Lady Therese De Beauharnais of Roche

4 February, Year 31 of King Frederick V of Monrique's reign

Bordeux Castle, Bordeux

Monrique

I felt as if I had already lived through this day once before, and I was living through it all over again.

In a way, nothing had changed. The tapestries on the walls were the same. The portraits that hung on them were still in their positions as they were before. The people who were crowded along both sides of the red carpet were also a similar sight from before. Even the place where Mama, Clara and I currently stood - a few steps away from the dais - was the very same spot we had stood the last time.

However, today could not be more different from the past.

"Must we attend that harlot's ceremony and be further insulted?" Mama hissed beside me just then, her sapphire eyes so like my own burning with suppressed rage and injustice.

"Mama!" Clara interrupted, appalled, furtively looking around to see if anyone had heard.

However, Mama had not finished. " - there is enough gossip circulating about you having lost the Crown Prince to that harlot, and yet you insist on staying here to show her your support - "

I tuned out her words at once, not for the first time in the last two months.

However, at the moment, I did not consciously make the choice to cease hearing what Mama had to say. Truth be told, my mind was very much disturbed, occupied and bothered with something else.

Someone, in fact.

Lord Raymond Fourier, Earl of Testalt had not stopped staring at me since the moment I had entered this room.

"Announcing Commander General Van Helsing of the Monriquan Armed Forces, Lady Knight of Monrique!" the herald cried, as the double doors flung open.

Almost at once, there was pin drop silence in the throne room.

Jules was greeted with much pride and approval by all those present with the exception of my mother, as she paused on the threshold, supported by the waist by her brother, Max.

A young woman of small stature, she was dressed in plain black military attire, her shoulders laden with heavy medals of all sizes, shining brightly in the chandelier light.

With her hair tucked under a black beret, her small heart shaped face void of all emotion, and her right hand placed lightly over the hilt of her sword hanging by its belt on her waist, she was a formidable figure to behold.

Her eyes, however, were quick to seek out those of my Uncle Henri's on the dais next to the King to earn his silent approval, before they flitted to those of the Crown Prince's on his right.

Her lips pulled up in a small smile ever so slightly, that it was almost unnoticeable.

Even from where I stood, I could see a significant glance, one that lasted barely more than a second, pass between them, filled with complete understanding, and a love so strong that it needed no words to convey or comprehend.

I continued to gaze between them, musing. Love was an emotion that I never fully understood, nor did I bother to understand in all of my two and twenty years. It brought about nothing but pain, and I did not want to do anything with it.

However, until the Crown Prince had begun to court Jules, I had truly not known how much love could change a person. Until he had begun to court her, I had never seen my cousin sister, solemn, bad-tempered, staunchly duty-bound Jules, smile and laugh so often.

She had become a whole new person these two months, going about her work around the Castle with such unusual, abundant happiness that it was infectious. It left me to wonder about the power of this foreign emotion, about whether it was truly such a wonderful feeling.

Mayhap I was becoming foolish as well, after all.

"What is it?" a mocking voice murmured in my ear, "concocting new conspiracies to keep them both apart?"

I jumped in shock, turning to face a well-dressed, and a very angry Ned, who did not bother to hide his disgust for me from his countenance as he towered over me.

However, even I could tell that there was something else behind that rage that he was attempting very hard to keep hidden from me. His eyes, filled with unbound fury, were also carefully veiled, if one had known him as long and as well as I had.

How had he made his way towards me without my notice? The man's gaze had been troubling me all morning.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Mama on the other side of me opening her mouth at the sight of him, no doubt to say something cutting, but Clara very understandingly shot me a weak smile and pulled her away from us before she could do so.

I glanced back at him for a brief moment, before turning my attention to Max and Jules, as they began to make their way down the red carpet. "I do not chase after what has already been lost to me, Lord Testalt," I answered him wryly from the corner of my mouth, "it would be a waste of precious time."

