the others.

Truth be told, I was well aware that Nick would wear me out for approaching Papa after he had expressly forbidden me to, but I saw no other alternative.

Something had to be done fast, and preferably before the Ball.

Papa leaned against his chair when I was finished, astounded. "How could I not be aware of any of this?" he sounded almost bewildered, "I know he visits Jules for long hours every day, but I never knew it was because..."

Suppressing a smile, I exchanged a wry look with the rest of them. In truth, Papa was not known for his sharpness. At times, he failed to see the little things that were plain in sight before his eyes.

However, I did not blame him for not noticing this earlier. None of us had before these few weeks.

"However, what do you want me to do?" he glanced up at us, frowning, "forbid him from coming to the Potential Quest Ball? He already does not wish to come in the first place."

"You could begin with forbidding the Crown Council from visiting him, Papa," I muttered darkly, "they put too much pressure on him, and he is still recovering."

The same shadow crossed his face. "That, I will."

"We were also hoping that you could convince the Crown Council to wait," Evoric suggested hesitantly, "at least until Jules wakes up and Nick can talk to her. They are bound to wed sometime in the future. It is inevitable." He smiled gently, shaking his head.

Papa offered him a sad smile in return. "Time," he answered softly, "'tis something that we are all short of, is it not? My boy, do you realise we only have seven hours on our hands? And that all the Crown Councillors are now closeted with their families, preparing their daughters for the Ball this evening? Could you not have approached me earlier?"

Evoric bowed his head. "I am very sorry, Your Majesty, but the four of us only arrived today," he apologised, "and until Richard informed us of all this upon our arrival, we were truly unaware that Jules was still unconscious. We had assumed that Nick intended to ask for her hand at the Ball today."

"On the other hand, your son had all but forbidden me to speak of this to you," I put in dryly.

Papa ran a hand through his greying hair, looking exhausted. "I will have a word with him this instant," he decided, standing up, "and I will try to seek out the Crown Councillors while I am at it. Worry not, I will fix this." With that, he strode out of the room, determined.

The five of us exchanged hopeful looks.

***

The Lady Knight

My eyes slowly fluttered open, as the Sun shone down on my face from the window, intent on blinding me with its orange rays. I blinked several times, attempting to become accustomed to seeing again. Slowly, my gaze travelled over the familiar tapestries on the ceiling.

Hmm, I was in my bedchamber in Bordeux.

The first thing that registered in my mind the moment my eyes were open was the throbbing, agonizing, vexing pain. In spite of myself, I released a loud groan, as my body ached all over as if I were run over by a group of gargantuan elephants, a pack of especially heavy wolves, and a horde of the fittest stallions all at once.

"Papa!" a voice whispered beside me, "Papa, she is awake!"

Startled, I glanced to my right, to find an anxiously happy Max seated on the chair next to my bed, holding my cold hand in his. His countenance had slight bruises, and a couple of scratches, but nothing too serious. A small smile unfolded on his face as he gazed at me, clearly relieved.

Papa hurried over from the other end of the chamber, and sat down next to Max, looking utterly and completely worn out with huge, dark circles under his bloodshot eyes.

For once, he looked his two and fifty years and much older. I could only stare and stare at the two of them, surprised at how little they seem to have cared for their well-being.

But then I remembered. I remembered all that had happened.

"Nick," I rasped, "Richard. Captain Everard. Captain Morrison. Captain Dupont – " I began to panic.

"Calm down, Jules," Max rubbed my shoulder gently, "all three Captains are currently helping the Army manage the Bordeux Dungeons. By the Lord, it has never been this crowded."

My eyes widened in shock. "Have the traitors been rounded up already?"

He nodded, grinning. "You have a true friend in that Vantaugian King," he conceded, "he led the tracking on your behalf, as did the Army alongside him. All the traitors who are still alive, Monriquans and Vantaugians alike, have been arrested, thanks to the evidence you had collected. It did not take them long to confess, as most of them had been blackmailed into joining the Order in the first place. Jackie has confirmed their statements to be true."

I smiled. I could imagine King Alfonso taking charge of the Army. He commanded a certain presence in any chamber he was in.

"When is the trial to be held?" I wanted to know.

"After New Year's Day."

