“Slowly… Slowly… Yes. Now, exhale.”

Alina let out a long breath through her pursed lips; however, an unseen wisp of pollen twinged a small warning tremor from her lungs.

“Again.”

She cracked an eye open and openly scowled up into her fiance’s face.

“We’ve done this five times. Can't we take a break?”

Brendan raised a lone black eyebrow as his dark eyes regarded Alina seriously.

“I want your lung capacity that of a maid’s before our wedding.” His gaze shifted to the forest's foliage as his calm emotionless mask recounted his expectations.

Alina let out a slow irritated sigh. “My breathing has already improved significantly with a month of my lessons from Mr. Flint. Truly, he is a gifted musician unlike any other I’ve seen or met before.”

Brendan grunted.

“Yes, I know you don’t like him, but personality aside, we can’t refute his talent.”

Brendan’s grunt shifted to a low growl.

“Of course I’m careful. I always have at least two other people in the room with me during his lessons.”

A snort mixed with a sharp breath left Brendan’s mouth, and Alina smiled knowing she had understood him completely and soothed his worries. After a moment, Brendan lowered his dark gaze down to his fiance’s, and once he noticed the smile, his cool gaze immediately filled with warmth.

Smiling a little brighter, Alina then leaned against the tree behind them before tilting her head to rest on Brendan’s shoulder.

“I can’t believe you have to leave for Troivack tomorrow,” her voice turned wistful as the thought of saying goodbye to Brendan immediately dampened her previous good mood.

“I’ll write to you,” Brendan reminded sternly.

“You better. You also better not write your letters like a report. Real letters. Telling me how much you miss me and love me.” Alina turned her face upwards to stare into Brendan’s strained features.

After a moment of him looking as though he were being strangled, Alina acquiesced that despite his best efforts, he may not be able to express himself to quite those extents…

“Alright, how about this… you sign each letter saying ‘Love, Brendan’, and you ask me one personal question per letter. You can say you miss me whenever you work up the strength.”

Brendan’s shoulders and face sagged in relief as he took several gulps of air. “I believe I can manage that.”

After witnessing Brendan’s blatant distress, Alina couldn’t help it, she broke out laughing.

“Gods… I cannot say enough how much I enjoy seeing you show what you're feeling around me these days.”

Brendan smiled for a brief moment before his expression once again grew serious.

“When we are in Troivack, I will not be like this,” he began, his caution apparent.

“Except when we’re alone,” Alina reminded sharply. She was not going to let his newfound emotional liberation vanish that easily…

Brendan managed a twitch of his lips in confirmation, before continuing on.

“In Troivack, your expressiveness may alienate you,” he said bluntly. “I know your tutors will cover this, but-”

“It’s alright, I’ll have Kat with me, and something tells me she’ll make me look rather… mild by comparison,” Alina was grinning again as she recalled her friend that morning cackling merrily as she and Reese Flint raced each other in their wheelchairs. Much to the servants' chagrins…

It was abundantly clear to everyone that Katarina Ashowan had recovered from her wound from the previous month, but her recreational use of the wheelchair had not yet been brought up in good company.

“I worry the most about Lady Katarina’s presence,” Brendan announced flatly.

Alina’s smile faded as his words sank in. For a few moments Brendan worried he had perhaps spoken too candidly, but when his beloved fiance reached for his hand and squeezed it tenderly, he couldn’t help but forget his concern.

“I believe with all of my heart… that Kat… can do absolutely anything. So… as much as I, too, am worried about how she will fare in Troivack, I know that one way or another things will turn out alright.”

Brendan said nothing in response as he succumbed to the gentle seduction of enjoyment. He could smell lavender and lilies from the top of Alina’s head, and her small hand was wrapped safely in his own… two elite Knights and two maids waited off in the brush of the King’s forest at a respectable distance to give the couple a bit of privacy.

It was a rare moment of peace, and Brendan didn’t want to be the ungrateful fool that would let the moment pass unappreciated.

After several long minutes of amiable silence, Brendan lifted his cheek from the top of Alina’s head, which in turn made her straighten to stare into his eyes wordlessly once more.

They knew it was time to head back into the castle.

Alina slowly began to stand with a resigned smile, when Brendan’s grip on her hand tightened, stopping her from moving any further. Pulling her into his lap, he couldn’t resist brushing a chaste kiss along her lips before pulling back to lean his forehead against hers.

“Will you truly be alright leaving your father alone here in Daxaria?”