Max was almost carrying Jules as they hobbled along slowly, steadily. The Captains who were lined along the aisle executed perfectly identical salutes in a mark of respect for her as she passed them, the firm sound of their boots against the marble floor sounding rather loud in the silence of the room.

"Indeed?" Ned raised his eyebrow, keeping his eyes forward as well, "I did not expect you to give up so soon on your twisted obsession with Nick."

I did not answer him.

When the duo reached the dais, Jules was offered a cane to stand on her own, before Max walked away from her to stand next to their father. Jules executed a salute to the royal family on the dais to the best of her ability with her healing legs.

"Good morning, Sir. This is Commander General Van Helsing, Sir." Her stiff voice rang loud and clear in the throne room.

The King rose from his throne, his eyes gleaming with pride. "Good morning, Commander General Van Helsing, and all other guests," he boomed loudly, "today, we are present here to honour our Commander General for her exceptional service to this country. As I am sure you all know, recently..." the King began to recount the tale of the recent traitors who had worked with Vantauge to bring down our country, whom Jules had exposed and therefore had saved Monrique before it could be brought to ruin.

In the meanwhile, Ned had misunderstood my silence. "Have I touched a nerve that I should not have?" he taunted quietly, his eyes blazing, "I am not sorry."

Despite myself, a chuckle left my lips. "I was never in love with the Crown Prince, my Lord," I shook my head, reflecting, "I have been always clear about what I wanted from him. The power that being his wife would bring me."

This was an answer, one I had memorised to perfection over the years, to sleep well at night.

His eyebrows vanished further into his fringe at my frank answer. "Well, are you not a true witch?" he sneered derisively, "the Lord knows how many times I have been trying to tell Nick that for the last few months, and to stay the hell away from you. People like you are meant to be left absolutely and completely alone."

Somehow, his harsh words, his raw tone strangely made a small part of me ache and burn with hurt. I was speechless for quite a while, as a result.

But he was right.

"I might tell the Crown Prince the truth of my past intentions one day, but not now," I murmured under my breath after a long moment, perfectly serious, "not when he is so happy with Jules."

Having such a goal in life was - nay, had been - an extremely shallow one. However, I could not help it. While other children were brought up with stories and fables of the old, I was brought up by Mama with untruths, blackmail and hate, with the sole aim and purpose to marry into the royal family someday.

Lies, manipulation, and more lies. It was all I had ever known.

I had been brought up by a woman who, completely and helplessly submerged in her murderous thoughts of revenge and hatred born out of her insecurities, had forgotten what it meant to live a very long time ago.

Ned studied me intently now, to the point of extreme discomfort for me. His baby blue eyes bore deeply into the side of my head, scrutinizing, judging and contemplating as they had all morning from a distance.

After a long moment, his expression hardened. "I do not even know who you are anymore."

Even I did not know who I was anymore.

"You may believe whatever you wish to believe. I do not care what you, or anyone else thinks of me," I snapped, "but if you are looking for the girl you bid farewell to before you left for Osterlund, I would suggest you do not bother. She is long dead."

"The Castle is going to be a very lonely place without you all, Ned," I confessed in a rare moment of truth, as the Osterlund-bound ship behind us let out a loud groan, signalling that it was about to leave soon.

The very ship that Nick, Lucien and Evoric were already aboard, equally pale, drawn and miserable since the day of the funeral of the Princes.

To Nick and his friends, all I had done was lie. Lie my way into their good books, lie my way into their friendship.

However, this time, I spoke the truth. The Castle would truly be wretched without the four of them, especially without the ever-boisterous Ned.

Ned's expression crumpled, as he struggled to maintain his composure. "You look ugly when you frown," he teased weakly, "surely you are not going to send us off with that horrendous face, are you, Tess?"

I scowled, infuriated nevertheless. "I do not even know why I bothered to say goodbye to you," I muttered, "I should have simply walked away the moment Nick boarded the ship."

"I was merely jesting," he smiled faintly, amused, "but truly, Tess. One smile. Please?"

