"Please say something." Shara said to her husband.
He was silent for several seconds before speaking. "Are you serious? This isn't a jest?"
She nodded.
He looked at her for several long seconds, mouth slightly open, head cocked to one side, and eyes looking... hurt? No, that wasn't it? Distrustful? No, not quite that either. Mad? No; no he wasn't mad exactly. Unsure? Yes, he certainly seemed to be that.
Lyra gaped with her eyes wide. Her mouth was hanging open and then she gave a sharp intake of breath. "Oh Illuminar, I kissed the princess." She covered her mouth with her hand and Shara saw a grimace before she did.
"No-- well, yes." She conceded. "But I'm still me."
"Yes, but you're the princess. Uh, my lady." The ash blonde replied formally and even a bit reverently. Her attempt at formal and respectful had lasted all of about five seconds before her spirited nature reasserted itself and she said with confused wonder. "How... how the fuck are you a princess?"
Shara gave her an apologetic half-smile, then turned to Kalus. "Please say something."
He didn't speak for several long seconds.
"The day we met, you said you were 'not so different' from the princess." Kalus finally said. "You were telling the truth; well, you were then." Neither his eyes nor his tone bore any trace of accusation, yet she couldn't help feeling accused.
Convicted.
Guilty.
She averted her eyes, not wanting to see the non-accusing look in her husband's eyes. She expected an accusing look and she felt like she deserved it, yet she wasn't getting it. That almost hurt worse. For a moment, she considered it strange that she felt this way when she'd outright told him that she wished him dead not many days ago.
But things had changed since then.
They had changed so much, and partially because of that she felt like the contents of a chamber pot. Worse than that.
Kalus scrutinized her for nearly a whole minute before speaking again. "Your father is King Bracken, your mother is Queen Hylea, and that's why you are so loyal to your country."
It wasn't a question.
Shara nodded, never taking her eyes off the floor.
Lyra didn't seem to know what to do with herself. She seemed completely at a loss as to how to behave with the revelation that her fellow wife was also the princess of the realm. Well, a conquered realm, but a princess nonetheless. Meanwhile, Kalus started pacing slowly in the small room with his hands clasped behind his back. Every so often, he would look at Shara and either frown, shake his head, or make a thoughtful sound.
Shara herself didn't know what to do.
After a minute or two, Kalus finally stopped and looked at her. "You found yourself captured and so disguised yourself as a handmaiden so you wouldn't fall into Tyso's hands."
Again, it wasn't a question.
She nodded.
"You were afraid that if you revealed yourself, the consequences could be dire." He said again, and Shara noticed that his volume was low. Easily heard by those in the room but not by those outside it.
She nodded again.
He slowly nodded as he looked at her.
"Please say something." She whispered, almost pleading and hardly able to bear his silence any longer. Well, he hadn't been silent, but she needed to know what he was thinking; how he felt about her with this revelation.
He narrowed his eyes for a moment, then made a thoughtful sound before he spoke. "I have said many times that I wished I had the opportunity to court you properly. I believe that's no longer the case."
Shara swallowed hard as she felt her heart sink to some below the floorboards underneath her.
"It's no longer the case..." Kalus continued. "...because King Bracken would've never let a common soldier such as myself court you, and thus the way we married was probably the only way we could have married."
The princess's breath caught in her throat.
Did he mean...?
She chanced a glance up at him. He still looked stern and imposing as always and his expression displayed both worry and concern. However, it seemed like that worry and concern was directed at her and for her.
"I would never have imagined that Illuminar -- blessed be He -- would bless me of all men with a princess as a wife." He continued. "But princess, handmaiden, or scullery maid -- whatever you are -- I'm glad to call you my wife."
"You... you're not angry with me?" She managed to squeak out.
He replied with an even tone that somewhat contradicted his words. "Of course I am angry with you; what man wouldn't be to discover his wife had been lying to him since the very moment they met?" He exhaled, and his shoulders relaxed a bit. "Yet I realize I have no right to be angry. You were forced into this marriage by another, and for your own protection you concealed your identity from those who you considered enemies, of whom I am one."
"Were." Shara said as she gave him a half-smile. "You were someone I considered an enemy."
He smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."
Shara turned to Lyra. "Please don't change how you treat me; I liked how we were before and I wouldn't want that to change."
"Okay." The horsewoman nodded, then she got a sly grin and said in a teasing tone. "You're highness."
The princess rolled her eyes and then turned back towards their husband. "I'm sorry."
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I forgive you, though I am not sure..." He frowned. "I see why you did what you did, being the princess of Timarou. I'm not sure an apology is required, but thank you for offering it and I will of course forgive you."
"You... You're really not mad?" She asked.
"It will pass." He replied heavily and then sat down on the bed next to her. "What will not pass is your condition." He glanced at her womb. "Unless I'm mistaken, the future rightful ruler of Timarou is growing inside of you, assuming the baby is a boy."
Shara nodded.
Lyra gasped. "That's... that's actually kind of hot."
They both looked at her.
"What?" She said defensively. "It's an age-old story; the noble knight and the princess falling in love."
"You forgot the spirited horsewoman who makes their family complete." Shara said.
"Thank you Katia--" Lyra stopped. "I suppose I should stop calling you that."
"No, keep calling her that." Kalus said. "No one else can know."
"Besides, I kind of like it." Shara said. "It's grown on me rather a lot."
"Really?" The ash blonde raised her eyebrow. "It's a common name and I'm not sure it's suited to a princess."
"Maybe not, but I like it." She replied.
"Regardless, we must keep using it." Kalus said. "King Tyso mustn't find out who you are."
"What would happen if he did?" Lyra asked with a grimace.