"Good," I sighed tiredly, "at last, the case is closed. All is well that ends well."

"All is well that ends well? Have you any idea of what you had put us through?" Papa burst out unexpectedly at that moment, his voice hardly audible, "by the Lord, you are a Knight, Julie! How could you have failed to exercise caution, especially after all those murders and kidnaps that had happened so rapidly, one after another, these few months? How could you have failed to learn from your lessons during training, to always be prepared for everything?" He glared fiercely at me.

I simply blinked, startled.

"This is why women do not belong on the battlefield," he muttered to himself, scowling, but for the first time since I could remember, those words were void of conviction.

I gazed at him, silent. He cared. He had cared enough to come after me, he had cared enough to save me and bring me home. He cared about me enough to offer me a lecture on my well-being at the moment.

It was all I had ever wanted in these seventeen years. For him to care.

"Then you can teach me, Your Grace," I forced my lips to form the words, "you can teach me what I failed to learn. Will you not?" My voice was still raspy, but even I could not disregard the eagerness it brought across.

A wry smile spread across his lips. "I have already retired from the Army, sugar."

My smile widened at the familiar endearment. "Perfect. We can start training whenever you are free."

He grinned back at me tentatively, and simply like that, I could feel years' worth of distance and pain between us fading away into nothing. Slowly, he held out his arms and leaned forward to envelope me in his embrace, trembling slightly.

"I owe you a tremendous apology," he mumbled tiredly, "and I promise, I will spend the rest of my years attempting to earn your forgiveness - for everything that I have said, for allowing grief to cloud my judgement, and for all the times I have hurt you for something that was never your fault in the first place – even though I do not deserve it. It is ironic indeed that I had to be at the brink of losing you in order to realise how precious you are to me." His voice broke.

My vision was fast blurring. "It was necessary," I bit my lip, "it is my duty to safeguard the royal family, come what may. As a Knight. As a Commander General." I held my breath, waiting for his discourse about how women were unsuited for warfare.

However, he simply nodded. "I am aware," he sighed, "and considering all that you have done to protect and save the Princes these few months, I truly cannot be more proud of you. You have proven yourself genuinely worthy of your position in the Army, not only to me, I hope, but to everyone who had their doubts on admitting women into the ranks. Well done." His words rang with a sincerity that I had little cause to doubt.

My eyes widened. "You...you are no longer ashamed of me?"

He pulled back, smiling weakly, as he pressed his lips to my forehead. "You truly are your Mama's daughter, and mine."

By God, I could have burst into tears at that moment.

Max approached us, beaming in happiness, as he reached out to sling his arms around the both of us. We stayed like that together for a long while, as one happy family, at long, long last.

The path to forgiveness and acceptance would be a long one, but I was beyond overjoyed that we had at least taken the first step.

Presently, Max pulled away. "Get well soon, Julie," he murmured, before he seemed to remember something.

"Oh, speaking of getting well soon, your admirers sent you these," he gestured carelessly to array of presents and cards left on either of my bedside tables, overflowing to the floor.

My eyes widened further at the sheer number of white lily bouquets, boxes of marzipan, sweetmeats and fruits, with get well soon cards shoved wherever there was space.

"Good God," I was amazed, reaching out one trembling hand to touch them, "who are they all from?"

Papa chuckled at the wonder struck expression on my face. "All the Potentials have arrived at Bordeux for the last Ball," he answered in amusement, "and they all seem to be very good friends of yours. Those girls from Cavarriere were especially curious about when you would wake up and recover. They almost scared the Physicians away."

I laughed softly, imagining Anna and the rest tugging on both arms of the Physicians, chattering nineteen to the dozen in their ears regarding what they should or should not do to ensure my well-being.

However, when Papa's words truly sunk in, my smile vanished.

"What is the matter?" Papa tensed at once.

I willed my lips to move once more. "P-Potential Quest Ball?" I demanded sharply, "what day is it today?"

Papa and Max exchanged bewildered looks at my tone. "'Tis 31 December," Papa answered, gesturing to his dark blue suit, "did you think I would dress up like this on a normal day? The Ball is going to commence in two hours' time."

I froze, white-hot fear striking my heart. We had been kidnapped on 9 December. If I was not mistaken, the battle at Red Fort had begun and ended on 14 December, and I had blacked out in Papa's arms that very day.