I did not want to smile. I was upset. I wanted to throw tantrums, cry myself to sleep, and rage out at everyone in my way.

And I knew that he was aware of that.

Yet, for his sake, I tried. The Lord knew when I would see him, or the rest of them again. Although I had been acting in front of them for Mama's sake for so long, I had truly grown to consider them as some of my dearest friends, especially this boy before me, who understood me so well.

With that thought, I held out my hand, and pulled my lips up in a small smile. "Goodbye, Ned."

Ned's baby blue eyes lit up for the first time in days. He gently took the hand I held out towards him, and in a rare display of emotion, he raised it to his lips.

"Take care, mon ange."

I had struck a nerve. I could tell, by the way his jaw tightened ever so slightly, making the cleft on his chin more prominent, by the way his eyes darkened and began to blaze. He was going to yell at me once more.

I could tell.

However, I looked away from him before he could see how much that memory had left me shaken as well.

"....therefore, for her intelligence, her courage and her unswerving loyalty to Monrique and to its sovereigns, we would now like to award Lady Juliette Jeanne Van Helsing, Commander General of the Monriquan Armed Forces and Lady Knight of Monrique with a medallion of honour and a sum of 10 000 Crowns. We are very proud of you," the King concluded his speech, and offered her a pouch of money, before fixing the shiny new medal on her shoulders, where so many others rested as evidence of her achievements in the past decade.

The room burst into thunderous applause upon that gesture, with several rounds of cheers and whistles saturating the celebratory atmosphere. I applauded along with the rest, somewhat grudgingly proud to be her cousin sister for the first time in my life.

Truly, looking at her now, I felt as if I had wasted my whole life.

Jules and Nick were always destined to be together. It was a truth that I had failed, nay refused, to grasp over these years.

Time and time again over the last two decades, Mama and I had tried to separate the both of them from even becoming friends, but look at the play of Fate!

Despite everything that I had done to keep them apart, from damaging Prince Nicholas' flute when my cousin was sleeping, all the way to feeding him with lies about her for the next seven years after that, they had managed to salvage what I had destroyed.

Had I accepted this truth earlier, I might have spent the last twenty-two years of my existence on something more meaningful, as how Jules had. She had dreamed of becoming a Knight, fought for what she believed in, and look where she was now.

And what had I done in that same time? Destroying others' lives.

"Tess," Ned spoke up quietly just then.

I ignored him, keeping that faint, stubbornly artificial smile plastered on my face for Jules' sake, who was gazing at me now from the stage with a huge beam on her face. I mouthed my congratulations, which she answered with a nod and another smile.

I only hoped our newfound friendship would last longer than my baseless hatred for her had.

Her eyes then flickered to Ned for a moment before they returned to me, a small crease forming on her forehead in concern for me. She was worried. She was aware that he had been yelling himself hoarse at me these last few months since his return to Monrique.

Indeed, who could blame him? After he had found out that I had been pretending to be his friend all along merely to get closer to Nick?

"Tess, look at me," he repeated once more, his tone firm.

I turned my head to glare at him, irritation stemming from the shame that burned within me. "Yes, my Lord?"

His baby blue eyes were unusually solemn and aged, as he gazed down at me. Silently, slowly, he reached out to take my hands in both of his huge, warm ones, gently tugging me to face him.

I sucked in a sharp breath. I knew not why my heart began to beat so rapidly at his touch. I knew not why everyone else around me suddenly seemed to disappear into nothing, until all I could see was him.

"Ned?" I tensed.

"I chose to believe you. Every time. Even now, when I do not know what new games you are planning to play with my friends' lives, I still believe what you say," he whispered tiredly, "and that bothers me more than you will ever understand."

With that, he released my hands and strode away from me, disappearing into the crowd, leaving me strangely shaken with a sense of loss.

I continued to stare after him, confused and puzzled beyond measure.

