- - -
King Henry knocked awkwardly on his son's door. He usually summoned him to his chambers or office for official meetings, and drawing rooms for the regular family gatherings that the queen mandated. The prince's valet opened the door, allowing the king to step in.
"Father?" Oscar rose from his dressing table, where servants were grooming his hair. His complexion was pale and bloodless, but with the makeup Josephine sent, it would go unnoticed. With a pang, the king realized how much he'd wasted away in the year and half since Lady Catherine's arrival, and another pang at his son's lifted brow for his presence.
"I wanted to ensure that you were strong enough for the luncheon," King Henry said regally.
The prince's twentieth birthday should've been a grand affair in the blooming warmth of May. With the excuse of the recent assassination attempt on Lady Valentina and the upcoming demon subjugation, it was reduced to a small luncheon with only the most important of the kingdom's figures.
Oscar smiled, and the expression of strength he tried to put up suddenly reminded the king of his brother's final days. A shudder ran down his spine. Were they reaping what they sowed?
"Thank you. I will certainly be able to attend."
"Good."
A shy silence fell. The king coughed and dismissed the servants to leave them alone.
"How are things with Lady Valentina recently?"
"Pleasant," Oscar stiffened, doubtlessly wary of this intrusion into a topic his father had never breached in this form before. "She is quite recovered from the recent incident, and we have resumed our regular outings. Affairs from the grand duchy and the temple had accumulated during her recuperation, but she is managing well. How are you and Mother?"
"Oh, nothing out of the ordinary," the king waved a hand dismissively, musing at the report. "What of the rumours that had previously surrounded you and Lady Catherine?"
"What of them?" Oscar immediately bore the mask for official business. "By some unfortunate impulse, I did behave unseemingly a few times, but it will not happen again, especially with the new circumstances. Mother has ensured that the rumours themselves have quieted."
"What I meant is, do you, er, harbour any feelings towards her?" The king winced as soon as the words left him, though he knew his son could not deny an answer.
"I thought she was a pitiful thing." Oscar reflected his upbringing and chose his words slowly and carefully. "The genuinity of her affections with which she treated the world was refreshing, but our society could not tolerate that. I have deliberated your question for many nights, Father, and though it may not seem enough to justify my actions, I determined that any feelings I had were that of being honoured at such pure sentiments toward myself, and a desire to preserve such innocence."
The king sighed. He did not know whether he was relieved or disappointed. Regardless, nerves bubbled in his stomach as they approached the topic of significance. "Innocence, indeed, is what shall be judged to decide her fate. What of that?"
"What of it?" Oscar tensed. "She will be served the same justice that has befallen the kingdom for the past decade."
The justice decided by House Avington! No, it could not continue. His son was not weak like him, Oscar had his mother's spirit, he could correct the consequences of all of Henry's wrongs. It was his duty by birth, after all.
"Yes, but with the delicacy of the situation and your position within it," the king looked at his son pointedly and took him by the shoulders. "The purpose of my coming here was to tell you this: it ought to be your responsibility that the resolution is just. It is of the utmost importance that you do so."
He clutched his son, not allowing his hands to tremble. "This is the one thing your father asks of you. You must find a way to… distinguish the guilty from the innocent. I had assured you before that it was a matter of time, and now the time has come. It must be now."
Oscar's eyes widened. Henry held his gaze unwillingly, but he did not have to bear it for long, as the prince broke into a fit of violent coughs and collapsed into his father's arms. All of Henry's previous resolve fell to pieces as the weight of the boy brought him back to how he held his brother on his death bed. God, what had he done?
"My apologies, Father," Oscar breathed as he straightened himself. His physical weight was no longer on the king, but the burden on his heart had grown so heavy that he surrendered to his conscience.
"Never mind what I said, my son," the words spilled out before the king could stop them. "It is too late. I am sorry, I should not have tried to make you atone for my inabilities. I am too far gone, but I shall bear it myself. That is all I can do for you. For you, all I hope… is that you will have someone who loves you. That is all that matters."
He took a deep breath, realizing he had said too much. Sighing, he patted his son on the back and left as abruptly as he had come.
The son, slightly bewildered, called as the figure slipped out of the door, "Thank you, Father!"
But the father did not feel deserving of the thanks.
- - -
Keeping the celebration of the prince's twentieth birthday small was perfectly reasonable given its surrounding events, but I knew to be suspicious of the real cause. Sophia wasn't able to discern the origins of Oscar's symptoms, meaning that the forces at play must be quite powerful, as I had thought. As a precaution, I had asked her to stay with me for a while, but there really wasn't anything anyone could do to stop me now! Though, I did have to make sure they didn't mess up my fiance too badly before we wed.