Good Lord, had I been unconscious for an entire fortnight? "I beg your pardon?"

Max caught my alarmed expression. "Worry not, Julie. The King is aware that you are indisposed. He even came to see you. The biggest basket is from him and the Queen," he hurried to reassure me, pointing to the heavy-looking basket crammed with sweetmeats and other food items sitting on the ground, "you need not give that advisor speech today. You have been excused."

I tried to calm my suddenly rapid, shallow breathing in vain. "Are the Princes all right? They are conscious and well?"

Papa nodded, a crease forming on his forehead. "They are fine."

He sounded almost disturbed.

I stiffened. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nay, nay, not at all, my dear," he smiled too quickly, "in fact, everything is well at last. The King himself told me yesterday that the Crown Prince has reached a decision regarding his marriage on his own. Thus, there truly is no need for you to give the speech at the ball today." He nodded again, thinking that he had reassured me.

Instead, I grew even colder. "He...he has?" I stammered, feeling the colour drain from my face, "he has reached a decision on whom he is going to marry already?" I tried to keep my face neutral, emotionless, but failed terribly.

Papa's forehead creased at my tone, shocked. "Sugar, calm down - " he was alarmed, but I cut him off.

"Answer me, Papa!"

Papa glanced at Max, bewildered beyond measure about what was going on. However, my brother was not looking at him, but at me, his eyes filled with sad, pained compassion that was so rare of him. His gaze concentrated on me for a long while in silence.

A sense of foreboding began to creep up my spine, and quite suddenly, I wanted the silence to continue. I did not want to hear it. I did not want to hear whatever he was about to say.

But he spoke anyway. "Aye, Julie, he has," he whispered, brushing a hand across my forehead as the truth sank in.

Three breaths. Four words. Five seconds. How they changed everything. Everything.

A tidal wave of agony swept through my entire being, without warning, without mercy, stinging my eyes, shattering my heart into a million pieces. I was left utterly and absolutely breathless and reeling from how much destruction it left behind, how much it hurt.

"Sugar?" Papa was extremely anxious.

"I will be all right," I forced out faintly, it was only...a shock. I...have been told nothing about this, that is all. That is all. "

I took a deep, staggering breath. Enough was enough. Mayhap I would never be able to move on from him, but I had to try and end this torment once and for all. I had no other choice.

And there was only one way to do it.

I gazed hard at the two faces of the anxious men in front of me. "Both of you," I addressed them once more, taking another deep breath, "I need to go to the ball today."

"You cannot," Max blurted out almost at once.

I narrowed my eyes. "And why not?"

Papa and Max exchanged uncomfortable looks, and the latter decided to be the spokesperson for the both of them. "Julie, you injured your legs during the battle," he began hesitantly, "the Physician says you would not be able walk for a few months, at the very least."

"In any case, can you even sit up without hurting?" Papa frowned, observing me, "you were run through quite crudely by a sword, I heard."

My eyes grew bigger and bigger. Cannot walk? Cannot sit up? By God, was I bedridden?

Hell nay.

Gripping the bed sheets tightly, I forced my rather heavy head off the pillow and tried to sit up. I was attacked by a sharp pain in my abdomen and by a dizzy spell almost at once, which caused me to let out a sharp hiss.

Max caught me before my head tipped back and hit the headboard. "Easy," he cautioned, propping up the pillows before he set me against them in a sitting position.

I took a few, calming breaths, gritted my teeth, closed my eyes and waited until the pain was bearable.

"All right," I opened my eyes after a while, "I am all right. I am fine." With that, I threw the blankets off of me, and caught sight of my heavily bandaged legs, from knees down, under my nightgown.

I stared at the massive amount of linen that had been wrapped around the lower portion of both my legs, stunned. I remembered how I had been unable to stand when one of James' men had kicked the back of my knees, but was such a huge weight of linen necessary?

I willed my legs to lift, but they barely moved. I glanced up at Max and Papa, panicking when I saw the sympathetic looks in their eyes.

"I need to walk," I was gripping Max's hand until my knuckles turned white, "I need to go to the Ball. This is important, please."

Max shook his head, but Papa stared at me for a long while, studying me intently.

"I might have an idea, sugar," he sighed at last.

***