***

The Lady Knight

1 July, Year 31 of King Frederick V of Monrique's reign

Bordeux Meadow, Bordeux

Monrique

With my hand tucked in the crook of Max's arm, I discreetly tip-toed behind the biggest willow tree in the area, careful not to be seen by the unusual number of people milling about.

I could only imagine what one would think when he or she saw the both of us, dressed too expensively to be seemly in the meadow, creeping across the grounds with all caution and paranoia. When Max was certain that no one could see us behind the tree, he heaved a sigh of relief, and turned to me.

"All right, Julie, stay here," Max instructed me sternly, "Evangeline, Kat, Lisa and Lord George will be here in a few minutes, so be patient and dare not move an inch from this spot. Lady Arabella will have your head if she sees you out and about before the wedding ceremony starts."

I frowned. "Are you not waiting with me here?"

"I am sorry, but Lady Arabella insisted that I go and sit with Papa in the audience right after I smuggled you away," he apologised, looking haunted as people always did after meeting Lady Arabella.

"Lady Arabella's darling little boy, are you not?" I mumbled, rolling my eyes, "go on, Brother-mine. You had best take your place among the audience. You can rest assured I will not move an inch from this place."

Shooting me a glare, he strode off towards the meadow, where rows of red velvet-draped chairs were set up for the wedding guests.

I huffed, tugging at the new pale, lilac gown that I had been forced into today by Lady Arabella. The gentle breeze, customary of the autumn season, played with my hair, trying to coax my curls to come unbound from the pins that held them up. Apart from the abundance of reddish brown leaves on the strewn about on the ground, the almost bare trees and the breeze, I had no other company here.

However, if I ran and rolled about the heap of fallen red leaves as I felt like doing at the present, I doubted I would remain alive after this. Lady Arabella's temper was already reaching a tipping point amidst so much preparations for the wedding, and I did not wish to set it off.

Yet, I continued to stare longingly at the leaves.

Out of the blue, I felt my vision being blocked by a pair of large, callused hands. Once upon a time, my hand would have flown to my waist at once where my sword rested, and run the stranger through it before they could take their next breath. Now, however, I merely relaxed, as the familiar scent of fresh pine trees wafted through my nose.

"What was the point, indeed, of hiding behind a willow tree?" I muttered wryly, lifting my hands to gently remove his hands covering my eyes before I turned around.

Nick stood in front of me, attired in a new, dark blue suit for the occasion, his hair in its usual dishevelled mess, his grey eyes twinkling and an easy smile gracing his lips as per normal.

However, there was a new-found sense of calm and contentment about him that I was becoming accustomed to these few months he had been courting me.

I smiled at once upon thinking of our courtship.

Although Papa and Max had been critical, these few months had been simply wonderful, and I had not been so peaceful in a very long time.

By no means was Nick a poet. Sonnets and troubadour poems bewildered and annoyed him. By no means was he a caramel-sweet romantic. He was as uncomfortable with displays of over-affection as I was.

But he was an inventive suitor, and he made our courtship a rather creative one.

For instance, he had very understandingly substituted roses with my favourite lilies, boring picnics on cliff-tops with more interesting marzipan eating competitions, horrible dances with duels, the usual midnight trysts with secret midnight escapades out to the Castle grounds to stargaze and so on.

Despite the fact that the Queen had begun to train me very seriously for the all too real possibility that I might marry her son one day and become a Crown Princess Consort, despite the fact that I got into trouble with Papa on an almost daily basis due to our courtship, despite the fact that my duties as a Knight were overflowing, despite the fact that the Crown Council stressed the both of us in one way or another every day to speed up our courtship, every day was a happy, new day, filled with surprises I looked forward to each morning I woke up.

And every day, I came to learn something new about him that I did not know before, making me fall in love with him over and over again.

He now leaned against the tree trunk beside me, crossing his arms over his stomach. "Busy day, is it not?" he noted amiably.

My stomach chose to grumble very loudly at that moment, answering his question.