It was a question Brendan had been procrastinating asking, but had been weighing on him for a few weeks.

For a moment Alina’s eyes filled with pain, and Brendan immediately felt his chest ache…

“I’m going to miss him more than anything,” she began, her eyes beginning to mist. “I… I will also worry about him like he will worry for me, but… I can’t wait forever for my brother.”

For a moment Alina’s gaze dropped and an angry flush rose in her cheeks, before she gave her head a shake, clearly choosing to move on from whatever thought had just plagued her.

If anything goes wrong, you know I’ll be heading back here immediately to help, right?” Alina’s frown and the firm line of her mouth made it clear that while she had made her declaration a question, it most definitely was not.

Brendan nodded.

He knew that he could never ask her to forsake her father and original kingdom, nor would he ever want her to. He didn’t want her being any other way than how she was.

“Good.” Alina jerked her chin down sternly, before she once again began to try and stand once more, only this time Brendan stopped her with a kiss that had one of the Knights clearing his throat loudly.

When they finally pulled apart, Alina couldn’t help but blush as she laughed.

“I’m looking forward to not needing nannies,” she whispered with a devious smile.

Brendan couldn’t help it, he grinned back and lowered his own baritone voice. “Yes, I also look forward to you telling me more about what you claim your mother taught you about bedding your husband…”

Alina’s blush turned into a raging scarlet at recalling the time she had teased him, making Brendan release his boom of a laugh as his fiance dropped her burning face to her hands.

Funnily enough, the maids and Knights had all stopped jumping at the sound of his laughter a while ago…

After all, it had grown to be rather a normal thing to hear.

***

One Year Later

“... After the that one slave trader got away, they’re being a lot more thorough in their searches. Then he went on to say how his mother has already begun ordering dresses for me.” Alina read off the last letter she had received from Brendan, as servants bustled around her carrying vases of fresh cut flowers, and garments that were being packed for her to take to Troivack.

Kat stood behind her friend, brushing her long wavy dirty blonde hair and staring at the King’s letter over Alina’s shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

“It sounds like his mother is more excited than he is about you arriving there,” Kat remarked while doing her best to keep the disapproval from her voice.

Alina shot her a dry glance over her shoulder indicating she had still heard her friend's tone behind the comment before turning back to her letter and flipping over the parchment to read through it again– even though she had easily read it more than twenty times already.

“I’ll be taking a small group of Knights to stay with me permanently, as well as a few maids… then you of course, but you are supposed to return after the year.” Alina rose from her seat, her white silk robe rippling down her figure as she did so.

“Yes, though who knows… maybe I’ll be a smashing success and stay there my whole life! Your Troivackian brats will need a godmother who actually has a sense of fun after all…” Kat mused while plunking herself gracelessly down on Alina’s bed.

“I’m relatively certain the Troivackian King will have you gagged, bound, and returned to Daxaria the moment you try to mentor one of our children.” Alina turned and grinned at her friend as she finally allowed the letter to fall to her side.

“By the way, why is it the King landed in Xava? Why has he not sent word to you?” Kat asked as the seamstress let out a small yelp from the corner of the room where she was working on the finishing touches of Alina’s wedding dress.

When Alina and Kat realized that it had just been Kraken who had startled the poor woman by suddenly appearing under the skirts, they returned their attentions to their conversation.

“He said he needed to help your father with something actually… how long has the Viscount been gone did you say?” Alina wondered with a frown.

Kat let out a long breath as she squinted towards the ceiling.

“Let me see… Tam and Likon have been gone since Beltane, but returned to the estate in Austice last night (allegedly). Da left about a month after their original deparure? He said he was going to… Rollom. Or was it Sorlia…? Maybe he went to both!” Kat shrugged. “All I am excited for is there finally being an end to my lessons on Troivackian etiquette and nobles… my mother has been driving me mad!” she flopped back onto the bed, her long red hair rumpling beneath her.

“I thought your mother’s lessons were wonderful. She was so informative and insightful… she made it sound all so interesting!” Alina smiled at her friend’s scowling expression knowing that she was intentionally annoying her ever so slightly.

“I thought it was annoying studying with Tam, then you had to come along! Always on time, always clean, always attentive-”

“Never half way through a turkey leg with the grease covering half my face and wearing men’s britches…” Alina added on casually, earning her friend’s wolfish smile as she once again sat up.

“Was there any more information about the rebellion in the letter?” Kat asked before slumping against the bed post.