"Happy birthday, Your Highness. I have been delighted by another year by your side, and I hope to make your next ever more pleasurable."
These were the thoughts that ran through my head as I tried to enjoy the food at the luncheon. Oscar was surrounded by his family, so I was not sat next to him, and we had not interacted other than my greeting wishes. Somehow, the delicacies were less delicious with the knowledge that my fiance was unwell.
He looked and behaved fine to an ordinary observer, but the little signs of fatigue that had grown over the past month had continued surging, threatening to boil over. It unsettled me.
Finally, the formal lunch was over, and the small party of the elite dispersed into a spacious, nearby drawing room to fraternize. It would've been a great opportunity to strengthen connections, so I knew the severity of Oscar's condition when he slipped out at the first chance to do so unnoticed.
"Oh, Lady Valentina! How are you prepared for the demon subjugation?"
I squeezed a smile as I hurriedly dealt with some small talk. Alas, when I left the room my target was nowhere to be seen.
Fortunately, I had been Oscar's fiancee for a decade, and so I found him in a secluded window alcove of one of the royal castle's private libraries. In the novel, it was his favourite hiding spot, and he gifted it to Catherine after their wedding because of her love of books, but he had given me unrestricted access years ago so I could learn to be the best possible ruler, which I thought was much more romantic.
"What is wrong, Your Highness?"
He was hiding his face in a hand and leaning against the wall, facing the window overlooking the bustling city. At my voice, he turned and dropped his hand, as if to pretend he was fine, but there was a hollowness to his eyes that gave my heart a strange ache. Boldness overtook me and I stepped closer. I was rewarded; he took me into his arms and grasped me tightly.
"Why did you do it?" he asked quietly.
What? Did he-
"Why didn't you trust me?"
"Oh, maybe because Your Highness visited another girl's bedside? And embraced her in the holy temple? Need I dredge up more? Things had been going so well, too, after our engagement, and at the festival… You reassured me so! All for naught, the moment she fell ill you rushed to her."
I stared up at him defiantly. What I said could not incriminate me in any way that mattered, but if he wanted to lay it all out between us, then so be it! Our relationship is the one place where I had never done anybody wrong, except maybe take away his fated happiness, but I could argue I'd make him happier. My heart pounded in my ears, and he had the audacity to smile.
"My sincerest apologies. I forgot myself and those atrocious things I did that wounded you. I'm truly sorry."
"Hmph."
Try as I did, I could not remain angry at that. In the peaceful solitude, with my hands against his firm chest, his body shrouding mine, he really felt like my male lead. This was what the original Valentina had died for, so I begrudgingly treasured it.
"Yet, did you do it because you cared about me, or my crown? Is the crown prince all that I am to you?"
Oscar's voice was so soft. Rarely was I so speechless. I had never considered the possibility that it mattered to him, or that part of the grand scheme would be his concern. The day had been overcast, but at that moment the clouds parted and a ray of sunlight spilled through and hit his face at just the right angle. Never had he looked so sad, never had he looked so beautiful.
I kissed him.
Lips parted, tongues entangled. Forget it, I scolded. I was yours, and you were mine, I caressed. Wet, warm, slippery. I claimed him, reassured him, promised him. He touched me, his hands lingering in places, his fingers leaving tingling traces. Forgive me, he pleaded. I did, I was generous, and I had what I needed.
When we pulled apart it was for breath, a string of saliva connecting our mouths, faint colour in his cheeks. I kissed him, kissed him, and kissed him again until it turned into a proper blush and he was devouring me. An embarrassing gasp escaped my throat. Oh, how I didn't want it to end-
"Someone's coming, my lady!" Quietly but urgently, Mikhail called from around the corner.
I whined internally. Oscar pulled me in for one last peck before stepping back to a respectable distance, with an abashed smile. The librarian passed by to see the prince and his fiancee politely discussing very scholarly matters, indeed.
We did not talk much on the way out, there was no need for it. I made sure he found his way back to his room with his servants to watch over him, and left awfully pleased with myself.
In the novel, our engagement had been annulled around the time of Elizabeth's birthday, after Catherine told Oscar about Valentina's poisoning attempt. Free from his evil fiancee, Oscar asked for Catherine's hand in courtship at his birthday ball, but a jealous Valentina attempted to stab her. Of course, she was unsuccessful, as the loyal Tia gave up her life for her mistress, stepping in front of Valentina's knife.
How far I'd come! How lovely it was! How I couldn't wait to begin my happily ever after…