He burst out laughing. "Here, I managed to bring you a marzipan," He pulled out his handkerchief from his pocket, in which contained, a perfectly sumptuous looking sugar-coated marzipan in all its glory. Only when I noticed a twirl of white cream on top of it did I realise something.

"This is one of the wedding marzipans," I was astonished, as I took it from him, "how did you get hold of it? Lady Arabella has been keeping a fierce guard on these." I began to munch on it, willingly drowning in the sugary bliss of it all.

An impish smile spread across his lips as he watched me gobble it down in no time. "Lady Louvre has always had a soft spot for me, and she spared me one," he shrugged, "and I knew you must be hungry after preparing for the wedding all day along, so I brought it for you."

I was about to thank him, touched that he had offered me the only wedding marzipan available to him for my sake, when I spotted some suspicious crumbs at the edge of his lips.

My eyes narrowed. "You ate your share, did you not?"

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Guilty as charged."

Shaking my head, I began to chuckle in amusement, as I reached out to punch his shoulder. He caught my fist before it could reach his shoulder and pulled me against him in one, fluid motion as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

My heart began to beat faster. "How many marzipan blocks did you eat there?" I blurted out, unable to contain myself.

He paused for a moment and tilted his head, thinking deeply, as his arms encircled my waist. "Why do you ask? Are you jealous?" he murmured, leaning towards me.

I tried hard to concentrate on his question, as I felt his warm lips on my cheek. "What? Nay," I scoffed, "in fact, Lisa promised me a whole lot more – "

I forgot what I was saying within moments, as he began to trail small kisses along my jawline. I closed my eyes, letting my arms travel up his shoulders to wrap around his neck. When his lips reached the corner of my own, he paused, leaning his forehead against mine. My heart thundered away like a horde of stallions let wild in the meanwhile.

"You are beyond impossible, you know that?" I murmured.

"'Tis why you love me," he teased, squeezing me against him.

I merely smiled, and leaned up to press my lips to his softly, gently. His hands slid slowly up my form to cradle my head with the greatest caution in his hands, as he ardently returned my kiss, as if he could not get enough.

Familiar butterflies began to fly around in my stomach, and liquid warmth spread to the tips of my toes as they curled, as our two hearts beat in an unsynchronised pattern, each beat completing the other.

Someone cleared their throat at that moment. "You know, Jules, one would think that it is your wedding today, instead of mine," a wry voice commented behind me.

We broke apart, startled. Nick turned the both of us around, still keeping an arm around my waist. Evoric's sister Evangeline, Lisa and Kat were grinning at the both of us with undisguised glee, while Lord George beside them looked uncomfortable, looking away from us.

I grew bright red, as Nick burst out laughing, deep and uninhibited. "Is it time, Lord Louvre?" he asked Lord George, in between laughs.

"Aye, Your Royal Highness," Lord George attempted a smile, "you are needed at the altar."

Nick nodded. "I will see you at the altar, then, love," he flashed me an impish grin, and pressed a quick kiss to my temple before he hurried towards the altar erected on the meadow.

The moment he was out of earshot, I was ambushed by the three women. "Good Lord, poppet," Kat whistled lowly, "that was one hell of a kiss."

"Indeed," Evangeline's green eyes danced about.

Dressed in identical lilac gowns to mine, and their brunette curls pinned up as elaborately as mine was, they would both have cut elegant figures like I never could, if not for the childishly naughty grins spreading across their faces.

I shoved them both. "Keep your silence."

Lisa laughed softly, laying a heavily gloved hand against my cheek. "Oh, you look so adorable, Jules. It is nice seeing some colour in your cheeks. Are you ready?"

She was positively glowing in her simple, yet becoming pure white satin gown, which she and her mother had designed and sewn together over the last few months.

"Ready as I will ever be," I smiled at her, "are you certain you do not have cold feet?" I jested.

She laughed again. "Nay, of course not. I have waited forever for this day to come, Jules," she answered softly.

And looking at her, one could not doubt it.

