by Emma Merrell
“How magnanimous of you,” Bran said.
“It is my hope that you will be the magnanimous one, King Bran. I propose a re-separation of our two kingdoms, but this time the mountain dwellers will not be rebels scraping out a meager existence. This time I hope to see you as king of the mountain, with the promise that your borders will never be crossed by any without your explicit permission. The palace will even be willing to open up lines of trade, so the possible union between the two kingdoms will be fruitful.”
“And just who decides what I get?”
“We can decide together and mark a permanent boundary.”
One of the guild masters spoke up, “I assume that this plan depends on electing you to be our ruler, Prince Jonathan. How can we trust that the same duplicitous blood as your mother and aunt does not also run in your veins?”
Luce couldn’t hold back a response. “Jonathan is the most loyal and forthright man that I know. You would be lucky to have him sit on the throne.”
Jonathan flashed a brief smile her way, grateful for the support. But more was coming from other corners as well, as Petunia stepped forward to be seen and heard. “Though I do love my uncle dearly, I must agree with the prince’s plan. With the death of Queen Leona, the people will be fractured cleanly in two, and I don’t know if there would be an easy way for them to coexist. I have worked for the royal family all my life, and I will say that not once did Prince Jonathan show me anything but respect and kindness. He would make a fine ruler.”
“Thank you, ladies. And yes, I would rule, as is my birthright. However, I would maintain the new practice of not allowing slavery and allowing the guild masters to speak for the public. Magic would no longer be outlawed. Magic is the lifeblood of our people and the future of my unborn child. The curse is broken, and we no longer have any reason to live in the past. Let us start anew and try to make this place better.”
It was quiet for a moment, and then, “You would allow me to rule my lands autonomously? No interference from your lot?”
“On my honor.”
“And what of the sins of the past? How will you repay us for the lost years without our daughters?”
“That is a debt that I can never repay. However, I believe that to become a strong trading partner you must be strong people. I would, with approval from the guild, allot one-quarter of our fall grain harvest to your kingdom for the next decade.”
Luce held her breath. It was a generous offer. She was afraid that the guild might not agree to it. They were already conferring with one another, surely weighing the cost of another battle against the sacrifice of grain. Similarly, Bran was consulting with his daughter. Luce turned to share a look with Jonathan who raised an eyebrow as if to say, “We’ll see.”
Bran was the first to speak. “I find the terms acceptable. I would only ask that I be granted the right to bring all of the people who would want to live a life free from the stain of magic to my mountains.”
The Master rose to his feet and addressed the throne. “The guild finds the contract between Prince Jonathan and King Bran of the Mountain to be a wise course of action. Furthermore, we would see Prince Jonathan crowned and wed within a fortnight of King Bran’s departure. The crown will, of course, hold a wedding feast in the town square for all of its people.”
“Then it is agreed.” Jonathan rose to his feet. “If you would accompany me, King Bran, guildsmen, we shall hammer out the details of this treaty in the war room. Send for a scribe to meet us there.”
Jonathan dropped a kiss on Luce’s forehead as he left, and the room emptied out in his wake. Only Luce, Petunia, Jude, and Bernice remained. A collective sigh went out, the hard part was over. It had gone as well as could be expected.
“Why did you side with the prince instead of my father?” Berenice asked Petunia.
Well, at least, one part of today had gone well.
“Oh, cousin. You know how dearly I love him, but I also want this land to be at peace and I believe the prince’s plan is the best way towards it. Besides, I am magic, asking me to live without it is like asking me to cut out my heart. I know that you don’t understand it, but it is a part of me, and one that your father hates.”
“He would never hate you.”
“I know that he loves me, but at the same time his hatred for what I possess is why he killed Leona.”
“He killed Leona because she used us. Betrayed us.”
“And if I had ever used my magic again, would that also have been a betrayal?”
Berenice made a sour face at that but didn’t offer an argument against it. It was quiet for a while after that, but it was Jude who broke the awkward silence. “Jonathan spoke very convincingly.”
“It’s what he was born and raised for. Not to mention the fact that he really does feel so passionate about making this kingdom a better place for our baby and all the others coming in the future.”
“He deferred to my uncle quite a bit. It is something Queen Anne would never have done.”
Berenice snorted. “Let’s hope that is not the only thing that he will do differently.”
Luce turned to Berenice. “How do you feel about all of this? Will your people take it well?”
“I think they will, once Leona’s death is revealed they will understand why it would be better to go. And the thought of going back to our home and having autonomy and trade is good.”
“Do you think any of your people will choose to remain here?”
“I don’t think so, with the glaring exception of my own cousin. Do you think any will choose to come with us?”
Luce shrugged. “I am sure that there will be some, only those that don’t have the magic of course.”
“I will be staying here. At my sister’s side.” Jude said.
“And Petunia’s as well?” Berenice asked.