"He would have me executed, probably for treason saying that I knew and kept it from him." He replied. "When he found out that Shar-- that Katia is pregnant he would make her take the herbs until she miscarried."
Shara put her hands protectively over her womb.
"Then, once he has complete control of Timarou, he would almost certainly force Katia to marry him so their son would be considered the rightful heir."
The princess shuddered.
Lyra made a face that wouldn't have been out of place if someone had just put a load of manure under her nose.
"He can't know." The amber-haired girl said while clutching her womb. "He can't."
"And he won't." Kalus said, then scrutinized her. "The meeting yesterday with General Ardroben; did he recognize you?"
"I think so." She nodded. "I also touched my womb and said that the princess's health had changed for the better, so I hope he knows about our baby."
"Let us hope so." He frowned. "How many at the castle know your face?"
"Some, but certainly not all." She replied. "I spent most of my teen years in the castle where you found me for my schooling."
"Thank Illuminar for that." He pursed his lips. "Still, I will have my men sweep the areas in front of us to ensure that as few as possible will see you." He cocked his head to one side. "I will also have you closely guarded by Octavian's men, so much so that they will block you from being seen as much as possible."
Shara looked at him, a smile coming unbidden to her face and her throat got slightly tight. "You really care, don't you?"
He nodded. "And even if I didn't, I would still take care of you because you are my wife."
She smiled at him, though she couldn't hold his gaze for long and averted her eyes.
Several moments later, Lyra chuckled to herself.
"What?" Shara asked.
"I kissed a princess and I liked it." She smiled, then went slightly red.
Shara looked at Kalus with a grimace. "Was that okay? I mean, that Lyra and I... that we..."
He nodded. "Illuminar does not forbid it, and I must confess that I have seen few fairer sights in my life."
"Really?" The princess asked.
He nodded. "But perhaps now is not the time to discuss that. We will have a trying day tomorrow and should get some sleep." Lyra opened her mouth, but he continued before she spoke. "All of us, even if you would prefer a different activity in the bed."
The horsewoman nodded, though she looked disappointed too.
"Come, we should go to bed." He said, then probably for Lyra's benefit added. "To sleep."
The bed was only slightly wider than the bedroll they had been sleeping in. As usual, Lyra pulled her dress off and snuggled up to him naked. Shara herself felt conflicted. She almost wanted to do the same, but something about that felt so... exposed. What if something happened and she needed to get up?
She laid down in the bed on Kalus's left side as usual, not quite touching him but also not far away either. As usual, Lyra fell asleep pretty quickly. Shara didn't however. She and her husband lay awake looking up at the ceiling for some time. She bit her lip and started to turn away as usual, but stopped herself.
"Lucien?" She whispered, still trying to get used to the idea that her husband's first name wasn't Kalus.
"Yes?" He whispered back.
"I truly am sorry."
He turned his head to look at her, though she couldn't make out his expression clearly in the semi-darkness. "I already forgave you. I would likely have done the same if I was you."
"But?" She said, feeling like there was a 'but' coming.
"I..." Uncharacteristically for him, he trailed off without finishing his sentence.
"You?" She asked with bated breath.
"You have lied to me since the moment we met." He whispered. "I don't blame you and I understand, but that is hard to come to terms with."
"Oh." She said, then fell silent.
What could she say?
It was true.
She had lied to him from literally the moment that they had met. That hadn't bothered her at the time considering the circumstances. But now... Now she wished that she hadn't. Although King Tyso might've forced her to wed him if she hadn't and then...
She shuddered.
Okay, she was glad she had lied. Kalus had protected her from a worse forced marriage , from the king, and from so many other things. That first night he had taken care of her too. He'd done so much for her.
"Lucien." She whispered several minutes later.
"Hmm." He grunted, still very much awake.
"May..." She hesitated. "May I sleep closer? Um, closer to you I mean?"
He turned to look at her again and she thought she saw a smile on his face. It was hard to be sure in the darkness though.
"I would like that." He replied.
His tone was happy.
She scooted closer so her right shoulder was up against his left arm. It felt awkward, but she liked it. He put his arm around her and pulled her a bit closer so she was leaning up against his torso.
She smiled.
"May..." She whispered hoarsely. "May I lean on you?"
In response, he pulled her to him so she was laying on her side with her front up against his side and her head naturally ended up using his chest for a pillow. There was something slightly possessive about the motion too, like he wanted her to know that he wanted her there.
She liked that.
"Will... will we be okay?" She whispered several moments later.
"I don't know how we will avoid Tyso's wrath, but--" He stopped as she put her hand on his chest.
"No, I meant will we be okay."
He didn't answer for several seconds, and when he finally spoke his tone was... soft. That was the only word she could think of for it. It was gentle, kind, and had a softness to it that made her smile.
"Katia..." He paused. "Shara, will you swear to Illuminar that you will never lie to me again?"
"Lucien... husband; I swear on Illuminar Himself that I will never lie to you ever again." She said, and she meant it with all her heart.
He took a deep breath, which raised her head slightly since she was using it for a pillow, and then slowly let it out. When he spoke, there was a smile in his tone. "I think we will be okay... Shara."
"You..." She hesitated. "You can call me 'Katia', I like how it sounds on your lips."
"Then sweet dreams Katia." She felt him move and then felt his lips press gently against the top of her head.
She sighed softly, then snuggled closer to him.
"Sweet dreams." She replied, feeling the tiredness from the day wash over her. Now that she knew things were okay between herself and her husband, her mind finally let her rest. She relaxed completely into him, grateful that the revelation of her secret had gone as well as it had.
He was holding her, he cared about her, and he would take care of her no matter what. Those were the last thoughts on her mind before she drifted off to sleep.