Evangeline handed me a small bouquet of red roses, and she and Kat stood on either side of me, holding identical bouquets. Lord George took Lisa's hand and led her forward in front of us, and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. Presently, a slow march began to play from the meadow, and the pair in front of me began to stroll forward in time to the music.

Evangeline, Kat and I followed them two steps behind, holding our bouquets and smiling at the seated guests.

The meadow was decorated with red roses and persimmons to match the autumn season in which the wedding was held, saturating the atmosphere with their sweet scents. The guests seated on either side of the aisle sighed softly in a chorus at the beautiful vision of Lisa in white, as we approached the altar.

I could not see Lisa's expression, but when Evoric set his eyes on his bride, his lips pulled up in a smile of absolute exultation, his goblin green eyes lighting up with joy.

Presently, Lord George and Lisa reached the altar. He lifted Lisa's hand from the crook of his arm and pressed a tiny kiss to it, before he placed it in Evoric's outstretched one, his aged eyes gleaming with tears of happiness.

Lisa pecked her father on the cheek once, before she allowed Evoric to lead her up the three steps to where he and the minister were standing. Lord George then returned to his seat to sit beside his wife, who seemed on the verge of tears as well.

Kat, Evangeline and I climbed up the steps and took our places by Lisa's side, standing directly across Evoric's groomsmen, Nick, Richard and Ned.

We inclined our heads, and smiled at each other in greeting. In the meanwhile, Lisa and Evoric kneeled down on the cushions placed in front of them, and held each other by their forearms, facing each other.

"Dearly beloved," the minister began in a quiet, solemn voice, "we are gathered here to witness the union of two souls in holy matrimony. If anyone has any objections to this union, speak now, or forever hold your peace."

Silence.

The minister then walked around the kneeling couple, and held out his hand towards me. I slipped a hand into the cleverly stitched pocket in my gown, and took out a white, lace veil that was made of the same material as Lisa's gown.

He blessed it, and bent down to drape it over Lisa and Evoric's interlocked arms.

"In the sight of our good Gods, I hereby bind you both as one," the minister folded the veil once over their arms, "now you will pledge yourselves to each other, in a union that no man shall put asunder."

Lisa and Evoric smiled at each other and took a deep breath before they began to speak.

"Storms and summers will come and go," they vowed together, soft yet strong, "and some days of darkness will last longer than others. Through it all, I do promise, to stand by you as your strength and courage. I will hold you and I will love you, till the day my own heart sees fit, to stop beating altogether. It has been you, and it will only ever be you."

There was something about the rhythm of these age-old words that moved me tremendously in that moment. I raised my eyes towards Nick subconsciously, only to find him staring straight at me instead of watching the ceremony in front of us.

My lips pulled up in a faint smile, which he returned at once. His eyes were unusually solemn.

***

Later, Evoric and Lisa led the first dance of the evening.

They were followed by Lady Arabella and Lord George, and then the widowed Lady Warwick and Papa. The rest of the guests joined them seamlessly, one couple after another.

Kat, Evangeline and I were leaning against the refreshment tables, swaying gently to the music as we gorged on the wedding fruitcake. It was a new experience, attending a wedding out in the meadow instead of the Castle chapel, but the change was quite refreshing.

Dancing on the grass did not seem to be too bad an idea either. The guests all looked like they were enjoying themselves, in any case.

"This fruitcake is wonderful," I sighed blissfully, "it is fast becoming my new favourite dessert next to marzipan."

Kat snickered, shaking her head in amusement. "Oh, poppet, I pity the castle cooks already!"

I shoved her, grinning widely. It was as if nothing could dampen my mood today. My friends were happy, I had good food in my hands, and there was excellent music being played and the most wonderful breeze was dancing with me while I was stationary – what more could I ask for?

Evangeline watched us both with a small smile playing about her lips. "By the Lord, look at them both," she gestured to Evoric and Lisa on the grassy dance floor, "they will most definitely bring happiness into our household once more."