The two in question shared a look that Luce knew all too well, “If you insist.”
After that when things grew quiet everyone allowed it to remain so. Politics? That was easy. Love? Not so much.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Luce
The sun was bright overhead as Luce stepped out onto the balcony, she raised a hand to shade the baby’s face. The crowd below roared when they caught sight of their new prince. The first babe to be born to them since Jonathan. It wouldn’t be for long though, women all over the kingdom were coming up pregnant. There was about to be a population explosion.
A soft cry drew Luce’s gaze downward and she smiled at the little boy trying to nuzzle her collarbone for milk. She had always been told how much her mother and father had loved her, but for the first time, she truly understood what people had meant. This love was everything, crazy and all-consuming. Her heart now lived outside of her body.
She looked to her side and saw that Jonathan was beaming. His face was so proud as he looked at them and showed them off to the crowd. It made Luce well up. She was so lucky and so grateful that this was the way her life had turned out.
The crier below blew his trumpet to quiet the people so he could announce them. “Their Royal Majesties, King Jonathan and Queen Luce are proud to present their son, Prince Samuel.”
A deafening cheer went up and Luce smiled, waving at the people down below as they caught their first glimpse of the new royal family. She and Jonathan stood and waved until little Samuel’s cries for breakfast became too insistent to ignore.
“That went well,” Jonathan said as they settled on to a small sofa to feed Samuel.
“It did. They were very happy”
“They’ve been very happy ever since things went back to normal.”
It was true. Though there had been a tense time when Bran handed over the kingdom to Jonathan and split off, it had passed when they realized how just a ruler that Jonathan was going to be. Slavery had been forever abolished, magic users were free to practice as they wished, and the people enjoyed exercising their collective voice through the filter of the guild. Even the grain donation to the mountains had only ange
red them a little. Of course, the most magical thing was the babies returning to the kingdom. Each one was going to be so loved and cherished.
“He’s hungry,” Jonathan noted. “He will grow into a strong young man.”
“Just like his father?” Luce teased.
“Oh no, far better than me. He has you in him as well which makes him the best.”
Luce blushed and leaned over to lay a soft kiss on his lips. She pulled back slowly to give him a wicked smile. “What do you say we leave our little Samuel with Aunty Catherine for his nap?”
“And what will we do?”
“Oh, I can think of a few things.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jude
It was rare that he and Petunia got to be home together for any length of time, so Jude was very excited for family dinner tonight. Her job as the Head of the Household at the palace caused her endless hours of work. Managing that place was a gargantuan task. Jude felt relatively lucky that over-seeing the harvest was a daytime position only.
They all tried to sit down together at least once every couple of weeks, but this time they had stretched it to almost a month. Jonathan and Luce were being kept quite busy with their new addition. As well as running the kingdom.
“Petunia? Come out of the kitchen, they’ll be here any moment.” He called.
She bustled out looking harassed a moment later. “Sorry, I was telling the new cook how the king prefers his lamb.”
“Are you ready for tonight?”
“I am. Do you think they will be surprised?”
“I think they will say, ‘finally’.”
Petunia laughed. “Probably.”
Jude heard voices from the courtyard and Samuel’s distinct cry. “There they are.”
It was the usual bustle of greetings and hugs as Petunia and Jude led them to the dining room. In this house they weren’t royals, they were just family, and Jonathan had been sure to make that crystal clear. Jude quite liked his brother in law. Luce had done well, and he could only hope she would feel the same about his choices.
They settled around the heavy wooden table and Jude reached his arms out towards his sister. “I need my nephew, hand him over.”
Luce passed the baby across the table with a smile. Jude marveled at how much the baby had grown since the last time he had seen him. He had gotten chubbier, with little rolls on his legs, and his expression was much more animated. “Hello. Hello, Sam,” he cooed as he bounced the boy gently in his arms.
Petunia reached over and brushed a delicate hand over Sam’s forehead. “Such a sweet boy.”
“He wasn’t quite so sweet an hour ago,” Jonathan said wryly.
“No, he was much louder and much less happy,” Luce added with a wink. “So, do we need to wait for the food to find out this mysterious news you have for us?”
Jude shared a look with Petunia, and then took a deep, calming breath. “I suppose not. Petunia?”
Petunia teased out the moment for a little while before finally announcing, “We are going to be wed.”
Jude and Petunia blushed as the couple across from them whooped and cheered. “Finally,” Luce exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting for you to make Petunia a sister to me. Officially.”
Jonathan stood glass in hand. “I’d like to make a toast to the happy couple, our dear family, and the heavens that we were all brought together despite the difficult circumstances. I never knew what it was like to have a true family until very recently, and I have you all to thank for that.”
From across the table, Luce caught Jude’s eye, a million unspoken words passing between them, but the main thing was the knowledge that after a long hard life, they were grateful to have found a new family too.
THE END