Alina cast a hasty glance around them to make sure none of her maids had overheard her friend’s question.

“No. Remember, we’re trying not to alarm too many people. Otherwise there might be some nobles who try to make me stay here,” the Princess dropped her voice and moved closer to the redhead while feigning a casual smile.

“Right…” Kat sighed. “Well, at least that’ll give me something to look forward to… watching the Troivackians train for battles… I’m curious how different they are from the Daxarian soldiers!”

Alina giggled. “You just want to find a husband of your own, admit it!”

Kat snorted. “Now that Tam is actually working to take over as Viscount, all I need to do is make sure I don’t annoy him too much so that he agrees to taking care of me for the rest of my life. That way I can keep doing whatever I like!”

Alina’s mouth twisted with worry. “Don’t you ever wish that-”

“Your Highness! His Majesty, the King of Troivack, has arrived!” Paula, the maid, burst into Alina’s room, her cheeks bright pink as she doubled over– she had clearly run the entire way.

Without a second glance at Kat, Alina tossed the letter on her bed and flew out of her chamber, her silk robe clutched up in her hands to stop her from tripping.

“Your Highness! You shouldn’t run out only wearing– Ah!’” Paula was cut off as a painful stitch in her side made her double over once again.

Kat stood slowly and patted the girl’s back while staring after her friend with a knowing grin.

“Don’t worry, she’s wearing a shift underneath… I think… if not, a little fresh air on the breasts is probably rather invigorating.”

Paula whimpered, and Kat proceeded to stroll out of the room merrily, her arms swinging as she slowly followed her friend.

It was going to be a wedding to remember, there was no doubt in her mind.

*

Alina darted past servants carrying linens for the guest rooms, stewards carrying trunks, maids carrying pitchers of water, she jogged past all of them all the way down until she skidded to a halt at the top of the grand stairs leading down to the entrance hall.

There, standing with his broad back to her, his short black hair curling near the nape of his neck, stood her fiance as he spoke with two other men that she couldn’t see past his giant figure.

“Brend- Your Majesty!” Alina called out slightly breathlessly, her lips already splitting into a smile when Brendan turned around, and stared up at her.

For a moment he looked utterly awestruck, as though he were seeing the Goddess herself.

Though the warmth of the mid afternoon sun setting her wavy dirty blonde hair aglow and her incandescent smile was successful in stilling more than just the Troivackian King as everyone present in the castle entrance hall gawked at the Princess’ loveliness.

Then, Brendan’s face broke out into a smile and Alina picked up the hem of her robe once more as she began trotting down the stairs gradually picking up speed as he strode toward her at the same time.

By the time Alina had reached the final three steps she launched herself into his arms, one of her slippers falling to the floor as she buried her face in his broad shoulder and he held her tightly, kissing the side of her head.

When she leaned back, he had already picked her up so that her head was above his, which gave her the perfect opportunity to kiss him soundly.

After a rather lengthy moment that no one bothered to interrupt, Brendan finally set Alina back down, his eyes filled with warmth and happiness.

Reaching up to caress his bearded cheek Alina smiled up at him. “Hello.”

Taking her hand from his cheek and kissing her fingertips, Brendan bent his forehead forward prompting her to do the same until they were pressed dagainst each others. “Hello. Did you happen to run here?”

Alina felt as though her face would break from her smile, she couldn’t contain her joy a second longer. “I’m as fit as a maid now.”

"It seems you have become a Princess of potential," Brendan growled before kissing her, the note of pride not lost on Alina.

"I'm so happy you're here," she whispered excitedly, her eyes sparkling up at him without a care in the word.

“I brought you a wedding present,” Brendan murmured quietly as though in a daze that he didn’t quite want to break free of.

Alina leaned back with a laugh. “You managed to say you missed me twice over the span of a year, and now you mean to tell me you even thought to bring me a present? Was it Henry’s idea?”

Brendan cleared his throat, and opened his mouth to respond, when he was interrupted.

“Glad to see you’re doing well, baby sister.”

Alina’s face froze, then slowly paled as her eyes widened while continuing to stare at Brendan. She'd become unable to move as she searched her fiance’s face as though waiting to see if he were jesting…

Her heart pounded violently in her chest.

Then, Brendan straightened and turned to stare at the man who had spoken.

There, with his long dirty blonde hair tied back from his weathered unshaven face, in peasant clothes, with eyes the same as her own…

Alina stepped forward on trembling legs.

“Eric.”

The End

(FIN)