Kat and I followed her satisfied gaze, observing Evoric twirl Lisa round and round, her white veil flying around her as she threw her head back and laughed with pure bliss. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with a glow I had not seen in quite a while, her cheeks high in colour.

In a flash, memories of the first time she had met Evoric, the days she used to spend simply watching him, the times he used to find any excuse to talk to her, the hide and seek game that had cemented their friendship and love at Louvre Manor, the hours she used to cry pining over him with Kat and I when he was in Osterlund, and even the Potential Quest last year when I had made a truce with Nick for their sake, passed before my very eyes at that moment.

Everything had been completely worth it for this day. Everything.

"It makes the last ten years seem like nothing, does it not?" Kat murmured, exchanging a faint smile with me, "who knew this day would come at last."

Who, indeed.

"Evangeline Hale!" a voice called out just then, "where have you gone off to with my box of rouge?"

Evangeline choked on her glass of orange juice at the sound of the Lady Warwick's voice, startled. "Rue it all," she muttered, "I had best return it to Mama."

She shot us an embarrassed grin and scampered off towards Lady Warwick with all haste, who was standing at the edge of the meadow in all her formidable glory, with her hands on her hips. Next to her stood Papa, sipping on his glass of champagne, altogether amused at the sight of the flustered Evangeline.

"Although one does wonder why Lady Warwick needs rouge at this age," Kat mused curiously, tiptoeing to look at her, "mayhap she is looking to impress your father. Mayhap she has a special fondness for him."

Now it was my turn to choke. "For Papa?"

Her grey eyes twinkled with amusement at my tone, as she faced me. "Calm down, I was only jesting," she laughed, patting my shoulder, "although I do not think you should sound so surprised, even if it had been true."

"And why is that?"

"Any of us would be fortunate to find love," there was a hint of wistfulness in her voice, "and even more so to find it a second time."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, and she leaned her head against mine, sighing. I knew that she was deeply in love with Richard, and was still trying to work up the courage to tell him. She was afraid of destroying their friendship, especially since he had only returned to Bordeux less than a year ago and she was still reacquainting with him.

"I think you and I need a drink," I smiled softly now, "do you know where the champagne bottles are?"

That distracted her. "I saw Lord George drinking a glass mere moments ago," she turned to search the tables with me, "by the Lord, it has been such a long time since Mama had let me touch even a drop of alcohol..."

"Papa forbade me too, ever since the battle last year," I sulked, "but woman, we will not leave this wedding without having had at least one glass of champagne. Agreed?"

Kat nodded firmly, and like two, rebellious teenaged girls, we sealed the deal with a firm handshake, and began to scour the tables together.

"Looking to get drunk tonight, are we?" a familiar voice spoke just then.

I turned around, to find Nick and Richard striding towards us, both smirking in wry amusement. "I do not see how this is funny," I rolled my eyes, "make yourselves useful and help us search. Four is better than two."

"Nay, I think not. We are here to ask the two bridesmaids to dance before they become plump from eating so much," Richard chuckled, feigning disapproval.

"Do you realise you have finished eating almost half of the wedding fruitcake?" Nick pointed to the cake, suppressing his laughter.

"So...shall we, Kat?" Richard held out his hand, smiling.

Kat considered. "If we dance with you, you will find us some champagne later, one way or another," she set the terms firmly.

Richard and Nick exchanged amused glances. "All right."

With that, Richard did not hesitate to whisk Kat away, leaving Nick and I alone by the refreshment table.

"May I have this dance, Julie?" he bowed.

"Honoured," I answered wryly, letting him lead me onto the dance floor that was in truth, a raised patch of green grass in the meadow, that was more than comfortable.

Seeing as this was a wedding, waltzes were in abundance, and thus, I found myself dancing with Nick to yet another waltz number in this lifetime.

However, there was no more awkwardness, no more uncertainty. I moved into his arms easily after curtsying to him, as I put my hand in his, and allowed him to pull me into his embrace, letting my other hand rest on his shoulder. When the music began, he led me at a gentle, relaxed pace, in no hurry to finish the dance.

It gave me the opportunity to ask him something that had been on my mind for quite a while now. "This is the end, is it not?" I glanced up at him, when he twirled me around.

"Whatever do you mean?" he was confused.

"'Tis Lisa's and Evoric's wedding day today, Nick," I reminded him, trying my best to look solemn, "remember? Our truce ends once and for all today."

He was surprised by that for a moment, before his eyes widened in mock relief. "Oh, thank goodness," he sighed exaggeratedly, "I was wondering how much longer I needed to pretend to be friends with you. What a relief, truly, whew." He made a great show of wiping his brow.

I laughed, punching his shoulder. "Pretend, eh?"

He grinned, rolling his eyes as we whirled around the meadow. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, "renew our truce so that you do not return to yelling at me first thing in the morning every day?"

I paused for a moment to push back my hair that was flying across my face. "I already yell at you first thing in the morning," I pointed out, exasperated, "by God, is waking up at 08 00 hours every morning so difficult?"

He nodded vigorously, twirling me again. "You do not have the slightest idea, Julie," he seemed very earnest in explaining to me, "waking up in the morning feels as if...as if...a Marzipan block is snatched out of your hands. Like someone orders you to study when you want to play. Like a person steals your sword when – "

"All right, all right, I understand," I stopped him, alarmed, "Lord, you can truly go on forever with that, can you not?"

"Aye," he smirked, "and I can also alter the terms and conditions of our truce such that you have to listen to me explain this in full detail."

"If we renew it, that is," I reminded him.

He tilted his head at me, and mused, swaying from side to side. "If we renew it," he gazed at me, "then whose wedding will it be for? The wedding we initially made a truce for has ended." He nodded at the newlyweds from across us.

My eyes did not leave his. I knew the weight of what I was about to say next, but astonishingly, I found that it was exactly what I wanted.

"Ours," I answered quietly.

His eyes widened for a brief moment, before he cracked an amused grin. "You still wish to marry me?" he jested, "even after I landed you in so much trouble over these few months?"

I smiled weakly. "Are you having second thoughts, beloved?"

He shook his head, chuckling, as he bent down to kiss my forehead. "Never. I simply wanted to be certain that you are not being pressurised in any way," he murmured, "now, it is time to pressurise them." His eyes danced mischievously at the thought of revenge.

I felt an impish smile creep up my lips. "The Crown Council, I presume?"

He nodded, and dug into his pockets for a moment, before he came up with a simple, silver ring that sparkled in the light from the various, red lanterns hung around the meadow. My eyes widened in surprise.

"This was my Grandmama's ring when she lived. My Grandpapa had given it to her as a present when they were still courting," he explained softly, "I always keep it with me on my person in her memory." He allowed me to look at it.

It was heavy, despite the fact that there were no stones embedded on it. However, what caught my eye was the faded inscription on the inner side of the ring. I held it up towards the light, struggling to read it.

It was written in another language. "Ich bin bei dir," I read out, frowning, "what does that mean? What language is this?"

His gaze was very, very tender as the waltz number neared its end. "He promised her he would always be with her, through everything life had to throw at them," he explained, "it is written in German. My grandfather was a nobleman from Longbourne."

I was beyond overwhelmed by the significance of the object I was holding. "That is so sweet."

He nodded, smiling warmly. "So, do you want to get married?"

"Let me think about it again," I mused, before I laughed softly, "do I have to put it on myself, though?" I teased, holding it up.

The crooked smile came on again. "Nay, I can do that," he chuckled in amusement, taking it from my hand before he tried to put it on my ring finger.

It was too tight.

"Mayhap your Grandmama exercised more often than I do," I chuckled ruefully.

"Nay, do not worry about it," he assured me, before he pushed it up my pinkie finger, "promises are made with this finger, in any case." He held out his own pinkie towards me.

Laughing softly, I hooked it with mine.